The Miami Dolphins made an announcement on Tuesday regarding their acquisition of former Virginia Tech defensive tackle Mario Kendricks. Kendricks, who joins the team after his participation in rookie minicamp, is now part of the 90-man roster, alongside former Wisconsin defensive back Jason Maitre and former Rutgers offensive lineman Ireland Brown.
Although Kendricks had the opportunity to attend the Kansas City Chiefs minicamp, he opted to sign with Miami instead. His decision comes after an impressive performance at Virginia Tech, where he accumulated 67 tackles, seven sacks, and deflected three passes over five seasons. Throughout his tenure with the Hokies, Kendricks appeared in 67 games, starting in 20 of them. Notably, he closed out his senior season with 16 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss in 13 games.
Standing at 6 feet tall and weighing 294 pounds, Kendricks adds depth to Miami’s defensive line, which has already seen several signings during free agency. While Zach Sieler is expected to lead the defensive front, there are still opportunities for other players to secure significant playing time, especially with Christian Wilkins departing for the Las Vegas Raiders earlier in the offseason.
With rookie minicamp recently concluded, attention now turns to the plans of defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver as offseason team activities ramp up in the coming weeks. This period will likely provide insights into how Kendricks and others will be utilized in the defensive rotation.
