Tag Archives: Dolphins

Mike Gesicki Contract Extension: Why It May Not Happen

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Mike Gesicki
Credit: Sun Sentinel
Disclaimer: This article is purely speculation, no one has any idea what will happen in the future. I, like most fans, want Gesicki to be re-signed.

Mike Gesicki is without a doubt one of the Miami Dolphins best players. Not only does he have great chemistry with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, but he is a playmaker and well liked in the locker room. That being said, the contract of Mike Gesicki is up at the end of the 2021-2022 NFL season.

For fans, it is concerning that Gesicki has not been extended, especially since he is a focal point of the offense. This brings me to ask the question: Is the writing on the wall for Gesicki?

Reason To Worry?

There are really two reasons why Miami fans should worry about Gesicki’s future. One of them being a contract extension not happening yet (or at least talked about) and his misuse/ disappearance from the offense as of late.

Mike Gesicki Contract Situation

Like I said above, it is a tad concerning that Mike Gesicki has not been extended yet. Especially since Dallas Goedert most recently signed an extension which probably raised the price for a Gesicki extension. Goedert signed a four year, $57 million dollar contract, equivalent to $14.25 million a year. This makes Goedert the second highest paid tight end by average money per year.

This means for Miami to resign Gesicki they will have to at least pay Gesicki $13 million dollars a year. This would make him the third highest paid tight end. That being said, I cannot see Miami signing Gesicki for that much. As we saw with the Xavien Howard situation, Miami can play hard ball.

Miami could play hard ball with Gesicki and not even offer him and franchise tag him or offer him less than what he is demanding (we’ll get to both of these later).

Offensive Woes

Gesicki’s presence on the offense during the past couple of weeks has been a lot different compared to last season and some other games this year. There can be a number of reasons for this. Defense’s could game plan for him better or the offensive game plan for that week could not emphasize him are just two reasons.

Now Gesicki’s targets per game are staying about the same week by week. His average yards per catch the past two weeks (weeks 12 and 13) has dropped by about 50%. This shows that Gesicki is being used less downfield and more in the flat. This does not really use Gesicki to his strengths and he is essentially a go up and get it guy.

In addition to all of this, recently, Gesicki seems to be absent for at least the first half of the game. All or a majority of his targets come later on in the game when the Dolphins are trying to secure the win. This can be due to Gesicki being Tua’s security blanket and he knows that if he throws it to Gesicki he will catch it.

Mike Gesicki Replacements

There is not true replacement for Gesicki in Miami’s offense. There is no player on this roster, and very few players in the NFL like Gesicki. Even though his blocking ability is questionable, his ability to make explosive plays and jump start the offense isn’t. Not to mention his chemistry with Tua is hard to beat as well.

That being said, Miami did draft Hunter Long in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft. In addition to that, we have been seeing a lot more of Durham Smythe (who is also a free agent at the end of the year) in Miami’s offense as of late. These are the two players that Miami could have in mind as potential replacements for Gesicki.

Hunter Long

When Long was first draft, multiple fans said he was going to be Mike Gesicki’s replacement and Miami was going to let Gesicki walk at the end of the year. This was due to his athleticism he displayed in college and his ability to line up anywhere on the offense.

Long has not had much spotlight this season. Getting his first (and so far only) catch in week 13 against the Giants. This does not mean Long is bad, he just has not been given an opportunity, as he is mostly inactive during games. When Long is active, he is blocking a majority of the time.

Durham Smythe

Smythe was drafted in the same class as Gesicki and has mostly been used as a blocker. This year and especially as of late, Miami has been using Smythe a lot more in the passing game. Now while he has no where near the targets Gesicki has, his presence in the pass game seems to be increasing.

Smythe is a free agent after this year as well. Now the reason why Miami would opt to resign Smythe over Gesicki is simple: money. Smythe will cost a whole lot less than Gesicki, which may be compelling to Chris Grier and company.

Mike Gesicki Contract Solutions

Now even though it make seem like I have lost all hope that the Dolphins and Mike Gesicki work something out, I still hope something does. There are two ways that Gesicki stays a Dolphins next season. That is the franchise tag and resigning him to an extension.

Franchise Tag

Now is Gesicki and the Dolphins can not agree to a contract extension, Miami could always franchise tag him. The franchise tag will pay him a little under $11 million dollars. Miami may think this is a more reasonable number for Gesicki. With an estimated almost $70 million dollars in cap space next year, the franchise tag may cause more problems than it solves.

