Dolphins' Latest Roster Shuffling Indicates an Eye Toward 2026

It’s been a busy day for the Miami Dolphins. 

Of course, the big news is the benching of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for Quinn Ewers, but the team also made a slew of roster moves Wednesday. 

Dolphins' Latest Roster Moves Includes Familar Faces, New Name

The Dolphins signed linebacker Jackson Woodard off the Houston Texans’ practice squad and waived linebacker Matthew Judon. Miami also re-signed linebacker Andre Carter II to the practice squad and released tight end Tanner Conner from the practice squad.

Obviously, the biggest name here is Judon, whom the team signed late in the offseason to help add to its pass rush. Judon didn’t play well for Miami, and releasing him now is a nice gesture that allows him to land with a playoff team. 

It’s also a smart move as we look ahead to 2026. Judon was still garnering significant reps despite his poor performance. 

Now, those reps can go to the likes of Chop Robinson, Cameron Goode, or Quinton Bell — all younger players who could factor into future plans. Speaking of Edge rushers, bringing Carter back makes sense for the same reason. 

Miami signed Carter to its active roster off the Detroit Lions’ practice squad in early November, but he didn’t appear in any games before being cut. Carter has 15 appearances between his 2023 stint with the Minnesota Vikings and his 2024 stint with the Las Vegas Raiders. 

There’s at least a small chance Carter could be elevated with Judon off the roster, but Miami’s more likely to give reps to the three names mentioned above and Bradley Chubb. 

To make room for Carter, the Dolphins released Conner, who was signed to the practice squad after being released a few weeks ago. Conner was a major contributor to the Dolphins’ tight end room early in the season and was a long-term development project for the coaching staff. 

He was a UDFA wide receiver convert who stuck around on the Dolphins’ practice squad and roster for the past three seasons. However, it was clear once his snaps increased this season that Conner couldn’t cut it. 

He was drastically outplayed by former practice-squad call-ups Greg Dulcich and Hayden Rucci, leading to his release. Funnily enough, Rucci was waived by the Dolphins and signed to the Lions’ practice squad earlier this month. 

However, they quickly let him go, and the Dolphins brought him back on the practice squad on Dec. 12. 

Miami’s newcomer is Woodward. He’s appeared in one game this season with the Texans after going undrafted in the 2025 NFL draft. Woodward played the majority of his college career at UNLV after transferring from Arkansas.