Dolphins place OL James Daniels on IR, add 2022 first-round pick OL Cole Strange
There will be a new face in the Miami Dolphins offensive line room.
The Dolphins placed right guard James Daniels on injured reserve (IR) and subsequently signed guard Cole Strange off of the Cleveland Browns practice squad, according to the franchise.
This comes roughly two days after Daniels injured his pectoral muscle just three plays into the season opener against the Indianapolis Colts. It was later revealed that the starting offensive lineman would miss three to four weeks, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. With Daniels on IR, the earliest that he could return would be Week 5 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Strange, who was signed to the active roster, now has the opportunity to beat out Kion Smith for the chance to start in Sunday’s Week 2 divisional showdown against the New England Patriots, the very team that drafted him in the first round in 2022.
With nearly 30 starts under his belt, Strange instantly becomes one of the Dolphins’ more experienced offensive lineman. He’s also versatile — a huge bonus in Miami — with the ability to play both guard and center.
Strange, however, doesn’t come without his own injury concerns after a torn patellar tendon in Dec. 2023 cost him most of the following season. The Patriots did not exercise the former Chattanooga standout’s fifth-year option in April and by late August, he had been cut. Within 24 hours, Strange had agreed to a deal with the Cleveland Browns, where he remained until the Dolphins came calling.
The addition of Strange, however, does not make up for what can only be described as a disastrous start to the 2025 season. Daniels, arguably the Dolphins’ biggest signing of the 2025 offseason, arrived in Miami already in rehab for a torn Achilles — then proceeded to not make it through a series. A key backup in Liam Eichenberg has remained on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list since the top of August. And Andrew Meyer, one of the bright spots during the early parts of training camp, continues to miss significant time with an elbow injury.
Then there’s the three offensive lineman — Obinna Eze, Germaine Ifedi and Yodny Cajuste — who sustained season-ending injuries throughout August.
With starting right tackle Austin Jackson having already missed most of training camp with a toe injury, the Dolphins offensive line was going to have growing pains as the unit tries to find their rhythm. The loss of Daniels for essentially a month only makes matters worse. Hopefully, Strange can be a much-needed band-aid as the Dolphins look to bounce back from a terrible start to the season.
This story was originally published September 9, 2025 at 1:43 PM.