Extension

This is the win-win solution. Miami and Gesicki should both want to get an extension done. As I said earlier, the starting point should be $13 million dollars a year. Whether Gesicki will want more than that is unknown as of right now. But I would not be surprised if Gesicki demands at least $14 million dollars a year as he could easily get that in free agency from another team.

Conclusion

So is the writing on the wall for Mike Gesicki? Only time will tell. As it seems right now the answer could go either way. As the season continues to go on it will be interesting to see how Gesicki is used. Hopefully Miami and Mike Gesicki can work a contract extension out, as players like Gesicki do not come around that often.

Miami Dolphins Stun Baltimore Ravens on TNF

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Dolphins vs Ravens
Credit: Dolphins Wire

The Miami Dolphins stunned everyone with an upset win vs the Baltimore Ravens. Not only did Miami beat the Ravens, but they dominated most of the game. Even though it was a snooze fest of a game until the fourth quarter, Dolphin fans have a reason to be excited again. Here are some key takeaways from Miami’s stunning win vs the Ravens.

Defense Looks Dominant Again

Last night, the Dolphins defense looked like one of the best in the NFL. Holding one of the NFL’s best and hottest players in Lamar Jackson to just 277 all purpose yards. Not only that, but the Dolphins defense also had one interception, four sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery that went for a touchdown vs the Ravens.

Xavien Howard got the game going with a forced fumble that he recovered and took it 49 yards for a score. Justin Coleman had the same sealing interception in the end zone with less than a minute left in the game. But this was all thanks to Lamar being uncomfortable all night.

Jaelan Philips, Andrew Van Ginkle, Emmanuel Ogbah, Brandon Jones, and Jevon Holland were in Lamar’s face all game. Lamar was blitzed essentially all game and it turned out to work for Miami.

Tua Fills In and Delivers

For the second straight week Tua Tagovailoa was active even with his finger injury. But for the second straight week Tua was the active back-up. This was until the third quarter when Jacoby Brissett went down with a knee injury.

On the next drive Brissett tried to go back in and head coach Brian Flores waved him off and called Tua’s number. At first it was evident that his finger is really injured, killing any “benching” speculation.

That being said, as the game went on, Tua did look more comfortable and started to throw better. He had some throws that made you shake your head but it is clear that it was due to his finger. Postgame Tua clarified that his finger “does not feel good”. but he stayed strong and played through it.

Tua’s highlights from last night are his deep throw to Jaylen Waddle and Albert Wilson along with his one yard quarterback sneak to score a touchdown. With the extended week due to playing on Thursday night, hopefully Tua uses this time so he is 100% by the next game against the New York Jets.

Run Game and Offensive Line Leave Question Marks

Even though the Dolphins played their best game of the season vs the Ravens, there was still negatives. The run game still isn’t where it should be. Myles Gaskins was the only rusher with over 10 carries and averaged 2.2 yards per carry. That is including his long of 11 yards. No team in the NFL should be able to win like this consistently, so Miami needs to figure out their run game woes.

The offensive line for Miami also did not play their best. As I said above Tua only got in the game due to Brissett getting hurt. The Ravens only had four saves, but had a total of 13 quarterback hits.

The run game also looked horrendous part due to part of the offensive line. Liam Eichenberg allowed several pressures and was the one who allowed the sack that got Brissett hurt. It will be something to keep an eye on if Miami decides to switch up the offensive line during their long week.

Familiar Faces Return

Albert Wilson and Isaiah Ford were the lead receivers for the Dolphins last night. Both tied with a game high four catches and both led the Dolphins in receiving yards. Wilson had 87 yards compared to Ford’s 84.

The question of “where has Albert Wilson been?” finally got answered as Miami finally used him properly. Miami sent him on a wheel route on an RPO and gained 64 yards on his biggest play of the night. He also ran a number of screens where he flashed his ability to make people miss consistently. It will be interesting if Miami keeps using Wilson throughout the season or if this was a “gameplay” situation.

Ford also came through for Miami as he had a number of catches when Miami was in a hurry up offense. Besides not stepping out of bounds in an obvious situation, Ford was impressive. He showed that he can be Miami’s number three or even two receiver if need be.

Rookies Shine

Rookies Jevon Holland and Jaylen Waddle received public praise from the media and the Ravens players. While Jaelan Phillips had his best game to date. Holland was all over the field and broke up a deep ball that was intended for Marquise Brown early in the game.

