Dolphins make second round of 2021 roster cuts; Lynn Bowden to IR

The Miami Dolphins have announced their second set of roster cuts as part of the 2021 preseason, with the roster limit moving from 85 players to 80 at 4pm ET Tuesday. The moves announced are the release of offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor and wide receiver Isaiah Ford and the waiving with an injured listing for wide receiver Robert Foster. The Dolphins also placed wide receiver Lynn Bowden, Jr., on injured reserve, ending his 2021 season unless the team and player reach an injury settlement with full release.

Bowden comes as a surprise, with the team electing to end his season if they do not reach an injury settlement. The second-year receiver out of Kentucky sustained a hamstring injury last week in practice. He was originally selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the third-round in 2020, then was traded at the start of his rookie season to Miami. He appeared in 10 games for the Dolphins last year, including four starts, catching 28 passes for 211 yards.

Ford continues to be a bubble player for Miami, repeatedly being cut by the team, then re-signed, then cut, then re-signed. He lands on the wrong side of that pattern this week. He was drafted by Miami in the seventh round in 2017, but spent his rookie campaign on injured reserve. From 2018 through 2020, he has appeared in 19 games, with 51 receptions for 520 yards, with one carry for 11 yards. He was traded to the New England Patriots mid-season last year, but then was released and signed back to Miami’s practice squad a month later.

Eluemunor signed with the Dolphins shortly before training camp. He was a fifth-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2017, spending two years there before a two-year stint with the Patriots. He has appeared in 39 games with 11 starts in his career.

Foster joined the Dolphins in March and had a strong start to camp. He was originally signed by the Buffalo Bills in 2018 as an undrafted free agent, spending two seasons there before spending last year with the Washington Football Team. He has appeared in 30 games with seven starts in his career, catching 32 passes for 642 yards and three touchdowns.

The next round of cuts is slated for next Tuesday, when teams must drop from 80 players to the regular-season limit of 53.