Dolphins’ McDaniel reveals who’s returning this week, who’s not and more updates
The Dolphins will get back two young defensive backs when they practice against the Detroit Lions on Wednesday and Thursday.
Coach Mike McDaniel said Tuesday that third-year cornerback Cam Smith and rookie fifth-round safety Dante Trader Jr. will participate in the sessions in Michigan this week.
Smith has missed six practices and Sunday’s preseason opener with what is believed to be a soft-issue injury. After heading into camp trying to win a starter’s job, the former second-round pick is now fighting simply to make the team. Durability and inconsistent performance have been an ongoing issue with Smith, whose entire $1.4 million salary is non-guaranteed.
Trader, who flashed early in camp, has missed two weeks with a lower-body issue. With Ashtyn Davis out indefinitely with a leg injury, Trader is positioned to be Miami’s fourth safety behind Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Elijah Campbell, who all started in Sunday’s preseason opener against Chicago.
Campbell left Sunday’s game with an injury, but it’s not serious and he’s day to day, McDaniel said.
Meanwhile, McDaniel said two injured offense linemen — center Andrew Meyer and guard Liam Eichenberg — won’t be returning any time soon. Eichenberg is on the physically unable to perform list. Meyer had arguably been the best of the Dolphins’ offensive linemen in the first 10 days of camp, before sustaining an undisclosed injury.
McDaniel said it’s undetermined if receiver Tyreek Hill (oblique) and Jaylen Waddle and linebacker Jaelan Phillips will practice this week after sitting out Sunday’s game. They “are in the conversation to play,” McDaniel said.
Running back news
McDaniel said running Alexander Mattison, who is out for the year with a neck injury, is “doing well” and that the injury, which required surgery, is not career ending.
Asked how the Dolphins will handle short-yardage situations without Mattison, McDaniel said: “He wasn’t brought here to solve a problem. We weren’t solving any shortcoming of our game by any one player. Everyone has to step up.”
The Dolphins, in 2024, ranked at the bottom of the league in short down conversion percentage and highest percentage of negative runs.
De’Von Achane, Jaylen Wright and rookie Ollie Gordon II likely will all have opportunities in short-yardage. Gordon is the biggest physically of the three at 6-2 and 225 pounds.
Asked to assess Gordon’s play on Sunday, McDaniel said: “He did some good things with the ball in his hands. I recognized a lot of good things with his game. He’s tough to tackle, runs super hard. That’s why we drafted him. Rookies have to learn to play when the ball is not in their hands.
“This is all rookies in general. You can’t just be in the game [engaged] when you get the ball; you have to execute the necessary level of execution every other play. He ran some good routes, but the main thing is dependability and ability to align is where I want to see growth from him. I want to see his play flourish when he doesn’t have the ball as well.”
McDaniel said Mattison “was having a really good camp.”
The Dolphins signed two running backs who worked out for them on Monday: Mike Boone and Aaron Shampklin.
Boone, 29, has the more experience of the two new backs; he has averaged 5.0 yards on 117 career carries over 72 games. He has played for Minnesota, Denver, Houston and Carolina over an eight-year career. Last season, Boone had 13 carries for 59 yards (3.9 per carry) in six games for Carolina. His only two starts came as a member of the Vikings in 2019.
Shampklin, 25, has played only 28 NFL snaps on offense (in three games for Pittsburgh last season) and has six NFL carries, for 17 yards.
Neither Shampklin (5-10 and 195 pounds) nor Boone (5-10, 206) necessarily have the size or girth to replace the 5-11, 220-pound Mattison. But Boone has converted 10 of 17 short-yardage runs in his career. The Dolphins bypassed signing accomplished veteran Jamaal Williams, who also auditioned.
“When we work out guys, we base it on the facts that are presented in front of us,” McDaniel said, asked why Miami didn’t sign Williams. “We try to have the players set their opinion for us. We liked all the guys we worked out. Where we are in camp.. we were excited to add both Aaron and Mike. We are fortunate to have three young backs who are very hungry and excited about having the ball.”
McDaniel addressed other issues:
▪ On rookie left guard Jonah Savaiinaea’s play on Sunday against Chicago: “I was really pumped about Jonah’s play. He shows daily improvement.” McDaniel said if Savaiinaea is told something to improve on, he will take it to heart immediately.
▪ Tight end Darren Waller, who has been on the physically unable to perform list since the start of camp, will not participate in the joint practices his week. Waller is working his way back after coming out of retirement. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has said on WSVN 7 that he will be ready for the start of the season Sept. 7 at Indianapolis.
▪ The Dolphins held a walk-through on Tuesday. After joint practices with the Lions on Wednesday and Thursday, the teams will meet in their second preseason game on Saturday (1 p.m., CBS 4).
This story was originally published August 12, 2025 at 10:26 AM.