In addition to that, Holland stuffed the stat sheet, with five tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, two pass deflections, and a quarterback hit, it seems Chris Grier made have drafted a budding star.

Jaylen Waddle was also a key contributor as he was on the receiving end of Tua’s clutch throw in the fourth quarter. Waddle had four catches for 61 yards and its clear that Miami is making an effort to use him properly. He also drew a ton of attention as the defense always made sure they knew where he was. Waddle as normal was also both Brissett’s and Tua’s security blanket.

Jaelan Phillips impressed fans last week with a great game, but this week he was even better. Even though he only had half a sack and one quarterback hit, he was always around the ball and in Lamar’s face all night. He made sure Lamar didn’t scramble all over Miami and chased him down whenever he tried too.

Looking Ahead

Overall the Dolphins performance vs the Ravens showed how good of a team they can be. Even with the offensive line and run game not being the best they still outplayed the Ravens. The play-calling wasn’t the best but we have defiantly seen worse this year.

Let’s hope Miami is able to carry this momentum through the season and show that they are better than their current record of 3-7 and potentially fight for a playoff spot.

Is there any life left for the Miami Dolphins’ playoff chances?

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Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

After the Miami Dolphins Week 1 victory over the New England Patriots, the season has not gone quite as expected. While Week 1 left many questioning the Dolphins’ offensive production, a win came nonetheless. After starting QB Tua Tagovailoa was knocked out of the Dolphins Week 2 matchup against the Buffalo Bills after playing nine snaps, those questions were replaced with much harder ones. Since having 10:41 left on the clock in the first quarter of Week 2, fans seem to be watching the Miami Dolphins playoff chances fade away. But just how low are they? 

Status of the Miami Dolphins offense

Week 3 featured back-up QB Jacoby Brissett’s first start during Tua’s absence with fractured ribs. Despite coming playing in relief of Tua in Week 2, Brissett still couldn’t get the offense moving during the Bills 35-0 shellacking of Miami. After two early touchdowns for the Dolphins in Week 3, it looked like things were heading for another tragic day. The Las Vegas Raiders scored 25 unanswered points, including a safety featuring some very questionable decision-making. Miami roared back into the game, tying it at the end of regulation, but fell short to the Raiders 31-28 in overtime. 

There is some good news for Miami. First, after being placed on the injured reserve after Week 2, Tua should be cleared to return for Miami’s Week 6 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Secondly, Brissett is a solid back-up should be able to snag one win in Tua’s absence. Lastly, the defense is continuing to force turnovers and make things difficult for their opponents. The points allowed total looks bad, but when a defense is asked to go out repeatedly without support from its offense, the opponent will tire them out quickly.

Now let’s get into the bad news. The offensive line is still a disaster. Buffalo sacked the QB six times in Week 2, while the Raiders snagged two of their own and forced a safety. The unit as a whole is the Achilles heel of this Dolphins squad and holds the key to their playoff chances. If they stand any chance of making it to the 2021 postseason they need to make some changes in the offensive trenches immediately.

A look at the rest of the Dolphins’ season

While things seem to be trending down, a look at the rest of the schedule does not necessarily spell doom for the Miami Dolphins’ playoff chances. Before we jump into this, it is worth noting that it is still very early in the season. However, here’s the rest of the Dolphins 2021 regular-season schedule:

  • Week 4: vs. Indianapolis Colts
  • Week 5: @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • Week 6: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
  • Week 7: vs. Atlanta Falcons
  • Week 8: @ Buffalo Bills
  • Week 9: vs. Houston Texans
  • Week 10: vs. Baltimore Ravens
  • Week 11: @ New York Jets
  • Week 12: vs. Carolina Panthers
  • Week 13: vs. New York Giants
  • Week 14: Bye Week
  • Week 15: vs. New York Jets
  • Week 16: @ New Orleans Saints
  • Week 17: @ Tennessee Titans
  • Week 18: vs. New England

After going through this schedule a few times, eight wins does not feel remotely out of the question. Further, one can plausibly see up to ten wins depending on how the game script goes. Let’s start with the assumed losses. Games against the Buccaneers, Bills, Ravens, and Titans seem out of reach for this offense to keep up with in its current state.

Miami will be without Tagovailoa in Week 5 against Tampa Bay. After failing to score a single point at home against the Bills, a win in Buffalo is a pipe dream in Week 8. Miami has not defeated Baltimore since 2015, with Lamar Jackson under center, that drought won’t be quenched any time soon. Tennessee feels like the closest competition out of this group, but I expect to see a very different Titans team in Week 17 than we see now. 

