Dolphins To Sign K Riley Patterson
The Tuesday Riley Patterson rumors will produce a Dolphins deal. Miami is bringing in the well-traveled kicker after a successful workout, NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe reports.
Patterson joined Greg Zuerlein, Eddy Pineiro and Zane Gonzalez in attending the Dolphins audition. Patterson will be the Dolphins’ Jason Sanders fill-in, with Wolfe indicating this is a practice squad deal that will lead to a promotion ahead of the season. Sanders is on short-term IR to open the year.
The Dolphins are Patterson’s sixth team since July 2024. The Jaguars, Commanders, Jets, Falcons and Browns rostered Patterson between July and December last year. Despite his five-team tour, Patterson only kicked in five games last season. He was 16 of 16 on extra points and 4 of 7 on field goals. In his most recent extended work (with the 2023 Lions), Patterson — a 2023 trade acquisition from Jacksonville — was 15-for-17 on FG tries.
Still just 25, Patterson has kicked in the NFL since 2021. He operated as the full-time Jaguars kicker in 2022, being traded to the Lions after the Jags signed Brandon McManus. An in-season kicking competition led the Lions to go with Michael Badgley for the stretch run, halting Patterson’s 2023 Detroit season at 13 games. Patterson’s most memorable NFL moment came when made a game-winning field goal to complete a 27-point Jaguars wild-card comeback over the Chargers.
This agreement appears set to involve gameday roster elevations, according to Wolfe. The Dolphins are expected to elevate Patterson to their 55-man gameday roster for the first three weeks. Following that, they would need to make a roster move. Sanders must miss at least four games due to being placed on IR Tuesday. The regular Miami kicker is expected to return soon after.
Dolphins, CB Rasul Douglas Agree To Deal
Frequent communication between Rasul Douglas and the Dolphins has produced a deal. The veteran cornerback is headed to Miami on a one-year contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. 
This pact is worth $3MM, Rapoport adds. A notable role in the secondary should await Douglas upon arrival despite the timing of this agreement. Cornerback has been an area of need all offseason, and the Dolphins somewhat surprisingly cut Mike Hilton yesterday.
Hilton expected to wind up in Miami this offseason, but after arriving he did not spend much time practicing with the starting defense. His release came about after Kendall Fuller was cut in the spring, a move which was eventually followed by the Jalen Ramsey trade. Kader Kohou and Artie Burns have since suffered season-ending injuries, leading to increased concern about the secondary for 2025. Douglas will aim to provide Miami with a veteran starting presence over the coming campaign.
The soon-to-be 30-year-old has been on the Dolphins’ radar for much of the offseason, so this agreement comes as little surprise. Douglas was dealt from the Packers to the Bills midway through the 2023 campaign, and he handled starting duties with Buffalo. No new Bills accord was worked out, however, and Douglas made it known earlier this offseason he did not foresee a return to Green Bay. Those factors pointed further to a Miami accord being worked out at some point, and with training camp and the preseason now finished that has proven to be the case.
Douglas has 80 starts and 120 appearances to his name, and he totaled 14 interceptions from 2021-23. He was held without a pick last season, but a return to form from the former third-rounder would be welcomed from the Dolphins. A strong campaign would help Miami’s defense for 2025 while also preventing a free agent stay deep into August next offseason.
Dolphins Set 53-Man Roster, Begin Search For Kicker
The Dolphins got their roster down to 53 players this afternoon and, in the process, officially placed kicker Jason Sanders on IR. Here are the rest of the team’s moves:
Released:
- CB Cornell Armstrong
- LB Quinton Bell
- RB Mike Boone
- TE Pharaoh Brown
- T Jackson Carman
- CB Cameron Dantzler
- DT Matt Dickerson
- CB Mike Hilton
- TE Chris Myarick
- CB Kendall Sheffield
Waived:
- CB BJ Adams
- WR Andrew Armstrong
- T Mason Brooks
- T Braeden Daniels
- WR Erik Ezukanma
- T Ryan Hayes
- WR AJ Henning
- DT Alex Huntley
- LB Dequan Jackson
- LB Mohamed Kamara
- T Jalen McKenzie
- LB Derrick McLendon
- S Patrick McMorris
- LB Grayson Murphy
- G Josh Priebe
- CB Ethan Robinson
- TE Hayden Rucci
- S John Saunders Jr.
- RB Aaron Shampklin
- DT Ben Stille
- LB Channing Tindall
- WR Theo Wease Jr.
