Kelly: Dolphins fortified roster last week, boosting many areas of concern | Opinion
The Miami Dolphins’ roster received a couple of substantial upgrades last week, which fortified the team’s depth in weak areas on the 2025 roster.
Miami added a much-needed backup left tackle in Kendall Lamm, two veteran running backs who are familiar with the offense in Jeff Wilson Jr. and JaMycal Hasty, a kicker who will hold the team down while Jason Sander’s hip injury heals in Riley Patterson, two veteran cornerbacks with size in Rasul Douglas and JuJu Brents and an athletic tight end in Greg Dulcich.
The roster will continuously be tinkered with because of injuries and opportunities that become available on the waiver wire, but the 2025 Dolphins are more prepared for this week’s start to the regular season than it was when training camp opened in late July.
Here’s an updated look at Miami’s depth chart.
▪ QUARTERBACKS (3): Tua Tagovailoa, Zach Wilson, Quinn Ewers (R)
▪ Analysis: Tagovailoa, who has led the NFL in passer rating (2022), yards passed for (2023) and completion percentage (2024), hasn’t had much time to develop chemistry with his top weapons because of injuries during the offseason and training camp. So don’t expect Miami’s offense to be humming right out the gate. Wilson provides the Dolphins a more experienced backup than they had in 2024, but there are areas of his game (accuracy and footwork issues) that need to be ironed out. Ewers, a 2025 seventh-round pick, will likely spend his rookie season running the scout-team offense, getting the first-team defense prepared each week.
▪ RUNNING BACKS (5): De’Von Achane, Jaylen Wright, Ollie Gordon II (R), Jeff Wilson Jr. (practice squad), JaMycal Hasty (practice squad).
▪ Analysis: Achane produced 1,499 yards and scored 12 touchdowns on his 207 carries and 78 receptions in 2024, and the expectation is that he will handle more of the backfield workload this season if he can stay healthy. Achane was shelved for three weeks of training camp because of a calf issue that hopefully won’t be problematic in the season. Wright, a 2024 fourth-round pick who gained 249 rushing yards on 68 carries last season, will miss the first month of the season while a surgically operated knee heals. That leaves Gordon, a powerful north-south runner who averaged 4.8 yards per carry on his 26 runs in the preseason, serving as Achane’s top backup. Expect Wilson to also be active for the season opener and beyond because of his familiarity with Miami’s playbook.
▪ RECEIVERS (8): Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Malik Washington, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Dee Eskridge, Tahj Washington, Theo Wease Jr. (practice squad), A.J. Henning (practice squad).
▪ Analysis: Hill and Waddle both had disappointing seasons for their talent level — and paychecks — collectively contributing 1,703 yards and eight touchdowns. That’s a far drop from their 2023 totals of 2,813 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns on 191 catches. Hill’s wrist and oblique injuries prevented him from developing chemistry with Tagovailoa this offseason, but it allowed Miami’s starting quarterback to improve on his bond with Malik Washington, who will likely become a regular contributor in year two. Westbrook-Ikhine and Wease are the only receivers in this unit who are over 5-foot-10, but most of Miami’s smaller receivers have the versatility to play all three receiver spots.
▪ TIGHT ENDS/FULLBACKS (6): Darren Waller, Julian Hill, Tanner Conner; fullback Alec Ingold, Greg Dulcich (practice squad), Hayden Rucci (practice squad)
▪ Analysis: Dolphins tight ends were targeted 25% of last year’s passing attempts, but that was an evolution forced by last year’s struggles. Jonnu Smith, who set every single-season franchise record for tight end productivity last season, has been traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami’s hopeful a soon-to-be 33-year-old Waller can replicate his productivity with little drop-off. Problem is, Waller has only practiced with the team for one week, which means Miami might be forced to rely on Hill and Conner early. Ingold’s presence should boost the run game, and Miami signed Dulcich to the practice squad last week hoping that the 21 games he’s played in and 10 starts he’s made the past three seasons will help fortify this unit’s troublesome depth.
▪ OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (13): LT Patrick Paul, LG Jonah Savaiinaea (R), C Aaron Brewer, RG James Daniels, RT Austin Jackson. Backups: OT Kendall Lamm, OT Larry Borom, OG Daniel Brunskill, OT Kion Smith, OG Liam Eichenberg (remains on PUP), C Andrew Meyer (placed on IR), Braeden Daniels (practice squad), Josh Priebe (practice squad).
