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The Las Vegas Raiders signed a former Miami Dolphins starter
The Miami Dolphins have made a significant effort to get younger this offseason. As a result, the team has either released, traded or allowed veterans to leave in free agency as they look to build a younger roster.
However, despite Miami’s lack of success these past two seasons, the roster did feature some talented players that have landed important roles on other NFL teams. Following the 2026 NFL Draft, many veterans began signing with teams that did not fill all of their needs with rookies.
That has led to the Las Vegas Raiders signing a former Miami Dolphins defensive starter.
Miami Dolphins Lose Starter to Raiders
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that former Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Benito Jones had signed with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Jones spent the past two seasons with the Dolphins, playing on a pair of one-year contracts. He was also a member of the Miami Dolphins in 2020 before spending two seasons with the Detroit Lions. The veteran has started 38 games in his NFL career, and totaled over $6 million in career earnings, according to Spotrac.
Jones appeared in 14 games for the Dolphins in 2025,starting eight. He started more games than Dolphins first-round defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, who struggled in his rookie season.
Fortunately for the Dolphins, while the team has holes practically all over the roster, they appear set at the interior defensive line position. Zach Sieler, who had a down season in 2025, is among the highest-paid players on the team and has totaled 25.5 sacks over the past three seasons. Additionally, the Dolphins expect second-year players Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips and Zeek Biggers to take a step forward in their second season.
Last season, Jones ranked 111th out of 134 qualified interior defensive linemen by Pro Football Focus. He particularly struggled in run defense as he was given a below-average grade.
Miami Dolphins Defensive Line Outlook
Another player the Dolphins expect to improve is former first-round pick Chop Robinson. Robinson, who impressed in his rookie season, struggled during his sophomore campaign.
Under new head coach Jeff Hafley, it appears Robinson will have more on his plate as he will play as both an outside pass-rushing linebacker and a traditional defensive end. Regarding Robinson, defensive line coach Austin Clark said, “I think he’s definitely more comfortable in the 3-point stance. I think he’ll probably tell you that. Coming out of hips, playing with great eyes, those are a couple of little things he’s working on, and I think Chop’s done a great job to this point.”
Alongside Robinson, the Dolphins will have Josh Uche, David Ojabo, Robert Beal Jr. and rookies Trey Moore and Max Llewellyn at the position. AAnother intriguing player in that group is undrafted edge rusher Mason Reiger out of Wisconsin, who totaled 13 sacks in his college football career.
Regarding Reiger, DolphinsTalk’s Julian Dieni wrote:
“He has a powerful frame but lacks ideal pass-rush moves, likely contributing to his undrafted status. Miami has already taken 2 edge rushers, but with Trey Moore a hybrid player, Reiger has a shot at making the roster. The Dolphins were very interested in him prior to the draft, so it was no surprise he was one of the first announced UDFA signings across the entire league.”
Jose Esquer Jose Esquer is a Mexican-American sportswriter and communications student based in San Diego, CA. His work spans football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. He has written for platforms like RotoWire and DolphinsTalk. You can find him on Twitter/X @JEsquer8, usually talking Dolphins, world football, or both. More about Jose Esquer