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Isaiah Wynn

Dolphins To Meet With Terron Armstead, Plan To Invest In O-Line

February 12th, 2025 at 9:59am CST by Sam Robinson

As Tua Tagovailoa‘s injury issues resurfaced, the Dolphins exited the 2024 season with major questions along their offensive line. Chief among them: Terron Armstead‘s future. After matching his career high with 15 games played, the veteran left tackle once again is undecided about sticking around.

Armstead has not determined if he will play a 13th NFL season, and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini indicates the decorated left tackle will soon meet with Dolphins brass about his future. Armstead’s five-year, $75MM contract runs through the 2026 season, but the ex-Saints draftee has taken a year-to-year approach recently.

By this time in 2024, Armstead had not yet decided to play, and Grier said last April the Dolphins had to prepare as though last season would be the five-time Pro Bowler’s finale. It appears the team still wants to extend the partnership with the oft-injured tackle.

Pro Football Focus slotted Armstead as the No. 4 overall tackle last season, though ESPN’s win rate metrics did not place the veteran blocker in the top 10 in run blocking or in pass protection. Armstead, 33, is due a $13.3MM base salary this coming season. That money is nonguaranteed, but the two void years Miami inserted into this contract would result in an $18MM-plus dead money bill if Armstead retires this year.

Armstead retiring would open a spot for 2024 second-round pick Patrick Paul at LT, but Miami has more questions along its interior O-line. The team did not re-sign Robert Hunt or Connor Williams in 2024, and while Aaron Brewer is tied to a three-year deal, the team has guards Liam Eichenberg, Robert Jones and Isaiah Wynn due for free agency. Wynn experienced a setback during rehab from his 2024 quad injury, per ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques and only played in three games (103 total snaps). As could be expected, the Dolphins will make moves to address their front soon.

“We had some players that were very confident in [O-line coach] Butch [Barry] and Mike [McDaniel],” Grier said, via Louis-Jacques. “Those guys, I thought, deserved some praise because of what they had done the year before. And they started out the year well and unfortunately, injuries got to us, we didn’t finish well … We’re going to have to invest in the offensive line now.”

Kendall Lamm is not expected back, and would-be swing tackle Kion Smith is also unsigned after suffering an ACL tear during the preseason. The Dolphins still have Austin Jackson tied to a $12MM-per-year accord that runs through 2026, with he and Brewer — PFF’s No. 8 center last season — providing some stability for the team.

As was the case last year, the Dolphins need to make moves to reach cap compliance before the start of the league year next month. OverTheCap projects Miami to be more than $11MM over the to-be-determined 2025 salary ceiling. A Trey Smith push appears unrealistic, and the money allocated at tackle, center, wide receiver and quarterback may require a measured approach at guard in free agency — before a likely draft investment at the position.

Dolphins Activate G Isaiah Wynn

November 25th, 2024 at 3:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Isaiah Wynn will make a return to an NFL active roster for the first time in 13 months. Down for over a year due to a quad injury, the Dolphins guard is back on the team’s 53-man squad.

Miami is activating Wynn from the reserve/PUP list and waiving offensive lineman Lester Cotton. Wynn had worked as the Dolphins’ left guard starter when healthy last season, but it has been a long road back for the former first-round pick. Because this is a PUP list activation, the Dolphins will not lose one of their injury activations. Only IR and NFI moves count against that total.

The Dolphins have now given Wynn two one-year contracts, the second of which at a slightly lower rate due to the significant injury sustained. Wynn re-signed with Miami for $1.89MM, factoring in an expected in-season absence. Like Bradley Chubb‘s, that absence has proven lengthy. Wynn has not played since Oct. 22, 2023.

Wynn, 29 next month, had not come to Florida with much momentum due to struggling during his New England contract year. Wynn nevertheless won the Dolphins’ left guard job out of training camp last year, playing opposite Robert Hunt. The latter departed for a monster Panthers contract this offseason, leading Miami to make adjustments up front.

Absent Wynn, the Dolphins have used the re-signed Robert Jones at LG and Liam Eichenberg at RG. It will be interesting to see if Miami deems Wynn a starter again or uses him as a swingman behind its current first-stringers. Wynn has worked as a starter for most of his career, though he has primarily played left tackle as a pro. Pro Football Focus grades neither Jones nor Eichenberg as a top-40 option at guard, slotting the latter in the bottom 15 among regulars at the position.

