More Roster Moves Imminent for Miami

The day after the Miami Dolphins waived tight end Tanner Conner, head coach Mike McDaniel explained the move was related to needing space for other positions and more importantly indicated it likely was the first of a series of roster moves.

"There's a couple roster stuff, roster things that will happen before the game, and he was one of them," McDaniel said. "And I think there's some strong consideration, there's a good chance he could come back. There's a couple things at play that we're working on, but I think we're fortunate to have a good group of guys working in the shadows, so it was appropriate, and yeah, to be continued through the rest of week."

Based on the timing of the move and McDaniel's comments, get ready for the strong possibility that Conner will be re-signed to the practice squad once he clears waivers and then will be elevated from the practice squad for the game against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday.

Why do we say that? If that hadn't been the plan, then why wouldn't the Dolphins simply include Conner with the series of moves they're planning to make ahead of the game.

Here's what else McDaniel said about potential moves: "There's several things. I mean, at this point in the season, particularly where you're in that week and a half post-Thursday night, there's guys that are on the brink, and there's potentials, and you have to iron a lot of stuff that's cross-positional, that affects your game-day active, etc., etc. So we're working through those and have contingencies and contingencies on those contingencies for everything."

WHAT ELSE COULD BE IN STORE?

When McDaniel mentions "guys on the brink," he could be referring to the four players on injured reserve — offensive linemen James Daniels, Austin Jackson and Andrew Meyer, along with kicker Jason Sanders — though that would be for the game against the Washington Commanders in Spain or after the bye because they have yet to return to practice.

Among the players on the active roster, tight end Julian Hill and safety Ashtyn Davis were the two who missed the Thursday night game against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9.

Hill was limited in practice Wednesday and Thursday, but waiving Conner certainly would seem to suggest he's ready to return to game action.

As for Davis, he's one of two safeties limited in practice Thursday along with Ifeatu Melifonwu, and McDaniel said before practice Friday their status for the Buffalo game still was in question.

The Dolphins have three other safeties on the 53-man roster with Minkah Fitzpatrick, rookie Dante Trader Jr. and Elijah Campbell because Jordan Colbert has been working at linebacker even though he's listed as a safety.

The Dolphins haven't had a safety on the practice squad since John Saunders Jr. was poached by the New England Patriots, and it's not likely they would sign somebody off the street to the active roster to play against Buffalo.

One logical move we could anticipate is Quinton Bell being signed to the 53-man roster off the practice squad.

He's already been elevated twice from the practice squad and probably will be needed again against Buffalo because Chop Robinson likely will be out with his concussion and Andre Carter II just joined the team after being signed off the Detroit Lions practice squad.

So the best guess here is that it's how the Dolphins will fill the roster spot created by the Conner move.

But, again, McDaniel suggested there could be a series of moves, and beyond Bell, there's nothing really stands out other than maybe the time has come for some of the injured players to return next week.