Dolphins Ditch Stonehouse After Snagging Matthew Judon on Short-Term Deal
Whew, the Dolphins weren’t messing around this week. First, they pull the trigger on a one-year, $6 million deal for pass-rushing monster Matthew Judon—then, barely a day later, they toss punter Ryan Stonehouse out the door like last week’s leftovers. Cold world, huh?
Miami’s clearly in “defense or bust” mode, even if it means booting a guy who can absolutely bomb punts.
Matthew Judon Joins the Party
So, Judon. Dude’s a four-time Pro Bowler and still a nightmare for QBs at 32. He signs with Miami on Monday, and ESPN’s all over it: Dolphins are absolutely loading up on defense for 2025. Imagine being an opposing quarterback and seeing Judon, Chubb, and Phillips all lined up across from you. Yeah, good luck, buddy.
Stonehouse Out After Punter Battle
Judon walks in, and Stonehouse is out. That’s how the NFL goes, man. Stonehouse showed up earlier this offseason, looking to give Jake Bailey a run for his money. Remember, this guy was a second-team All-Pro as a rookie! He was punting balls into the stratosphere (53.1-yard average—nuts). But apparently, “big leg” doesn’t always mean “job security.” Inconsistency and some shaky hang times did him in.
He bounced back from a knee injury last year, still smashed a 50.1-yard average (third in the league!), but…net average was just 38.6. In the NFL, that gets you a one-way ticket to “free agent” status.
Special Teams Coach Lays It Out
Craig Aukerman, Miami’s special teams guy, basically gave it to reporters straight: “Distance is cool, but if you punt it 70 yards with a 4.2 hang time, our coverage team’s toast.” Not exactly what you want, right? Bailey’s been Mr. Reliable, so he gets the nod. Aukerman’s betting Stonehouse lands somewhere else soon, and honestly, he probably will. Big legs don’t stay unemployed long.
Other Roster Shake-Ups
Oh, and Miami wasn’t done tinkering. They picked up cornerback Cameron Dantzler, dumped wideout Tarik Black—just a couple more tweaks after that preseason game with Detroit. Next up: Jacksonville. Roster churn never sleeps.
The Big Picture
Look, Miami’s making moves like a team that’s sick of just looking good on paper. Judon cranks up the pass rush. Sticking with Bailey means fewer late-game disasters on special teams. Now it’s all about whether Judon can ball out in Mike McDaniel’s system and finally push Miami into the playoffs (where they actually win something for once).
As for Stonehouse, the dude’s got a cannon for a leg. Somebody will call. It’s just how this league works—one minute you’re gone, next minute you’re flipping field position for a contender. Stay tuned.
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