Cotton had been a swingman this season, playing in all 11 games as a backup. The Dolphins had rostered the ex-Raiders draftee since 2022 and likely would be interested in keeping him around on the practice squad, assuming the sixth-year blocker clears waivers. Cotton made eight starts last season, primarily filling in for Wynn after the midseason setback.

Dolphins Designate G Isaiah Wynn For Return; Latest On OLB Bradley Chubb

November 13th, 2024 at 12:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins received a tough blow recently, with Austin Jackson set for season-ending knee surgery. That continued an injury-plagued stretch for the team up front, but after a season-saving win over the Rams, Miami received some better news on the O-line front.

Out for more than a year, Isaiah Wynn is finally ready to practice. The Dolphins will designate the would-be guard starter for return from the PUP list today, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. Wynn re-signed with the team this offseason but has been down since October 2023 due to a quad injury.

A former tackle starter in New England, Wynn came to Miami with little momentum due to an unimpressive Patriots contract year that also involved injury trouble. The former first-round pick, who missed his entire rookie season due to injury, caught on with the Dolphins and won the team’s left guard job entering last season. Wynn held that gig until his quadriceps setback, which removed him from Miami’s O-line equation seven games into the season.

The Dolphins nevertheless re-signed Wynn this offseason, giving him a one-year deal worth $1.89MM. This marked a slight pay cut after Wynn played for $2.3MM in 2023. Miami bid farewell to multiple long-term starters in March, with Christian Wilkins and right guard Robert Hunt becoming two of this year’s highest-paid free agents. The Dolphins, who also released Xavien Howard and Jerome Baker to reach cap compliance, made low-level moves — in re-signing Wynn and Robert Jones — following the Hunt defection.

Wynn, 28, has already missed half of his first two seasons with the Dolphins. It will be interesting to see if he needs a lengthy ramp-up period before returning to Miami’s 53-man roster. Pro Football Focus did not rate Wynn especially well as Miami’s LG last season, but he started all seven games he played. The Dolphins have used Jones as their left guard in Wynn’s absence. Jones has started all nine games at that spot this season, while Liam Eichenberg has manned the RG job post-Hunt.

While Wynn is moving close to a return, Mike McDaniel said Bradley Chubb is not yet ready. Also spending all of this season on the reserve/PUP list, Chubb is rehabbing an ACL tear sustained in Week 17 of last season. McDaniel said (via Jackson) linebacker Cameron Goode, who suffered a patella tendon tear in Week 17, is a bit ahead of Chubb in terms of recovery.

This is turning into a lost season for Chubb, who is signed to a five-year, $110MM extension that runs through the 2027 season. The Dolphins, who also saw free agency addition Shaq Barrett retire, are down Jaelan Phillips for the year as well. Anything they get from Chubb will probably be considered a bonus, but with the playoffs still a possibility, Miami certainly could benefit from a late-season Chubb return.

Dolphins Reduce Roster To 53 Players

August 27th, 2024 at 9:42pm CST by Ben Levine

After two-straight Wild Card Round losses, the Dolphins are hoping to take another step forward in 2024. The team started prepping for a crucial campaign today, as they set their 53-man roster by making the following moves:

Released:

Waived:

  • LB David Anenih
  • WR Je’Quan Burton
  • S Jordan Colbert
  • DT Robert Cooper
  • WR Erik Ezukanma
  • WR Mike Harley Jr.
  • OL Chasen Hines
  • RB Zander Horvath
  • LB Dequan Jackson
  • WR Jadon Janke
  • CB Isaiah Johnson
  • OL Matthew Jones
  • CB Jason Maitre
  • OT Bayron Matos
  • WR Kyric McGowan
  • DT Leonard Payne
  • S Mark Perry
  • TE Hayden Rucci

Waived/injured:

Placed on IR:

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the expectation is that long snapper Blake Ferguson will end up re-upping with the Dolphins, with his release solely being for roster machinations. The former sixth-round pick has spent his entire career in Miami, with the special teamer appearing in 67 games.

Nik Needham‘s stay in Miami has come to an end after five seasons. The former UDFA started 27 of his 61 appearances with the organization, although the majority of his production came in his first three seasons with the Dolphins. Between 2019 and 2021, the defensive back hauled in six interceptions, but after returning from a 2022 season-ending injury, he only got into 71 defensive snaps in 2023.

