MIAMI -- The Dolphins placed starting cornerback Byron Jones on the reserve/physically unable to perform list Tuesday as they finalized their initial 53-man roster, after he missed all of training camp with an Achilles injury.
His placement on the PUP list means he will miss at least the team's first four games of the regular season.
Jones underwent surgery on his left Achilles tendon in March to clean up a lingering injury he dealt with during the 2021 season. A source told ESPN at the time that Jones was expected to be ready for training camp in July but was never activated off the PUP list.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel was asked about Jones' status before the team's second preseason game and said they remained "hopeful" Jones would be ready for Week 1 and had begun the process of running and doing individual drills separate from the team.
"He's exactly where we thought he would be at this point with some change of direction stuff being incorporated on a daily," McDaniel said Aug. 16. "But in terms of football drills, whether he's peddling or running or moving side to side, he's just moving."
Without Jones, who signed a five-year, $82 million contract with Miami in 2020, former first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene has received a majority of the starter reps throughout the preseason. Also competing for the job are offseason signee Keion Crossen and Nik Needham, who is Miami's starting nickelback.
Igbinoghene has been the targeted defender on 42 routes over the past two season, allowing 26 catches for 440 yards and four touchdowns.
Miami plays the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals to start the season; the Bills and Bengals ranked 9th and 7th in passing yards per game last season, respectively.
In other roster moves Tuesday, the Dolphins waived wide receivers Lynn Bowden Jr. and Preston Williams.
Bowden was a third-round draft selection of the Raiders in 2020 and was traded to the Dolphins later that year. He had 28 receptions for 211 yards as a rookie with Miami but missed all of last season with a hamstring injury.
Williams had 56 receptions for 787 yards and seven touchdowns with the Dolphins since signing with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2019.