Dolphins waive veteran safety who started 3 games this season

The Dolphins are shaking up their secondary to make room for a rookie to make his NFL debut.

The Miami Dolphins are waiving veteran safety Marcus Maye, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, who has been called upon to start three games this season for the team.

Maye, 31, previously spent five seasons with the New York Jets and two seasons with the New Orleans Saints, starting in all 77 games he played with the teams. While he joined the Dolphins on a one-year deal to serve as the backup for starters Jordan Poyer and Jevón Holland, injuries for the latter moved Maye into the starting lineup.

While the decision to part with the reliable backup is a bit of a surprise, it likely means the team plans to move sixth-round rookie Patrick McMorris to the active roster.

McMorris, 23, impressed in preseason but suffered an injury that landed him on injured reserve at the end of August. Earlier this month, the Dolphins opened the rookie’s 21-day window to return from IR. With only a couple days before the deadline to move him to the 53-man roster, Miami was facing the choice to make room for McMorris or lose the rookie for the rest of the season.

While Maye is now subject to waivers, Pelissero says the Dolphins are interested in retaining the veteran on their practice squad if he clears.

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