The buzz on several Dolphins players that bear watching Sunday
The buzz on a dozen players I’m eager to see when the Dolphins begin preseason on Sunday at Chicago (1 p.m., CBS 4):
▪ Second-round rookie guard Jonah Savaiinaea: The early work has been uneven — better some days than others. Barring a terrible preseason, he’s going to start at left guard.
The Dolphins need him to be an immediate success, because the other healthy options (Kion Smith, Daniel Brunskill) aren’t particularly appealing. Liam Eichenberg remains out indefinitely.
“I really like everything this young man is made of [but] he’s going through growing pains,” former Dolphins left tackle Terron Armstead said on his podcast. “The Set with T-Stead,” after watching Dolphins practice from field level in recent days.
“He’s finding pass protection from [Zach] Sieler, [Kenneth] Grant, their length is causing him early problems in 1-on-1s. It’s been different in team periods, which is what you want to see. But in 1 on 1s, they’ve been able to attack him and get push.”
▪ First-round rookie defensive tackle Kenneth Grant: The Dolphins like his intelligence, strength, the quickness he possesses for a 335-pounder, his studiousness and his ability to play multiple positions. Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said Grant has been “awesome. You’ve seen the impact he can have both in the middle of the pocket as a run defender and as a pass rusher.”
But when defensive line coach Austin Clark said “he’s working himself into shape,” it raised eyebrows. He has been solid in camp, but lineman Zach Sieler and a bunch of linebackers have had more tackles for loss than Grant.
Grant’s skill set is visible in flashes: “You see glimpses… You see the power he brings, the quickness he has, being able to push the pocket up front,” linebacker Bradley Chubb said. “It’s going to get real in those preseason games.”
The big question is whether he will be an impact run-stuffer immediately and whether he will have the stamina to log heavy snap loads in the South Florida heat. A lot is riding on those answers.
“The Dolphins need you to play this year,” Armstead said. “You don’t get to redshirt. I saw your power in the passing game. You will start off the year a better rusher than people think you will be. You have to play a lot of snaps.”
▪ Cornerback Storm Duck: Of all the cornerbacks competing for a starting job, Duck has made the strongest case. Tyreek Hill raves about him.
“Duck is going to be a starter in this league for years to come,” Armstead said. “He’s a real pro. He’s not the fastest or the most athletic, but he is the most competitive. He comes to work every day wanting to take on Tyreek [Hill] and [Jaylen] Waddle. I love it. I’m a big Storm Duck fan.”
Duck played 358 defensive snaps last season, starting three games and allowed a bloated 104.5 passer rating in his coverage area. He has good instincts, and his position coach said his ability to anticipate throws has improved.
▪ Rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers: There have been pinpoint throws — good touch and accuracy — that make you believe he can, at some point, become more than an NFL backup.
His arm is plenty strong enough, he can read defenses and he seems to have improved his pocket awareness while outplaying Zach Wilson at least half the time, if not more, during camp.
The transition has been easier because, as Texas coach Steve Sarkisian noted, “systematically, what Coach [Mike] McDaniel does is very similar to what we do.”
For all the inconsistencies (particularly in an SEC title game and three playoff games) that caused him to drop to the seventh round, you also see why he went 27-9 as a starter and how he was excellent (24 for 36, 246 yards, three TDs and no interceptions) in a 21-12 win at Michigan last September.
Perhaps the injuries (an oblique and high ankle sprain) held him back in college more than shortcomings in his game.
This offense “is a very good fit for him,” ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller said. “What he’s able to do is stand in the pocket, play on time, play in rhythm. That’s what Mike McDaniel wants.”
He remains an acquired taste — ESPN’s Louis Riddick has said: “I don’t ever see him being a starter in the NFL quite honestly” — but the training camp performance has indicated, at the very least, that he has NFL talent.
▪ Running back Ollie Gordon II: The affable rookie sixth-rounder already has become a favorite of teammates: “Everybody likes him,” Armstead said.
Though Alexander Mattison has been the best of the backup running backs, Gordon has looked better than Jaylen Wright, in our view.
“He’s built like a pass rusher — long arms,” Armstead said. “I saw explosive plays out of Ollie Gordon every period. Every period, he was breaking through the line of scrimmage, getting to the third level.”
▪ Cornerback Ethan Bonner: It’s now or never for the third-year player from Stanford, who has played just 27 defensive snaps over two seasons. He hasn’t necessarily stood out in camp, but coaches remain intrigued by the combination of size (6-1) and above-average speed.
This camp, he said, is “the best and most comfortable I’ve felt on a field.” He said he has improved in one area that coaches emphasized: “My press technique. We like to press a lot as a defense. That was a big offseason focus for me… I think I’m playing well.”
Then Bonner said something that you don’t hear often from bubble players, when asked if the goal is simply making the team or starting: “I want to start and I want to play, if it’s here or somewhere else. I want to be in Miami… [Ultimately], I want to be on the field.”
Armstead noticed he’s “cleaning up his technique.”
▪ Undrafted rookie cornerbacks BJ Adams and Ethan Robinson: They haven’t made the immediate impact that Kader Kohou and Nik Needham had as rookies. But there’s still time.
“BJ doesn’t get shaken,” cornerbacks coach Mathieu Araujo said. “He thinks he’s going to win every rep and he’s got the ability to win every rep. He’s got that mindset you need to play on the outside. Ethan on the inside is extremely versatile, has great technique.”
Armstead predicts the Dolphins will “make another signing [at cornerback], maybe even a trade. “I would like to see another acquisition.” For now, Duck and journeyman Kendall Sheffield are the starters on the depth chart.
▪ Rookie receivers Theo Wease Jr. and Andrew Armstrong: The two productive former Southeastern Conference receivers were high priorities for Miami as undrafted free agents, both snagged within five minutes of the draft ending. Twelve teams made offers for Armstrong, and the Dolphins offered the most guaranteed money ($234,00) to each of them.
Receivers coach Robert Prince said they were targeted in part because “both of them are big bodies.” (Armstrong is 6-4, Wease 6-2.)
“I always watched Tyreek Hill growing up and I wanted to learn from him and Jaylen Waddle,” Armstrong said this week.
Wease has been the most impressive of the four rookie receivers; he has developed a fabulous chemistry with Ewers.
▪ Safety John Saunders Jr.: The undrafted rookie, who received $100,000 guaranteed from the Dolphins moments after the draft, has validated his reputation of being a ballhawk.
He intercepted three passes each of the past two years at Mississippi and forced an SEC-leading four fumbles last season. Over the past week, he intercepted an Ewers pass and forced a fumble by Wright.
“I’m going to force fumbles, catch interceptions when thrown to me,” Saunders said, noting that he has closely watched Miami Hurricanes tape of the late, great safety Sean Taylor.
Even with Ashtyn Davis likely out weeks, there might not be a roster spot behind Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ifeatu Melifonwu, Elijah Campbell and rookie fifth-rounder Dante Trader Jr., who has been injured. Saunders is competing with Patrick McMorris and Jordan Colbert for the No. 5 safety job, if the Dolphins even keep five.
▪ Left tackle Patrick Paul, who has taken a monumental jump, belongs on this list, too. There are others who intrigue, including two players who missed their rookie seasons with torn knee ligaments — edge rusher Grayson Murphy (Jaelan Phillips calls him “probably the best pure pass rusher on the team”) and receiver Tahj Washington. Also, keep an eye out for second-year edge player Derrick McLendon, who has a handful of sacks in camp. McLendon and Murphy are making a push for backup edge jobs.
This story was originally published August 7, 2025 at 10:24 AM.