There was some hope that Neville Gallimore could provide the Dolphins with some defensive line depth when he caught on with the organization. The former third-round pick never clicked in Dallas, but he still got into 52 games in his four years with the organization. He collected four sacks and nine QB hits over the span, and he twice managed to top 400 defensive snaps in a campaign.

Dolphins’ Bradley Chubb, Isaiah Wynn To Begin Season On PUP List

August 26th, 2024 at 8:43am CST by Adam La Rose

As roster cuts take place, teams around the league also need to make decisions on players beginning the season on the reserve/PUP list. That designation confirms an absence of at least four weeks, and it will be used on several Dolphins in 2024.

Head coach Mike McDaniel said on Monday (via NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe) that edge rusher Bradley Chubb, offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn and linebacker Cameron Goode will begin the year on the reserve/PUP list. A final decision in the case of wideout Odell Beckham Jr. has yet to be made, McDaniel added. The other three players’ absences will be felt nonetheless.

Chubb suffered an ACL tear on New Year’s Eve, ending his first full season with the Dolphins. The two-time Pro Bowler has yet to return to practice, so today’s update comes as little surprise. Jaelan Phillips – who went down with an Achilles tear in 2023 – was able to get back on the field earlier this month, meaning he is in contention to be available for Week 1. Having Phillips in place at the start of the year would help compensate for Chubb’s absence, but the latter will be counted on to produce when healthy. Chubb has four years left on his contract.

Wynn inked a one-year deal with the Dolphins last season, one in which he was limited to seven games by a quadriceps injury. His level of play when on the field earned him a new Miami deal, and the former Patriots first-rounder is expected to serve as the team’s starting left guard when available. After an offseason featuring a slower recovery process than expected, Miami will need to turn to other linemen along the interior while also being without a depth option at tackle.

Goode joined the Dolphins as a seventh-rounder in 2022. The 26-year-old did not see any game action during his rookie campaign, spending the year on Miami’s practice squad. Last season, he suited up for all 17 regular season contests, logging a heavy workload on special teams. His absence will not have a major defensive impact, but the Dolphins’ third phase units will be shorthanded.

Beckham will not practice this week as he continues to recover from an unknown injury. Naming him to the 53-man roster after little to no time in team drills would carry notable risk given his status as the team’s No. 3 receiver, but a reserve/PUP designation would leave Miami’s receiver room shorthanded. That will already be the case at numerous positions given today’s news.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/18/24

July 18th, 2024 at 8:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Houston Texans

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

As a reminder, players who land on the physically unable to perform list or the non-football injury list can be activated at any time during training camp or the preseason. If players remain on either of those two lists following initial 53-man rosters, they’ll be forced to sit out the first four games of the 2024 season.

While the majority of the Dolphins’ injuries were expected, Isaiah Wynn‘s placement on PUP is a bit of a surprise. The offensive lineman continues to recover from a quadriceps injury that ended his 2023 campaign in October, but his rehab is apparently taking longer than expected. After mostly playing offensive tackle to begin his career, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald says the former first-round pick is expected to be the “front-runner” at left guard once he’s healthy enough to see the field. Jackson also passed along that Salvon Ahmed‘s issue isn’t related to his season-ending foot injury from last season and is a result of a “minor medical issue.” The RB is firmly on the roster bubble heading into training camp.

Latest On Connor Williams, Dolphins Offensive Line

April 1st, 2024 at 8:18pm CST by Ben Levine

Connor Williams‘ availability for the 2024 campaign is in doubt after he suffered a torn ACL in December. Whenever he’s ready to take the field, it sounds like a return to the Dolphins will be in play.

[RELATED: Drew Rosenhaus On Dolphins C Connor Williams’ Free Agency Timeline]

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Williams’ potential return to Miami has “not been ruled out as a possibility.” The two sides will “remain in occasional communication” while the center rehabs.

Williams joined the Dolphins on a two-year contract in 2022 and proceeded to start all 17 games for Miami. With the lineman set to earn a $6.5MM base salary on an expiring contract in 2023, Williams was absent from minicamp. The two sides didn’t resolve his contract situation, and Williams was ultimately in the lineup for Week 1.

A nagging groin injury forced him to miss four games during the first half of the 2023 season, but he started each of his five games following his return. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn ACL in Week 14 that ended his season and put his 2024 campaign in doubt. Williams was setting himself up nicely for free agency prior to the injury, earning a stellar 86.5 grade from Pro Football Focus that positioned him behind only the Lions’ Frank Ragnow among qualified centers.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus previously said that Williams will be “methodical” and take his time as he considers his next landing spot, but it sounds like Miami will remain a possibility. The team brought in Aaron Brewer as a replacement at center, and the organization could also look towards the draft for more depth at the position.

