The chaos is over. At least, the first round of chaos is.
The NFL roster cut deadline has come and gone, and all 32 teams are down to a maximum of 53 active players. It's a difficult day for players and coaches alike, but it's the eve of endless opportunities for team builders.
The Miami Dolphins have already been wheeling and dealing this week, adding cornerback Rasul Douglas to strengthen their secondary. But they might not be done. The Indianapolis Colts just waived tight end Jelani Woods, and he might be too intriguing for Mike McDaniel to pass up.
Dolphins could look to sign Jelani Woods after Colts waived him
A 6-foot-7 frame with a 4.3-second 40-yard dash speed. If you squint enough to blur the lack of on-field production, Woods looks like a superstar. The Colts drafted him out of Virginia in the third round back in 2022. From the start, he was always going to be a project.
Unfortunately, he hasn't had the chance to develop over the last three seasons. After a decent rookie campaign in which he caught 25 passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns, Woods has been sidelined for two consecutive years. Injuries to his hamstring and toe caused him to miss the 2023 and 2024 seasons entirely.
After spending a first-round pick on tight end Tyler Warren this offseason, the Colts gave up waiting for Woods to reach his potential. The team waived him on Tuesday, leaving the rest of the league to pick up the project.
If McDaniel has any say, the Dolphins might be eager to bring him in. After trading Jonnu Smith to the Steelers earlier this offseason, Miami has been shaky at the tight end position. Darren Waller might be passable, but he's coming out of retirement and seems to still be dealing with an injury.
If the Dolphins have to kick off the season with Julian Hill in the starting lineup, it won't be a good look. Even if Waller can stay relatively healthy this season, he's far from being a long-term solution.
In the meantime, why not see if Woods is worth developing? McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier have spent their tenures filling Miami's offense with elite athletes. They might as well keep leaning into it.
Woods will likely be scooped up by some team in the coming days. Let's hope it's the Dolphins.