- G Addison West
Waived/injured:
Waived (with injury settlement):
Placed on IR (designated for return):
Placed on reserve/PUP:
In four seasons with the team, Eichenberg has started at every position on the offensive line. The Dolphins will miss his versatility while he’s out, but head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed recently that Eichenberg’s injury is not a season-ending one.
Sanders’ hip injury landed him on injured reserve, meaning Miami will be without him for at least the first month of the season. To deal with his absence, the Dolphins hosted four veteran kickers — Zane Gonzalez, Greg Joseph, Riley Patterson, and Eddy Pineiro — for tryouts today, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Besides that, there weren’t many surprises in the cuts today. Tindall had been a core special teamer for each of his first three years in Miami but may have to find his way to the field through the practice squad. According to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, Murphy had a really strong summer with the team and should be back on the practice squad, as long as he clears waivers.
Dolphins Work Out Greg Zuerlein, Riley Patterson, Zane Gonzalez
The Dolphins are hosting some experienced kickers as they aim to find the best fill-in option for the injured Jason Sanders. In addition to meeting with Eddy Pineiro, Miami auditioned Greg Zuerlein, Riley Patterson and Zane Gonzalez, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson.
Patterson may be the lead candidate here, with Jackson adding the Dolphins have expressed interest in adding the nomadic specialist as the fill-in option after being impressed with his workout. Patterson has been a free agent since March, having been with five teams in 2024.
The Jaguars, Commanders, Jets, Falcons and Browns rostered Patterson between July and December last year. This cross-country journey also included workouts elsewhere in between stints with teams. Despite his five-team tour, Patterson only kicked in five games last season. He was 16 of 16 on extra points and 4 of 7 on field goals. In his most recent extended work (with the 2023 Lions), Patterson — a 2023 trade acquisition from Jacksonville — was 15-for-17 on FG tries. At 25, Patterson is by far the youngest of the four options the Dolphins surveyed today.
A 13-year veteran, Zuerlein spent the past three seasons with the Jets. The former All-Pro struggled in his second Jets season, missing crucial kicks during the team’s 5-12 campaign. Zuerlein kicked in just eight games, making only 9 of 16 field goal tries. However, he was 35-for-38 in 2023 as a Jet, leading to a two-year, $8.4MM re-signing in 2024. The Jets cut bait on that contract in March, releasing the former Rams and Cowboys kicker after he finished last season on IR (with Patterson as one of the fill-in options).
Gonzalez kicked in six Commanders games last season, representing his first action since 2021. He was 5-for-7 on field goals and 19-for-19 on PATs. Gonzalez finished last season as Washington’s kicker and re-signed with the team in March, but the Commanders cut him shortly after the draft. Colts cut Matt Gay replaced Gonzalez in Washington.
K Eddy Pineiro Visits Dolphins
The Dolphins find themselves in need of a kicker for the start of the campaign. In addition to today’s roster cuts, the team is in the process of seeking out a temporary Jason Sanders fill-in. 
As Sanders recovers from a hip injury, another veteran has received a look. Miami hosted Eddy Pineiro today for a workout, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. He is among the top options still on the market at the kicker position.
Sanders has not missed a game in his seven-year Dolphins career. With a reported recovery timeline of four to five weeks, though, an absence spanning at least a few regular season contests will be in store. Miami is thus in need of an expereinced contributor capable of handling kicking duties in September. Pineiro would certainly fit the bill as a veteran of 70 games.
The former Bear and Jet worked as the Panthers’ kicker from 2022-24. Over that span, he connected on 80 of 90 field goal attempts – including eight of 11 kicks from beyond 50 yards. Pineiro missed seven extra point attempts with Carolina, something which informed the team’s decision to move on this offseason. Still, he would be expected to serve as an effective kicking option provided a deal gets struck.
Of course, a strong showing with the Dolphins would be key in helping Pineiro land another gig for 2025 once Sanders – who is under contract for another two years – is healthy. Miami will likely wait until cuts are finished and the process of forming its practice squad takes place beginning tomorrow before a signing takes place. If no agreement is reached following this workout, the Dolphins will need to look elsewhere on the free agent market.
Dolphins K Jason Sanders, RB Jaylen Wright To Miss Time
The Dolphins will be shorthanded to begin the campaign. Head coach Mike McDaniel announced on Monday that neither kicker Jason Sanders nor running back Jaylen Wright will be available for Week 1. 
Sanders is dealing with a hip injury, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. An absence of four to five weeks is expected in this case. As a result, the Dolphins will need to find a replacement kicker to cover the early portion of the campaign.
Surgery will not be needed for Sanders, McDaniel said (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). Losing him for a notable period will nevertheless be significant. The 29-year-old is entering his eighth season with the Dolphins; he has yet to miss a game. That run of availability will come to an end in 2025, though, something which could impact Miami’s special teams early.
