Examining the roster ties between Patriots, Dolphins ahead of Week 8

After crossing paths in September, a long line of familiar faces will do so again in October.

Aside from wide receivers coach Wes Welker, eight former New England Patriots players currently reside between the active roster, practice squad and injured reserve of the Miami Dolphins. But the AFC East connections also go north.

Here’s a glance through the list of ex-Patriots and ex-Dolphins in the fold for Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium.

MIAMI

Braxton Berrios, wide receiver — Taken by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL draft at No. 210 overall, Berrios spent his Super Bowl LIII rookie year on injured reserve. The ex-Hurricanes receiver was then claimed off waivers by the New York Jets in 2019. Berrios proceeded to appear in 65 games while in East Rutherford, having a hand in 1,085 receiving yards, 160 rushing yards, 2,434 return yards and 10 all-purpose touchdowns. Released in March, the former first-team All-Pro selection soon signed with the Dolphins. Berrios has since appeared in all seven games in 2023. The 27-year-old stands with 18 receptions for 186 yards and one score on offense while operating as Miami’s punt and kickoff returner.

Raleigh Webb, wide receiver — Waived by the Patriots at the 53-man roster deadline, Webb has spent the initial months of the regular season on the Dolphins’ practice squad. The 2022 undrafted free agent out of The Citadel was signed off the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad last October after a pair of standard elevations. Ten appearances were made during his rookie season with New England. The 25-year-old Webb played one snap on offense and 138 snaps on special teams in the process.

Isaiah Wynn, guard — Through seven starts at left guard for Miami, Wynn’s first missed snaps did not arrive until he exited with a quad injury last Sunday night. He has since been placed on injured reserve. The No. 23 overall pick in the 2018 draft class signed as an unrestricted free agent in May at the conclusion of his fifth-year option. Wynn started 41 of his 44 games with New England while seeing time at both tackle spots as well as the interior line. The 27-year-old Georgia standout’s rookie campaign ended with a torn Achilles and a Super Bowl LIII ring. He had an additional three stints on injured reserve while a member of the Patriots.

Chasen Hines, guard — After clearing waivers at the end of August, Hines agreed to join Miami’s practice squad at its formation. Prior to then, the 2022 sixth-round pick had made New England’s 53-man roster as a rookie. He did not appear in a a game last regular season before being placed on injured reserve in October. The 23-year-old national champion out of LSU played exclusively at left guard for the Patriots in preseason action.

Byron Cowart, defensive tackle — The Dolphins added Cowart to the practice squad last month following the initial Patriots matchup. The 27-year-old defensive tackle out of Auburn and Maryland was chosen by New England in the fifth round of the 2019 draft at No. 159 overall. Cowart played in 19 games while in Foxborough, starting 14. He recorded 29 tackles with one sack and one pass deflection before spending 2021 on the physically unable to perform list. Claimed off waivers by the Indianapolis Colts one July ago, Cowart made offseason stops with the Kansas City Chiefs and Indianapolis Colts.

Justin Bethel, cornerback — Bethel signed with the Dolphins last September after being released by the Patriots at the cutdown to 53 players. A three-time Pro Bowl and two-time All-Pro gunner, he appeared in 42 games for New England dating back to 2019, logging 902 snaps on special teams as well as 26 tackles, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one pass breakup. Entering the league in the sixth round of the 2012 draft out of Presbyterian, Bethel previously toured the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens. The 33-year-old has posted 15 tackles, a half-sack and a pass breakup in 2023.

Keion Crossen, cornerback — The Dolphins placed Crossen on injured reserve in August, ending his season. The Western Carolina cornerback entered the NFL in the seventh round of the 2018 draft at No. 243 overall. He checked into 11 games as a Patriots rookie, gathering a Super Bowl LIII ring along with 14 tackles through 39 snaps on defense and 113 snaps on special teams. Traded to the Houston Texans in advance of the following roster deadline, Crossen was again traded in 2021 and headed to Miami last season. The 27-year-old’s career has included 75 games and 118 tackles, plus one sack, one forced fumble and one recovery.

