Clock ticking on Dolphins’ most-ballyhooed undrafted rookies. And Fins grades
Some Dolphins notes on a Tuesday, as the team prepares for joint practices with the Lions in Detroit on Wednesday and Thursday and Saturday’s game at Ford Field (1 p.m., CBS 4):
▪ The clock is ticking on several undrafted rookie Dolphins who received sizable financial guarantees immediately after the draft.
Miami gave its largest guarantees to receivers Andrew Armstrong and Theo Wease Jr., but both are facing uphill struggles to make the 53. Wease, who had one catch for 5 yards in the preseason opener, has had a good camp but is chasing Dee Eskridge and potentially Tahj Washington for the fifth and sixth receiver jobs.
Armstrong didn’t have a catch on two targets against Chicago and needs a big final two weeks of camp to challenge for something more than the practice squad.
Twelve teams pursued Armstrong after the draft, and the Dolphins offered him the most guaranteed money ($234,000). With good size (6-4) and a strong catch radius, Armstrong has flashed during training camp.
“I felt this was the right place to be,” he said. “I always watched Tyreek Hill growing up, and I wanted to learn from him and Jaylen Waddle…”
Armstrong appreciated that new receivers coach Robert Prince called Armstrong before the draft “trying to build a relationship.”
Armstrong — who led the SEC in receptions (78) and receiving yards (1,140) at Arkansas last season — offers his own scouting report, on request:
“I use my body as a tall receiver; I use my strength to my advantage against corners. I have great hands. I [can catch] any type of ball that comes my way. Dropping my hips is something I really focused on coming here because I know going against NFL DBs will be much more difficult.”
The only negative: “I’ve never played special teams in my life,” he said.
Armstrong has dealt with tragedy. His brother, Arthur Lee Armstrong Jr., who, his family said was suffering from mental illness, was shot and killed by police in DeSoto, Texas last December.
“I know he wanted this football thing for me as bad as I want it for myself,” he said. “Every day, I do it for him. He was my big brother.”
Here’s our story on Wease, who also received a $234,000 guarantee from the Dolphins.
Of the Dolphins other undrafted rookies, two others received at least $150,000 guaranteed: rookie cornerbacks Ethan Robinson ($175,000) and BJ Adams ($150,000). Both are fighting for the fifth or sixth cornerback job.
▪ Among Dolphins players who received at least 10 defensive snaps on Sunday, Pro Football Focus rated these as the top five performers against Chicago: cornerback Isaiah Johnson (29 snaps), cornerback Ethan Bonner (11 snaps), fifth-round rookie defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (28 snaps), cornerback Storm Duck (21 snaps) and rookie first-round defensive lineman Kenneth Grant (22).
Edge player Grayson Murphy played the most defensive snaps (54) and graded out decently, per PFF.
Among defenders who played at least 10 snaps, PFF gave its worst grades to rookie safety John Saunders Jr. (38), rookie defensive lineman Alex Huntley (11), cornerback Cornell Armstrong (17), linebacker Channing Tindall (44) and rookie cornerback Ethan Robinson (22), who was rated worst.
PFF rated Phillips as Miami’s top run defender on Sunday, with cornerback Jack Jones second, linebacker Dequan Jackson third and Grant fourth.
In pass coverage, among players targeted on more than one throw, Tindall allowed the worst passer rating (115.0/4 for 5 for 58 yards).
▪ Here were the passer ratings against Dolphins cornerbacks, from worst to best on Sunday, per PFF: Mike Hilton (118.8, one completion in one target for 18 yards); BJ Adams (112.5/one TD allowed), Cornell Armstrong (112.5/2 for 2 for 22 yards), Ethan Robinson (95.8/one TD allowed), Jack Jones (87.5/1 for 1 for 5 yards); Duck (83.3/3 for 3 but just 12 yards), Isaiah Johnson (56.3/1 for 2 for 1 yard), rookie Jason Marshall Jr. (39.6/0 for 2 against him), Bonner (39.6/0 for 1) and Kendall Sheffield (0.0 because he wasn’t targeted).
Duck and Sheffield started Sunday’s game. Jones and Bonner were the second-team corners. Cam Smith is returning this week after missing six practices.
▪ Among players who logged at least 10 snaps on offense against Chicago, PFF graded these five as the best: receiver Tahj Washington (15 snaps), left tackle Patrick Paul (24), offensive lineman Braeden Daniels (23), quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (16) and receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (24).
And PFF graded these five as the worst: quarterback Quinn Ewers (30), offensive lineman Jalen McKenzie (23), quarterback Zach Wilson (22), offensive tackle Germain Ifedi (14) and guard/tackle Kion Smith (29).
▪ Rookie guard Jonah Savaiinaea played the most snaps of any Dolphins player on offense (35) and yielded two pressures and a sack in 20 pass-blocking snaps.
Meanwhile, Ifedi permitted four pressures and a sack in just 11 pass-blocking chances. Smith struggled badly, allowing seven pressures and two sacks in 21 pass blocking snaps.
Paul didn’t permit a sack or quarterback pressure on 11 pass-blocking snaps. “He looked very sharp in his 24 plays,” NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger said. “Great size yet he moves so easily. He has everything it takes to be as good as he wants.”
PFF rated Paul, Westbrook-Ikhine and Daniels as the Dolphins’ top three run blockers on Sunday. Among offensive linemen who played at least 10 snaps, Savaiinaea, Josh Priebe and Larry Borom were rated the three worst run blockers.
▪ Do the Dolphins have a bleak future?
ESPN, in its annual Future Power Rankings, asked four of its experts (Ben Solak, Louis Riddick, Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder) to rank teams based on how well positioned they are to win from 2025 through 2027.
The Dolphins were ranked 24th at 72.1. A grade of 70-79 is average; 51 to 69 is “very bad.”
Solak said the reason for hope is “the young talent and speed of running back De’Von Achane and wideout Jaylen Waddle sill spell a dangerous offense for Miami, even as the rest of the roster ages. On the other side of the ball, edge rusher Chop Robinson had the sort of high-pressure season that foreshadows an ascension to stardom and double-digit sack seasons.”
Riddick said the “the concern begins with the health and effectiveness of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Coach Mike McDaniel has to construct an offense around Tagovailoa that is more balanced and diverse when it comes to speed. On defense, the health and availability of players such as edge rushers Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb have to be monitored closely if Miami is going to become a serious contender.”
Here’s our Tuesday story with injury news and other updates from coach Mike McDaniel.
This story was originally published August 12, 2025 at 3:13 PM.
