Most of the Miami Dolphins roster has taken on a Green Bay Packers look and feel since free agency began, but their special teams unit continues to look like the Falcons.
The Dolphins added kicker Zane Gonzalez to the roster as free agency began. He was with Atlanta last season. Miami then brought back Riley Patterson to compete with him for the job.
Seth Vernon has one year of experience as a punter, but he just got into a competition that would most likely lead to him losing his job. On Thursday, it was reported that the Dolphins are adding Bradley Pinion to compete.
The #Dolphins have agreed to terms with veteran punter/kickoff specialist Bradley Pinion, per The Insiders. The two-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee heads to Miami on a deal done by his agent @KyleStrongin of @RangeSportsRMP. pic.twitter.com/wjvIMQl4YK
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 19, 2026
Miami Dolphins add two more specialists, adding competition where it is sorely needed
Pinion has 11 years of NFL experience, starting in 2015 with the 49ers. Miami will only be his fourth team, having spent four seasons with the 49ers, three with Tampa Bay, and the last four with the Falcons. His overall yards per punt are 44.5. That's not bad for a guy who has punted the ball 750 times over his career. What's more impressive is that only 33 of those punts have gone for touchbacks, and 271 have landed inside the 20.
Thursday's move wasn't the only one Miami made on special teams. ST coordinator Chris Tabor is getting a guy that many Dolphins fans will remember. Taybor Pepper has returned and will compete against Tucker Addington for the long snapper job.
Pepper started his NFL career with, you guessed it, the Packers in 2017. He played one season for the Dolphins in 2019, but has spent the last five seasons with the 49ers.
The Dolphins' special teams unit is going to look a lot different this season. Miami lost long snapper Joe Cardona to the Rams, punter Jake Bailey joined the Falcons, and Jason Sanders was released. Sanders agreed to a contract with the New York Giants.
Add into the equation a new special teams coordinator, and the only thing that hasn't changed is the returner. Malik Washington is likely to continue taking reps, but when the season begins, don't be surprised if TuTu Atwell doesn't take over.