Dolphins Claim TE A.J. Derby
The Dolphins have claimed tight end A.J. Derby off of waivers, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Derby was cut by the Broncos on Tuesday, putting him on the waiver wire for the league’s other 31 teams. 
Derby, 26, was traded from the Patriots to the Broncos last season in exchange for a fifth-round pick. He was in the midst of a quietly productive year and was leading Denver tight ends in receptions before he was released in November. In nine games (one start), Derby had 19 catches for 224 yards and two scores.
The Dolphins are effectively out of the playoff chase with a 4-7 record, but this will give them a chance to closely evaluate Derby for the 2018 roster. The former fifth-round pick is under contract through 2018 with a dirt cheap $705K cap number for next year.
Derby is the second ex-Broncos tight end to wind up in Miami, joining starter Julius Thomas.
Dolphins QB Jay Cutler Will Start Sunday
Dolphins quarterback Jay Cutler has cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol and will start Sunday against the Broncos, head coach Adam Gase told reporters, including Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link).
Miami will turn back to Cutler following a start by backup Matt Moore in Week 12, a loss to the division rival Patriots in which Moore completed 23 of 34 attempts for 215 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. No matter who is under center going forward, the Dolphins aren’t likely to be contending for playoff spot, as the 4-7 club has only a 1% chance of securing a postseason berth, per FiveThirtyEight.
Cutler, who also missed Week 8 with a ribs injury, has struggled in his first season with the Dolphins. He ranks near the bottom of the league in most quarterback metrics, grades as the No. 33 quarterback among 37 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus, and isn’t throwing the ball down the field, as his 7.8-yard average depth of target ranks 32nd in the NFL.
Jeremy Langford Visits Giants, Dolphins
Jeremy Langford has not played in a game this season, but the former Bears starter made two trips about possible employment this week.
The free agent running back made a trip to the Big Apple to visit the Giants on Monday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets, and then trekked to Miami for a Dolphins summit, per veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (on Twitter).
Langford has not been signed, but two teams with dire running back situations displayed interest. The Ravens carried Langford on their practice squad, and briefly on their 53-man roster, earlier this season before the sides parted ways after a Langford injury. The Dolphins saw both Damien Williams and Senorise Perry due to injury against the Patriots, leaving Kenyan Drake as the only healthy back on their roster.
The soon-to-be 26-year-old running back has 1,158 career yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns in two seasons.
Practice Squad Updates: 11/27/17
Here are today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Kevin Snyder
- Cut: LB Connor Harris
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: CB Lorenzo Doss
- Waived: OL Will Pericak
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DB Alex Carter
- Waived: WR Mario Alford
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: DL Josh Tupou
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DB Jacob Hagen
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Jace Billingsley, DB Stefan McClure
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT Jeremy Liggins
- Waived: G Ian Silberman
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: DE Francis Kallon
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: LB Brooks Ellis, WR Jaelen Strong
- Waived: DL Marcus Hardison
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: TE Johnny Mundt, DB Marcus Sayles
- Waived: OL Jeremiah Poutasi
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: RB De’Veon Smith
New England Patriots
- Waived: DT Mike Purcell
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: FB Kyle Coleman, LB Kache Palacio
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Jake Lampman, T Givens Price, CB David Rivers
Dolphins DL William Hayes Done For Season
Dolphins defensive end William Hayes will miss the remainder of the 2017 campaign after suffering a hamstring injury, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who adds Hayes will likely undergo surgery.
Miami acquired Hayes on the cheap this spring, picking up the veteran lineman from the Rams in exchange for moving down from pick No. 206 to No. 223. The results have been excellent, as while Hayes has posted only one sack while playing 43% of the Dolphins’ defensive snaps, he’s been outstanding against the run. All told, the 32-year-old Hayes ranks as the NFL’s No. 15 edge defender, per Pro Football Focus.
Hayes’ absence will certainly be felt, but Miami does have other options available to step in at defensive end. Rookie first-round pick Charles Harris, notably, could see his playtime percentage increase down the stretch of what has become a lost Dolphins season, while Terrence Fede might also get more snaps.