The 10 crucial games for the Miami Dolphins’ playoff chances

The rest of these games have the potential to be won by Miami. The combined record of these opponents (excluding Jacksonville’s Week 4 Thursday night loss) is 8-22 featuring four winless teams, one of which they play twice. The only games that will be a challenge are the Week 12 matchup versus the Panthers and their Week 16 tilt against the Saints. 

Panthers QB Sam Darnold has become a completely different signal-caller than the Dolphins saw in New York. Will they still be able to make him see the ghosts they’ve made him see in his past duels with this Dolphins defense?

Another key to this game will be the status of RB Christian McCaffrey. Carolina was forced to completely change its offensive game plan after losing McCaffery in their Week 3 win over the Texans. Hamstrings can be finicky. However, the Panthers’ RB should remain out until at least Week 6. They face off six weeks later, but given McCaffrey’s injury struggles last season, anything can happen.

Now for the second game can stifle the Miami Dolphins’ playoff chances. Winning against Carolina and New Orleans, as well as the other eight, leaves this team with an 11-6 record. Who comes out victorious in Week 16: Sean Payton’s offense or Brian Flores’ defense might just be the precursor to whether or not Miami makes the playoffs.

If Miami can fluster Saints QB Jameis Winston and force the bad Winston to come out, Miami can win this game. However, if Sean Payton and company come out on fire, the Dolphins offense can’t keep up with a juggernaut.

So what are the Miami Dolphins’ playoff chances?

It’s about a coin flip right now. The sky might be falling, but as stated earlier, it is only Week 4. A win over the Indianapolis Colts this week, who are missing a number of important starters, would kick things off in the right direction. For Dolphins fans, the magic number is five. This team needs to win at least nine of its last 14 games, preferably 10. Five losses between now and the end of the season leaves Miami with a 10-7 record. Anything more and the Miami Dolphins’ playoff chances seem very unlikely. 

Credit: NBC Sports

Recap: Miami Dolphins defeated their AFC East Rival

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Credit: NBC Sports

On Sunday, the Miami Dolphins defeated their AFC East rival New England Patriots in their season opener. Last season, Miami lost their week 1 matchup in New England. This year, after barely missing the playoffs 9 months ago, they needed to get off to a fast start.

They got the job done. No one expected a pretty, high-scoring game. It was expected that it would be a defensive dog fight until the end, and that’s exactly what happened. A game that consisted of three turnovers and six punts ended in a 17-16 victory for the Dolphins.

OFFENSE

On the first play from scrimmage, Tua Tagovailoa hit rookie WR Jaylen Waddle for a gain of 17 on an RPO. RPO’s were a huge part of the Dolphins offense on Sunday.

Although the run game struggled a bit, Myles Gaskin had a 15 yard carry on that drive as well. The drive ended with a 3-yard TD run from Tua on an RPO. 

Unfortunately for Miami, the offense cooled off and punted three straight times. A big part of that was inconsistency from the offensive line. 

The Dolphins put together another good drive on their final possession of the first half. On the first play of the drive, Tagovailoa found Jaylen Waddle down the left sideline for a gain of 36-yards. They put together an 8-play 45-yard drive and let Pro Bowl kicker Jason Sanders tie the game 10-10 going into half.

On the very first drive after halftime, Miami faced a big 3rd & 8. The offense stepped up and Tua Tagovailoa threw a strike to Devante Parker for 30-yards. 

That gave Miami life, and the drive ended in Jaylen Waddle’s first career touchdown catch.

One of Miami’s most crucial drives resulted in 0 points. When Xavien Howard forced a fumble and gave Miami the ball back with 3:31 to go, the game wasn’t over. The Dolphins were at their own 9-yard line and had to drain more than 3 minutes off the clock to secure the win. That isn’t easy, especially against Bill Belichick. After a holding, they faced a 1st & 14 at their own 5. Tua delivered a strike to Devante Parker who picked up 13-yards. 

The Dolphins secured the win when short yard specialist and former Patriots SB Champion Jacoby Brissett took a QB sneak for 2-yards.

The Dolphins offense wasn’t always the prettiest on Sunday, but they stepped up when they needed to. 

