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The Miami Dolphins are being pushed to sign a former No. 1 pick after the NFL Draft

Due to the state of the Miami Dolphins roster, it was not realistic for new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan to solve all of the issues on the team during the 2026 NFL Draft. Despite the team having 13 selections, which originally included seven selections inside of the first 100 picks, the team still has massive question marks.

One of those question marks is the edge rusher position. Entering the 2025 season, the Dolphins appeared to have plenty of depth at the edge position. The team featured Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb, Matthew Judon, and Chop Robinson, who was fresh off a strong end to his rookie campaign. Unfortunately, the room did not pan out as Miami had hoped, as Phillips was traded at the deadline, Judon was released during the season, and Chubb was released in a move that created cap space.

While Miami added some depth during the draft as they selected Trey Moore in the fourth-round and Max Llewellyn in the seventh-round, neither of the two are guaranteed to be impact players for the Dolphins. As a result, the team is being pushed to sign a former No. 1 overall pick who has proven capable of playing the position at a high level.

Miami Dolphins Pushed to Sign Jadeveon Clowney

Dolphins On SI writer Tyler DeSena listed three free agents the Miami Dolphins could sign after June 1. One of those was edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney, who has recorded 66.5 sacks in 12 seasons and has totaled over $100 million in career earnings, according to Spotrac.

DeSena wrote:

“Jadeveon Clowney is a former first overall pick. A true run-game specialist, he has signed mercenary deals in the last few free agent cycles, likely to avoid a bulk of offseason workouts.

Clowney is more of a 3-4 outside linebacker as compared to the defensive end in Ferrell, but with Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley saying he wants to operate in multiple fronts, the role likely would be similar.

If Miami wants a rotational player who can fill a run-game-specific role while their young players grow, it may be worth reaching out to the 32-year-old, who has played at least 370 defensive snaps in the last 11 seasons.”

Clowney would certainly not be a long-term solution for the Dolphins, but he would be a viable starter at a position of need. Last season with the Cowboys, Clowney graded as a top-20 edge rusher, according to Pro Football Focus, with an above-average grade in both pass rush and run defense.

Dolphins Undrafted Edge Rusher

Additionally, another player that will be a part of the edge rusher room is undrafted free agent Mason Reiger. While undrafted free agents typically have a hard time making the 53-man roster, a spot with the Dolphins seems viable given their roster holes.

Reiger was named the likeliest undrafted free agent to make the team by Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox. Knox wrote:

“Miami is in the middle of a complete roster overhaul, so a player like Wisconsin’s Mason Reiger should get a legitimate shot after signing.

The Dolphins needed edge-defender help in a big way after trading Jaelan Phillips and cutting Bradley Chubb. While they signed the likes of Josh Uche and David Ojabo before using a fourth-round pick in Trey Moore, they might find room for Reiger in the rotation.

Reiger has a good combination of size ( 6’4⅝”, 251 lbs) and quickness (4.78-second 40-yard dash), as he flashed as a pass-rushing specialist with the Badgers. He recorded 33 tackles, six tackles for loss, and five sacks this past season.

While Reiger may not have the polish or the play strength to be an every-down edge-setting defender early in his career, he might just carve out a rotational role in Miami’s even front.”