Dolphins activate Robert Jones off IR, elevate Tanner Conner for Sunday vs Panthers

The Miami Dolphins announced a couple of roster moves on Saturday as the team prepares for their Week 6 game against the Carolina Panthers. The moves included bringing a player off injured reserve and elevating a player from the practice squad for the game while officially listing two reserve-listed players as out of the game. Miami and the Panthers are scheduled for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff on Sunday.

The Dolphins will have offensive lineman Robert Jones available for the game after the team announced they have activated him from the injured reserve list. Jones sustained a knee sprain during the preseason and began the season on the IR. He was designated for return last week, opening a 21-day window for Miami to either activate him or to keep him on injured reserve for the remainder of the year. Bringing Jones back gives Miami depth on the offensive line, where injuries are starting to mount this season. Starting center Connor Williams has been ruled out of Sunday’s game, while Pro Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead landed on IR last week.

An undrafted free agent signed by the Dolphins in 2021, Jones has appeared in 24 games for Miami the last two seasons, including eight starts. He has played both guard and tackle for the team, and his return could prove to be an important addition to Miami’s 53-man roster.

Second-year tight end Tanner Conner has been elevated from the practice squad for the Dolphins, making him eligible to play in Sunday’s game. A 2022 undrafted free agent signing by the team, Conner appeared in 13 games for Miami last year, primarily playing on special teams. He had 25 offensive snaps during the season and was targeted thrice on passes, but did not record a reception.

The Dolphins also updated their injury report on Saturday, downgrading cornerback Nik Needham (Achilles) and running back Jeff Wilson, Jr., (ribs/finger) to out. Needham is still on the physically unable-to-perform list as he recovers from last year’s Achilles injury while Wilson is on injured reserve. The downgrade signals the team is not planning on activating either player from their respective reserve list for the week. Needham opened his 21-day practice window last week with Jones while Wilson returned to practice this week.