Dolphins coaches dish on safety and corner decisions, tight end, personnel issues
News and notes from Thursday’s session with five Dolphins assistant coaches:
▪ The Dolphins’ first unofficial depth chart listed Ashtyn Davis as a starting safety (ahead of Ifeautu Melifonwu) and Jack Jones as a starting cornerback (ahead of Rasul Douglas and others).
So can we presume that Davis and Jones will be starters on Sunday at the Colts (1 p.m., CBS 4)?
Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said that’s “still in flux a little bit.”
But Weaver gave a clue about Jones, saying he “has done a great job. Really excited to see him play on Sunday.”
Storm Duck is expected to start at one cornerback position.
Douglas, who joined the Dolphins early last week, has grasped the playbook because “his football acumen is so high,” Weaver said. “How much he will play, to be determined. But I wouldn’t be surprised if I see him on the field.”
It’s possible that Davis and Melifonwu could each get defensive snaps opposite starter Minkah Fitzpatrick. And Weaver has always been a fan of safety Elijah Campbell. (Davis has been working in practice on a limited basis as he works back from a calf injury.)
“We’ve got a really good room of safeties,” Weaver said. “At some point, they’re all going to play because they all deserve to play.”
One option would be opening with three safeties (Fitzpatrick, Davis, Melifonwu), with Fitzpatrick in the slot.
Weaver said rookie Jason Marshall Jr., who was the Dolphins’ top nickel/slot corner to end preseason, has “quiet confidence. He’s not overly boisterous. He very rarely makes the same mistake twice.”
And from a skill standpoint, he’s “physical” and has good “change of direction, size, straight line speed. Has all the qualities to be a very good nickel and outside corner.”
Weaver said Melifonwu, Fitzpatrick and linebacker Willie Gay Jr. also can play the nickel role.
“We are a little positionless,” Weaver said. “We have a lot of tweeners on the defense, but that gives us a lot of flexibility.”
▪ Has Gay Jr. done enough that the team wants to create a regular package of snaps for him?
“Hell yeah,” inside linebackers coach Joe Barry said. “Willie specifically is an elite backup. He’s Jordyn Brooks’ backup on paper. His football knowledge has been really impressive getting to know him. I thank God we have him as a backup. He’s a chess piece for us that we are going to be able to use all over the place.”
▪ Weaver, on new cornerback Juju Brents, who was claimed off waivers from the Colts last week: He has “physicality, length. He’s a guy that can match up on certain receivers and he can take them away, especially if he can win at the line of scrimmage. Tackles [well]. A lot of things he does well carry over to our defense.”
▪ If tight end Darren Waller — who is listed on the injury report with a hip issue — cannot contribute much on Sunday, the Dolphins would have only two available tight ends — Tanner Conner and Julian Hill.
But offensive coordinator Frank Smith said that’s “not a worry or problem.”
[Update: Waller was not seen during the media viewing of practice on Thursday.]
The Dolphins likely need to use their elevations on kicker Riley Patterson and a running back (Jeff Wilson Jr. or JaMycal Hasty).
But they could create a roster spot for practice squad tight ends Greg Dulcich or Hayden Rucci by cutting a player or placing running back Jaylen Wright or cornerback Ethan Bonner on injured reserve, which would sideline either player four games.
▪ Smith raved about second-year receiver Malik Washington: “His route running [stands out]. He’s very diligent how he does everything.”
▪ Bobby Slowik, the new pass game coordinator, studied every Dolphins offensive play in 2022 and 2023 and 2024. “2023 was unbelievable watching that film” and how explosive that offense was.
So has Slowik suggested ideas to get the Dolphins back to their 2022 and 2023 levels?
“We have conversations,” he said. But “very little of what we talk about is scheme related. It’s technique and fundamentals.”
▪ In 2021, Patterson spent six weeks on New England’s practice squad when the Dolphins’ holder/punter (Jake Bailey) and long snapper (Joe Cardona) played for the Patriots.
That has eased his transition as Patterson begins his stint as the Dolphins’ interim kicker, replacing the injured Jason Sanders.
New special teams coach Craig Aukerman said it was a “pretty easy decision” to select Patterson from a workout of four veteran kickers because “Riley made all [13 of] his kicks” during his audition.
The longest kick attempted during the tryout was 58 yards.
The other veterans who auditioned that day: Greg Joseph, Zane Gonzalez and Eddy Piniero.
Sanders is expected to miss at least four games with a hip injury.
▪ If receiver Dee Eskridge (concussion) isn’t ready for Sunday, there are backup kickoff return options beyond primary returner Malik Washington, who averaged 30 yards on 14 kickoff returns last season.
Aukerman mentioned running back Ollie Gordon II and receiver Tahj Washington. Tyreek Hill is willing to do it as well.
▪ Weaver, a Notre Dame alum, had a playful non-monetary bet with former Canes linebacker Jaelan Phillips about the UM-Notre Dame game. Because Notre Dame won, Weaver said he will be required to wear a UM jersey in the coming days.
▪ Linebacker Channing Tindall, the former third-round pick who was released last week, met with Chris Grier, Mike McDaniel, inside linebackers coach Joe Barry and Weaver when he was released last week.
“It’s a bummer because going into this, [I told him] ‘this is the first time you had back-to-back coordinators in your career,’” Barry said. “He did improve. I thought he played well. It’s a numbers game. He’s got four pretty good guys in front of him.”
The Dolphins did not add Tindall to the practice squad and he remains unemployed.
This story was originally published September 4, 2025 at 12:05 PM.
