Miami Dolphins sign Carlos Washington Jr., elevate Mazi Smith and Rodney McGraw to active roster
The Miami Dolphins signed running back Carlos Washington Jr. to the active roster from the practice squad and elevated defensive lineman Mazi Smith and edge Rodney McGraw to the active roster for Sunday’s game, the team announced Saturday. The moves add depth at running back and along the defensive front ahead of Sunday’s contest. The transactions were included in the team’s roster update published Oct. 3, 2026.
Rodney McGraw entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with Miami on May 8, 2026, and spent the offseason program and training camp with the team. He finished his collegiate career at Western Michigan (2024-25), appearing in 27 games with one start and totaling 64 tackles (24 solo), 8.0 sacks, 11.0 tackles for loss, one pass defensed, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. McGraw previously spent two seasons at Penn State (2021-22) and one at Louisville (2023), appearing in five contests at Penn State and one at Louisville.
Mazi Smith joined Miami’s practice squad on Sept. 1, 2026, and the club elevated him to the active roster for Sunday’s game. He has appeared in 42 career games with 20 starts over three NFL seasons split between Dallas (2023-25) and the New York Jets (2025), recording 57 tackles (31 solo) and 2.0 sacks, and he also appeared in one postseason game with Dallas. Smith entered the NFL with Dallas as the 27th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft after a collegiate career at Michigan that included 35 games with 28 starts, 88 tackles (39 solo), 0.5 sack, 6.0 tackles for loss, four passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery, earning two All-Big Ten selections (2021-22).
Carlos Washington Jr. originally signed with Miami on May 21, 2026, and spent part of the offseason program and training camp with the team before his practice-squad stint. He has appeared in two career NFL games over two seasons with Atlanta (2024-25) after entering the league as an undrafted free agent with the Falcons in 2023. Washington finished his collegiate resume at Southeastern Louisiana (2022) after five seasons at New Hampshire (2017-21), appearing in 45 games with 29 starts and producing 511 rushing attempts for 2,475 yards (4.8 avg.) and 25 touchdowns, plus 87 receptions for 611 yards (7.0 avg.) and two scores.
NFL Sports Blog Take
These roster moves give the Dolphins immediate reinforcement at multiple positions without requiring long-term commitments. Elevating McGraw and Smith provides additional options for front-seven rotation, while signing Washington from the practice squad adds depth behind the lead backs and keeps a player familiar with the offense available for game-day roles. Given Smith’s starting experience and McGraw’s collegiate pass-rush production, the moves reflect a focus on shoring up defensive-line minutes while maintaining running-back depth for the remainder of the season.