Where each Dolphins defender stands: Who should return and shouldn’t
The Dolphins finished the season ranked in the top 10 in nearly every significant category, yet potentially needing five new starters: two at safety, another lineman if Calais Campbell retires or leaves, a nose tackle superior to Benito Jones and an inside linebacker to play alongside Jordyn Brooks (a role that potentially could be filled by free agents Tyrel Dodson and Anthony Walker Jr.).
Assessing where the roster stands on defense:
Players who are no-brainers to return
▪ Defensive tackle Zach Seiler: Where would the Dolphins be if they hadn’t poached him off waivers from Baltimore five years ago? Already stout against the run, Sieler had 10 sacks this past season and 20 since the start of 2023, the most by any NFL interior lineman.
Among 132 qualifying interior defenders, Pro Football Focus ranks him 11th this season. Local media voted him team MVP.
The question is whether the Dolphins can slightly lower his $11.2 million 2025 cap hit, with Sieler staying at the same salary ($7.3 million) or perhaps getting a bump as part of an extension.
▪ Linebacker Brooks: He finished 10th in the league in tackles with 143 and was the Dolphins’ best inside linebacker since Zach Thomas. PFF rated him 22nd of 84 inside linebackers.
None of his $7.8 million is guaranteed next season, but bringing him back is a no-brainer. The Dolphins could try to lower his $10 million cap number by moving money around.
▪ Linebacker Jaelan Phillips: A major injury (this time, a knee) ended his season prematurely for the second consecutive year. Unless Phillips decides to take an undermarket deal as security in case of another injury, he will play next season on a $13.2 million fifth-year option. That money is already fully guaranteed.
If the Dolphins can sign Phillips at what they consider good value, extending him could be justified, not only to keep him from free agency in a year, but also to lower his $13.2 million 2025 cap number.
▪ Cornerback Jalen Ramsey: Moving on would be nonsensical. Not only is his $24.2 million salary fully guaranteed for 2025, but his reasonable cap hit of $16.7 million would jump to $44.2 million on Miami’s 2025 cap if he’s traded before June 1. And it’s foolish to trade one of your three best players, at a need area, for draft picks that might not materialize into anything good.
▪ Edge player Chop Robinson: The second half of his rookie season was quite encouraging. He has six sacks (all in the final 10 games) and his 18.8 pass rush win rate was seventh best among all NFL edge players (minimum 100 snaps).
Dolphins coaches say his run defense has been good enough; overall, PFF says he’s the 39th of 121 edge players. He’s due $960,000 next season, with a $3.4 million cap hit.
From the 2024 rookie class, Mo Kamara — who has played only 26 defensive snaps — also will be back.
▪ Restricted free agent cornerback Kader Kohou: He has had a very good season, with a 76 passer rating in his coverage area, best among rotation Dolphins cornerbacks. As a restricted free agent this offseason, he will be cheap to keep; he would be due $3.2 million if the Dolphins make him a right of first refusal offer.
▪ Cornerback Cam Smith: He’s likely to be on the team in training camp because of a modest rookie contract salary ($1.3 million) and cap hit ($1.9 million).
Smith — who began and ended the season on injured reserve — in between had a bloated 122.4 passer rating in his coverage area, with 16 completions in 19 targets for 174 yards and a touchdown. The Dolphins made clear he needs to get in better shape to lessen his risk of injury.
▪ Young defensive backs Storm Duck and Patrick McMorris: Duck (the undrafted 2024 rookie) and McMorris (the 2024 sixth-rounder) are both under contract for 2025, at $960,000, and the team likes their upside. Duck struggled late in the year, closing with a 104.5 passer rating in his coverage area.
No-brainers if they want to return
▪ Free agent defensive lineman Calais Campbell: An impending free agent, Campbell will drive this decision because he played brilliantly; PFF ranked him seventh among 123 defensive tackles this season.
The Dolphins want him back, though it very likely will cost more than the $2 million he accepted in May. He said he will make a decision by March and that he will strongly consider the Dolphins if he plays again.
Players whose futures require thought
▪ Outside linebacker Bradley Chubb: Though he has a big salary and hasn’t played in a year, moving on from a Pro Bowl-caliber pass rusher wouldn’t necessarily make sense with Phillips coming off an ACL injury.
Financially, it’s a tough call. Even though none of his $19.4 million 2025 salary is guaranteed, his $29.3 million cap number for 2025 drops only to $27.4 million (on Miami’s 2025 cap) if he’s cut or traded before June 1.
