Three recently waived Dolphins who could be claimed on the NFL’s waiver wire after 53-man roster cuts
Which of Miami’s waived players has the best chance to get claimed by another team?
With roster cuts finalized for all 32 teams yesterday across the NFL, the process has now shifted to sifting through the new free agents and the waiver wire. For the Miami Dolphins, a number of hard cuts from yesterday may see a return to the practice squad for the start of the 2025 season — but those players will need to pass through waivers, first.
One of Miami’s cut veterans who will not be subjected to waivers, cornerback Mike Hilton, is reportedly scheduled to work out today with the Dolphins’ Week 1 opponent, the Indianapolis Colts. Any player with three or less years of accrued service in the NFL are subjected to waivers, so names like Hilton, Pharaoh Brown, and Quinton Bell can skip the line and choose a new team (or, alternatively, Miami’s practice squad).
Of those who WILL go through waivers, who are the most likely to earn a claim?
Three waived Miami Dolphins who could garner a waiver claim from another team
EDGE Defender Derrick McLendon
Toolsy pass rushers with burst often garner a lot of interest because of the raw physical ability. McLendon, an undrafted free agent out of Colorado in 2024, was a disruptive presence throughout the 2025 preseason and showcased a much better athletic profile than he put on display at Colorado’s Pro Day ahead of going undrafted a year and a half ago.
Of all of Miami’s cut pass rushers, McLendon appears to have the best raw physical tools. Grayson Murphy and Mohamed Kamara are both short-armed rushers — Murphy is a finesse rusher and Kamara is a power rusher. McLendon flashed the ability to do both this summer.
Linebacker Channing Tindall
A third-round draft choice from the 2022 NFL Draft, Tindall was set to play the fourth and final year of his rookie contract in 2025. With that kind of draft pedigree and a very specialized role during his time at Georgia, it isn’t inconceivable that some team will see his name on the wire, remember their own vision for him as a player and take a shot.
Miami has a very good linebacker room this season — whereas there are a number of teams across the league that…don’t. Tindall could be viewed by some as a one year flier to take with high tools and youth still on his side.
Offensive Lineman Braeden Daniels
Daniels is a plus athlete, which should always help him garner interest along the offensive line. He had a pretty sturdy summer in Miami’s scheme and was viewed as a potential bottom of the roster candidate thanks to injuries to Liam Eichenberg and Andrew Meyer.
A fourth-round pick in 2023, Daniels has pinballed around the league. He lasted just one year in Washington before a regime change pushed him off the roster. He bounced between Houston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Dallas before ultimately getting his shot in Miami.
The fact that he hasn’t stuck in any of those opportunities should be considered a red flag but at the same time, athletes in the trenches are coveted and Daniels showed some signs of life this August.
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