Blocking Help for Offense, New Face for Front Office

The Miami Dolphins have agreed to terms with former Seattle Seahawks tight end Pharaoh Brown

Seattle Seahawks tight end Pharaoh Brown (86) reacts during the second half against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins have added another piece to the offensive side of the ball in free agency, agreeing to terms with well-traveled tight end Pharaoh Brown on a one-year contract.

Brown will fill the void at tight end left by Durham Smythe, who was released in mid-February and since has signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears. Details of Brown’s contract have not been disclosed. He played last year on a one-year, $3.2 million dollar deal with Seattle.

The addition of Brown gives the Dolphins five tight ends under contract — Brown, Jonnu Smith, Julian Hill, Tanner Conner and Hayden Rucci.

The move to sign Brown comes with clear implications. His strength is blocking.

"Pharaoh in our opinion is one of the top two or three blocking tight ends in the National Football League, he brings a nastiness to us," Seahawks general manager John Schneider said after signing Brown prior to last season. "He's a guy that can take care of the C-gap, he can block down, he's nasty. He's going to bring a toughness to our offense. He's a tempo-setter. He's a little bit of an old soul that way. He's going to fight you and not back down, and I think that's going to rub off on our offensive identity."

Brown, who turns 31 in May, will now be joining his eighth NFL team since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2017. After brief stints with the Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns, he went on to play for the Texans, Colts (again), Patriots and Seahawks.

Last year in Seattle, Brown saw action in 15 games, recording 8 receptions (on 12 targets) for 65 yards. For his career, he’s posted 72 receptions for 751 yards (10.4 avg.) and 3 touchdowns while averaging just over 16 snaps per game. He was on the field for 27 percent of offensive snaps and 47 percent of special teams snaps in ‘24.

The best receiving year of his career was 2023 when he posted 13 receptions for 208 yards and a touchdown with the Patriots. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon, Brown has played a total of 87 games in his eight-year NFL career.

HOW BROWN FITS IN THE DOLPHINS OFFENSE

The addition of Brown is not very nuanced.

He has been brought in to provide blocking help, likely in two-tight end sets with Julian Hill. Brown and Hill represent the team’s two best in-line blockers, while Jonnu Smith gives the team its premier receiving threat (88 rec., 884 yards, 8 TDs in 2024). Conner is still trying to convince the Dolphins that he merits more looks in the passing department but will need to stay healthy in his efforts to do so. Rucci is a player likely — along with Conner — who will be fighting to make the 53-man roster.

There are no guarantees for Brown either with a draft approaching that has numerous options at tight end, many who offer a more complete package of receiving and blocking than Brown does.

Prior to his time in Seattle, Brown played for the Oakland Raiders (2017), Cleveland Browns (2018-19, 2022), Houston Texans (2020-22) and New England Patriots (2023). He entered the league as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Oregon in 2017.

NEW FACE IN FRONT OFFICE

A couple of months after losing senior personnel executive Reggie McKenzie to a similar position with the Tennessee Titans, the Dolphins have found his replacement.

And like McKenzie, he comes over from the Raiders.

The Dolphins are bringing in former Raiders assistant GM Champ Kelly in the role of senior personnel executive, where he will assist GM Chris Grier and assistant GM Marvin Allen, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

A native of Campbellton in the Florida Panhandle, Kelly also has worked in scouting for the Denver Broncos (though he never crossed paths with Mike McDaniel) and Chicago Bears.

DOLPHINS 2025 FREE AGENT SCORECARD

Agreed to terms
QB Zach Wilson (Denver)
G James Daniels (Pittsburgh)
OL Larry Borom (Chicago)
S Ifeatu Melifonwu (Detroit)
WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (Tennessee)
S Ashtyn Davis (N.Y. Jets)
LB K.J. Britt (Tampa Bay)
RB Alexander Mattison (Las Vegas)
TE Pharaoh Brown (Seattle)

Re-signed
DT Matt Dickerson
S Elijah Campbell
OLB Quinton Bell
LB Tyrel Dodson
G/T Jackson Carman
WR Dee Eskridge
OL Liam Eichenberg

Lost to another team
WR Braxton Berrios (Houston)
G Robert Jones (Dallas)
S Jevon Holland (N.Y. Giants)
TE Jack Stoll (New Orleans)
LB Anthony Walker Jr. (Tampa Bay)
DT Da'Shawn Hand (L.A. Chargers)

Remaining UFAs
QB Tyler Huntley
RB Jeff Wilson Jr.
WR River Cracraft
WR Anthony Schwartz
WR Grant DuBose
T Kendall Lamm
G Isaiah Wynn
DT Calais Campbell
DT Benito Jones
EDGE Emmanuel Ogbah
EDGE Tyus Bowser
EDGE Cam Brown
LB Duke Riley
CB Siran Neal
S Jordan Poyer
LS Jake McQuaide

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