Many of Chris Grier’s Free Agent Signings Didn’t Make the Roster

Before we start, I know some Dolphins fans get emotional when they hear critical things about their favorite team, so let me be clear: This isn’t a “sky is falling” article. I predict Miami will go 10-7 this season and be in the mix for a playoff spot. I am not saying the team is awful or that everything is bad.

But…..

What the hell did Chris Grier do this offseason?

With Miami cutting its roster to 53 men on Tuesday, most of his free-agent signings, especially those in March/April, didn’t make the initial roster.

Remember when Miami let Christian Wilkins and Raekwon Davis walk and went out and signed Neville Gallimore, Jonathan Harris, Teair Tart, Benito Jones, and Isaiah Mack? It was going to be this “glorious rotation” where it was better to have “many” good players instead of paying big money to just one great player.

Well, after Tuesday afternoon, we still have Benito Jones.

Gallimore cut.

Harris cut.

Mack cut.

Tart was cut weeks ago.

This plan for the defensive line worked out well.

I know Miami may bring some of these players back on the “practice squad.” That’s great, but that wasn’t the plan, and practice squad players don’t dress on Sundays.

Yes, I know they signed Calais Campbell in the summer, but he will be 38 on September 1st and said last week he can only play 35-40 snaps a game, and if you move him to defensive tackle, it won’t even be that many.

Now, let’s look at the Wide Receiver position. Behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, Miami had Braxton Berrios, who was terrible in 2023.  Chase Claypool and Robbie Chosen were flat-out awful, and that is why Miami drafted two wide receivers in April.

Then they brought in Odell Beckham Jr. (check that begged him because he turned down their initial offer, and Miami sent him a second and third offer, essentially bidding against themselves for him.)

The frustrating part there is they knew OBJ had some health issues, but the media and fans didn’t.

And OBJ will start the season on the PUP list, missing at least 4 (probably more because he has never taken a practice rep with Tua or anyone else on this offense) games to start the season.

Oh, and the kicker: With Miami carrying only four WRs on their active roster as of this writing, they are now (from what I am being told) kicking the tires to bring back Robbie Chosen, the guy they wanted to move on from and replace in the first place.

Let’s go to the offensive line. Miami let Robert Hunt and Connor Williams go. OK, fine. Hunt, we know why, Money, and Connor didn’t want to be here and are returning from a major injury.

Miami signed Isaiah Wynn, much like OBJ, who was still injured from last year, who will start this season on PUP and miss at least a month, if not more.

Aaron Brewer, who was healthy until about three weeks ago, will likely miss Weeks 1 and 2 with a hand injury. It’s not his fault; guys get injured. At least he isn’t on IR or PUP, but he is another Grier offseason signing who won’t be ready to play to start the season.

But we do have Jack Driscoll, who, if Brewer were starting, would be a backup RG behind Liam Eichenberg. (UPDATE: Jack Driscoll another Free Agent Signing Was Cut Wednesday)

Jody Fortson Jr., the tight end, was also cut and didn’t make the team.

SOMEONE TELL ME WHEN I AM TELLING LIES

Grier’s free agency period was a disaster.

Let’s go to linebacker.

Anthony Walker Jr. hasn’t practiced since the first week of training camp but made the initial 53-man roster. By the time some of you read this, if Miami gets a roster claim, he may be the first guy out the door.

If he does stay, his status for the start of the regular season is iffy, to say the least.

Oh yeah, Shaq Barrett, who Grier signed in March, RETIRED out of the blue.

I mean, look, this isn’t a bad roster. It’s flawed and not better than last year’s, but it’s not bad.

This isn’t a bad team.

This team will have roughly the same record as last season and still have a high-powered offense.

But it feels like every move Chris Grier made this offseason, especially in March/April in free agency outside of Jonnu Smith, Jordyn Brooks and Jordan Poyer, was a failure. And we don’t need to “see them play” to call it a failure because all of those guys he brought in are, for the most part, gone! They literally didn’t make the team, or the few that did, are starting the season injured, or on the PUP list or IR.

BREAKING: Odell Beckham Jr Put on PUP List