Offensive Positives:

  • Once again, Devante Parker proved that when he’s healthy, he can be a huge part of the Miami Dolphins offense.
  • The Miami Dolphins have a plan for Jaylen Waddle. He was used in pre snap motion, and caught passes all over the field. 
  • Rookie Liam Eichenberg was a solid starter at LT in place of Austin Jackson.

Offensive Negatives:

  • The run game was inconsistent. Miami averaged just 3.2 YPC.
  • The offensive line was inconsistent. They showed they are very capable on some plays, but on others, it was a serious issue.
  • Tua Tagovailoa looked to be slightly uneasy when the pocket collapsed fast around him, but that shouldn’t raise any eyebrows at this point.

Defense

Knowing they were going to have to step up and be a big part of the reason Miami wins, the defense did just that.

On the first play from scrimmage, Miami was gashed by Damien Harris on a 35-yard carry. They bounced back and Christian Wilkins caused a Mac Jones fumble. The Patriots were taken out of field goal range and forced to punt.

On the ensuing possession, they did what they do best. They forced a turnover. Sunday’s game was Miami’s 23rd straight game with a takeaway. 

The Dolphins bend but don’t break defense and allowed a Patriots field goal, but held up very well in the redzone.

On the next drive, the Dolphins allowed their first touchdown of the season. All Dolphins fans will agree, this should have ended in a field goal at best. On 3rd & 1, Elandon Roberts sacked Mac Jones for a loss of 12, but was flagged for a questionable roughing the passer. The Patriots ended up scoring. 

The defense allowed two more field goal drives, but their best sequence came on New England’s final possession of the day.

The Patriots took over at the 50-yard line down by 1. After a 4:36 drive, they had a 1st & 10 at Miami’s 11-yard line. The Dolphins were on the verge of losing in New England, again. That’s when Xavien Howard happened. Damien Harris ran up the middle and the Dolphins star cornerback forced a fumble. Miami recovered

Defensive Positives:

  • Xavien Howard. They reworked his contract to bring him back this summer, and he forced and recovered the game-sealing fumble
  • Rookie Jevon Holland played less than 50% of defensive snaps, but was great when he was on the field. He was ranked PFF’s highest rated rookie.
  • The Dolphins didn’t miss many tackles. Missed tackles have been a major issue in the past, and they were much improved on Sunday.

Defensive negatives:

  • The Dolphins lack of pass rush was concerning at times. Letting Josh Allen stand in the pocket for what feels like an hour on Sunday could be a disaster.
  • The Dolphins run defense, which has been an issue in the past, was an issue on Sunday. The defense allowed over 4 YPC.
  • The Dolphins heavily relied on zone coverage when most of their cornerbacks are tremendous man to man players. Whether it was a lack of trust in the linebackers to cover, or an effort to make Mac Jones play checkdown football, it’s something to monitor.

Overall

The Dolphins in previous years would’ve found a way to lose this game. The team played complimentary football and beat a Belicheck coached team in New England to open the season. Improvmets need to be made, but the Dolphins are 1-0 and off to a good start.

Dolphins Officially Cut Down Their Roster

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Credit: WPEC 12

After making some cuts yesterday, the Dolphins officially cut down their roster to 53 players.

It’s the end of a life-long dream for some players. Others will sign elsewhere or join Miami’s practice squad.

There aren’t any “surprises,” but there are some moves that will make some Dolphins fans emotional.

Kirk Merritt, WR

Kirk Merritt fought all offseason to make enough of an impression on the coaching staff. Unfortunately for Merritt, Miami has their deepest WR room in years. 

Fans would’ve loved to see Merritt make the team, but there wasn’t room.

Do not be surprised if he joins Miami’s practice squad. Although, for that to happen, Miami hopes he doesn’t get signed elsewhere.

Carl Tucker, TE

Unfortunately for Tucker, he wasn’t going to make this team. He was considered a camp body at best.

In a TE room with a rising-star, rookie, and at least two veterans with experience, he wasn’t going to make it.

Kai Locksley, WR

Kai Locksley is a cool story. He was the starting QB at UTEP for 3-years before going undrafted in the 2020 draft. In an effort to keep his NFL dreams alive, the 6’4 210 pounder converted to WR.

Locksley, like any other receiver being cut, had a lot of guys in front of him. 

Being able to make it to the last wave of cuts for a QB turned WR is impressive.

Chris Myarick, TE

Dolphins fans won’t forget Myarick for a little while. He had the game-winning TD catch against Cincinnati in the final preseason game.