An All-Pro in 2020, Sanders sports a career accuracy rate of 84.6% on field goals. He has reached the 90% mark three times during a season, including in 2024. Expectations will be high upon returning to full health, but that will not happen until the Dolphins’ campaign is already underway.
McDaniel noted (via Jackson) it is unclear at this point if Wright will require surgery. Regardless of if a procedure ends up taking place, a lengthy stint on the sidelines should not be expected. Wright played sparingly as a rookie in 2024, but he could take on a larger role behind De’Von Achane in the backfield this season. When he will first be available is unclear, given today’s news, though.
The Dolphins have a number of further roster decisions to make between now and tomorrow afternoon’s deadline for cuts to take place. As the team weighs its options on that front, the looming absence of both Sanders and Wright will need to be taken into account.
Dolphins To Release CB Mike Hilton
Mike Hilton‘s lengthy free agency ended with a Dolphins agreement. The veteran corner is not in position to spend the 2025 season in Miami, however. 
Hilton was informed of his release by the Dolphins today, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. After signing in July, the former Steeler and Bengal seemed to be slated for a notable role in the slot. Barring a return via a practice squad agreement, though, that will not be the case.
Cornerback has been a question mark for Miami throughout the offseason, one in which Kendall Fuller was released before Jalen Ramsey was traded away. Season-ending injuries to Kader Kohou and Artie Burns added further urgency to the need for summer additions, and Hilton was signed alongside Jack Jones. That pact came after Hilton spoke with the Dolphins earlier and the 31-year-old noted he expected to wind up in South Beach.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes Hilton was listed as a starter on the Dolphins’ depth chart upon arrival. He did not spend much time with the first-team defense during practice, however, something which could help explain today’s move. Fifth-round rookie Jason Marshall is now in position to handle starting slot duties.
Hilton received a $168K signing bonus when he joined the Dolphins. Miami will thus generate a dead money charge of that amount with this release. The team will create $1.03MM in cap space by cutting Hilton, though. It will be interesting to see how Miami approaches the next few days at the cornerback position.
Once Hilton’s release is official, he will reach free agency. The eight-year veteran has 56 starts to his name, so a market could exist for his services as teams arrange their depth charts in advance of Week 1.
NFL Injury Updates: Fisher, 49ers, Samuel
Texans right tackle Blake Fisher is dealing with a mild ankle sprain that will sideline him for an indeterminate amount of time, according to KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson.
Fisher suffered the injury in last Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Panthers and missed practice this week. His absence, if it extends into the regular season, will add another wrinkle to Houston’s plans at tackle.
The Texans already overhauled the position this offseason. They traded Laremy Tunsil to the Commanders and replaced him by aqcuiring Cam Robinson from the Vikings. Houston also signed veteran Trent Brown in free agency and drafted Aireontae Ersery in the second round of April’s draft. Along with Fisher and Tytus Howard, who combined to play every snap at right tackle in 2024, the Texans have a variety of options on either end of their offensive line.
Robinson returned to the field this week after missing a few practices with a minor leg injury. He has been splitting first-team LT reps with Ersery. The rookie has been cross-training at right tackle as well, but only lined up on the blind side during the preseason. With Brown still on the physically unable to perform list, Howard has been playing right tackle in camp and sat out both preseason games, suggesting he will start in Week 1. Fisher started both preseason games at right tackle; if his ankle has recovered by the start of the regular season, he’ll likely be the Texans’ swing tackle.
As teams prepare to finalize their initial 53-man rosters by the Tuesday deadline, here is the latest from the injury front:
- 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner) that defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos may start the season on the PUP list as he recovers from a knee injury. San Francisco has been hoping that the five-year veteran could get back on the field during training camp, but it now appears that his absence will extend into the regular season.
- Eagles backup quarterback Tanner McKee injured his finger on Monday and missed practice for the rest of the week. He won’t need surgery, per Jeff Neiburg of the Philadelphia Inquirer, but head coach Nick Sirianni could only offer a “we’ll see” when asked about McKee’s status for Week 1.