Elsewhere on the OL, the team’s uncertainty at the two guard positions has led the front office to explore options via free agency. As Jackson writes, the Dolphins “have had at least some level of communication” with two “veteran free agent starting” offensive guards, and they’ve also talked with a player who profiles as a part-timer. However, the Dolphins are prepared to see how things unfold in the draft before they make an addition at the position.

As Jackson writes, Isaiah Wynn is in the driver’s seat to start at left guard. On the other side, the team could be eyeing some competition for the likes of Liam Eichenberg, Robert Jones, Lester Cotton, and Jack Driscoll.

Dolphins Re-Sign G Isaiah Wynn

March 18th, 2024 at 11:13am CST by Adam La Rose

Isaiah Wynn‘s debut season with the Dolphins was cut short, but he will remain in place for the 2024 campaign. The veteran offensive lineman has inked a new one-year deal with Miami, per his agents (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter).

Wynn came to Miami on a one-year deal last offseason following the end of his Patriots tenure. He was moved to left guard after splitting time on the inside and at tackle with New England. That decision proved to be a sound one given the way Wynn played to start the year. PFF charged the former first-rounder with no sacks and four pressures allowed in pass protection in 2023.

While his run blocking evaluation was much worse (a career-low 48.2 mark), Wynn’s injury dealt a notable blow to Miami’s O-line. The Georgia alum suffered a season-ending quadriceps injury in Week 7, leaving the team without a starter on the inside in a season which featured multiple other ailments up front. Center Connor Williams suffered an ACL tear, something which has hindered his free agent market. Left tackle Terron Armstead, meanwhile, continued his career trend of dealing with multiple injuries.

The latter will remain in place for next season, giving Miami stability on the blindside. Wynn’s return will provide continuity on the left side of the offensive line and ensure one guard starter will be retained. The other – Robert Hunt – landed a $20MM-per-year deal with the Panthers in free agency, creating a major vacancy at that position. A number of internal candidates to fill the spot are in place, and the draft looms as an option to add a rookie blocker.

Long-term investments up front will no doubt be a priority for Miami given Armstead’s age (32) and injury history. The 28-year-old Wynn faces similar concerns given the way his 2023 campaign came to an end. If he can remain healthy in 2024 and replicate his play from last season, though, he could land a pact better than the ‘prove-it’ accord he signed in 2023 (and which he has likely inked this time around) with the Dolphins or another team in free agency next year.

Dolphins Place OL Isaiah Wynn On IR, Activate CB Nik Needham

October 25th, 2023 at 1:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 25: Although McDaniel stopped short of saying Wynn was done for the season, the second-year Dolphins HC indicated (via NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe) the veteran O-lineman will face a tough road in an effort to come back this year. If Wynn is unable to return before season’s end, this will mark his fourth NFL campaign to end early because of injury.

OCTOBER 24: After playing shorthanded throughout last season, the Dolphins are moving toward full strength at cornerback. With Jalen Ramsey readying to make his 2023 debut, Miami will soon see Nik Needham back in action.

The Dolphins activated Needham off the reserve/PUP list Tuesday, moving him close to making a comeback from the Achilles tear he suffered in October 2022. To make room for Needham on their 53-man roster, the Dolphins placed guard Isaiah Wynn on IR. With Needham being designated for return on Oct. 4, the Dolphins needed to activate him by Wednesday to ensure he was eligible to play this season.

Wynn went down with a quadriceps during the Dolphins’ loss to the Eagles on Sunday night, and Mike McDaniel said (via NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe) the team’s left guard would be out for weeks. This will force more changes to the Dolphins’ offensive front. Despite an explosive start to the season, Miami has played games without left tackle Terron Armstead and center Connor Williams. Wynn will not be able to return until Week 13, with the Dolphins’ bye coming in Week 10. Armstead is on IR and must miss at least one more game with a knee injury.

Miami added Wynn in free agency, giving the ex-New England first-rounder a one-year deal worth $2.3MM. This low-end “prove it” deal came after a Patriots contract year that ended early. The Pats placed Wynn on IR due to a foot injury in December of last year. That came after a substandard platform campaign, leading to tepid interest in free agency. Although Wynn enjoyed nice stretches as New England’s left tackle, he settled for a low-end deal in Miami. This will be Wynn’s fifth trip to IR. Being moved to the injured list in 2018, ’19, ’20 and ’22, Wynn has missed 39 games as a pro.

