Tag: DeVonte Dedmon

Dolphins make slew of roster moves to get down to 85 players

There were no surprises cuts in this round.

On Tuesday, all 32 teams have to get their rosters down from 90 players to 85 by the 4 p.m. ET deadline, and the Miami Dolphins did so early on Tuesday despite adding players on Monday.

To get down to 85 players, the Dolphins announced that they’ve waived center Cole Banwart, wide receiver DeVonte Dedmon and defensive lineman Jordan Williams. They also placed tight end Adam Shaheen on injured reserve and waived/injured cornerback Tino Ellis.

Banwart was a long shot to make the team with Adam Pankey getting more opportunities than him as the third center, and Michael Deiter returning healthy to practice last week.

Dedmon was brought in mostly for his return abilities in the CFL, but Lynn Bowden Jr. and Preston Williams did that during the preseason game, and Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle have solid resumes in that area as well.

Jordan Williams, a rookie undrafted free agent, only got 10 snaps on Saturday, and other defensive linemen proved more than he did with their opportunities.

Shaheen was traded to the Houston Texans just over a week ago, but a knee condition voided the trade and sent him back to Miami. It’s interesting that they’re keeping him on injured reserve rather than flat-out releasing him, as Shaheen is in the last year of his deal.

Ellis, who was signed just a few weeks back, was waived but with an injury designation, so if he goes unclaimed he’ll revert back to Miami’s injured reserve. He went down during the preseason opener with a lower-body injury.

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2022 Dolphins positional preview: Depth is a key difference at WR

More than one talented player could end up not making the roster.

The Miami Dolphins’ offseason is weeks away from coming to an end, as training camp is set to start at the end of July. From there, the team will be practicing on campus against each other and other teams before the start of the regular season.

This gives us some time to talk about the state of the roster before the first camp of the Mike McDaniel era begins. After discussing quarterbacks and running backs earlier in the week, today we’ll take a look at a wide receiver group that has certainly gotten a lot better since Miami last took the field.

Dolphins to sign star CFL special teamer DeVonte Dedmon

The Dolphins may have just found their return man.

The Miami Dolphins struggled to get consistent performances out of their special teams units in 2021, and one of the least consistent aspects was their return game.

Now, it appears Miami is trying to upgrade that spot, as they’re reportedly signing DeVonte Dedmon, formerly of the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League. This past season, Dedmon led the CFL in return touchdowns (three), punt return average (15.4), and kick return average (25).

Jakeem Grant, who was the main guy in those roles for Miami at the beginning of the year, was traded to Chicago in October. This left punt and kick return duties mainly to safety Jevon Holland and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. The team finished the year averaging 6.6 yards per punt return and 17.4 per kick return.

It’s tough to predict the 26-year-old Dedmon to be the same player in the NFL, but he could be a good addition to the group as someone who focuses on just returns. This would allow Holland and Waddle to continue growing at their primary positions and keep them away from injury risks that could be avoided.

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Could Packers get help in the return game from CFL star?

The Packers worked out CFL All-Star DeVonte Dedmon on Monday. He is an impact kick and punt returner for the Ottawa Redblacks.

A star from the CFL might be one option for re-energizing the Green Bay Packers’ return game late in the 2021 season.

The team reported a workout for wide receiver DeVonte Dedmon of the Ottawa Redblacks on Monday. Dedmon, who went undrafted out of William & Mary in the 2019 draft, was a CFL All-Star in 2021 and the recipient of the John Argo Special Teams Award, given annually to the best special teams player in the league.

Dedmon returned 48 punts for 737 yards and two touchdowns and 49 kickoffs for 1,223 yards and one touchdown this past season. Over only 16 career games in the CFL, Dedmon has five return touchdowns, including two kickoffs over 100 yards and two punt returns over 70 yards. His five return touchdowns in his first 15 games set a new CFL record.

The Packers could use the spark in the return game. Maurice Drayton’s group ranks 29th in the NFL in punt return average (6.8 yards) and 30th in kick return average (17.3) after 16 weeks.

Also, rookie Amari Rodgers is on the COVID-19 reserve list, and Malik Taylor will miss the rest of the regular season while on injured reserve. There’s certainly a pressing need at returner. Slot cornerback Chandon Sullivan is listed on the team’s depth chart as the next man up at both punt and kick returner.

Could Dedmon, who has no NFL experience, come in and handle both duties for a Super Bowl contender? It would be a risk, but Dedmon doesn’t lack experience. In addition to his work in the CFL, Dedmon also returned 55 kickoffs and 19 punts and scored two return touchdowns during his collegiate career at William & Mary.

The Packers didn’t immediately sign Dedmon on Monday, but adding him to the practice squad could be an option. General manager Brian Gutekunst has signed several players from the CFL over the last few seasons, including receiver Reggie Begelton, another All-Star.

The Packers also hosted a visit for running back Kerrith Whyte, who returned  81 kickoffs at the college level before becoming a seventh-round pick of the Chicago Bears in 2019. He spent time with the Packers during November. His return could provide an immediate option at kick returner, even if Dedmon is also signed.

His is one of Dedmon’s punt return touchdowns from the 2021 season:

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