- Free agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. visited multiple teams this offseason with repeated links to the Dolphins given their lack of cornerback depth. However, one of Samuel’s agents “declined to say Sunday whether he has been cleared medically from a neck injury,” according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
- Steelers rookie defensive tackle Derrick Harmon had an injury scare on Thursday night, but the first-round pick will not go on IR and may only miss one game, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/20/25
Here are today’s midweek minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: C Dohnovan West
- Waived: WR Kelly Akharaiyi
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: CB Zy Alexander, RB Elijah Young, G Rush Reimer
- Reverted to IR: CB Te’Cory Couch, WR Kaden Prather
- Waived (with injury designation): RB Jarveon Howard
- Waived: K Caden Davis
Chicago Bears
- Signed: RB Royce Freeman
- Placed on IR: RB Deion Hankins
Denver Broncos
- Signed: DT Michael Dwumfour
- Waived: LB JB Brown
Houston Texans
- Signed: LS Blake Ferguson
- Reverted to IR: WR Xavier Johnson
- Released: TE Tre’ McKitty
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: WR Darius Lassiter
- Waived (with injury designation): WR Joshua Cephus
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: T John Leglue, OL Mike McAllister
- Reverted to IR: WR Mario Williams
Miami Dolphins
- Activated off active/PUP: TE Darren Waller
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: LB Chance Campbell
- Waived: WR Giles Jackson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Reverted to IR: T Gareth Warren
- Waived (with injury settlement): LB Devin Harper
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: G Michael Dunn, WR Malik Knowles
- Waived (with injury designation): RB Corey Kiner
- Released: DE Demone Harris
Washington Commanders
- Released (with injury designation): G Julian Good-Jones
- Released (with injury settlement): CB Kevon Seymour
Waller will now be able to officially return to the field today as he attempts to shake off a year’s worth of retirement. Head coach Mike McDaniel expects him back at practice “very soon,” potentially even this week, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
The Bears have landed the services of the veteran Freeman as they deal with absences from D’Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson, Kyle Monangai, and Travis Homer. Hankins had gotten the starting nod in the team’s last preseason game for that same reason, and he’ll now hand off that role to Freeman.
Ferguson, the Dolphins’ former long snapper of the past five years, finally gets a job after his release from Miami. The Texans were really liking what they were seeing out of undrafted rookie Austin Brinkman, but a minor, short-team injury will keep him from the team’s final preseason game, requiring at least a short stay from Ferguson.
Dolphins Waive P Ryan Stonehouse, Sign CB Cameron Dantzler
Ryan Stonehouse has proven to possess one of the strongest legs in NFL history, going 3-for-3 in seasons with 50-plus-yard punting averages. The player who broke Sammy Baugh‘s longstanding single-season punting record has now been jettisoned twice this year, however.
The Dolphins waived Stonehouse on Tuesday, per a team announcement. Initially reporting the Dolphins’ decision to cut the strong-legged specialist, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson notes the team will go with incumbent Jake Bailey for a third season. This release also came despite the Dolphins hiring ex-Titans special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman this offseason.
[RELATED: Reviewing Dolphins’ 2025 Offseason]
This decision comes months after the Titans declined to tender Stonehouse as an RFA. The original-round tender price spiked to $3.26MM this year, leading to more nontender calls than usual, and a punter being nontendered at this rate was not exactly shocking. Still, Stonehouse had made it back from ACL and MCL tears sustained during the 2023 season. He posted his third 50-plus-yard punting average as well.
As a rookie, Stonehouse brought down Baugh’s hallowed single-season punting mark (51.4 yards per boot) — one that had stood 1940 — by averaging 53.1 yards a kick. Baugh also set that record on 35 punts; Stonehouse punted 90 times as a rookie. He then matched that punting average a year later, though the ACL and MCL tears sustained on a blocked punt ended his 2023 season after 12 games. In 17 contests last season, Stonehouse averaged 50.6 yards per punt.
While the three-season sample size would seemingly hold some weight, the Dolphins saw Bailey average 56 yards (on three preseason punts) to Stonehouse’s 43.3 during the team’s first two preseason games. Bailey averaged 45.7 and 47.1 yards per punt in 2023 and ’24, respectively. The Stonehouse cut will tag the Dolphins with just $75K in dead money. Bailey is tied to a two-year, $4.2MM deal; it would have cost $550K to drop him. Stonehouse should generate some interest before the season.
Announcing their Matt Judon signing, the Dolphins also added cornerback Cameron Dantzler and waived wide receiver Tarik Black. The Dolphins also placed offensive lineman Yodny Cajuste on IR, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.
A former third-round pick who started 26 games with the Vikings from 2020-23, Danzler has become an NFL nomad. The Dolphins are the veteran corner’s sixth NFL team; he stopped through Washington, Buffalo, Houston and New Orleans. Dantzler did not play in the NFL last season but saw time in the UFL — with the San Antonio Brahmas and Memphis Showboats — during that league’s past two seasons. Miami is amid a full-scale cornerback makeover and already lost Artie Burns and Kader Kohou to season-ending injuries, leading to this flier on Dantzler.