The Dolphins made Wynn their left guard starter, returning him to a guard role on a full-time basis for the first time since his Georgia days. Wynn made seven starts at left guard for the Dolphins, and although Lester Cotton replaced him against the Eagles, it is possible Miami reinstalls Liam Eichenberg at left guard. The former second-round pick, who operated as the Dolphins’ primary left guard last season, lost the job to Wynn during the preseason. But he returned to a starting role in Week 6, filling in for Williams at center. The 2022 free agent signing coming back would point to Eichenberg sliding back to left guard. A 2019 Raiders UDFA, Cotton has two starts on his NFL resume.

Given a second-round RFA tender last year, Needham saw his momentum blunted by the Achilles tear. He re-signed with the Dolphins on a one-year, $1.82MM deal, doing so after the team traded for Ramsey. The Dolphins were busy at corner this offseason, keeping Needham and then drafting Cam Smith in Round 2. The South Carolina product has yet to find his footing in Vic Fangio‘s defense. Needham’s return further bolsters Miami’s secondary. Ramsey is working his way back from meniscus surgery and is expected to return soon, being designated for return from IR last week.

Needham, who will turn 27 next week, has started 27 games for the Dolphins. Fangio will be the third defensive coordinator Needham will have played for as a pro, but he will supply the secondary with extensive experience alongside Ramsey, Xavien Howard and Kader Kohou. With Ramsey’s return imminent, it will be interesting to see how the Dolphins reintegrate Needham.

Dolphins Notes: QB, Gaskin, Berrios, LG

August 19th, 2023 at 4:24pm CST by Ely Allen

In most cases, the Dolphins aren’t utilizing camp position battles to determine starting roles. But as the deadline to cut the roster down to 53 players draws nearer and nearer, decisions have to be made throughout the roster. Here’s a look at who’s battling for a roster spot as the preseason continues, thanks to some helpful analysis from Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald:

  • At quarterback, the starter is set, but the backup job may be closer than you’d think. Miami signed quarterback Mike White in the first hour of free agency, making it seem like they were dead set on him taking over at QB2. Last year’s backup, Skylar Thompson, doesn’t seem willing to go down without a fight, though, making the battle more competitive than some would assume. White is the presumed winner of this position battle, but if Thompson has a stellar preseason, he has a chance to surprise.
  • After failing to sign free agent running back Dalvin Cook, the room is shaping up to hold Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson, and third-round rookie De’Von Achane, at the very least. If the team is going to open up a fourth roster spot for the position, it’s likely that one of Myles Gaskin or Salvon Ahmed will fill the role while the other will be on the chopping block, if not both. The Dolphins will have to determine if a fourth running back will help the team, and if not, Gaskin or Ahmed’s time in South Beach may be over.
  • Behind the team’s top two wideouts, there are a number of options to plug in. According to Jackson, AFC East mainstay Braxton Berrios seems to be taking direction from wide receivers coach Wes Welker well, giving him an edge on the depth chart. He’s competing with Cedrick Wilson, Erik Ezukanma, and Chosen Anderson for the WR3 role, and seems to have a handle on it. Anderson has been making up for a slow start to camp lately but may need to compete with River Cracraft if the team only decides to keep six wide receivers.
  • At tight end, the battle for the third tight spot poses the most intrigue, assuming the team only takes three tight ends. The starter, Durham Smythe, and the rookie, Elijah Higgins, are likely to make the roster, leaving backups Eric Saubert and Tyler Kroft fighting for what is likely going to be the final roster spot at the position. Neither is much of a factor in the passing game, so whoever shows the best blocking ability throughout the rest of camp may be rewarded the short-term job security.
  • The biggest battle on the line is the battle for the starting left guard spot. Liam Eichenberg and Isaiah Wynn appear to be in a dead heat for the job, according to Jackson. Wynn has more NFL starting experience, but Eichenberg is more familiar with the franchise. Aside from that, the other big battle is for the swing tackle role. Veteran and former starter Kendall Lamm reportedly has established a lead over Cedric Ogbuehi for the job. Seventh-round rookie Ryan Hayes could also contribute to the team depth at the position if he makes the roster.
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