The Miami Dolphins have ended their brief experiment with undrafted rookie edge rusher Mason Reiger, releasing him from injured reserve with an injury settlement.
The move, confirmed over the weekend, makes the 24-year-old a free agent after he went unclaimed on waivers last week.
Reiger, whose name is sometimes misspelled in early reports, signed with Miami shortly after the 2026 NFL Draft as a priority undrafted free agent. The Dolphins guaranteed him roughly $150,000 to $175,000, among the larger packages they offered that class.
The former Louisville and Wisconsin standout arrived with momentum: 13 career college sacks, Shrine Bowl defensive MVP honors, and athletic testing that drew comparisons to former Dolphin Andrew Van Ginkel.
He generated positive buzz in minicamp and training camp. In Miami’s preseason opener against the Washington Commanders, Reiger recorded a sack that the team’s official account highlighted.
Less than a week later, the Dolphins waived him with an injury designation on August 18 and signed veteran edge Seth Coleman-Lyles in his place. The nature of the injury was not disclosed. After he cleared waivers and reverted to injured reserve, the team reached a settlement and cut him loose.
Injuries have followed Reiger throughout his career. He missed the 2024 season at Louisville with a knee issue before transferring to Wisconsin, where he posted five sacks in 12 games.
Those concerns likely contributed to him going undrafted despite late-round projections. For a Dolphins pass-rush group that already includes Chop Robinson, Josh Uche, and seventh-round pick Max Llewellyn, the team chose roster flexibility over holding an injured developmental player for the rest of 2026.
Reiger’s next step is getting healthy and finding another opportunity. Undrafted rookies often bounce around practice squads or land late-season looks once they prove they can stay on the field.
At 6-foot-5 and 251 pounds with a 40-inch vertical and a motor that coaches praised, he still possesses traits teams look for on the edge. Whether that translates into a second NFL chance will depend on how quickly he recovers and how he performs in workouts.
For Miami, the episode is a reminder of how quickly training-camp stories can change. A player who looked like a potential steal in June was off the roster by late August.
The Dolphins will continue evaluating their edge depth as they prepare for the final preseason game and the 53-man cutdown. Reiger, meanwhile, is free to sign anywhere.
