The Details of the Dolphins Kicker Audition

The Miami Dolphins' search for a temporary kicker is in full swing.

With Jason Sanders on injured reserve for at least the first four games due to a hip injury, the Dolphins held workouts Tuesday for kickers Eddy Piñeiro, Riley Patterson, Zane Gonzalez and Greg Joseph as Miami looks for a replacement to start the season.

Piñeiro, who attended Miami Sunset High School and the University of Florida, connected on 88 percent of his field goal attempts over five NFL seasons, including 22 of 26 last year with the Carolina Panthers.

Gonzalez was a seventh-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2017 after twice being named All-Pac-12 first-team at Arizona State. He spent part of last season with the Washington Commanders, making all 19 extra point attempts and going 5-of-7 on field goals. 

However, it’s worth noting that Gonzalez’s six games with the Commanders last year were his first time kicking in a regular-season contest since 2021, as he’s battled injuries. 

Patterson has spent time with eight teams since going undrafted in 2021 out of Memphis. He kicked for the New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons and Browns last season and was perfect on his three attempts under 40 yards, but struggled from longer distances, converting only 1 of 4 attempts beyond 40 yards.

The tryout Tuesday was somewhat of a homecoming for Joseph, who originally joined the Dolphins as a UDFA after the 2018 NFL draft out of Florida Atlantic University. He was cut in favor of Sanders, Miami’s seventh-round draft pick that year. 

Although the Dolphins didn’t second-guess keeping Sanders, a 2020 first-team All-Pro, Joseph quickly found a new home with the Browns as a rookie. He has converted 82 percent of his field goals over six seasons.

Joseph bounced between the New York Giants, Jets and Commanders last year, going a perfect 10-for-10 on kicks shorter than 40 yards. Meanwhile, he made just 6 of 10 attempts from 40 yards or over. 

Active Roster or Practice Squad?

The Dolphins announced their initial 53-man roster Tuesday, and it didn’t include a kicker since Sanders is on IR. To add a kicker to the active roster, Miami would need to make a corresponding move to open a spot.