Tart Already Has Found a New Team

The veteran defensive lineman has flashed big-time ability in the past, but didn't stick with the Miami Dolphins.

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Teair Tart (93) leaves the field during the warmups against the Atlanta Falcons at Nissan Stadium last season. / Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

Well, it sure didn't take Teair Tart long to find a new team after the Miami Dolphins decided to let him go.

The fifth-year defensive lineman will be joining the Los Angeles Chargers after working out for Jim Harbaugh's new team Wednesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

This comes two days after the Dolphins waived Tart, who they had signed in the offseason to help make up for the loss of free agent Christian Wilkins.

"Just one of those situations where you can see that it's, from a scheme standpoint, it's not totally a fit," head coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday. "And when you know that you have a veteran player that has ambitions, that maybe as a coach and staff we can see it might not fit, we try to be proactive with that so he has the opportunity in the next place to do what we know he wants to do."

The signing of Tart in the offseason always looked like a low-risk, high-reward proposition for the Dolphins, based on the reports out of Tennessee after his release from the Titans late last season that Tart didn't always play hard.

McDaniel didn't mention anything about effort in his comments Wednesday, though it's fair to wonder whether he would have made any disparaging remarks about a player on his way out simply because it's not his style.

To take Tart's place on the roster, the Dolphins signed former Florida State nose tackle Robert Cooper on Wednesday morning.

Tart himself defended his reputation after signing with the Dolphins.

Tart did appear not at peak physical conditioning in training camp, though he occasionally did make some plays.

TART'S SHORT STINT IN MIAMI

Tart signed with Miami in April. In his career, he has played in 47 NFL games with 36 starts, spending time with the Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans.

For his brief career, Tart recorded 79 tackles (49 solo), 2.5 sacks, one interception, seven passes defensed and one fumble recovery.

The Dolphins had high hopes for Tart, hoping he would become a run-stuffer and fill the voids left by Wilkins and Raekwon Davis in free agency. That never materialized.

Tart did not see action against the Atlanta Falcons Friday night. He also missed practice on Monday before being released Tuesday.

Tart was listed on the initial depth chart of 2024 second at a defensive tackle spot behind Benito Jones, who has been sidelined the past few days with an injury.

Brandon Pili now is listed as the No. 2 nose tackle position behind Jones.

In practice, Isaiah Mack has also been getting good repetitions at the nose tackle position. He had a very productive game against the Atlanta Falcons on Friday night with five tackles and a fumble recovery.

Mack did not play in 2023 but played in Baltimore for two seasons with defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. Before that, he spent a year in New England and two seasons with the Tennessee Titans.