Similarly to Carl Tucker, there aren’t enough spots at TE for Myarick.

Reid Sinnett, QB

The Dolphins have their franchise Qb. They also have one of the best backups in the league. It is uncommon to carry 3 QB’s on the active roster.

Miami is hoping he clears waivers and they can sign him to the practice squad. He showed flashes of potential and Miami would love to have him in case they ever need a familiar face in the QB room.

Jonathan Ledbetter, DE

Ledbetter was someone who could have made one of the final spots in the DE room. He’s been in Miami and made some plays this preseason. As is the case at many positions, he was buried on the depth chart.

Ledbetter is a hard-worker who could be a practice squad candidate.

Cre’von LeBlanc, CB

LeBlanc has been outside looking in for a while now. Competing with other veteran players who are very versatile made it very tough for him to make this team. 

Jason Stowbridge, DL

The Dolphins drafted Stowbridge in the 5th-round of the 2020 draft. 

Last year, in 8 games, he recorded 3 tackles.

Stowbridge was playing with the 3rd-team and didn’t make enough of a jump to beat out the veterans ahead of him.

Patrick Laird, RB

Laird was fighting for the fourth spot in the RB room with rookie Gerrid Doaks. Well, that’s what everyone thought. Then, Miami decided to keep 3 RB’s.

With Ahmed and Gaskin being the duo and FA signing Malcolm Brown being the third back, Laird was out.

He remains a PS candidate as a familiar player within the organization.

Malcolm Perry, WR

The Dolphins released Malcolm Perry, the 2nd year player out of Navy. Unlike the players above who are “PS candidates,” the Dolphins have already decided that they will sign him to the PS if he goes unsigned.

He took reps at PR, but Jakeem Grant kept that job, and he didn’t do enough as a WR yet to keep a spot. Miami knows he can be very useful if utilized properly, and will keep him around if possible.

Calvin Munson, LB

Munson was listed as a 4th-team LB on the depth chart. He appeared in all 16 games for Miami last year, but with FA signings and players returning to full health, Munson was released.

Josh Harvey-Clemons, LB

Harvey-Clemons was an even longer shot than Munson. He was listed 5th on the depth chart.

With a plethora of depth at the position, Miami made an easy move.

Adam Pankey, OL

Pankey could have been a depth piece. Miami traded for Greg Little and Greg Mancz recently, which filled the room a little bit. 

Pankey did not impress in the preseason, which is definitely not what Miami needs right now.

Cameron Tom, C

Miami wasn’t going to carry three center’s. 

Before three days ago, it was going to be Michael Dieter and Matt Skura. However, the Dolphins traded for Greg Mancz yesterday and released Skura.

With Mancz and Dieter clearly safe, the Dolphins released Tom.

Gerrid Doaks, RB

Doaks was waived by Miami. If he clears waivers, Miami might re-sign him to the practice squad. Doaks and Patrick Laird were thought to be competing for the 4th spot in the RB room, but it seems Miami is only keeping three(on the active roster).

Miami is going to need an RB or two on the PS, and Doaks is a great candidate.

Javaris Davis, CB

Similar to most CB’s on this list, it was going to be tough for Davis to make the roster. He was competing with rookie Trill Williams and others, but couldn’t get through the final wave. 

He had shown potential before suffering an injury. According to Barry Jackson, Miami would like him back on the practice squad.

Kylan Johnson, LB

Johnson, similar to Harvey-Clemons, was going to have a tough time making up ground. He was seen as a camp body. It’s not impossible for players like him to make the team, but it was a longer long-shot. 

The Dolphins are deep at LB, which made this move even easier.

Durval Quieroz Neto, OL

Everyone wanted Neto to make this roster. The Brazilian player Miami signed from the IPP program was going to have to fight for his spot.

This move is slightly confusing, as Neto still had a year of exemption left from the IPP program.

Miami is very likely to keep him on the practice squad with that rule, though.

Benito Jones, DL

Benito Jones was waived today as well. He has shown potential during his time in South Florida, but had to battle with other veterans.

With Raekwon Davis and Christian Wilkins being the young leaders followed by veterans Butler and Jenkins, Jones finds himself the odd man out.

Shaquem Griffin, LB

Griffin was competing for one of the last spots in the LB room. Some thought that the passion and locker room presence he brought to the team would give him the edge over someone else. 

Fans aren’t going to love the move, but if he clears waivers, he may return to the PS. 

Miami will likely make more transactions over the next 24-48 hours.