The Miami Dolphins were officially eliminated from playoff contention after Monday night’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who managed to grasp a stronger hold on the severely weakened AFC North division race.
In the wake of having little to play for anymore, beyond pride, fan enjoyment, and perhaps some rebuilt trust in head coach, Mike McDaniel – the Dolphins have decided to make an unexpected roster move.
For the second time this season, Miami got rid of one of their top edge rushers on the team, having traded former first round pick, Jaelan Phillips, to the Philadelphia Eagles for a third round pick at the trade deadline back in November.
On Wednesday, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that the Dolphins were cutting four-time Pro Bowler and current rotational edge rusher, Matt Judon.
“The Dolphins are releasing veteran pass rusher Matt Judon, sources tell The Insiders.” Garafolo wrote on X. “Judon appeared in 13 games this season for Miami and could be an option for playoff teams looking for a veteran presence.”
Dolphins Decide To Move Off Struggling Matt Judon
The move is a bit out of nowhere – teams do not normally make a habit out of releasing players with just three games to go in the regular season. But a material change for Miami after Monday night seems to have lead to the end of the road for the former New England Patriot and Baltimore Raven.
Judon, over the course of his career, has been one of the more productive edge rushers in football over the past decade or so. However, 2025 has not been his year, with the 10-year pro managing a poor 43.3 grade from Pro Football Focus in 12 games this season.
Despite his unimpressive performances, Judon was still given substantial snap counts, logging over half the snaps on defense in four of the past five games – although that fell to 35% last weekend.
What Does Miami’s Future Look Like At Edge Rusher?
By trading away Phillips, who was in a contract year and looking unlikely to get extended, the Dolphins more or less confirmed that two-time Pro Bowler, Bradley Chubb and 2024 first round pick, Chop Robinson, are the Dolphins’ future.
Especially considering Quinton Bell and Cameron Goode are unlikely to be making big inroads into the starting lineup anytime soon.
Neither Chubb nor Robinson have had startling seasons in 2025, having combined for just 10 total sacks so far this year. But the Dolphins as a whole feel like a franchise in flux, even if McDaniel does remain the head coach in 2026 – and possibly beyond.
Dolphins Make Out-Of-The-Blue Decision On 4-Time Pro Bowler