Dolphins face conundrum at tight end. And another ‘24 internal issue revealed
Some quick Dolphins notes and thoughts on their only off day this week:
▪ Heading into camp, there was no position with greater uncertainty than cornerback. That’s still the case, in the wake of Kader Kohou’s season-ending knee injury. But on offense, tight end has become the spot with the least clarity and the most reason for concern.
Not only don’t the Dolphins know who will be their starting tight end, but nobody on the roster can be viewed as someone who will unquestionably be a key contributor in November. It’s a major change from past years, when Jonnu Smith — and before that, Mike Gesicki and Durham Smythe — gave Miami peace of mind at the position.
Several issues are at play:
1). The Dolphins won’t be getting Noah Fant, who was the best remaining available tight end. Fant is signing with the Bengals, NFL Network reported.
Coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday that the Dolphins were in the process of deciding whether to try to sign him after his visit to Dolphins headquarters Monday. He would have given Miami a clear-cut starting tight end, which the roster lacks.
2). Darren Waller, who has no guaranteed money on his one-year, $2 million contract (with another $3 million in incentives), remains on the physically unable to perform list while working his way back into football shape after a year in retirement.
It’s impossible to know Waller’s role — or determine what he has left — until he begins practicing.
3). Julian Hill, considered the front-runner to be the starting in-line tight end, seems in jeopardy of losing that job to Pharoah Brown. Either could be a 40-snaps-per-game player or off the team altogether.
4). Tanner Conner has done enough through a week to make a case for a fourth year with the team, but it’s early, and he’s competing against every tight end who will be cut in August.
5). Rookie Jalin Conyers missed practice this week with a leg injury and is out indefinitely. Hayden Rucci hasn’t made much of an impression.
The hope is that Waller can drink from the fountain of youth and flash some of the skills that made him a Pro Bowler in 2020. After a year off, that might be a stretch, though he’s only 32.
As for Hill, he has been merely decent in camp (he had a drop on Wednesday); the veteran Brown — a skilled blocker — is pushing him. Hill’s nine penalties last season were more than any player in the league, excluding defensive backs and offensive linemen, and in the top 20 overall.
“All those penalties — this year, I plan to cut that out,” he said.
Tight ends coach Jon Embree had a simple message for Hill after last season, when he had 12 catches for 100 yards in 16 games (including 11 starts): “You’ve got the talent. No more surviving; just thrive.”
Hill, who played 35% and 48% of the Dolphins’ offensive snaps in his first two seasons, said he’s ready to be a starting NFL tight end.
He said he has improved in “all areas — run blocking, understanding you don’t always have to put a guy on his back. You’ve got be physical but there’s a way to do it.”
The Dolphins have been effusive about his run blocking, even though Pro Football Focus said his run blocking grades were low. But they nevertheless signed Brown to compete with him.
“The beginning of last season, I started off shaky, undisciplined in a lot of areas because I was trying to overdo my job,” Hill said. “I wasn’t focused on just doing my job. Sometimes, that’s good enough. This offseason, focusing on that.”
As for Brown, he was particularly impactful early this week, when pads came on and also flashed in the passing game.
“Pharoah is the first vet I’ve seen come in and really grasp the blocking scheme,” Conner said. “He mauls people to death. I’ve been picking his brain a little bit, how he blocks, some of the nuances.”
▪ One of the most encouraging developments of camp has been the improvement of offensive lineman Patrick Paul, who is routinely winning 1-on-1 matchups.
“Pat, man, night and day from last year,” linebacker Quinton Bell said. “Pat has grown into a really good player. I’m excited that he’s going to be starting for us this year. He’s been great. We’re definitely having conversations in our room about the way he’s shooting his hands, his body and things he’s doing and that nature.”
▪ I found this comment from Conner interesting when he was asked if Mike McDaniel has changed:
“It’s the same Mike. I’ve been with him every since he’s been here. He’s genuine to himself and cares a lot about us and wants everyone to have a special career. Mike hasn’t changed at all. I think maybe the emphasis around him and respecting him more as players has changed as we’ve gotten some players out who might have not been as respectful.”
So are players showing McDaniel more respect? “The team is very bought in. They believe in Mike and what he wants to do.”
It’s widely known that cornerback Jalen Ramsey — who was traded to Pittsburgh in what the team called a mutual decision — sometimes showed up late. Conner didn’t name names, but Ramsey is high on any list of suspects.
▪ Conner assuredly wasn’t talking about Calais Campbell, who left for the Arizona Cardinals. Defensive tackle Benito Jones said Campbell’s mentorship is missed with the young players.
“I would love to have Calais here with them, slow them down, eliminate the plays he worried about the most,” Jones said.
Zach Sieler also has grown into a very good leader. At this point, I would be surprised if he doesn’t get a new contract in the weeks ahead.
▪ One of the fascinating stories of the early season will be whether first-round pick Kenneth Grant can become an above-average defensive tackle immediately. He’s very likely going to start, and his strength has been evident in 1 on 1 drills during camp.
“You get a sense of it for sure,” linebacker Bradley Chubb said. “You see power he brings, the quickness he has, being able to push the pocket up front as well. It’s going to be real in those preseason games. You see glimpses of it for sure.”
Jones said most rookies, by now, lose energy: “I’m looking for him to go in the tank, but he ain’t showed me he is going in the tank yet. He’s competitive, coming to work every day with a great mindset, being physical.”
▪ The possibilities of a Jaelan Phillips/Chubb/Chop Robinson pass rushing package are tantalizing, and Chubb said that lineup is going to “have offenses thinking. The things we can do with that package” are interesting and “we haven’t put everything that we have in. We’re seeing the possibilities. It’s a race to the quarterback. Nobody wants to be the last one there.”
▪ The Dolphins have challenged Cam Smith to get in better shape, and he suggested he has taken that to heart. “I’m doing better, making sure I’m conditioned for a 60-play game,” he said.
▪ Important for out of market Dolphins fans: NFL Network will carry the Dolphins’ first and third preseason games live (at Chicago Aug. 10, home to Jacksonville Aug. 23). As for Game 2 (1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16 at Detroit), that won’t air on NFL Network until 5 a.m. EST on Monday, Aug. 18.
CBS 4 in Miami will carry all three games live locally, with Steve Goldstein and Kim Bokamper on the call.
This story was originally published July 31, 2025 at 9:34 AM.
