Dolphins add another quarterback
DAVIE — Bring another chair into the quarterback room.
The Dolphins chose to keep two backup quarterbacks — Brock Osweiler and David Fales — and starter Ryan Tannehill on the initial 53-man roster, and they signed rookie Luke Falk off the waiver wire on Sunday.
Miami also signed wide receiver Tanner McEvoy.
To make room for Falk and McEvoy, the Dolphins placed linebacker Mike Hull and center Jake Brendel on injured reserve. And, surprisingly, they also released veteran offensive tackle Sam Young, dropping their roster to 52, one below the league limit.
Falk, out of Washington State, was selected in the sixth round (199th overall) by Tennessee, but failed to make the roster. The Titans went with Blaine Gabbert as the backup to starter Marcus Mariota and placed Falk on waivers. The Dolphins liked Falk during the draft process and might have taken him if he’d lasted all the way to their spot at No. 209.
As it turns out, Miami didn’t select a quarterback, so Falk may end up as a developmental project for Coach Adam Gase.
Only seven quarterbacks in college football history have ever passed for more than Falk’s 14,481 yards. That was a school and Pac-12 record as were his 119 touchdown passes.
He met with the Dolphins before the draft and said, “I really liked those guys. Dan Marino was in there so I was kind of star-struck almost. It was a great interview, I thought.”
At the NFL scouting combine, he said, “I think I really elevate the guys around me. Physically, I think I am really accurate with great anticipation. And I move the ball.”
Falk completed 68 percent of his passes at Washington State, with a 142.8 passer rating.
McEvoy made the Seahawks’ roster as an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin in 2016 and had 14 catches for 253 yards and two touchdowns in 29 games. Seattle waived him last week and he was claimed by New Orleans, but didn’t make the Saints’ final cut. At 6-foot-6, 230 pounds, McEvoy is the biggest Miami receiver.
As for Brendel and Hull, they could be back this season. Each team is allowed to bring two players back from IR after the eighth week of the season, so those two are eligible to go back on the active roster ahead of the Nov. 4 game against the Jets.
Brendel suffered a calf injury early in training camp and Hull sustained a knee sprain in the first preseason game. Both were expected to be second-stringers this season.
Young’s exit leaves the Dolphins with seven offensive linemen on the roster for Sunday’s season opener against the Titans. They could bring back Young, who lives nearby, at some point on a non-guaranteed contract if he doesn’t sign elsewhere this week.
Dolphins sign familiar 10 to practice squad: Ten players the Dolphins wanted to keep but had to cut went unclaimed in the waiver process and will be sticking around on the practice squad.
The most notable players Miami was able to hang on to were wide receivers Leonte Carroo and Isaiah Ford, linebacker Quentin Poling (a seventh-round pick this year) and guard Isaac Asiata (a fifth-rounder from last year).
Besides those four, the other six practice squad players are running back Jeremy Langford, center Connor Hilland, defensive ends Cameron Malveaux and Jonathan Woodard, defensive tackle Jamiyus Pittman and cornerback Jalen Davis.