Aaron Shampklin

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:

Waived:

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 kickersZane 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 Sign RBs Mike Boone, Aaron Shampklin

With Alexander Mattison done for the season, the Dolphins are adding some running back depth. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported earlier today that the team was adding Aaron Shampklin, while ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds that veteran Mike Boone is also joining the team. To make room on the roster, the team has officially placed Mattison on injured reserve and waived Monaray Baldwin (via Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston).

[RELATED: Dolphins RB Alexander Mattison Undergoes Season-Ending Neck Surgery]

Boone brings the most experience among the two additions, as the veteran has appeared in 72 games over the past seven years. Boone often found himself as a third-string RB in a Dalvin Cook-led depth chart in Minnesota, although he did finished the 2019 campaign with a career-high 290 yards from scrimmage. He’s bounced around the NFL a bit since leaving the Vikings, spending time with the Broncos, Texans, and Panthers. Over that four-year span, the veteran has added another 367 yards from scrimmage to his resume.

Boone has limited experience as a return man, tallying five kickoff returns. The 30-year-old has also garnered 738 special teams snaps during his career, so perhaps he could carve out a useful role in Miami.

Shampklin went undrafted out of Harvard in 2021 and has had stints with the Cowboys, Colts, Chargers, and Steelers. He made his NFL debut last season, collecting 17 rushing yards in three games with Pittsburgh. He was a relatively popular name in free agency in recent weeks, as the RB also auditioned for the Bears and Jets.

It’s uncertain if these two additions will represent Miami’s only solutions to replacing Mattison; the team notably worked out Jamaal Williams earlier today. Either way, the Dolphins still have plenty of depth at the position. De’Von Achane will still lead the grouping, with 2024 fourth-round pick Jaylen Wright serving as a primary backup. The team also used a draft pick on sixth-round RB Ollie Gordon II.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/12/25

Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

  • Signed: CB Jeremiah Walker
  • Placed on Exempt/International Player list: P Tory Taylor

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: LB Jordan Turner, WR Kyrese White, LS Zach Triner, TE Cole Fotheringham
  • Waived: CB Kendall Bohler, LB K.J. Cloyd, NT Christian Dowell, TE Thomas Yassmin
  • Placed on Exempt/International Player list: P Jeremy Crawshaw

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: QB Taylor Elgersma
  • Released: OL Marquis Hayes

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: C Mose Vavao
  • Waived: DT Joe Evans

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: WR Dalevon Campbell, LB Kana’i Mauga
  • Waived: OL Bucky Williams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

  • Signed: DT Isaiah Iton, G Mehki Butler, DT Wilfried Pene
  • Waived: OT Cole Birdow

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Signed: CB T.J. Moore
  • Waived: DB R.J. Delancey, DB Tommy McCormick

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

  • Signed: TE Drake Dabney,WR TJ Sheffield
  • Waived: CB Virgil Lemons, S Jerrin Thompson

Hoyland converted 79.3% of his field goal attempts for the Wyoming Cowboys across the last five years. He was ultra-consistent on extra points with 147 makes on 148 tries. Hoyland will compete with sixth-round pick Tyler Loop for the Ravens’ kicking job after the team released Justin Tucker.

Sheffield brings some much-needed experience to the Dolphins’ cornerback room, though he hasn’t started since 2020. He could provide crucial veteran depth in Miami, especially if Jalen Ramsey is traded.

Elgersma was the starting quarterback at Wilfried Laurier University in Ontario, Canada, for the last three years. In 2024, he won the Hec Crighton Trophy – the Canadian equivalent to the Heisman – and earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl, the first-ever for a Canadian QB. Elgersma was drafted in the second round of the 2025 CFL Draft by the Winnepeg Blue Bombers, but a successful tryout with the Packers will give him a chance at making an NFL roster.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/30/24

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: CB Kendall Williamson

Miami Dolphins

  • Signed: DE Shakel Brown

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Signed: OT Garret Greenfield

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Signed: OL Braeden Daniels

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/28/24

Today’s minor moves:

Dallas Cowboys

Indianapolis Colts

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

Cowboys defensive lineman Sam Williams has already been ruled out for the 2024 season thanks to a torn ACL, and now he’s been slapped with a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy (via Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). The unpaid suspension went to effect prior to Week 8, and the player will be eligible for reinstatement prior to Week 11. The punishment stems from Williams’ reckless driving charge from 2023.

The Colts lost a key special teamer for the season in Trevor Denbow, as Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star reports that the player suffered “injuries to multiple ligaments and cartilage” during yesterday’s game. Denbow has appeared in 65 percent of his team’s ST snaps over the past two seasons, and he’s been limited to only six defensive snaps over that time.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/2/24

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Practice window opened: T Christian Jones

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

  • Practice window opened: DT Jonathan Ford

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Today marks most teams’ first practice before Week 5, making it the first date players stashed on IR as teams set their initial 53-man rosters can work out again with their teams. This year’s IR tweak allowed teams to designate up to two players for return August 27, the catch being all players who receive that designation count toward their respective club’s eight-activation total. The batch included in today’s minor moves post consists entirely of players to receive that August IR-return designation.

The IR-return window is unchanged, however, with teams having 21 days from Wednesday to activate these players. Anyone from today’s group not being activated from IR by October 23 must miss the rest of the season. PFR will keep track of all players returning from IR via the Injured Reserve Return Tracker.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/28/24

Minor transactions and practice squad callups for the Week 4 weekend:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

  • Elevated: G Kyle Hergel

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Steelers Get Down To 53

The Steelers were able to get down to the required 53 players today with the following roster moves:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Placed on IR (designated for return):

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

Holcomb, Cook, and Moon will be sitting out the first four games of 2024, at least. Watts is the only 2024 draft pick for Pittsburgh who will not be on the active roster to start the year. He and Welschof, one of only two of the team’s five undrafted free agent signees who weren’t waived by today, will miss the entire season.

West Virginia standout cornerback Beanie Bishop is the only undrafted rookie to make the 53-man roster. With Cameron Sutton starting out the year serving a suspension, Bishop could easily find his way into the starting nickelback role.

The Steelers are also coming into 2024 with a thin wide receiving corps. The only receivers on the active roster are George Pickens, Van Jefferson, rookie Roman Wilson, Scotty Miller, and Calvin Austin.

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/17/24

Wednesday’s reserve/futures contracts:

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

Pittsburgh Steelers

Bryant joined the Cowboys in November, and though he didn’t appear in any games, Bryant left a good impression in Dallas after several weeks on the practice squad. He was released late in the season as the team shuffled the roster a bit but makes his return to Dallas for the offseason.