Dolphins start minicamp, sign all but one draftee and undrafted free agents
The Miami Dolphins began rookie minicamp Friday with a host of signings.
Here’s what you need to know:
▪ The Dolphins signed seven draft picks including defensive tackles Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips and Zeek Biggers, cornerback Jason Marshall Jr., safety Dante Trader Jr., running back Ollie Gordon II and quarterback Quinn Ewers.
▪ Grant, a first-round pick, got a four-year deal worth just less than $22 million with a $12.6 million signing bonus, according to Over The Cap. He’s the only draftee that has a fifth-year option on his deal, which is standard for all first-round picks.
▪ Phillips, who was the first of Miami’s three fifth-round picks, signed a four-year deal worth $4.65 million and received a $458,000 signing bonus. Marshall received a four-year deal worth $4.62 million and received a $425,000 signing bonus. Trader signed for $4.61 million and received a $414,784 signing bonus.
▪ Gordon signed a four-year deal worth $4.47 million and received a $272,664 signing bonus.
▪ Biggers inked a four-year deal worth $4.33 million, and received a $131,576 signing bonus.
▪ Ewers, the final draftee, received a four-year deal worth $4.3 million and received a $101,668 signing bonus.
▪ The only drafted rookie who hasn’t signed is offensive linemen Jonah Savaiinaea, a second-round pick.
▪ Miami also signed 16 undrafted free agents including linebacker Eugene Asante, tight end Jalin Conyers, long snapper Kneeland Hibbett, running back Nate Noel, safety John Saunders Jr., defensive tackles Alex Huntley and Tre’vonn Rybka, wide receivers Andrew Armstrong, Monaray Baldwin, AJ Henning and Theo Wease Jr., offensive linemen Tedi Kushi, Addison West and Josh Priebe as well as cornerbacks BJ Adams and Ethan Robinson.
▪ The Dolphins signed long snapper Joe Cardona. A fifth-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2015, Cardona has 13 special teams tackles, seven of which are solo, and one forced fumble over his career.
THIS & THAT:
▪ The Dolphins’ two safety signings — Ashtyn Davis and Ifeatu Melifonwu — have a combined 30 starts during the past four seasons. That would mean Trader, the Dolphins’ fifth-round pick in 2025, has a real shot to start.
Trader, however, isn’t worried about where he falls on the depth chart just yet.
“They’re respectable players,” Trader said. “They did their time in the league and they’re in the league for a reason. They’ve started for a reason. I’m just worried about me and my process. I’m going to lean on them guys and try to get the most out of them regardless of what the depth chart or whatever it is.”
▪ One of the traits that immediately stood out about Savaiinaea is his versatility.
The 21-year-old rookie has played every single position along the offensive line outside of center. While he will likely slide in at either guard spot, Savaiinaea doesn’t necessarily think that his time at various offensive line positions was necessarily a knock.
“I look at it just being a selfless teammate,” Savaiinaea said. “I told the guys at Arizona, even my quarterback, Noah, that wherever they want me to be at, I’ll play there for them.”
▪ Although Ewers didn’t expect to fall to the seventh round, the former University of Texas quarterback will use his slide as motivation.
“It is what it is at the end of the day and I have the same opportunity as everyone else does,” Ewers said. Rookie minicamp will be his opportunity “to lead all of these rookies” and “get noticed.”
▪ Phillips has previously waxed poetically about Trader, his former University of Maryland teammate. The safety returned the favor Friday afternoon, calling Phillips a “dawg” and a “sponge.”
“This guy broke like three sleds at the University of Maryland so that gives you a picture of how strong he is,” Trader said, calling Phillips “the hardest worker I’ve ever been around.”
Added Trader: “Say we have a 7 a.m. lift. He probably already lifted with the freshman group at 5:30 then joined his group and still watch film. Then stay late night with me and then go home and do it all over. He sustains it. ‘Working hard’ — we need another category or a word of it. Like it’s extreme.”
▪ Several Dolphins veterans stopped by minicamp to check out the rookies. The list includes Davis, Melifonwu, tackle Patrick Paul, cornerback Kader Kohou, center Aaron Brewer and defensive tackle Matt Dickerson.
This story was originally published May 9, 2025 at 12:31 PM.
