Old friends will meet again when Jerod Mayo’s New England Patriots host Mike McDaniel’s Miami Dolphins . Between the active rosters, practice squads and reserve lists of the AFC East rivals, 10 players in the fold have spent time in both locker rooms during the NFL careers. Here’s a glance through the list of past and present connections heading into Sunday’s 1 p.
m. ET kickoff at Gillette Stadium. Braxton Berrios, wide receiver — Chosen by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL draft at No.
210 overall, Berrios spent the Super Bowl LIII campaign on injured reserve. The University of Miami product was then claimed off waivers by the New York Jets in 2019. He went on to appear in 65 games during his time in the Meadowlands, logging 1,085 receiving yards, 160 rushing yards, 2,434 return yards and 10 all-purpose touchdowns.
After being released in 2023, the former first-team All-Pro soon headed to Miami Gardens. Berrios has since played in 20 games for the Dolphins, catching 27 passes for 238 yards and one touchdown while primarily working in the return phase. He will turn 29 on Sunday.
Jonnu Smith, tight end — As legal tampering opened during the 2023 offseason, Smith was sent to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a seventh-round draft choice. The veteran tight end stood midway through a four-year, $50 million contract. His time in Foxborough came to a close with 55 receptions for 539 yards and one touchdown across 30 games, including 19 starts.
The 29-year-old Florida International product originally entered the NFL at pick No. 100 overall on the 2017 class. He accumulated 114 receptions, 1,302 yards, 16 touchdowns and 60 appearances while a member of the Tennessee Titans.
A two-year deal brought him back to the AFC East in March. Nine catches for 78 yards have been totaled since then. Isaiah Wynn, guard — Currently on the physically able to perform list, Wynn made seven starts at left guard for Miami last season and did not miss an offensive snap until a quad injury surfaced in October.
It sent the 28-year-old to injured reserve. New England called Wynn’s name at pick No. 23 overall in the 2018 draft class.
The Georgia Bulldog started 41 of his 44 games with the Patriots while working at both tackle spots as well as on the interior line. His rookie campaign ended with a torn Achilles on the way to earning a Super Bowl LIII ring, and an additional three stints on injured reserve followed before Wynn’s option year was declined. Chasen Hines, guard — On Miami’s practice squad after being waived, re-signed and waived again in August, Hines spent all of last season with the Dolphins in the same capacity.
The former LSU national champion entered the league in the sixth round of the 2022 draft and made the initial 53-man roster as a Patriots rookie. But he did not appear in a game before being placed on injured reserve that fall. The 24-year-old Hines was part of the organization’s cutdown last summer before heading to the other side of the division as the scout team formed.
William Bradley-King, linebacker — The Dolphins added Bradley-King to the practice squad after he had been waived by the Patriots as active rosters went from 90 to 53 in August. The 26-year-old outside linebacker arrived in Foxborough for a workout last October on the way to signing to the practice squad. A futures contract followed as 2023 reached the rearview.
The transfer from Arkansas State to Baylor was selected by the Washington Commanders in the seventh round of the 2021 class. Bradley-King went on to appear in four games with the club he was drafted by at No. 240 overall, notching seven tackles and a half-sack.
Jake Bailey, punter — A week after being released by the Patriots, Bailey visited and signed with the Dolphins in 2023. The ex-Stanford punter appeared in 58 games for the organization that filled out his draft card in the fifth round back in 2019. He earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors in 2020 on the way to signing a four-year, $13.
5 million contract extension. But Bailey averaged career lows in yards per punt and net yards per punt before a back injury sent him to injured reserve and the suspended list in 2022. A grievance was filed.
Since then, the 27-year-old has appeared in 21 games for the Dolphins, averaging 46.2 yards per punt to go with a long of 66. He agreed to an extension in March.
Jacoby Brissett, quarterback — As a Patriots captain and starter, Brissett has gone 61-of-101 passing for 536 yards with two touchdowns and one interception this season. The 31-year-old out of North Carolina State circled back to his initial NFL team after stints in four other organizations. Count the Dolphins among them.
A one-year deal brought Brissett into the quarterback room in 2021 under former head coach Brian Flores. He would appear in 11 games that campaign, starting a handful, while completing 62.7 percent of his throws for 1,283 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions.
An additional visit to the end zone arrived by ground for the Super Bowl LI champion and No. 91 overall pick in the 2017 draft. Davon Godchaux, defensive tackle — Godchaux played in 52 games, starting 42, as a member of the Miami defensive line after landing in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL draft.
The LSU product’s final year with the Dolphins ended on injured reserve due to a torn bicep. He has gone on to start 54 of his 55 appearances on the interior for the Patriots. A two-year, $20.
8 million extension was signed during training camp in 2022. Another two-year extension featuring $16.5 million guaranteed was reached at the end of July.
The 29-year-old’s tenure with New England has spanned 194 tackles, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Raekwon McMillan, linebacker — After seeing his 2021 and 2023 seasons end on injured reserve before they could begin, McMillan made New England’s active roster out of training camp.
He moves forward with 24 tackles on the fall, and as a starter in the absence of injured defensive captain Ja’Whaun Bentley. The 27-year-old has signed a trio of contract extensions since heading to the Patriots as a free agent. Entering the league with the Dolphins in the second round of the 2017 draft at No.
54 overall, McMillan missed his rookie season with a torn ACL before going on to start 28 games. The Ohio State alum’s time with Miami brought 177 tackles, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery before he was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders. Mark Perry, safety — The Patriots added Perry to the practice squad in September after the 23-year-old safety visited for a workout.
Undrafted in April, Perry played in 53 games between his days at Colorado and Texas Christian. He earned an invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl as well as an All-Big 12 honorable mention before spending training camp with the Dolphins. Waived ahead of the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline in August, the rookie started the regular season on the practice squad of the Houston Texans.
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