Dolphins waive Long, add tight end. And spotlight on Dolphins’ Smith with Fuller out
A year after ranking among the top run-stopping inside linebackers in football, David Long Jr. lost his Dolphins starting job two weeks ago. Now he’s out of a job altogether.
The Dolphins released Long on Wednesday, less than three months after he was voted a team captain. In a corresponding move, Miami claimed tight end Jack Stoll on waivers from Philadelphia.
Signed by the Dolphins to a two-year, $12 million deal as a free agent 20 months ago, Long led the Dolphins with 113 tackles last season, and Pro Football Focus rated him the NFL’s best inside linebacker against the run. But his pass defense was always a shortcoming here, and he struggled in general early this season, particularly in a game against Arizona.
Anthony Walker Jr. replaced Long as the starting inside linebacker alongside Jordyn Brooks for the past two games. Long was active for both games but did not play a defensive snap in either. Long, who had 38 tackles in six starts this season, was due to become a free agent in March.
His departure leaves the Dolphins with four inside linebackers: Brooks, Walker, Tyrel Dodson (who had a team-leading 71 tackles for Seattle before being waived last week) and Channing Tindall, who hasn’t played a defensive snap all season. The Dolphins claimed Dodson on waivers this week, filling the roster spot of Tanner Conner, who went on injured reserve with a knee injury.
Conner had been the Dolphins’ No. 4 tight end, a role that could now be filled by Stoll, who had 22 receptions for 193 yards in 57 games (28 starts) in four seasons for the Eagles, who signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Nebraska in 2021.
He spent his first three seasons with the Eagles, joined the Giants as a free agent this past March and then was waived by New York in September.
Philadelphia re-signed him earlier this season but released him this week. He had two catches for 10 yards in seven games and two starts this season.
With the Dolphins, the 6-4, 247-pound Stoll will supplement a room that includes Julian Hill, Jonnu Smith and Durham Smythe. In another move at tight end, the Dolphins re-signed undrafted Wisconsin rookie Hayden Rucci to their practice squad.
SMITH UNDER SPOTLIGHT
With Kendall Fuller out indefinitely after his second concussion since mid September, Cam Smith is expected to again be thrust into a significant role when the Gardner Minshew-led Las Vegas Raiders visit Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday (1 p.m., CBS 4).
The Rams targeted Smith repeatedly on Monday, just as Arizona and Buffalo had in recent weeks.
Smith’s first extensive playing time of his career has produced less-than-desired results: Per Pro Football Focus, opposing quarterbacks (Kyler Murray, Josh Allen, Matt Stafford) have completed 13 of 15 targets in Smith’s coverage area, for 139 yards (10.7 per catch) and one touchdown. That computes to a bloated 127.5 passer rating in his coverage area.
“I feel like I’ve been in position to make plays,” Smith said at his locker on Wednesday. “I haven’t made the plays I wanted to. But it’s [just] my third game since I’ve been back.”
He said he must shore up “technique stuff, being in and out of breaks, making sure I keep my feet in and out of breaks, able to jump and make the play. Just little things.”
Coaches must decide whether to give Smith all of the cornerback snaps alongside Jalen Ramsey and Kader Kohou when the team uses three cornerbacks, or whether to inject Siran Neal, Storm Duck or Ethan Bonner in the mix while Fuller is sidelined.
Neal played one defensive snap against the Rams and allowed a 21-yard completion.
Fuller has been ruled out for Sunday’s game, and Mike McDaniel said it’s undetermined when he will be back.
THIS AND THAT
Though the Dolphins have said they expect outside linebacker Bradley Chubb to play this season, his return remains a ways off.
Chubb is not yet ready to begin his 21-day practice window. In fact, McDaniel said fellow outside linebacker Cameron Goode is further along in his recovery from a knee injury. Goode also isn’t yet ready to practice.
“I would anticipate Goode a little bit before Bradley, [whenever] that is,” McDaniel said, noting both are progressing.
Chubb sustained a torn ACL in Week 17 last season, and Goode sustained a torn patellar tendon in Week 18. Neither has practiced since training camp began and both began the season on the physically unable to perform list.
Guard Isaiah Wynn, who has been on PUP all season with a leg injury, opened his 21-day practice window Wednesday. He has been dealing with quadricep and knee injuries.
The Dolphins held only a walk-through on Wednesday, but if they had practiced, Wynn would have been limited. Fullback Alec Ingold (calf) also would have been limited.
Receiver Tyreek Hill (wrist), Fuller (concussion) and guard Robert Jones (knee) would not have practiced if the team had held a regular practice.
▪ The Raiders announced that Minshew is replacing Aiden O’Connell as their starting quarterback this week. Minshew has six touchdowns and eight interceptions and an 80.2 rating in eight games and seven starts.
This story was originally published November 13, 2024 at 5:28 PM.
