The Miami Dolphins trimmed several veterans Monday after adding seven players off waivers, a day after NFL teams had to get down to 53-man rosters.
The most recognizable name to go was defensive end Clelin Ferrell, the former No. 4 overall pick who signed with Miami in late July.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the moves.
“Miami released edge Clelin Ferrell and cornerback A.J. Green III, and waived cornerback Ethan Bonner, tackle Marques Cox, wide receiver AJ Henning, edge Max Llewellyn and guard/tackle Josh Priebe. The team also waived/injured tight end Ben Sims.”
The cuts created space after Miami claimed quarterback Brady Cook, rookie tight end Justin Joly, defensive backs Marcellas Dial, Reese Taylor and Julius Wood, and offensive tackles Chukwuebuka Godrick and Jarrett Kingston.
Cook had been waived by the New York Jets. Joly, a fifth-round pick, was let go by Denver. The other additions arrived from various teams looking to reshape their own 53-man groups.
Ferrell, 29, never became the pass rusher Las Vegas hoped he would be after taking him fourth overall out of Clemson in 2019. He still built a long career, finishing with 21 sacks, 184 tackles, four forced fumbles and two recoveries in 98 games.
He spent four seasons with the Raiders, then bounced from San Francisco to Washington to the Chargers and back to the 49ers. Last year he played eight games for San Francisco and posted four sacks and four tackles for loss.
Those numbers were decent for a rotational end. They were not enough to hold a roster spot once Miami loaded up on cheaper depth.
The Dolphins now plan to lean on Robert Beal Jr., another former 49er, and Malik Herring, an undrafted veteran who was cut by Tennessee on Sunday.
Bonner’s departure stood out as well. He had made the first 53-man roster and drew attention for his speed, something former Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill had praised in the past.
Green, a veteran corner, was released outright. The rest of the group — Cox, Henning, Llewellyn and Priebe — were waived and could still land on a practice squad if they clear.
Sims went on injured reserve after being waived with an injury designation, meaning Miami can bring him back later if the medical picture improves.
Roster math is unforgiving this time of year. Seven incoming players meant seven names had to come off, and Ferrell’s salary and draft pedigree did not protect him.
He signed a one-year deal worth about $1.49 million in July and worked through an early-camp injury before getting back to full practice. That was not enough once the waiver board opened.
Miami’s edge group still includes Josh Uche and Chop Robinson. Beal and Herring give the staff more bodies who can rush on passing downs without the same expectation that followed a top-five pick.
Ferrell’s college résumé remains impressive. He won two national titles at Clemson, took home the Ted Hendricks Award in 2018 and was a consensus All-American. The NFL version of that player never fully arrived.
He was serviceable against the run and flashed as a rusher in stretches, including a 3.5-sack season in San Francisco in 2023 and another 3.5-sack year in Washington in 2024. Consistency was the missing piece.
For Miami, Monday was about volume and flexibility. Cook gives the quarterback room a third option behind Malik Willis and Kyle McCord. Joly adds another tight end after the team had kept four through the first cut.
The secondary claims suggest the coaching staff wanted more bodies at corner and safety after a busy weekend of trimming. The two tackles provide insurance on the offensive line.
Whether any of the released players return on the practice squad will become clearer over the next day. Ferrell, as a veteran with more than four accrued seasons, would be a free agent if no team claims him.
For now, the story is simple. A former top-five pick who collected 21 sacks over seven seasons is looking for work again, and the Dolphins used the roster spot on younger and cheaper help.
