What the Friday Workouts Could Mean

The Miami Dolphins worked out four players Friday, but it wasn't so much who they brought to the Baptist Health Training Complex that mattered, but rather what it could mean.

The four players included two offensive linemen, guard Wyatt Bowles and tackle Sataoa Laumea, along with two outside linebackers, Nate Lynn and Jeremiah Martin.

Of the four, only Laumea has appeared in an NFL regular season, as started the last six games of the 2024 season for the Seattle Seahawks as a rookie sixth-round pick out of Utah. Seattle went 4-2 in Laumea's six starts and finished 10-7 that season but failed to make the playoffs.

Bowles is a rookie who was recently released from the Los Angeles Rams practice squad; Lynn first joined the NFL in 2024; and Martin has bounced around since the 2023 season.

None of those three players were drafted out of college.

The Dolphins have three offensive linemen and two outside linebackers on the practice squad, so this has the look of Miami simply gathering information on younger players.

And this is where we can help but wonder whether the Dolphins are heading into 2019 mode again where they might churn the back end of the roster in a season where the playoffs are out of reach.

If you recall, that 2019 season was Brian Flores' first as Dolphins head coach and the Dolphins made transaction after transaction throughout the season, eventually coming up with some finds in the later weeks.

The most notable, of course, was defensive tackle Zach Sieler, who the Dolphins claimed off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens.

So perhaps the four tryouts Friday were a precursor to a similar course of action down the stretch once the Dolphins find themselves mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.

CONNER UPDATE

We predicted earlier Friday that the Dolphins would be re-signing tight end Tanner Conner to the practice squad and then be elevated for the game against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, and the one potential hurdle is now behind them.

Conner cleared waivers Friday, which now makes him eligible to sign with any team — active roster or practice squad — and we'd expect Miami to follow through on head coach Mike McDaniel's suggestion that Conner "could come back."

With Conner no longer on the active roster, the Dolphins currently have two tight ends on the 53 with Greg Dulcich and Julian Hill, and Hill was listed Friday as questionable for the Buffalo because of an ankle injury that's kept him out of the past two games.

The Dolphins also could elevate either Hayden Rucci or Chris Myarick instead of Conner or two of them could get the call if Hill winds up not being able to play.