New England Patriots long snapper Joe Cardona (49) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Dolphins Bring In Veteran Specialist

Originally posted on Miami Dolphins on SI
By Alain Poupart | Last updated May 9, 2025 3:22 PM ET

Looks like the Miami Dolphins will have a veteran long-snapper in 2025 after all.

One day after releasing Blake Ferguson, the Dolphins signed longtime New England Patriots long-snapper Joe Cardona.

Before the move, the only long-snapper on the roster was rookie free agent Kneeland Hibbett out of Alabama.

Cardona joins the Dolphins after spending the past 10 seasons with the Patriots, who made him a fifth-round pick in the 2016 NFL draft. New England released him April 29, three days after selecting long-snapper Julian Ashby in the seventh round of the 2025 draft.

Cardona played 160 of 164 possible games in his time with the Patriots, winning the Super Bowl in the 2016 and 2018 seasons. He was the last member of the 2016 team left before he was released. He was selected as a team captain last year.

The move left the Dolphins with 91 players on the roster, which includes the recently retired Terron Armstead but does include Dominican tackle Bayron Matos because of his roster exemption as an international player.

FERGUSON'S TIME OVER

Ferguson had been the team's long-snapper for five-plus seasons before he was placed on the Non-Football Injury list early last season.

Ferguson never returned last season and no details ever emerged about what caused him to be placed on NFI.

Ferguson joined the Dolphins as a sixth-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. His brother Reid is the longtime long-snapper for the Buffalo Bills.

The Dolphins never replaced Ferguson with another long-snapper after he was placed on NFI, instead elevating different players the maximum three times before making a switch.

The one exception was Jake McQuaide, who was signed to the active roster for the final three games. He remains unsigned as an unrestricted free agent.

Also doing long-snapping for the Dolphins in 2024 were Matt Overton, Tucker Addington and Zach Triner.

Ferguson was one of four players let go Thursday along with cornerback Ryan Cooper Jr., offensive lineman Chasen Hines and defensive lineman Neil Farrell.