The Miami Dolphins have largely endured a season of misery so far in 2025, but for one week at least, the vibes surrounding the team are good. After handing the Atlanta Falcons a 34-10 defeat in Week 8, the Dolphins finally have a win that they could potentially build off of moving forward.
The problem for Miami is that it has a short week, as it will take on a Baltimore Ravens team that is set to welcome star quarterback Lamar Jackson back to action after a three-game absence on Thursday Night Football. Making matters even worse, the Dolphins watched one of their AFC East rivals, the New England Patriots, steal a key member of their practice squad, rookie safety John Saunders Jr., ahead of this upcoming game.
Dolphins Lose Rookie Safety John Saunders Jr. to the Patriots
Saunders didn’t get selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, but he ended up finding his way to the Dolphins over the summer. Saunders didn’t earn a spot on the 53-man roster, but he did find his way onto the practice squad, which is where he has spent the entirety of the 2025 campaign to this point.
On Tuesday night, the Patriots swung a trade that sent safety Kyle Dugger to the Pittsburgh Steelers. While Dugger lost his job as a starting safety this season, the depth behind the team’s starters, Jaylinn Hawkins and Craig Woodson, is now noticeably thin. The only two guys behind them on the depth chart are Dell Pettus and Brendon Schooler, with the latter primarily making his mark as a special teams ace.
That led the team to Saunders, as New England’s brain trust spent time with him during the pre-draft process. While they initially didn’t manage to bring him to town, they have pounced on the opportunity to do so now, as they have signed the former Ole Miss Rebels star off of the Dolphins’ practice squad to their active roster.
“The Patriots are planning to sign rookie safety John Saunders Jr. off the Dolphins practice squad to fill a spot on their 53-man roster, per sources,” Mike Reiss of ESPN wrote as part of a post on X.
Dolphins Aiming to Earn Second Straight Win in Week 9
GettyATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 26: Head coach Mike McDaniel of the Miami Dolphins jogs off the field after his team’s 34-10 win against the Atlanta Falcons in the game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 26, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Losing Saunders likely isn’t ideal for the Dolphins, but the team should be able overcome his loss, as he didn’t factor into their plans in the immediate future. Miami’s secondary has largely struggled this season, but they have a decent safety duo in Minkah Fitzpatrick and Ashtyn Davis, which was always going to make it tough for Saunders to earn playing time this year.
The Dolphins will have to quickly turn their attention to their upcoming meeting with the Ravens, as this figures to be a very difficult game for them. Baltimore also has just two wins this season, but they have faced a tough schedule, while also being forced to spend time without Jackson. Kickoff for this Thursday Night Football clash is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET.
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