The Miami Dolphins’ cut down process is getting off to an early start. The team started things off by waiving safety T.J. McDonald and offensive lineman Will Holden — and things are accelerating at a quick pace. The Dolphins announced four more roster cuts yesterday, inching the team closer to the required 53-man roster size that each team must be at by 4 PM EST on Saturday.
Yesterday’s cuts weren’t necessarily earth shattering, but there was a surprise among them. The Dolphins parted ways with linebacker Chase Allen, defensive tackle Akeem Spence, tight end Clive Walford and offensive tackle Jordan Mills.
Mills is the most surprising of the group, largely because he was getting some consideration at one point this offseason to serve as Miami’s back-up left tackle. The experiment did not go well — and as a result Mills’ value with the Dolphins was so low that he was seen as expendable this early in the cut process.
The most productive Dolphin to be cut was Akeem Spence, who started 16 games for the Dolphins in 2018 after coming over from the Detroit Lions. The 27-year old was arguably the third best defensive tackle on the roster — the decision to part ways isn’t an indication that he can’t still play at an admirable level.
Cutting players like Spence and T.J. McDonald may serve the Dolphins a greater purpose — positioning younger players into roles that feature more playing time.
