Dolphins’ McDaniel addresses Kohou injury, cornerback additions, personnel
Dolphins cornerback Kader Kohou, who sustained a leg injury during Saturday’s practice, has some swelling and continues to be evaluated, coach Mike McDaniel said Monday.
Asked if he’s concerned if Kohou’s injury could carry into the regular season, McDaniel indicated he could not speculate because “I don’t have the information to lean any way.”
Kohou fell to the ground, and sat there for a couple of minutes after he got tangled up with Tyreek Hill during quarterback/receiver drills but ultimately was able to walk off the field under his own power. Kohou got up limping and fell to the ground after taking a few steps, then back got up.
He walked gingerly into the locker room with staff, a bit hobbled in his gait but not showing the pronounced limp from minutes earlier.
Meanwhile, rookie cornerback BJ Adams is in concussion protocol after leaving Saturday’s practice on a stretcher.
Adams “is doing well,” McDaniel said. “It was one of those random occurrences where you are chasing one receiver and some crossing patterns and there was an unintended collision.”
Rookie safety Dante Trader Jr., who has an undisclosed injury, might be held out until joint practices begin Aug. 8 in Chicago or the following week in Detroit, McDaniel said. “I want to see him on the field and not have a regression.
He said safety Ifeatu Melifonwu’s return is “not too far away,” and center Aaron Brewer will take part in walk-through practices this week as he continue to work his way back from a soft tissue injury . (Melifonwu is on the non-football injury list; Brewer is not on any list.)
McDaniel also addressed the additions of veteran cornerbacks Jack Jones and Mike Hilton, noting that they’ve been considering them for awhile.
“Mike Hilton comes with some scars from the other side of the ball,” McDaniel said, in terms of inflicting pain on opposing offenses. “Playing against him in years past, he was the one guy in the defensive backfield from a physicality standpoint, you’re like, I wish they wouldn’t be in nickel. I wish they had a linebacker on the play [instead]. That’s how physical he plays the game from the defensive back position. I was fired up he was an option. We’ve been talking for a while.”
As for Jones, McDaniel said: “I’ve said multiple conversations with Jack, including one at 6 a.m. in the special team’s coordinator’s office, about seizing opportunities and choosing to define your name and legacy by your actions. He’s eager to really compete. I like that about him. You can’t help but feel the standard the locker room holds you to. All those guys know to thrive on this team, their first job is to assimilate.”
Hilton, who played for Cincinnati last season, has been one of the league’s better slot corners through several seasons. Jones played very well in his first year in New England as a rookie in 2022, was cut a week after missing curfew in 2023 and caught on with the Raiders, where he played well in 2023 but was beaten too much in 2024.
“They’re very thirsty for the opportunity,” McDaniel said of Hilton and Jones.
McDaniel addressed other issues:
▪ On safety Minkah Fitzpatrick revising his contract, with $2 million of his 2026 salary moved up to 2025: “I’m pumped because... Minkah was steadily learning this defense and taking command in his leadership role.”
▪ He said left tackle Patrick Paul’s growth “has been monumental.”
▪ Rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers “is doing great,” McDaniel said. “A quarterback is a leader of men and you can tell there is a personality trait within him that teammates gravitate to. He’s really starting to grasp timing stuff. He has benefitted from Zach [Wilson].”
▪ Tight end Darren Waller, who is on the PUP list after coming out retirement, has had no setbacks and continues to progress.
“We are not allowing his [great] shape to trick us into thinking he’s in football shape,” McDaniel said.
Roster move
▪ The Dolphins waived running back Nate Noel to make room for Hilton. Noel, an undrafted rookie from Missouri, was fifth on the depth chart behind De’Von Achane, Jaylen Wright, Alexander Mattison and Ollie Gordon II.
Noel, who attended Miami Northwestern High, had 163 carries for 818 yards (5.0 per carry) last season in his one season in the SEC, after spending four years at Appalachian State.
This story was originally published July 28, 2025 at 8:38 AM.
