The Miami Dolphins have had a busy 24 hours in roster transactions. First, the team announced they had signed DL Brandin Bryant and claimed CB Breon Borders off of the waiver wire — and now the team has several more transactions to announce, including the corresponding cuts as the team adds yet another defensive back to the mix.
The Dolphins announced this morning that they have signed cornerback Deatrick Nichols and waived safety Steven Parker and tight end Bryce Sterk.
Sterk was an undrafted free agent who signed with the team in the aftermath of the 2020 NFL Draft, but the departure of Parker is a bit more surprising. Parker was one of the players who signed with the Dolphins shortly ahead of the start of the 2019 season — he’s been with the team for just about a year now and he logged some significant snaps with Miami over the course of that time. Parker logged 338 snaps (30%) on the year for Miami last season and in doing so logged 4 starts.
But Parker, along with Sterk, have clearly fallen victim to the numbers crunch NFL teams are currently in as they try to balance their rosters and ensure they’re maintaining the integrity of their locker room amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Cuts must be made earlier than usual and for Miami to make this decision in the here and now indicates the team got all of the evaluation it needed last season from Parker to know he’s probably not going to be a long-term fit in the secondary.
The addition of Deatrick Nichols is an interesting one, he himself was a UDFA out of South Florida but his play shined last winter as a member of the XFL — he led the dormant league in interceptions before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down operations. The former 3-star recruit hails from Miami, he attended Miami Central High and stayed in the Florida region despite offers from schools like Auburn, Clemson and Georgia. The Dolphins will hope his ballhawking skills can translate to their secondary as the team continues their search for the right mix of defensive backs for the 2020 season.
