Few if any teams have more stars than the Miami Dolphins. Their top-end talent is as good as anyone’s.
But the salary cap isn’t infinite, and injuries inevitably happen. (The Dolphins are dealing with one right now with a marquee player in Jaylen Waddle.)
The best teams have stars and depth, and Dolphins GM Chris Grier has built a roster with both. Here are his five best 2023 roster moves that didn’t move the needle at the time, but have been integral to the team’s 11-4 season.
Key 2023 Miami Dolphins Roster Moves
OT Kendall Lamm
Date acquired: March 15
How acquired: Re-signed as an UFA
Contract average annual value: $1.3 million (27th among right tackles)
2023 stats: 15 games, eight starts (at both left and right tackle), 62% participation rate (when active), zero penalties, four sacks allowed.
Highlight: It’s not an overstatement to say that Kendall Lamm has saved the Dolphins’ offensive line. He’s been a rock at both left and right tackle when injuries to Terron Armstead and Austin Jackson forced them to miss a combined eight games.
LB Duke Riley
Date acquired: March 16
How acquired: Re-signed as an UFA
Contract average annual value: $2.5 million (40th among outside linebackers)
2023 stats: 15 games, three starts, 31% participation rate (when active), 33 tackles, two quarterback hits, 88 passer rating against.
Highlight: The Dolphins lost their green dot linebacker when Jerome Baker went on IR, but Duke Riley has kept things together in his absence — holding the Titans, Jets, and Cowboys to a combined 48 points.
WR Braxton Berrios
Date acquired: March 17
How acquired: Signed as an UFA
Contract average annual value: $3.5 million (58th among wide receivers)
2023 stats: 14 games, one start, 44% participation rate (when active), 23 catches, 219 yards, one touchdown, 79.3% catch rate, 10.2 yards per punt return.
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Highlight: Braxton Berrios hasn’t had a signature moment yet — his lone touchdown came in a blowout loss to the Bills — but he provides big value in two important ways: He can play every receiver position, and he’s as dependable as it gets catching the ball in the return game.
SS DeShon Elliott
Date acquired: March 17
How acquired: Signed as an UFA
Contract average annual value: $1.8 million (28th among strong safeties)
2023 stats: 13 games, 13 starts, 94% participation rate (when active), 62 tackles, six pass breakups, one fumble recovery.
Highlight: We don’t need to go back far in the archives for this one. The Dolphins probably wouldn’t have beaten the Cowboys in Week 16 if DeShon Elliott hadn’t tackled Tony Pollard on the 1-yard line on Dallas’ first drive.
CB Eli Apple
Date acquired: July 30
How acquired: Signed as an UFA
Contract average annual value: $1.6 million (77th among cornerbacks)
2023 stats: Eight games, three starts, 78% participation rate (when active), 63.6% completion rate against, 7.3 yards per target allowed, 91.6 passer rating.
Highlight: Like Berrios, Apple makes this list for his body of work. Since he doesn’t play special teams, he’s inactive on days in which the Dolphins don’t have a top-three corner hurt. But he helped keep Miami’s defense above water until Jalen Ramsey returned from his knee injury.
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