The Miami Dolphins announced a series of roster moves on Saturday, just ahead of the team’s Week 17 meeting with the Tennessee Titans. The moves included activations of players from reserve lists, placing other players onto reserve lists, and elevating players from the practice squad. In all, eight players had some transaction happen on Saturday.
The good news is most of the roster moves were bringing back players. The team announced defensive lineman Adam Butler and safety Brandon Jones were both activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. They also pulled linebacker Brennan Scarlett off the injured reserve list.
Butler has played in all 15 of Miami’s games thus far this season, his first with the team after four years with the New England Patriots. He has one start this season and has recorded 16 tackles, five quarterback hits, two sacks, and three passes defended on the season.
In his second season in the league, Jones has established himself as a starter in the back of Miami’s defense. He has appeared in 13 games this season with 11 starts, tallying 66 tackles, nine quarterback hits, five sacks, one forced fumble, two fumbles recovered, and an interception.
Scarlett joined the Dolphins this offseason after five seasons with the Houston Texans. For Miami, he has appeared in 11 games with four starts, recording 17 tackles, one quarterback hit, and one pass defensed. The linebacker sustained a knee injury in the first half of the team’s Week 11 game against the New York Jets, leading to his landing on the injured reserve list. Scarlett missed the team’s last four games, plus their bye week.
The Dolphins also announced the elevation of wide receiver Kirk Merritt, center Cameron Tom, and defensive back Chris Milton from the practice squad. Merritt and Tom were both COVID-19 replacements, while Milton is a standard elevation. The Dolphins elevated Merritt for their Week 7 game against the Texans, during which he caught one pass for 13 yards.
Tom started the season on Miami’s practice squad, before being promoted to the 53-man roster in November. He was waived and re-signed to the practice squad at the beginning of December, then was elevated for last week’s game. He appeared in the team’s Week 12 contest against the Carolina Panthers.
Milton was signed to the Miami practice squad on November 29. He spent 2016 through 2018 with the Indianapolis Colts, 2019 and 2020 with the Tennesee Titans, and was with the New York Giants in training camp this year.
While the Dolphins have several reinforcements coming back to the team, they also had two players land on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Cornerback Noah Igbinoghene and safety Sheldrick Redwine were both placed on the list, making them ineligible for this weekend’s game. They join defensive tackle John Jenkins and wide receiver Preston Williams on the list due to the virus. Guard Durval Queiroz Neto is on the practice squad/COVID-19 list.
The Dolphins kickoff against the Titans on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.