One Dolphins safety spot is likely locked up. Who will claim the other one?
You might as well already pencil in Dante Trader Jr. for a starting spot.
The second-year safety had a phenomenal offseason program not only from a play standpoint but from that of a leader. Coach Jeff Hafley specifically called him one of the team’s burgeoning leaders.
What’s not abundantly clear, however, is who will start alongside Trader. The options — a veteran journeyman in Lonnie Johnson Jr., a special teams mainstay in Zayne Anderson, a fifth-round rookie in Michael Taaffe, a former Green Bay Packer with eight defensive snaps in Omar Brown and an undrafted rookie in Louis Moore – aren’t spectacular yet highlight an important theme of this team: only those starving to start will get a chance.
“We have a lot of guys that we signed that are on one-year deals that we’re going to get everything they have too,” Hafley said, “and I can’t wait to pour into them and try to help them in their careers.”
The irony: it has been Moore who has looked the best, snagging at least one interception during the offseason program. Granted, most of his reps came against players who are on the fringe of the roster, yet the performance can’t be overstated.
Of the five, however, it’s Anderson and Brown who have the closest connection to Hafley. Both arrived in Miami from Green Bay, where Anderson accumulated two starts in 2024. Brown’s limited action — both for the Packers and during minicamp — means he will have to totally impress during training camp to crack the rotation.
Anderson shared a bit of insight on what it will take to distinguish himself.
“It starts in the meeting rooms when coaches ask you questions,” said Anderson, a six-year veteran who has racked up one pick, two pass deflections and 36 combined tackles over his career. “If they feel confident with you answering questions right then it goes on to practice. Can you execute what they’re calling, what they’re tasking us to do. Those reps come and guys are still learning, they’re going to earn that trust.”
Despite only starting a pair of games during Hafley’s two-year tenure with the Packers, Anderson certainly has his head coach’s trust.
“I was a big fan of Zayne,” Hafley said. ”Zayne played and started for us in multiple games throughout my two years there. Zayne was a really good team player, good teammate, smart, physical. Zayne is the type of guy that I always felt if he needed to go in the game, I wasn’t going to lose any sleep over. I had a lot of faith in him, and I think he’s done a really good job out there.”
Although Taaffe came highly regarded as a leader, he hasn’t shown much in terms of on-field play during the offseason program. That can be expected for rookies so it shouldn’t be that much as a surprise.
What is a bit of shocking, however, is that of Johnson. The Dolphins would be the eight-year veteran’s sixth team since the Houston Texans drafted him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, he too hasn’t shown much during minicamp.
That said, it’s not all over for Johnson. His versatility makes him a valuable asset and that should provide more opportunities to show he deserves a spot in the defensive back rotation.
“I’ve played everywhere, outside to nickel to safety,” Johnson said. “The more you can do in this league, the better it is for you.”
Of course, a poor minicamp showing isn’t necessarily the end of the world. It is, after all, just shorts and helmets. How these players perform during training camp will ultimately determine whether they belong.
