Much has changed since the New England Patriots opened against head coach Brian Flores and the Miami Dolphins in September.
The list of ties between the AFC East locker rooms has, too.
Former Patriots defensive backs Ken Webster and Nate Brooks are no longer within it for the Dolphins. But several names from New England’s past can still be found between the 53-man roster, practice squad and reserve lists in Miami.
Including an arrival at the NFL trade deadline who has since departed.
Here’s a glance through the on-field familiarity leading up to Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium.
MIAMI
Isaiah Ford, wide receiver – As the calendar turned to November, Ford headed to New England in return for a conditional late-round selection in the 2022 draft. The wideout now finds himself back in Miami Gardens as a member of the practice squad after clearing waivers. Ford was in uniform for one game during his brief stint with the Patriots. It went without a down played. The 24-year-old Virginia Tech product collected 18 passes for 184 yards earlier this campaign with the Dolphins. Ford has been targeted 14 times against the Patriots in his career.
Ted Karras, center – Called by New England in the sixth round of the 2016 draft, Karras went on to appear in 60 games during his time along the offensive line’s interior. The Illinois alum started 15 at center in the final year of his rookie contract and reached a one-year, $3 million deal with the Dolphins to begin 2020. Karras has started every game and is the lone member of Miami’s roster to stay in for every offensive snap. The 27-year-old team captain stands with 849 out of 849.
Tyler Gauthier, center – Gauthier, who signed to the Dolphins’ practice squad at the midway point in September, originally entered the league with the Patriots as an undrafted rookie in 2019. The 23-year-old blocker by way of the Miami Hurricanes logged two months on New England’s scout team last season and reconvened for training camp after a 53-man stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Nick Coe, defensive end – Part of New England’s 2020 undrafted class, Coe was waived at the beginning of camp in July. He signed to Miami’s practice squad at its formation shortly after Labor Day weekend. The 23-year-old defensive lineman out of Auburn has remained on the scout team of 16 over the months since then.
Kamu Grugier-Hill, linebacker – Drafted in the sixth round by New England in 2016, Grugier-Hill would be let go before the start of his first regular season and claimed by the Philadelphia Eagles. Grugier-Hill played in 59 games, with Super Bowl LII being among them, while an Eagle. The 26-year-old out of Eastern Illinois rejoined his onetime linebackers coach this past offseason. Grugier-Hill has accrued 27 tackles to go with one sack and one fumble recovery with the Dolphins. He ranks sixth on Miami’s special teams in snaps played.
Calvin Munson, linebacker – Munson registered 60 tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble as a rookie free agent with the New York Giants in 2017. The San Diego State Aztec then signed to New England’s practice squad in the early stages of 2018 and stayed in that capacity until last December, when he exited for Miami’s active roster. Munson started two games at linebacker last winter. The 25-year-old linebacker has seen 18 snaps on defense and 165 in the kicking game for the Dolphins this season.
Elandon Roberts, linebacker – A Patriots captain last year and Dolphins captain this year, Roberts signed a $2 million pact as a free agent in March. Roberts had tallied 206 tackles, four sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery with New England after landing in the sixth round of the 2016 draft out of Morgan State and Houston. The part-time fullback scored a touchdown against the Dolphins last campaign, as well. This campaign, Roberts has served as a full-time starter at linebacker, logging 51 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble in the process. The 26-year-old missed last Sunday’s matchup due to a chest injury.
Kyle Van Noy, linebacker – Also a captain in his inaugural year as a Dolphin, Van Noy has posted 55 tackles to go with six sacks, a pair of forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries. The 29-year-old from Brigham Young was inactive in Week 14 because of a hip injury. A two-time Super Bowl champion, Van Noy reached a four-year, $51.5 million contract with Miami after starting 52 combined games as a Patriot. New England had acquired Van Noy from the Detroit Lions as a sixth-rounder and seventh-rounder changed hands in 2016.
Jamal Perry, cornerback – Recently on the Covid-19 reserve list, Perry cracked the 53-man Miami roster in back-to-back summers after spending two full years on the New England scout team. In 2019, the former Iowa State cornerback made 14 appearances and six starts for the Dolphins under previous cornerbacks coach Josh Boyer. His first NFL pick transpired along the way. This campaign, Perry has played in 10 games and made one start in the secondary.
Eric Rowe, safety – Rowe moved from corner to safety last year, and signed a three-year, $18 million extension as the page flipped to 2020. He had eclipsed 1,000 defensive snaps by then and also returned an interception for a touchdown versus New England. The defensive back out of Utah had earned two Super Bowl rings with the Patriots after being acquired from the Eagles for a conditional fourth-round pick in 2016. Now 28, Rowe stands with 73 tackles, a fumble recovery and two interceptions through 11 starts this campaign.
NEW ENGLAND
Brandon Bolden, running back – The 30-year-old Bolden, who opted out due to Covid-19, has spent all but one season of his NFL tenure with the Patriots. The four-down back was released by New England during 2018 cutdowns and penned a deal with Miami in subsequent days. Bolden checked in for all 16 games as a Dolphin, recording a pair of touchdowns and tackles versus the Patriots. On a two-year deal in 2019, Bolden re-signed with the organization he stepped into the league with as an undrafted rookie from Ole Miss.
Akeem Spence, defensive tackle – The veteran defensive lineman is on his sixth NFL stop since going No. 100 overall out of Illinois in 2013. And the Dolphins would be among the previous for Spence, who was traded to Miami for a conditional seventh-rounder in May 2018. Spence would start all 16 games during his lone season with the Dolphins, tacking on 42 tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery. The Patriots signed Spence from the practice squad to the 53-man roster earlier this December after the 29-year-old served as a standard elevation.