Dolphins roster moves blog: Safety, p-squad players, Sheard added. Flores weighs in
Welcome to Day 2 of our 2-day around-the-clock Miami Dolphins transactions blog. We’ll keep adding to this all day. Also in here are injury updates and news from Brian Flores’ press conference. Keep checking back.
The Miami Dolphins claimed former New York Jets cornerback/safety Elijah Campbell off waivers on Wednesday and waived safety Jamal Perry, according to league sources.
The acquisition of Campbell - and the release of Perry - leave the Dolphins with 12 defensive backs.
“Tough, fast, tackles well, can play in the kicking game,” Brian Flores said of Campbell. “Glad we got him.”
Undrafted out of Northern Iowa in 2018, Campbell initially signed with the Cleveland Browns, was waived in August 2018, played in two shuttered leagues (the AAF and XFL) over 2018 and 2019 and signed with the Jets practice squad last November.
He was promoted to the active roster Dec. 8, appeared in three games for the Jets and was cut by New York this week.
Campbell - listed at 5-11 and 190 pounds - played at three colleges: Iowa Western, Northern Illinois and Northern Iowa.
Perry appeared in 27 games, with seven starts, for the Dolphins in two seasons and had an interception and 84 tackles.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins lost receiver Malcolm Perry, who was claimed off waivers by New England, Miami’s Week 1 opponent. The Dolphins had hoped to sneak Perry through waivers and sign him to the practice squad.
Perry was the only released Dolphin who was claimed off waivers.
The Dolphins are expected to set their practice squad over the next day.
And good news for those who are intrigued by much-improved receiver Kirk Merritt: He’s joining the Dolphins’ practice squad, according to a source.
Quarterback Reid Sinnett, who played well in preseason, also will be on the Dolphins’ p-squad.
Running back Gerrid Doaks, the rookie seventh rounder, is joining Miami’s practice squad. The Dolphins also signed running back Patrick Laird to their practice squad; he spent the past two seasons on Miami’s 53-man roster.
Linebacker Calvin Munson, who also spent the past two years on the Dolphins’ 53-man roster, also joined the Dolphins’ practice squad.
The Dolphins also signed veteran offensive lineman Adam Pankey to their practice squad.
Cornerback Javaris Davis, released by Miami this week, is joining the Dolphins’ practice squad, per sources. He impressed during training camp.
Update: All seven of the above players were at practice on Wednesday.
Another update: Guard Durval Queiroz Neto is remaining with the Dolphins as a 17th player on the 16-man practice squad (per league international exemption rules), his agent KJ Joshen tells us. There are paths for him to be elevated to play in a game this year if Dolphins choose to.
Another update: Veteran defensive end Jabaal Sheard is joining the Dolphins’ practice squad. He has 53 sacks in 10 NFL seasons.
Sheard, 31, played nine games for the Giants and one for Jacksonville last season, including three starts. He had 19 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Sheard attended Hollywood Hills High and was a second round pick of the Browns in 2011.
Sheard secured a 19–17 Giants victory last season by stripping Bengals backup quarterback Brandon Allen on the 50 yard line late in the fourth quarter.
This will give the Dolphins a chance to see if the skilled veteran pass rusher has anything left.
Another update: Linebacker Shaquem Griffin is joining the Dolphins’ practice squad. He was released this week.
Another late-afternoon update: Jordan Scarlett is joining the Dolphins’ practice squad after being released this week. The former Carolina fifth-rounder attended St. Thomas Aquinas and UF.
Of the 16 players on the practice squad (potentially 17 in Miami’s case), six of them can have an unlimited number of years of experience. That allowed them to sign Sheard.
Two former Dolphins who joined other teams’ practice squads: tight end Chris Myarick with the Giants and defensive tackle Benito Jones with Kansas City.
During each week of the regular season, NFL teams can protect four players from being poached by another team.
Teams also can elevate a player from the practice squad to a game each week, but no player can be elevated more than twice in a season.
INJURY UPDATE
Tight end Adam Shaheen (knee) and offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg (lower body issue) were not spotted at practice. The Dolphins didn’t believe either injury was serious enough to put them on injured reserve, which would sideline any player at least three weeks.
Cornerback Trill Williams (minor medical issue) missed practice.
Will Fuller cannot practice because he’s on the NFL’s suspension list from now through the opener at New England.
BRIAN FLORES PRESSER
Brian Flores addressed several issues in a Wednesday press conference:
▪ He declined to discuss Jeff Darlington’s report that Flores told the team that Tua Tagovailoa is the quarterback. But Flores said: “Tua is our quarterback. He’s had a good training camp, made a lot of progress, made a lot of improvement. We’re pleased with where he is.”
Asked by another reporter if Tua is the Week 1 starter, Flores said: “Tua is the week one starter. . I don’t know if I can be more clear. I don’t know how many times. I don’t know how much more clear I can be here. Tua is the starter. Do I need to say it again? I will.”
▪ Flores, on the Patriots claiming Malcolm Perry and New England playing Miami in Week 1 with insight on Dolphins’ playbook: “This happens quite a bit where there’s a player on a team down the road, or the next game. I don’t think we’ll make very many changes.”
▪ On keeping undrafted rookies Trill Williams (a cornerback) and Robert Jones (a guard): “Two young guys who really made a lot of improvement from the spring to the early part of training camp, did some nice things. Two young guys we thought we could work with and with continued development, we may have something. A lot of that is on their plate.
“We see some potential but they will have to continue doing things they started from a work ethic and routine standpoint. Two competitive guys who want to get better.”
▪ On roster decisions: “They’re all tough decisions, veterans, some younger players we thought played and practiced well. We could only keep 53 and 16 on the practice squad. A lot of discussions about depth at some positions compared to keeping the guys we felt are the best players.”
▪ Flores said he’s “comfortable” with the offensive line depth.
▪ On the Dolphins keeping veteran defensive tackle John Jenkins: “Leadership is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of him. But he’s a good player too. He has taken younger players under his wing and is teaching them how to be a professional.”
Please check back all day for updates.
This story was originally published September 1, 2021 at 12:41 PM.
