The Dolphins made a pair of roster moves on Monday that quietly reshape their defensive line depth chart heading into camp: they signed edge rusher Clelin Ferrell and waived defensive lineman Kahlil Saunders to clear the spot. Adam Schefter had the news first, and on its face it looks like a minor summer transaction. But Ferrell's backstory makes this more interesting than a typical camp-body signing.
Adam Schefter broke the corresponding moves, Ferrell in, Saunders out.
Dolphins signed edge Clelin Ferrell and waived defensive lineman Kahlil Saunders.
Ferrell isn't just another journeyman edge. Back in 2019 the Raiders made him the 4th overall pick out of Clemson, betting on the pass-rush production he put up alongside a loaded Tigers front. It didn't quite pan out in Las Vegas, he lasted 4 seasons there, appearing in 58 games with 30 starts and posting 10 sacks, before the Raiders moved on. Since then it's been a tour of the league: the 49ers in 2023, the Commanders in 2024, and last season alone he played for both the 49ers again and the Chargers.
That 2025 season tells you exactly where his career sits right now, 8 games with San Francisco and 1 with Los Angeles before hitting free agency in March and staying unsigned for months. A former top-5 pick going that long without a team is a real signal, but it also means Miami is getting a player with legitimate pedigree, 98 career games and 57 starts across 7 seasons, at what's likely a bargain camp deal.
For the Dolphins, this is about depth and competition more than a splashy addition. Waiving Saunders to make room suggests the front office likes Ferrell's ceiling more than an unproven depth piece, especially with training camp battles at edge always shaping how a defensive coordinator rotates bodies in Year 1 install. Ferrell won't walk into a starting job, but a 29-year-old with his draft pedigree still has something to prove, and Miami's line could use another veteran presence pushing for reps this summer.
Worth watching now: how Ferrell looks in camp reps, whether Miami views him as a rotational rusher or strictly a depth/special teams piece, and whether this is the start of more roster churn on the D-line before final cuts. For a player who's been on 4 different rosters in the last calendar year, landing anywhere with a real shot is progress. Whether it turns into a roster spot in September is the next chapter.