The Miami Dolphins didn’t just tinker with their roster after the waiver wire opened. They turned it over.
After setting their 53-man roster on Sunday, Miami came out of Monday with seven waiver claims and one additional signing, then had to clear space by moving on from eight players. For a team built around a roster heavy on rookies and other inexperienced players, general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan clearly attacked the market aggressively.
The headline additions start with quarterback Brady Cook and tight end Justin Joly. Cook, claimed from the Jets, was rough in his four starts last season as a rookie UDFA and looked like little more than a camp arm. Even so, Miami brought him in as its No. 3 quarterback.
Joly is a much more intriguing swing. The source material notes a third-round grade on the NC State product in this past year's draft, though the Broncos made him a high fifth-round pick.
He reportedly had a difficult camp, and that apparently opened the door for Miami to pounce. Unlike Denver, the Dolphins can afford to take on a player with upside and give him time.
The rest of the waiver haul is mostly about depth and competition. Miami claimed cornerbacks Reese Taylor and Marcellas Dial Jr., plus safety Julius Wood, all of whom have either played very little or mostly worked on special teams.
Jarrett Kingston fits that same mold. Chukwuebuka Godrick, though, stands out a bit more after starting three games for the Chiefs in 2025 and looking capable.
He could become a name to watch if Miami loses a tackle to injury.
The Dolphins also added former Chiefs edge rusher Malik Herring, who had been cut by the Titans.
To make room, Miami waived or released Clelin Ferrell, A.J. Green III, Ethan Bonner, Marques Cox, AJ Henning, Max Llewellyn, Josh Priebe, and Ben Sims.
Ferrell’s exit qualifies as the biggest surprise of the group, though he was injured for much of camp and never appeared in the preseason. Herring’s arrival looks like a direct replacement for that role. Bonner opened camp well, but his preseason didn’t match that start, and Green also got squeezed out.
On the offensive line, Cox and Priebe were swapped out after a summer in which the backup unit struggled. Llewellyn now has the unwanted distinction of being the only draft pick who didn’t survive to the roster, though the expectation is that he could land back on the practice squad if he clears waivers. Sims probably would have had a better shot if he weren’t dealing with an injury, but Joly brings more upside and may have been the preferred option regardless.
Henning may be the toughest cut to swallow from Miami’s perspective. He had a strong camp and made the most of his preseason chances, but Ryan Miller’s edge in special teams experience - 348 snaps there over three seasons - likely won out. Henning is another player who could circle back via the practice squad, though the Dolphins may have to fend off another team first.
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For a roster that is always searching for useful depth up front, the moves make sense as a low-risk way to widen the pool. Miami also moved on from quarterback Mark Gronowski to make room, a reminder that practice-squad churn is part of the weekly business as the Dolphins keep sorting through familiar names and trying to find help wherever it might be hiding. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Just Reshaped The Back End Of Their Roster Again
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Miami also moved on from quarterback Mark Gronowski to clear a spot, and none of the players waived earlier this week to make room for waiver claims were brought back. It is the kind of quiet but constant roster maintenance that often says as much about a teams planning as any headline move, especially for a Dolphins club still sorting out its preferred mix of young developmental pieces and experienced depth. [Read more 🡒]