Dolphins reportedly trade Dan Feeney to Chicago Bears

Moving Dan Feeney to the Bears opens up the door for Liam Eichenberg to serve as Miami's backup center

The Miami Dolphins are shipping veteran offensive lineman Dan Feeney to the Chicago Bears ahead of the deadline for NFL rosters to be cut down to 53 players.

According to multiple reports, the Dolphins will receive a 2024 sixth-round pick for the versatile interior lineman, who Miami signed this offseason to serve as the team's backup center.

The deal becomes official when/if Feeney, who has been nursing a leg injury since the spring, passes his physical. 

Trading Feeney clears $1.2 million in cap space

Feeney's departure unloads his $3.25 million contract, which Miami fully guaranteed, helping the Dolphins clear $1.2 in cap space (the Dolphins are responsible for his $2.05 million signing bonus).

His departure also opens the door for Liam Eichenberg, the 2021 third-round pick, who appears to have lost the starting left guard spot to Isaiah Wynn, to potentially make a position switch to center.

Eichenberg filled in as Miami's first-team center during OTAs and minicamp when Connor Williams, the incumbent starter, sat out all of the offseason program while advocating for a contract extension, and showed some potential at the position. 

Feeney's departure also opens the door for Alama Uluave, an undrafted rookie from San Diego State, to make the roster, either on the 53-man roster, or as a practice squad player. In the preseason games, Uluave played center and Feeney played guard after Williams left the action.

The Dolphins also could target a center released on the waiver wire, potentially poaching a player another team intends to add to its practice squad.

Feeney's departure, and Miami's official release of 14 players on Monday leaves the Dolphins with 75 players on the training camp roster. And that doesn't include the expected release of pass rusher Malik Reed, which was reported by ESPN on Monday.

It's possible that Reed will be released and re-signed later in the week, when Miami places some of its team's injured players on injured reserve, which can happen as soon as Wednesday.

Dolphins have 21 cuts to make today

That means the Dolphins have 21 players to release by today's 4 p.m. deadline.

Three players who are vested veterans - offensive tackle tackle Geron Christian, receiver Keke Coutee and linebacker A.J. Johnson - were outright released. They can sign with another NFL team immediately, as can Reed, when his release becomes official.

The players waived on Monday were rookie linebackers Aubrey Miller II, Garrett Nelson and Mitchell Agude, quarterback James Blackman, defensive linemen Jamal Woods, Jaylen Twyman, Josiah Bronson and Randy Charlton, receiver Chris Coleman, safety Keidron Smith, and offensive tackle James Tunstall.

The Dolphins could wind up signing a couple of those players released to their practice squad, which will feature 16 players. Miller, Nelson and Agude are all viewed as contenders for Miami's practice squad spots, and could be re-signed as early at noon on Tuesday.

Teams can have as many as six veterans of any NFL experience, or 10 players with two or more accrued seasons on its practice squad.