Those would include Arkansas wide receiver Anthony Armstrong, Texas Tech tight end Jalen Conyers and Auburn linebacker Eugene Asante.
The hope is that a few of those UDFAs can not only make the roster but being contributors for the Dolphins, preferrably sooner rather than later. The reality is that it just doesn’t happen very often.
THE DOLPHINS’ RECENT HISTORY WITH ROOKIE FREE AGENTS
The Dolphins had two of their rookie free agents make the initial 53-man roster last season, cornerback Storm Duck and offensive lineman Andrew Meyer.
While Meyer barely saw action last season, Duck wound up getting playing time and starting three games at cornerback. He could find himself involved in a battle for a starting job in training camp this summer.
Meyer’s situation was much more representative of what usually happens with rookie free agents than that of Duck, who logged 342 defensive snaps.
Over the past 10 years, we count 23 rookie free agents who found their way onto the 53-man roster and quick math tells you that’s an average of 2.3 per year.
The Dolphins had four UDFAs on the 53-man roster at one point or another in 2015, 2019 and 2023, though 2019 was an outlier as the rebulding/reset/tanking year.
In 2023, tight end Julian Hill, running back Chris Brooks and defensive tackle Brandon Pili all made the initial 53-man roster and were joined late in the season by cornerback Ethan Bonner. But Hill is the only one who has gotten significant playing time for the Dolphins.
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