▪ Analysis: The Dolphins possess a more physical starting offensive line courtesy of the power, size and athleticism both sides of the line possess. But without Terron Armstead on the line there’s nobody this unit can give a solo assignment to, which places the burden of responsibility on the entire unit, which began working together again last week once Jackson’s injured foot healed. Re-signing Lamm last week provides Miami a quality backup left tackle, which was missing from the roster during training camp. Pair him with Borom and Brunskill and the Dolphins has a respectable group of backups during the stretch of games Eichenberg and Meyers will miss because of their injuries. But the Dolphins would benefit from upgrading the practice squad talent. Maybe that happens when Meyers, who is sidelined by an elbow injury, is cleared to snap again.
▪ EDGE RUSHERS (7): Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb, Chop Robinson, Matthew Judon, Cameron Goode, Quinton Bell (practice squad), Derrick McClendon (practice squad)
▪ Analysis: The Dolphins’ possess four pass rushers in Phillips, Chubb, Robinson and Judon who could each produce eight or more sacks if they play 700 snaps a season, and it appears that foursome will have the opportunity to do so by working in an edge rusher rotation. Goode and Bell make this team because of their special teams contributions, and McClendon’s outstanding training camp earned him an extended stay on Miami’s practice squad. The hope this season is that Phillips and Chubb, who are both coming off troublesome knee injuries, can play the entire season, serving as impactful playmakers.
▪ DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (7): Zach Sieler, Benito Jones, Kenneth Grant (R), Jordan Phillips (R), Zeek Biggers (R), Matthew Butler, Alex Huntley (practice squad)
▪ Analysis: The Dolphins held opponents to 3.8 yards per carry and set a franchise record with 56 sacks in 2023. The yards-per-carry average ballooned to 4.4 yards per attempt, and Miami produced 35 sacks last season. The drastic change forced Miami to address the unit this offseason by selecting three defensive tackles in the draft to work with Sieler. Grant, Phillips and Biggers are all progressing at a respectable rate, and each should be capable of handling 400 snaps apiece for this defense. Butler and Huntley provide the unit adequate depth, but don’t be surprised if Miami upgrades the back end of this unit.
▪ INSIDE LINEBACKER (4): Jordyn Brooks, Tyrel Dodson, Willie Gay Jr., K.J. Britt
▪ Analysis: Brooks had one of the most productive seasons as an inside linebacker since Karlos Dansby was a Dolphin, and should take another step forward in Anthony Weaver’s defense this season. Dodson has the potential to play better than he did last season, when he contributed 36 tackles and three interceptions in the eight games he played for the Dolphins after being claimed off waivers at midseason. Gay, who has started 55 games in his NFL career (261 tackles, seven sacks and four interceptions) has shined in camp, and Britt is a strong special teams contributor who is better at defending the run than the pass. Miami presently has no depth in this unit because of other practice squad needs.
▪ CORNERBACK (9): Rasul Douglas, Storm Duck, Ethan Bonner, Jack Jones, Jason Marshall Jr. (R), Juju Brents, Isaiah Johnson (practice squad), Cornell Armstrong (practice squad), Cam Smith (NFI)
▪ Analysis: The Dolphins have a varying mix of experience and youth, size and speeders in this cornerback room. Douglas, who has started 80 games in eight seasons, Brents, who was claimed off the waiver wire, and Johnson are each over 6-foot-2, which should help Miami from a press coverage standpoint. Bonner, Jones and Armstrong have speed and unique ball skills. And Marshall, a 2025 fifth-round pick, is being groomed to become a nickel cornerback because of his size and physicality. Smith going on the NFI list because of struggles he was having during training camp is surprising, but not harmful to the secondary. Smith, a 2023 second-round pick, will have an opportunity to return to the team at some point in the season if he can get his mind right.
▪ SAFETY (7): Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ashtyn Davis, Ifeatu Melifonwu, Elijah Campbell, Dante Trader Jr. (R), Jordan Colbert (practice squad), John Saunders Jr. (practice squad)
▪ Analysis: Fitzpatrick is the versatile safety Miami’s entire secondary is built around, and Melifonwu, Davis and Campbell will apparently be utilized in roles that best play to their strengths, and compliments Fitzpatrick, a five-time Pro Bowl selection. Davis, who missed all but one week of training camp because of a left foot injury, is more physical than the other two, but might not cover the same amount of range. Melifonwu has experience playing nickel cornerback, and Campbell’s a former cornerback, whose coverage is his strength. Trader, Colbert and Saunders are all young safeties Miami’s coaching staff want to invest in this season.
▪ SPECIAL TEAMS (4): K Jason Sanders (placed on IR), P Jake Bailey, LS Joe Cardona, K Riley Patterson (practice squad)
▪ Analysis: Bailey beat out Ryan Stonehouse for the punter role, and Miami was forced to add Patterson to the practice squad because of the hip injury Sanders is rehabbing in September. Patterson has only missed two of the 45 field goals shorter than 40-yards he’s attempted in a game. He’s made 4 of 9 from 50-plus.
