Dolphins explain changes they have made in playing time and onside kick mishap
Having won four of their past five heading into Sunday’s game at the Jets, the Dolphins are leaning into youth more at defensive tackle but less in the defensive backfield.
The Dolphins’ three rookie defensive tackles are now playing the most snaps on the line, behind only Zach Sieler.
But in the defensive backfield, Miami has moved toward using all veterans for major roles after showcasing rookies Dante Trader Jr. and rookie Jason Marshall Jr. earlier in the season. The two rookies played a combined nine defensive snaps against the Saints.
“The cohesion we have with those three veterans in the back end is strong,” defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said. “Because of their football acumen, they can correct a lot of things in real time. With rookies, sometimes [there’s a] glitch in the matrix, where it takes a little time to process.
“Trader is a stud. He’s going to play. His numbers will vary game to game. We haven’t lost faith in him or Jason. Those young bucks will play a lot of meaningful football late in the road.
“But we want to make sure at this point of the season, backs against the wall, that those guys are experienced to play at a high level.”
As for the defensive line, rookies Kenneth Grant and Jordan Phillips continue to play a lot, and seventh-rounder Zeek Biggers logged a season-high 31 snaps against New Orleans. Why did the Dolphins wait until the past three games to start using Biggers?
“We don’t play Madden,” Weaver said. “I can’t put [a rookie] on the field and they [don’t] know where to go [automatically]. There’s growth and maturation there. It’s a credit we got him where we did” in the seventh round.
The Dolphins also needed to feel comfortable with Biggers’ run defense before inserting him in the rotation ahead of Matthew Butler, who played a lot earlier in the season. Butler could play some Sunday if Benito Jones’ ankle injury sidelines him; Jones wasn’t spotted at practice on Thursday.
Biggers has logged 19, 23 and 31 defensive snaps the past three games after playing just six defensive snaps in the first nine games. He has 10 tackles and half a sack since he started playing more.
“Zeek put in a ton of work; even from his body composition standpoint, he looks different,” Weaver said. “Credit to the work he’s done on and off the field. He’s taken enormous strides in run defense. His pass rush has been there. His run defense has gotten so much better. He has all the potential in the world.”
Achane player of the month
Running back De’Von Achane won the AFC Offensive Player of the Month award for the first time in his career. Tyreek Hill was the last Dolphins player to win that award, in October 2023.
Achane led the NFL with 495 rushing yards on 79 carries (6.3 avg.) and three touchdowns in three November games, while adding 17 receptions for 135 yards for a total of 630 yards from scrimmage from Weeks 9 to 13. His 630 yards from scrimmage were the most in the AFC, while his 6.3 rushing average led the conference and ranked second in the NFL in that span.
▪ Why did two or three Dolphins seemingly not try to grab the Saints’ onside kick against the Dolphins on Sunday?
Special teams coach Craig Aukerman said he is certain his players knew the rules but “we’ve got to be more aggressive going after the ball. That’s why we put skill players out there. Nick [Westbrook-Ikhine] looked like he was going to go after it, felt it was too hot. Nick was thinking: Do I really go after that ball? Do I not?”
Cameron Goode hesitated to touch it, thinking Westbrook-Ikhine might. Referees ruled that Goode touched the ball, which gave the Saints possession. Goode insists he didn’t touch the ball. The only way the kicking team can recover an onside kick that doesn’t go 10 yards is if the other team touches the ball first.
“They all know the rule, that the ball has to go 10 yards” for the kicking team to be the first to touch it, Aukerman said.
Earlier this season, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick convinced Aukerman to have players on the “hands team” practice onside kicks after Friday’s practice — something that the Steelers do. In the past, that was done at Saturday’s walk-through.
New Orleans’ attempt for a go-ahead touchdown ended when quarterback Tyler Shough was stopped on a fourth-and-1 from the Dolphins’ 35 with 46 seconds left.
▪ Dolphins associate head coach and tight ends coach John Embree said he has ideas for the Dolphins to avoid another poor start next season and will share them with McDaniel after the season.
“The OTA segment of offseason was pretty damn good,” Embree said. “I have some ideas. Probably something with camp.”
Embree suggested that adding players late (late July and August) creates challenges with communication. The Dolphins (5-7), who began the season 1-6, added several just before or during camp, including cornerbacks Rasul Douglas and Jack Jones.
“We have to figure out what to do so we can get a fast start,” Embree said.
▪ The Dolphins were struggling badly against the run when they beat the Jets in Week 4. Defensive players were watching that tape this week and “they’re embarrassed by it,” Weaver said. “We don’t even look like the same defense.”
▪ Linebacker Bradley Chubb was named the Dolphins’ winner for the 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. The award, which is given out Super Bowl weekend, is the league’s most prestigious honor, recognizing players “who excel on the field and demonstrate a commitment to making a positive impact beyond the game.”
Chubb and his brother Brandon established the Chubb Foundation in 2017, which focuses on youth mentorship, financial literacy, entrepreneurship and physical education.
Here’s more insight on why the Dolphins drafted De’Von Achane.
This story was originally published December 4, 2025 at 12:49 PM.
