Dolphins’ Hafley dishes on Reagor signing, injuries, Wannstedt, young players
Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley said this week’s addition of veteran receiver Jalen Reagor, who’s a former first-round pick, is part of the team’s approach of taking chances on players with talent.
“We had a workout yesterday with a bunch of guys and he kind of jumped out,” Hafley said Wednesday before the second of three mandatory mini-camp practices. “Talented player. There’s a reason he’s a first round pick. It’s good to get fresh legs in here.”
Hafley said “kicking the tires on players who have had success is awesome. [General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan] is doing that. We will give him a shot and see what he can do.”
Reagor, who was drafted 21st overall by the Eagles in 2020, has caught 86 passes for 1,037 yards and four touchdowns over his five-year career. He caught 31 and 33 passes his two years in Philadelphia but was then shipped to the Vikings for a seventh-rounder and a conditional fifth-round pick.
He caught eight passes for Minnesota in 2022, seven passes for the Patriots in 2023 and seven for the Chargers in 2024. Reagor bounced on and off the Chargers’ practice squad last season before being released Oct. 18.
This offseason, the Dolphins have signed two receivers who were high picks: Reagor and former Carolina Panthers second round pick Terrace Marshall Jr. The front-runners for the team’s six wide receiver jobs are Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell and rookie draft picks Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell and Kevin Coleman Jr.
Bell continues to make progress in his recovery from last November’s torn ACL, but it’s uncertain if he will be ready for the start of the season.
Hafley addressed other issues:
▪ He said defensive lineman Zach Sieler isn’t participating in minicamp practices because he “tweaked something minor. It’s nothing major at all.”
Running back De’Von Achane and right tackle Austin Jackson will participate only in individual drills this week. Jackson is working back from a second foot procedure this offseason.
▪ Hafley said former Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt -- who attended practice this week with former Dolphins Zach Thomas and Trace Armstrong (who is Hafley’s agent) -- “is one of my biggest mentors. He gave me my first break in Division I football. I spent five years with him. I pretty much talked to him throughout [my career]. I call him once a week. Sometimes I would be texting him right before kickoff.”
Hafley coached with Wannstedt at the University of Pittsburgh from 2006 to 2010. Wannstedt hired him as a graduate assist and promoted him to secondary/cornerbacks coach in 2008.
“We’ve always been really close,” Hafley said. “He’s in Naples. He’s always welcome here. I don’t take for granted that a guy that gave me my start is still supportive of me. I’m in a role that he was in.
“A big part of why I’m here is because of everything he did. He helped change my life and my family’s life. He wants to come around, and he’ll be around. He will be here this week. [And] it was cool to see Zach come and Trace come.”
Hafley spoke to Wannstedt before taking the Dolphins job. “He loved the organization, loved the franchise. There’s vivid memories,” Hafley said.
▪ Ten of the 13 Dolphins rookie draft picks signed on Tuesday. The three that did not -- first-round picks Kadyn Proctor and Chris Johnson and fifth-round tight end Seydou Traore -- are practicing this week and Hafley said “I imagine they will be signing.”
▪ Tyrel Dodson has had a good attitude after being asked to compete with rookie Jacob Rodriguez for the starting middle linebacker job.
“I would hope every player has the mindset of, ‘I’ve got to compete for my job every year,’” Hafley said. “You’ve got to be pushed. He’s been great. I would hope he would remain that way. Our job is to play the guys who give us the best chance to win games. I’m not here to play guys because of where they were drafted or what they’ve done.
“T-Dod is a very smart player, a very good communicator. He sees the game really fast and he loves ball.”
▪ Hafley said defensive tackle Zeek Biggers is able to play defensive end, as well.
“There have been times we have kicked him out there and he’s shown the ability to do that. He gives us a bigger guy. He’s a really good athlete for his size.”
▪ Former Packers special teams ace Zayne Anderson, who has played limited defensive snaps during his career, is being given a shot to earn a starting safety job.
“He played and started for us in multiple games [two],” Hafley said. “Zayne was a really good team player. Good teammate. Smart, physical. I always felt if he needed to go in the game, I wasn’t going to lose any sleep. He does a really good job. He’s very mature. He’s very unselfish. He studies it really hard. For me, it comes back to trust. I trust the guy.”
Anderson played no defensive snaps in his first two years in the league with Kansas City and in his third NFL season, when he joined the Packers. But Hafley, as the Packers’ defensive coordinator, gave Anderson 123 defensive snaps in 2024 and 22 last season.
▪ On the Patriots acquiring receiver A.J. Brown from Philadelphia: “Good player. Good size. You’ve got to know where he’s at. He’s had a lot of success in the league.”
▪ On offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik: “I respect how hard he works, his football knowledge. He treats his players the right way. It’s two guys without big egos; we can communicate without fighting about who has the pen last. I like how he approaches the quarterbacks, how those guys teach them. We’ve got the right guy leading the offense. I know we do.”
This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 10:18 AM with the headline "Dolphins’ Hafley dishes on Reagor signing, injuries, Wannstedt, young players."