But it’s a $9.1 million 2025 dead money cap hit for Miami if he’s cut after June 1. Trouble is, the Dolphins couldn’t use any of that cap space when top free agents traditionally sign in March.
The prudent move for both parties would be another restructure that would free up some cap space. The Dolphins need Chubb and his skill set.
▪ Cornerback Kendall Fuller: It’s notable that none of his $6.4 million salary next season is guaranteed. And while he wasn’t bad (92.8 passer rating in his coverage area), the fact he was sidelined three times (twice for a concussion, and then a season-ending knee injury) is enough to justify a discussion about keeping him.
The Dolphins need the cornerback depth, and he’s still a solid starter, especially at that price tag and with a reasonable $8.3 million cap number that would drop only to $5.4 million in dead money if he’s cut before June 1.
▪ Free agent defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand: He was a consistently reliable backup, and there’s no reason for Hand to leave unless he finds a better offer elsewhere.
▪ Free agent safety Jevon Holland: Once viewed as a long-term centerpiece, Holland now seems likely to find greater riches elsewhere in free agency. Miami — with many holes to fill and less than $5 million in cap space — cannot afford to give him the rich contract he’s seeking.
And there’s less incentive to do it, after a year in which Holland created only one turnover (in the opener) and didn’t make any game-changing plays since September. PFF ranks him 67th among 96 safeties, far below his ranking earlier in his career.
He has a 111.3 passer rating in his coverage area (24 for 39 for 302 yards and three touchdowns).
▪ Free agent inside linebackers Walker Jr., Dodson and Duke Riley: Dodson made a strong case to return with a gem against Cleveland (15 tackles, one sack) and interceptions in the final two games.
Perhaps the Dolphins could get by next season with a cheap combination of Dodson and Walker opposite Brooks.
My early indication is that the Dolphins want to seriously consider other options before committing to either Dodson or Walker.
Riley could move on; he played only 42 defensive snaps (down from 392 a year ago).
▪ Linebacker Channing Tindall: The former third-round pick didn’t play a single defensive snap all season. There’s no harm in bringing him to camp, because his $1.4 million salary isn’t guaranteed and the $1.6 million cap hit is modest. But there’s no indication that Miami views him as a rotation player.
▪ Free agent cornerback Siran Neal: Signed a special teamer primarily, Neal played only 58 snaps on defense. This will come down to whether the Dolphins believe he was a difference-maker on coverage units.
▪ Free agent outside linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah: Signed in late-July after Shaq Barrett’s shocking retirement, Ogbah valiantly played through a torn biceps and was helpful. The sack numbers (5.0) didn’t match his best years with the Dolphins. He’s reliable, so a return on a low-money deal cannot be ruled out. PFF rated him 77th of 121 edge players.
▪ Free agent defensive tackle Jones: Though he improved somewhat after a poor start, the Dolphins need to upgrade over Jones, who started 15 games and wasn’t consistently good enough against the run. PFF ranked him 95th among 132 defensive tackles.
▪ Free agent safety Elijah Campbell: Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said he likes Campbell’s skill set and rewarded him by giving him 76 defensive snaps, mostly late in the season. He also has special teams value, and Miami figures to try to keep him on a low-money deal. He allowed two completions in four targets for four yards. Campbell would like defensive playing time -- here or elsewhere.
▪ Free agent linebacker Cam Brown: Signed from the Giants primarily for his work on special teams, Brown missed the season with an undisclosed injury.
▪ Exclusive rights free agent/edge rusher Cameron Goode: The Dolphins control his rights and Weaver said he likes the skill set. So investing another year at low money makes sense. He played 12 defensive snaps in three December games, his first game action since rupturing an Achilles’ last Jan. 7.
▪ Restricted free agent linebacker Quinton Bell: Though he didn’t match the production of training camp practices, he did enough, especially against the run, to likely warrant a return on a low-money deal. PFF ranks him 59th of 121 edge defenders.
▪ Defensive tackles Neil Farrell and Matt Dickerson and free agent linebacker Tyus Bowser: All are eminently replaceable, though Farrell was signed to a futures contract; the other two are free agents.
Unlikely to return
▪ Free agent safety Jordan Poyer: The Dolphins added the former Bills Pro Bowler well past his prime, and he permitted a team-worst 130.1 passer rating in his coverage area (24 of 33, for 294 yards and three TDs) and missed six tackles.
This story was originally published February 5, 2025 at 12:49 PM.
