A new NFL ruling introduces a controversial free agent back into the pool—but he’s probably not a great fit for the Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are very much in the market for some unearthed gems. A new NFL ruling has put one back into the player pool—but he may not be a fit for Miami.
The Miami Dolphins’ roster construction in 2026 is all about the young guys. Miami is comfortably out in front of the pack in terms of rookie snap share through five weeks. And that’s before you tack on the second-year players, such as Jordan Phillips, Jonah Savaiinaea, Ollie Gordon II, Jason Marshall Jr., and Dante Trader.
Is there such a thing as ‘too many’ young guys? Maybe. But not for the Dolphins in 2026. So surely the Miami Dolphins should be intrigued by a new ruling from the NFL Management Council. The one that introduced a new rookie free agent into the player pool, right? Well, maybe not.
The NFL rules controversial college prospect DL Zxavian Harris eligible to play immediately but the Miami Dolphins may not be the best fit
If you’re not familiar with Zxavian Harris, he was a former 4-star recruit who played his college ball for the Ole Miss Rebels up until last spring. At that point, he made the leap to the NFL Draft, went undrafted, and then attempted to return to college. Yes, you read that right. Harris went through the entire NFL Draft process and signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted rookie, was waived by the Saints in early August, then attempted to re-join Lane Kiffin with the LSU Tigers.
It…did not work well. As you may have imagined. LSU faced punishment from the SEC and the Tigers had to abandon their efforts to get Harris on the roster. Now, after some time in limbo, the NFL has ultimately decreed that Harris is eligible to sign with any team in free agency. Surely the Dolphins would be interested in a potential low-risk signing? Maybe they will be. But I also wouldn’t be surprised if Miami looks the other way. Harris has several reported off-field incidents in his past—including a DUI in 2023 and a domestic violence charge in 2024. The entire NFL seemed somewhat concerned back in the spring, given that he went undrafted despite some obvious talent.
This could be a classic case of wrong place, wrong time. Harris is looking for a chance to make an impact in the pros. The Dolphins are looking to remodel their culture under new management — and they’re focused on the basics. Harris is an interesting name. But he feels like an unlikely fit for the 2026 Dolphins.
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