The Dolphins reworked Hayes’ contract after acquiring him earlier this year, deleting his 2018 season in exchange for a pay reduction in 2017. While the concession will allow Hayes to hit the open market next spring, he’ll now be doing so entering his age-33 campaign and coming off a season-ending injury.
Dolphins RB Damien Williams To Miss Time
Dolphins running back Damien Williams suffered a dislocated shoulder on Sunday and is now expected to miss time, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Williams will be sidelined for next week’s game against the Broncos, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, and could potentially be absent for further contests given that a dislocated shoulder typically requires a two-to-three week recovery period, per Rapoport.
Miami traded starting running back Jay Ajayi to the Eagles on October 31, and Williams has split time with second-year pro Kenyan Drake over the past four weeks. Since Week 9, Williams has handled 34 carries to Drake’s 32, while both have managed 12 receptions. On the ground, Drake has been the more effective player, as he’s averaged 5.47 yards per carry while Williams sits at 4.38 yards per attempt.
With Williams out of the picture, Drake will now take on a full-time role. Senorise Perry now becomes the Dolphins’ No. 2 back, and the club could look to add an outside option to the 53-man roster (Miami doesn’t currently have a running back on its practice squad). The Dolphins have only a 1% chance of earning a postseason berth following yesterday’s loss to the Patriots, so inking a veteran back isn’t necessarily a requirement, as the team may use this opportunity to look at a younger player.
Williams, 25, will become an unrestricted free agent in 2018. He’s playing the 2017 campaign on a restricted free agent contract, and received interest from New England during the offseason.
Cutler Ruled Out For Week 12
- The Dolphins have ruled out Jay Cutler (concussion) for Week 12 vs. New England, ESPN’s James Walker reports (Twitter link). The team will turn to Matt Moore for the divisional bout.
Jay Cutler On Track For Week 12
- In the expansive piece judging the Fins’ offseason moves, Salguero writes that Lawrence Timmons and Julius Thomas will likely be cut. And Mike Pouncey won’t be automatic to see a seventh Miami season. The Dolphins can save $7MM by cutting Pouncey, who says he’s playing with a damaged hip, in 2018.
- The Dolphins might have to again turn to Matt Moore on Sunday. Jay Cutler remains in concussion protocol. But the team hopes its starter is cleared Friday or Saturday, with Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reporting (on Twitter) Cutler is on track to face the Patriots. Cutler hasn’t been able to practice much this week, but Adam Gase said he would feel comfortable putting the 34-year-old passer out there because he’s a veteran, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald notes. Moore has played well in relief of Cutler twice this season but bombed in a 40-0 loss to the Ravens as a starter. Miami’s backup did fare better as a starter in 2016, however.
- On the Cutler subject, Salguero writes no one in the Dolphins organization pushed back hard enough against Gase’s wishes to bring in the polarizing passer. And while Cutler may not be on Miami’s roster next season, his $10MM contract cost the Dolphins some potential cap-carryover money. Thanks to a roster that has two quarterbacks making eight-figure salaries, the Dolphins have less than $1MM to carry over, and Salguero points out the team passing on Cutler would have made it possible to carry at least $7MM over into 2018.
- In the expansive piece judging the Fins’ offseason moves, Salguero writes that Lawrence Timmons and Julius Thomas will likely be cut. And Mike Pouncey won’t be automatic to see a seventh Miami season. The Dolphins can save $7MM by cutting Pouncey, who says he’s playing with a damaged hip, in 2018.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/22/17
Here are today’s minor moves:
Detroit Lions
- Waived: WR Jace Billingsley
- Promoted to active roster: DT Christian Ringo
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted to active roster: LB Neville Hewitt
New York Giants
- Waived from injured reserve: WR Kevin Norwood
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted to active roster: WR David Moore
Cutler In Concussion Protocol
- Dolphins QB Jay Cutler is officially in the NFL’s concussion protocol, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The Dolphins are 4-6 and mired in a four-game losing streak, so their showdown with New England could be a make-or-break game for their slim playoff hopes. Matt Moore will assume the starting role should Cutler not be fit for the game.