Done deal: Dolphins have completed the signing of two players

The Dolphins are rebuilding their outside linebacker corps at an unexpected time, since their top three edge rushers are out for the season due to injuries. Following Justin Houston’s signing on Tuesday morning, Miami will add two more edge defenders.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com, Bruce Irvin has signed with the Dolphins, and the team will also re-sign Malik Reed. The latter, a former Vic Fangio player in Denver, had spent time with Miami earlier this season. Irvin will be added to Miami’s 53-man roster, and Reed will join the practice squad.

Since Thanksgiving, the Dolphins have faced setbacks in their lineup, losing key players like Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb, and Andrew Van Ginkel. This scenario draws parallels to Vic Fangio’s tenure with the Broncos, where Chubb and Von Miller rarely played together, resulting in the team missing out on playoffs. Now, the Dolphins, despite their 11-6 record, find themselves in an unusual spot for the wild-card round, relying on a group of experienced players in their 30s to put pressure on Patrick Mahomes this Saturday.

 

 

For Bruce Irvin, who’s on his seventh team, this season saw him reentering the field with the Lions as a supplementary pass rusher at 36. Joining the Lions’ practice squad in November, Irvin showcased his skills in two games, securing a sack before the Lions parted ways with him in December. Now, the Dolphins’ specific predicament opens the door for Irvin’s return.

Irvin has a history of joining teams mid-season in the twilight of his career, having done so with the Bears in November 2021 and rejoining the Seahawks in October 2022. Although he hasn’t crossed paths with Fangio before, Irvin played under Fangio’s protege Clint Hurtt in Seattle last season. Known for his impactful short-term stints, Irvin demonstrated his abilities with 8.5 sacks for the Panthers in 2019 and 3.5 sacks in eight games with the Falcons in 2018. With rookie backup Cameron Goode injured, Irvin’s presence may be crucial for the Dolphins.

 

 

Another addition, Malik Reed, reunited with Fangio in March after being released by the Dolphins before the final roster cuts in August. Despite a stint with the Raiders this season, Reed, known for his contributions as a substitute for Miller and Chubb in Denver, tallied 13 sacks in the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

At 27, Reed brings relative youth to an outside linebacker group that now stands as one of the older ones in recent NFL history. With players like Whitney Mercilus, recently re-signed Melvin Ingram, and Emmanuel Ogbah, who faced a benching by Fangio this season, all in their 30s, it’s an unconventional setup for the Dolphins facing the defending Super Bowl champions. Nonetheless, the team has shown adaptability in these challenging circumstances.