The Miami Dolphins have signed free agent long snapper Taybor Pepper and punted Bradley Pinion as the NFL’s 2026 free agency period continues in its second week. Pepper, who had a previous stint with the Dolphins in 2019, returns to Miami a year out of football while Pinion moves to Miami after playing for the Atlanta Falcons. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Pepper signing. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported the Pinion signing.
Pepper joins the Dolphins nearly a week after the team signed long
snapper Tucker Addington. Pinion joins punter Seth Vernon as a free agent addition this year. The veterans will likely battle through a training camp competition to determine who will make the 53-man regular-season roster. The Dolphins’ new tandem of head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has indicated they want competition across the roster this summer, with the latest special teams additions indicating they were serious about that desire.
Who is Taybor Pepper?
Pepper first joined the NFL on a futures contract with the Green Bay Packers for the 2017 season after being undrafted out of Michigan State in 2016. He was cut at the end of the preseason, then signed with the Baltimore Ravens but was waived after four days. He then returned to the Packers a month later as an injury replacement for Brett Goode. Pepper landed on injured reserve with a broken foot during the season.
After sitting out the 2018 season, Pepper returned to the NFL in 2019, starting with a training camp and preseason stint with the New York Giants. After being waived in the final round of roster cuts, Pepper signed with the Dolphins before being waived during the 2020 offseason. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers during the 2020 season, remaining with them until being waived during the 2025 offseason, sitting out last season.
He has played in 100 games during his career.
Pepper turns 32 in May.
Who is Bradley Pinion?
Selected in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Clemson, Pinion began his career with the 49ers. After four seasons, he moved over to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he spent three seasons before being released ahead of the last year on his contract. He signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons in 2022, then signed a three-year contract extension after the season.
In 11 years, Pinion has appeared in 179 games with a 44.5 yards per punt average. He has pinned opposing offenses inside their 20-yard line on 36.1 percent of his kicks.
Pinion leaves the Falcons shortly after the team signed Jake Bailey as their new punter – adding the free agent who played for the Dolphins last year.
Pinio turns 32 in June.
What are the contract details?
No contract details were reported for either signing. The Dolphins have established a pattern of signing most free agents to one-year, veteran minimum contracts this offseason, which these deals may follow.
