The Miami Dolphins will have to make a handful of cuts ahead of the start of training camp due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In a typical year, teams carry 90 players into camp — unless they have a roster exemption for an additional spot. Ironically enough, the Dolphins do. But this isn’t your typical year and as a result Miami will need to cut their roster down to 80 before the start of training camp even rolls around next week.
Fortunately for Miami, the team hasn’t been carrying a full offseason roster to begin with, perhaps with this very scenario in mind. And we now know one of the Dolphins’ pre-training camp cuts — the team announced yesterday that they have cut former Iowa State defensive tackle Ray Lima.
We have waived DT Ray Lima.
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) July 23, 2020
But, according to a report from Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Dolphins’ decision was made for them.
“Per source, Lima – the rookie DL – decided to retire and did not come to Dolphins camp today. Nothing to do with COVID-19. Flores called him, trying to talk him out of it, but Lima wants to do something else with his life,” wrote Jackson.
If this report is indeed true, then we can only wish Lima the best in whatever future endeavors he tackles — and his decision may have helped someone who is interested in playing football stick around for training camp and potentially snag a roster spot. There’s multiple winners on this front. Lima gets to open a new chapter in his life, a different fringe player may get the experience of camp and the Dolphins have one less difficult decision to make.
Miami’s rookies arrived in Davie yesterday for their first round of COVID-19 testing and will return once again over the weekend for their next test. If players log two consecutive negative tests, they will be permitted into the team facilities.