Dolphins’ Allen Hurns Opts Out
Dolphins wide receiver Allen Hurns announced that he will opt out of the 2020 season (Twitter link). Hurns is the first Dolphins player to make the call, but he’s far from the first NFL player to do so. 
[RELATED: 2020 NFL Opt Out Tracker]
Hurns joined the Dolphins last summer and quickly earned an extension. In November, the Dolphins inked him to a two-year, $8MM deal with $3.27MM in guaranteed cash. Hurns was set to build off of his 32 grabs for 416 yards and two touchdowns, but that’ll have to wait until next year.
The remainder of Hurns’ deal will toll, meaning that he’ll be under club control through the 2022 season. Meanwhile, the Dolphins will move forward with Preston Williams, Isaiah Ford, Jakeem Grant, Gary Jennings, and Mack Hollins vying for time behind DeVante Parker and Albert Wilson.
The decision deadline has been set for Thursday afternoon. Already, roughly 50 NFL players have decided against playing.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/3/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here. For the running list of opt out decisions, check out PFR’s 2020 Opt Out Tracker.
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: OL Jake Benzinger, S Reggie Floyd, WR Rashad Medaris
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: TE Jerell Adams
Cincinnati Bengals
- Released: WR Moritz Bohringer, RB Devwah Whaley
Cleveland Browns
- Released: RB Brian Herrien
Detroit Lions
- Claimed: DT Daylon Mack (from Ravens)
- Signed: DT Jashon Cornell
Green Bay Packers
- Released: QB Jalen Morton, FB Elijah Wellman
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: DB Jordan Brown, TE Paul Butler, K Dominik Eberle, LB Marquel Lee, C Erik Magnuson, LB Liam McCullough, WR Anthony Ratliff-Williams
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed off waivers (from Colts): CB Picasso Nelson
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: WR Davion Davis, DB Kemon Hall
New Orleans Saints
- Released: WR Tommylee Lewis, DE Gus Cumberlander, S Chris Johnson, OG Adrian Magee, RB Taquan Mizzell, WR Maurice Harris, DT Taylor Stallworth
New York Jets
- Waived: OL Ben Braden, RB Trenton Cannon, OLB Wyatt Ray
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-Signed: DE Alex Barrett
Seattle Seahawks
- Re-Signed: DE Branden Jackson
- Waived: DL Josh Avery
Tennessee Titans
- Re-signed: G Zac Kerin
Washington Football Team
- Released: DE Cameron Malveaux, DB Maurice Smith, TE Caleb Wilson, RB Josh Ferguson
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/1/20
Teams continue to move their rosters toward 80 players, which will be the maximum by the time full practices begin. Here are the latest minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the afternoon:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: DT Daylon Mack, P Dom Maggio
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: LS Joe Fortunato
- Waived/injured: LB Azur Kamara
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: DT P.J. Johnson, T Koda Martin, WR Andre Patton, TE Jared Rice, S Roderic Teamer, TE Andrew Vollert
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: LB Daniel Bituli, RB James Gilbert, DE Greg Reaves, DT Sam Renner
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: LS Rex Sunahara
New York Giants
- Claimed off waivers (from Browns): WR Tony Brown
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: LB Nasir Player, WR Spencer Schnell
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/30/20
Here are Thursday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the afternoon.
Chicago Bears
- Reverted to reserve/NFI list (after being waived/injured): CB Tre Roberson
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers (from Chiefs): FB John Lovett
New England Patriots
- Re-signed: QB Brian Lewerke
New York Giants
- Placed on reserve/retired list: T Nate Wozniak
New York Jets
- Waived: DL Domenique Davis
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: T Leonard Wester
- Waived: DL Alex Barrett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: S Deiondre’ Hall, TE Jordan Leggett
Washington Football Team
- Claimed off waivers (from Dolphins): CB Ryan Lewis
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/29/20
Teams continue to make moves as players report to training camps, with many opting to pare their rosters from 90 to 80 players well before the mid-August deadline. Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Re-signed: G Parker Ehinger
Chicago Bears
- Waived/injured: CB Tre Roberson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived/injured: DT Ryan Glasgow
Cleveland Browns
- Waived/injured: DE Trevon Young
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Claimed off waivers (from Bills) OL Garrett McGhin
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: OL Jovahn Fair, DT Braxton Hoyett, DB Jalen Julius, FB/TE John Lovett, P Tyler Newsome, LB Bryan Wright
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed off waivers (from 49ers): DT Ray Smith
- Waived: CB Ryan Lewis
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/retired list: RB Jalin Moore
15 NFL Players Land On NFL’s Reserve/COVID-19 List
The Dolphins, Browns, Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, Jaguars, Chiefs, Cowboys and Buccaneers have placed players on the newly created reserve/COVID-19 list. Here’s the full rundown, per the league’s transactions wire:
Baltimore Ravens
Cleveland Browns
Cincinnati Bengals
Dallas Cowboys
Jacksonville Jaguars