Jake Bailey, punter — One week removed from being released by the Patriots, Bailey visited and signed with the Dolphins in March. The former Stanford specialist appeared in 58 games for the organization that took him in the fifth round of the 2019 draft. He earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors in 2020, which triggered the proven-performance escalator on the way to a four-year, $13.5 million extension. The 26-year-old Bailey averaged career lows in yards per punt and net yards per punt through nine games in 2022. After a back injury, he went from injured reserve to the suspended list and had a grievance filed. Bailey has averaged 45.1 yards per punt with a net of 41.8 and a long of 60 for Miami.

NEW ENGLAND

DeVante Parker, wide receiver — Through six contests this season, Parker has drawn 23 targets and turned 14 into catches for 144 yards. The veteran wide receiver signed an extension through 2025 in July after recording 31 receptions for 539 yards and three touchdowns in his inaugural Patriots campaign. Selected at No. 14 overall in the first round of the 2015 draft by the Dolphins, Parker went on to catch 338 passes for 4,727 yards and 24 touchdowns during his stay. The former Louisville standout started 64 of his 93 games before being traded in an exchange of selections in the third and fifth rounds of the 2022 and 2023 drafts.

Mike Gesicki, tight end — Since agreeing to terms with the Patriots on a one-year deal in March, Gesicki has started four of his six appearances. Over that span, the 28-year-old tight end out of Penn State has caught 17 passes for 149 yards as well as the go-ahead touchdown with 12 seconds to go last Sunday afternoon. Originally drafted by the Dolphins in the second round back in 2018, Gesicki tallied 19 touchdowns during his stay, including January’s AFC wild card, with 17 tallied in the red zone. He accounted for 2,632 receiving yards along the way. The second tight end on the depth chart behind New England captain Hunter Henry, Gesicki has played 51 percent of the offensive downs.

Davon Godchaux, defensive tackle — Godchaux appeared in 52 games and made 42 starts for the Dolphins after touching down in the fifth round of the 2017 draft. The LSU Tiger’s final season on the other side of the AFC East ended on injured reserve only a handful of weeks in due to a torn bicep. He has gone on to start 40 of his 41 appearances on the defensive interior of the Patriots. A two-year, $20.8 million extension arrived during training camp in 2022. The 28-year-old’s stay with New England has brought 147 tackles, 2.5 sacks and one forced fumble.

Calvin Munson, linebacker — A member of New England’s practice squad, Munson has twice served as a standard elevation on special teams this fall. The San Diego State product entered the NFL with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He then earned a Super Bowl LIII ring on the practice squad in Foxborough before signing to the active roster in Miami Gardens in 2019. By 2021, Munson circled back to the Patriots before being awarded off waivers to Miami. After an injury settlement last year, he rejoined the Patriots for his third separate stint. The 28-year-old linebacker has played in 31 games while in the division. His NFL run includes 87 tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble.

Raekwon McMillan, linebacker — Placed on injured reserve after sustaining a partially torn Achilles in May, the Patriots reached a one-year contract extension with McMillan in August. He previously was extended while on injured reserve in 2021 following a torn ACL. The 27-year-old linebacker appeared in 16 games last season to record 35 tackles, his first sack and first return touchdown. Entering the league in the second round of the 2017 draft at No. 54 overall, McMillan missed his rookie season with an ACL tear before going on to start 28 games for the Dolphins. The former Ohio State captain’s tenure spanned 177 tackles, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020.

Breon Borders, cornerback — Signed to New England’s practice squad in September, Borders has made stops with double-digit organizations since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2017. The 28-year-old Duke product was claimed off waivers by Miami during the 2020 preseason. He returned to waivers that September at the league’s 53-man roster deadline. Through 32 career games, including six starts, Borders stands with 42 tackles to go with seven pass deflections, one interception and one fumble recovery in his career.