As roster cuts take place, teams around the league also need to make decisions on players beginning the season on the reserve/PUP list. That designation confirms an absence of at least four weeks, and it will be used on several Dolphins in 2024.
Head coach Mike McDaniel said on Monday (via NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe) that edge rusher Bradley Chubb, offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn and linebacker Cameron Goode will begin the year on the reserve/PUP list. A final decision in the case of wideout Odell Beckham Jr. has yet to be made, McDaniel added. The other three players’ absences will be felt nonetheless.
Chubb suffered an ACL tear on New Year’s Eve, ending his first full season with the Dolphins. The two-time Pro Bowler has yet to return to practice, so today’s update comes as little surprise. Jaelan Phillips – who went down with an Achilles tear in 2023 – was able to get back on the field earlier this month, meaning he is in contention to be available for Week 1. Having Phillips in place at the start of the year would help compensate for Chubb’s absence, but the latter will be counted on to produce when healthy. Chubb has four years left on his contract.
Wynn inked a one-year deal with the Dolphins last season, one in which he was limited to seven games by a quadriceps injury. His level of play when on the field earned him a new Miami deal, and the former Patriots first-rounder is expected to serve as the team’s starting left guard when available. After an offseason featuring a slower recovery process than expected, Miami will need to turn to other linemen along the interior while also being without a depth option at tackle.
Goode joined the Dolphins as a seventh-rounder in 2022. The 26-year-old did not see any game action during his rookie campaign, spending the year on Miami’s practice squad. Last season, he suited up for all 17 regular season contests, logging a heavy workload on special teams. His absence will not have a major defensive impact, but the Dolphins’ third phase units will be shorthanded.
Beckham will not practice this week as he continues to recover from an unknown injury. Naming him to the 53-man roster after little to no time in team drills would carry notable risk given his status as the team’s No. 3 receiver, but a reserve/PUP designation would leave Miami’s receiver room shorthanded. That will already be the case at numerous positions given today’s news.