The Miami Dolphins aren’t in a great spot heading into Week 3 of the 2025 season. They have lost their first two games of the season to the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots, and next up, they have a very difficult matchup against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday Night Football.
Things are on the verge of spiraling out of control in Miami, and they are running out of time to get back on track. As if they needed anything else to not go their way, they watched one of their former players, safety Nik Needham, latch on with one of their division rivals’ practice squads ahead of their Week 3 action.
Nik Needham Signs with Jets’ Practice Squad
Needham played in 63 games for the Dolphins from 2019-2024 and had 200 tackles, 25 PDs, 6 INTs, 6 QB hits and 3 sacks.
After not getting selected in the 2019 NFL Draft, Needham latched on with the Dolphins, and he immediately earned a starting role in their secondary as a rookie. As time went on, though, Needham began to struggle more and more, to the point where he spent the majority of the 2024 season on Miami’s practice squad.
Over the offseason, Needham ended up signing with the Cleveland Browns, with the hope being that he could earn a role in their secondary. That didn’t end up happening, as Needham got released as part of the team’s roster cuts late in August, and he has remained a free agent since then, as he’s struggled to find a new home in the league.
That changed on Tuesday when one of the Dolphins‘ top rivals, the New York Jets, came calling. Looking for some depth options in their secondary in the event they need someone to fill in, the Jets signed Needham to their practice squad, as his starting experience could prove useful later on in the season.
Jets have signed DB Nik Needham to the practice squad and released K Harrison Mevis from the PS,” Dennis Waszak Jr. of AP News shared in a post on X. Needham played in 63 games for the Dolphins from 2019-2024 and had 200 tackles, 25 PDs, 6 INTs, 6 QB hits and 3 sacks.
Dolphins Looking to Earn First Win of 2025 Season in Week 3
GettyMiami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa
Considering how the Dolphins moved on from Needham a while ago, they likely won’t be too upset to see him land with the Jets. However, he could offer them some inside intel on Miami, which could come back to bite the team in their upcoming meetings with New York later this season. For the time being, though, it’s safe to say that Miami has some bigger fish to fry.
That would involve winning their first game of the season, of course, but that’s going to be easier said than done. The Bills are the creme of the crop in the AFC East, and they have proven as much by winning both of their first two games of the season. Miami is going to be desperate to earn a win, though, so maybe that will help them turn in a strong performance on Thursday night. Kickoff for this game is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET.
Former Dolphins 63-Game Veteran Lands with AFC East Rival