Dolphins release Cethan Carter, tender Elijah Campbell as free agency looms

The Miami Dolphins are starting to make moves to prepare themselves for the 2023 season. On Tuesday, reports indicated cornerback Byron Jones had been informed the team planned to release him with a June 1st cut designation. The team continued to make moves Tuesday afternoon, trying to set themselves up for the start of the 2023 league year and free agency period when it arrives on March 15 at 4 p.m. ET. Miami released tight end Cethan Carter and tendered exclusive rights free agent cornerback Elijah Campbell, according to the statement.

Releasing Carter allows the tight end a chance to sign with another team immediately, while saving the Dolphins 2.3 million in cap space for next season. In two seasons with Miami, Carter was primarily a special teams contributor, recording eight special teams tackles, while catching two passes for the offense for 16 yards. He missed nearly the entire 2022 season when a concussion landed him on injured reserve during Week 1.

Campbell joined the Dolphins at the start of the 2021 season after the team claimed him off waivers from the New York Jets. He has appeared in 23 games, including one start, with Miami over two season and has recorded seven tackles and one pass defensed on defense, while contributing seven tackles on special teams.

An exclusive rights free agent is a player who has less than three years of accrued service time in the NFL, but has an expiring active roster contract. The player is locked into staying with the team for the upcoming season, but they are not given any guaranteed money on their tender. The tender is the league minimum for the year, which for Campbell will be around $950,000.

The Dolphins are currently projected to be about $15 million over the 2023 salary cap, so there will be plenty of roster moves made by the team between now and next Tuesday.