- CB Luq Barcoo, DT DaVon Hamilton, CB Josiah Scott, OL Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms
Kansas City Chiefs
- WR Aleva Hifo
Miami Dolphins
- LS Blake Ferguson, DT Benito Jones, CB Cordrea Tankersley
Pittsburgh Steelers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The reserve/COVID-19 designation is for players who have tested positive for the coronavirus or are in quarantine for potential exposure. In turn, these players are removed from the roster and allowed to return after three weeks.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/27/20
Teams are trimming players earlier than usual this year, thanks to the NFL’s recommendation for an 80-man roster max. We’ll keep track of the latest minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: LB Vontarrious Dora, QB Drew Anderson, DE T.J. Carter, OL Jackson Dennis, OL Drew Dickinson, TE Parker Houston, WR Shane Leatherbury, WR Devin Phelps, CB Jarren Williams, CB Bejour Wilson
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: G Evan Adams, G Daishawn Dixon, T R.J. Prince, K Nick Vogel
Buffalo Bills
- Waived: WR Ray-Ray McCloud, OL Garrett McGhin
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: CB Isiah Swann
Denver Broncos
- Released: DT Joel Heath
- Waived: LB Tre’ Crawford, QB Riley Neal, WR Kelvin McKnight, RB Khalfani Muhammad, S Kahani Smith, CB Shakial Taylor, C Nico Falah
Houston Texans
- Claimed off waivers (from Eagles) DT Albert Huggins
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived/Injured: DB Javaris Davis, WR Cody White
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed off waivers (from Chiefs): CB Javaris Davis
- Waived: DE Avery Moss, LB Trent Harris
- Waived/NFI: TE Michael Roberts
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: WR Shelton Gibson, WR Marcus Green, DE Daeshon Hall, DT Albert Huggins, and CB Tremon Smith
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: DL Amani Bledsoe, LB Nigel Harris, TE Cole Herdman, WR Trevion Thompson, G Zac Kerin
- Waived/Injured: RB Shaun Wilson
Dolphins Announce Trade For Bears’ Adam Shaheen
The Dolphins have officially acquired tight end Adam Shaheen from the Bears, per a club announcement. In exchange, Miami will send a conditional 2021 seventh-round pick to Chicago. 
The Bears had a major logjam at tight end and they were at a breaking point with roster cuts just around the corner. Rather than releasing him outright, Chicago managed to get something in return for the former second-round pick.
Shaheen hasn’t played up to his 2017 expectations, thanks in part to injuries over the last three years. All in all, he has totaled 26 receptions for 249 yards and four touchdowns in 27 games, out of a possible 48. For the Dolphins, it’s effectively a no-risk pickup. If Shaheen doesn’t make the final cut in Miami, they won’t have to send that seventh-round choice to Chicago. Even if he does make the Week 1 roster, the trade could still wind up as a wash – often times, draft pick conditions in trades like these are tied to snap counts.
Mike Gesicki projects to serve as the Dolphins’ top TE. Beyond that, Shaheen will fight for his spot alongside Durham Smythe and Michael Roberts.
Dolphins Cut Ricardo Louis, Jake Rudock
The Dolphins have released wide receiver Ricardo Louis and quarterback Jake Rudock, as first reported by ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). The early cuts will help the Dolphins shape the roster to meet the league’s recommended 80-man roster max. 
[RELATED: Dolphins Rookie Ray Lima Retires]
Louis joined the Dolphins in the spring of 2019 but did not play due to a knee injury. Prior to that, he spent three years with the Browns and tallied 45 catches for 562 yards. The Miami native was hoping to reassert himself with his hometown club, but he’ll have to seek work elsewhere.
Rudock also joined the Dolphins last year, but spent the year on the practice squad. The 2016 sixth-round choice of the Lions has just three career appearances to his credit. Even before the release, Rudock was facing long odds of making the active roster. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tua Tagovailoa, and (possibly) Josh Rosen project to serve as the Dolphins’ active QBs to open the season.
Dolphins Rookie DL Ray Lima Retires
The Dolphins waived undrafted defensive lineman Ray Lima earlier today, but the move wasn’t simply an attempt to trim the roster. Rather, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets, the rookie has decided to retire.
Lima didn’t show up to Dolphins camp today, and while head coach Brian Flores tried to change the rookie’s mind, the lineman decided to move on from the sport. Jackson notes that the decision had “nothing to do with COVID-19.” Rather, Lima simply “wants to do something else with his life.”
The six-foot-three, 316-pound lineman appeared in 35 games for Iowa State between the 2017 and 2019 seasons, compiling 87 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and one pass defended. He appeared in 11 games during his senior campaign, finishing with 28 tackles and 0.5 sacks.
As an undrafted free agent, Lima already faced an uphill battle to make the Dolphins roster. He was one of four undrafted lineman to sign with the Dolphins, and he was competing with the likes of Zach Sieler for reps behind Davon Godchaux and Christian Wilkins.
As Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com notes, the move leaves the Dolphins with 86 players on the roster, so more moves are certainly coming.