Live updates: What’s happening at Miami Dolphins practice. Waller comes off PUP
Live reports from Day 18 of Miami Dolphins preseason practices on Wednesday (it’s not called training camp this week). Please keep checking back for updates, which will be added at the bottom:
▪ The Dolphins activated Darren Waller off the physically unable to perform list on Wednesday morning, which gives him 2 1/2 weeks to practice before the Sept. 7 season opener at Indianapolis.
The Dolphins placed Waller on PUP at the start of camp — which prohibits a player from practicing — so he could get himself into NFL game shape, and reduce the risk of injury, after spending last season in retirement.
On Wednesday, Waller’s involvement mostly was limited to stretching and taking mental reps. He did not partake in 11-on-11 drills.
His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said on WSVN 7 that Waller will be ready to contribute in the season opener.
Offensive coordinator Frank Smith, who coached Waller with the Raiders, believes he can help quickly.
“My experience with him, the mental side is an extreme strength of his,” Smith said Tuesday. “Knowing where he needs to be, terminology, that for him is always just something that comes very natural to him because he’s used to having to line up everywhere, especially at the Raiders.”
“For him, really, coming back is just making sure that we’re getting him physically ready considering he had the year off,” Smith said. “So when it comes to him, just my experience with him, I’m not really worried about the mental aspect for the game because he is and probably will (forever) be one of the smartest players I ever coached.”
Waller, 32, has made one Pro Bowl appearance, as a member of the Raiders in 2020, when he caught 107 passes for 1,196 yards. He caught 52 passes for 552 yards for the Giants in 2023 before retiring the following June.
He came out of retirement on July 1, and the Giants traded Waller and a seventh-round pick to Miami for a sixth-round pick.
Rosenhaus said Waller called and told him he wanted to come out of retirement five days before the trade was consummated. General manager Chris Grier was quickly made aware of Waller’s interest in playing for Miami, where he has a home.
Even though he hasn’t been able to practice, the Dolphins have listed Waller as the starting tight end on the depth chart. Julian Hill, Pharoah Brown, Tanner Conner, Hayden Rucci and Chris Myarick are the other tight ends on the roster.
Update on Davis
▪ Safety Ashtyn Davis is working with trainers, and his left foot is out of a boot. He could return sooner than originally feared, but how soon is unclear.
▪ Center Andrew Meyer, who played very well early in camp, is wearing a brace on his left elbow and remains out. Mike McDaniel said last week that neither Meyer nor Liam Eichenberg is close to returning.
▪ Fullback Alec Ingold and linebacker Mo Kamara, who have both been in concussion protocol, are no longer wearing red non-contact jerseys. But inside linebacker Dequan Jackson is wearing a red non-contact jersey.
▪ New Dolphins linebacker Matthew Judon, who’s on the field, is wearing No. 8. That’s the jersey number previously assigned to running back Alexander Mattison, who’s out for the season after sustaining a neck injury in practice.
Two key players still out
▪ Receiver Tyreek Hill (oblique) and running back De’Von Achane (calf) did not practice. The Dolphins are being cautious with both of their injuries in advance of the regular season. Hill is wearing a helmet (but no pads) and catching passes off to the side.
Also, rookie defensive lineman Kenneth Grant hasn’t been spotted at practice. The reason for his absence wasn’t immediately clear.
Also absent from Wednesday’s session: Meyer and fellow offensive linemen Austin Jackson (he’s wearing a boot on his left foot -- which was stepped on in practice -- and the team expects him back for the opener), Addison West (rookie is a long-shot to make the 53) and Bayron Matos (he plans to play again but it’s uncertain if he will play this year, per his agent); cornerbacks Ethan Bonner (hamstring) and Kendall Sheffield (unknown reason) and safeties Davis and Dante Trader Jr.
Trader missed time with an injury earlier in camp and returned to play five snaps against Detroit on Saturday. McDaniel said Trader was not re-injured during the game but the team is being cautious with him.
▪ Center Aaron Brewer is wearing the orange jersey bestowed on the top performer in the previous day’s practice.
11-on-11 drills
▪ On the first play, cornerback Jack Jones nearly intercepted a Tua Tagovailoa pass, but Jaylen Waddle broke it up.
▪ Tagovailoa connected on a pass with rookie running back Ollie Gordon II, who had 80 catches for 585 yards and four touchdowns in three seasons at Oklahoma State. But later in the day, Gordon dropped a screen pass from Zach Wilson.
▪ Linebacker Derrick McLendon would have had a sack in a real game, but the play continued and safety Elijah Campbell picked off Zach Wilson on a high throw that was tipped by intended receiver Tahj Washington. Wilson has had five interceptions in 18 training camp practices and several near interceptions.
On the previous play, Wilson and Gordon had a fumbled exchange.
▪ Cornerback Cornell Armstrong broke up a Quinn Ewers pass. But Ewers then hit rookie receiver AJ Henning on a 50-yard bomb, beating safety John Saunders Jr.
▪ Jaylen Wright was stuffed no gain but then had a nice inside run behind the first team offensive line.
▪ Trainers are examining the right hand of rookie defensive lineman Zeek Biggers.
▪ Wilson hit Dee Eskridge for 20 yards on a nifty throw; Cam Smith was in coverage. Moments later, Wilson connected with Tahj Washington for 15 yards.
▪ Tagovailoa connected on a pass to Conner, who is making a case for a roster spot. But Tagovailoa’s accuracy was off on three consecutive passes, which is unusual for him.
▪ Receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine dropped a bubble screen.
Judon impresses
▪ Judon had two consecutive sacks on Wilson, including one that would have been a strip sack in a game. It was an impressive first day for Miami’s newest edge rusher.
▪ Chop Robinson had a near sack on one play, then deflected a Wilson screen pass at the line of scrimmage.
▪ Armstrong broke up an Ewers pass intended for Erik Ezukanma.
▪ Jaelan Phillips had a near sack (after overpowering Jaylen Wright) and then again got heavy pressure on Tagovailoa on the next play when he snuck around right tackle Larry Borom, who’s filling in for Jackson.
▪ Rookie defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, who has had some good moments over the past two weeks, limited Wright to a two-yard gain.
▪ Wilson connected with Ezukanma on two consecutive intermediate throws.
▪ Jack Jones had good coverage on a red zone play, forcing Tagovailoa to throw the ball away.
▪ Safety Elijah Campbell stopped Gordon at the line of scrimmage on a run from the 4-yard line.
▪ Defensive lineman Matthew Butler sacked Wilson.
▪ Rookie cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. broke up a Tagovailoa to Waddle pass in the end zone. Marshall has made good progress as he learns to play in the slot. The Dolphins say the former Florida Gators standout is now able to play boundary and inside cornerback.
Tough day for Tagovailoa
▪This was one of Tagovailoa’s worst days of preseason practices, marked by uncharacteristic inaccuracy. Tagovailoa, who overall had a good training camp, threw three interceptions in a joint practice with Chicago.
Jack Jones, who had a near interception of a Tagovailoa pass earlier in the day, tipped a Tagovailoa end-zone throw, resulting in an interception by Storm Duck. The pass was intended for Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.
▪ Defensive lineman Ben Stille deflected a Wilson pass at the line of scrimmage.
▪ Offensive tackle Kion Smith, who has played poorly in the two preseason games, left the field with a trainer.
This story was originally published August 20, 2025 at 10:30 AM.
