Miami Dolphins Sign Linebacker Cam Riley, Add Depth to Defense
The Miami Dolphins continue to make changes to their roster following their preseason matchup with the Washington Commanders, adding some depth to their linebacker room.
Miami announced Sunday that it has signed inside linebacker Cam Riley, a former Auburn and Florida State standout. The Dolphins also signed quarterback Mark Gronowski, placed offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer on injured reserve, and waived/injured cornerback Ethan Robinson.
Riley gives head coach Jeff Hafley another young linebacker to evaluate as the Dolphins move deeper into the preseason.
Who is Cam Riley?
Riley brings intriguing size to Miami’s defense. The Dolphins list him at 6-foot-4 and 228 pounds, and the 24-year-old is entering his second NFL season.
Riley began his college career at Auburn, where he developed into a significant contributor at linebacker. His best season with the Tigers came in 2022 when he recorded 65 combined tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. He spent four seasons at Auburn before transferring to Florida State for his final collegiate season.
In 2024 with the Seminoles, Riley appeared in all 12 games and made one start. He finished fourth on the team with 47 tackles while adding four tackles for loss, one sack, one pass breakup and a forced fumble. One of his best performances came against Boston College when he registered a season-high 10 tackles.
Over his five-year college career between Auburn and Florida State, Riley accumulated 167 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.
Riley’s NFL Journey
Riley went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft before signing with the New England Patriots as a UDFA.
He spent the summer with New England before being waived during final roster cuts. Riley briefly joined the Patriots’ practice squad before being released. Later in the 2025 season, the Tennessee Titans signed Riley to their practice squad before giving him a reserve/futures contract in January.
Tennessee waived Riley on April 30, making him a free agent until Miami signed him on Sunday.
Now Riley will attempt to make an impression on Hafley and the Dolphins’ defensive coaching staff with limited time remaining before the regular season.
What Riley Brings to Miami
At this stage of the preseason, Riley should be viewed primarily as a depth and developmental addition rather than somebody expected to immediately compete for a starting job.
His size and length, however, make him an interesting player to watch.
Riley has experience playing both defense and special teams, something that could be particularly important as he tries to earn a spot on Miami’s roster. During his Auburn career, he worked as both a starter and rotational linebacker while also contributing on special teams.
The Dolphins already have Jordyn Brooks established in the middle of their defense, so Riley’s immediate challenge will be showing enough on defense and special teams to separate himself from the other players competing for backup roles.
With roster cuts approaching, Riley won’t have much time to make his case. But Miami’s decision to bring him in gives the former Auburn and Florida State linebacker another opportunity to continue his NFL career.
For the Dolphins, it’s another low-risk move designed to increase competition and depth during the final stretch of the preseason.