Dolphins defensive decisions growing more difficult. Where things stand after win
The big stories to emerge from Sunday’s 21-17 win against New Orleans — besides the Dolphins improving to 5-7 and remaining on the fringes of wild card contention — were Tua Tagovailoa’s continued struggles and growing questions about his future (as Omar Kelly explains here), De’Von Achane’s persistent excellence (as Greg Cote writes about here), Minkah Fitzpatrick’s two-point interception return on a two-point conversion and several Dolphins appearing lost and confused on a Saints onside kick.
But this is also worth noting: The Dolphins defense has progressed from catastrophic to competent in the past month. On Sunday, Miami did just enough against a tepid 2-10 team playing a rookie quarterback and a third-string running back.
After mustering just 63 yards in the first half, the Saints finished with 294. But Miami’s defense made the biggest plays of the game — Fitzpatrick’s interception return for two points on a Saints two-point conversion attempt that could have tied the score with 1:17 left; and fourth-down stop (by Chop Robinson and Tyler Dodson) on a Tyler Shough sneak from Miami’s 36-yard line with 35 seconds remaining.
Bottom line: The Saints scored on just three of 12 possessions and went a combined 4 for 13 on third and fourth down.
Along the way, some key Dolphins defensive decisions gained a bit more clarity, while others become more complicated.
A look at five defensive issues that need resolution over the final five weeks, and what was learned Sunday:
▪ Can the Dolphins go into next season believing that their three rookie tackles (Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips and Zeek Biggers) are enough to supplement Zach Sieler and either impending free agent Benito Jones or another cheap veteran?
The answer, in recent weeks, has gone from “no” to “quite possibly.”
Biggers, the seventh-rounder, had half a sack and a quarterback hit on Sunday, playing significant snaps for the third consecutive game after logging just six defensive snaps in the first nine games.
Grant, the first-rounder, limited one Saints run to 2 yards and had a couple of pressures, two weeks after a key third-and-1 tackle for no gain against Washington.
Phillips had four tackles and was involved in the late-game fourth-and-1 stop on Shough, though Robinson was credited with the tackle, with help from Dodson.
None of the three rookies are liabilities. At their best, they’re all capable of becoming heavy-usage players.
There are still questions. Pro Football Focus ranks Grant just 116th of 124 interior defenders. He has 12 tackles (just two for loss) and 1.5 sacks in nearly 400 defensive snaps, underwhelming production for a player drafted 13th overall, one spot ahead of AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year front-runner Tyler Warren of the Colts.
Phillips - rated 83rd of 124 - has been immovable at times, but has just one tackle for loss all season.
But the Dolphins - already $11 million over next year’s cap — would need to create the cap space for an established higher-end defensive tackle if the trio of rookies leave them with doubts.
Beyond quarterback, there’s no position on the team that needs more clarity than defensive tackle. It behooves the Dolphins if all three of their rookie tackles continue their ascent and leave Miami not needing to spend at the position.
▪ Can the Dolphins afford Minkah Fitzpatrick or afford to let him go?
Fitzpatrick has been very good the past month and was exceptional on Sunday, making the play of the day — the interception return (a “pick two”) on a Saints two-point conversion that could have tied the game with 1:17 remaining.
But his impact was felt throughout; he had a run stop for no gain and forced a Shough fumble on a blitz. (Sieler recovered it.)
He has thrived in a slot corner role, while also getting work at safety, and allowing only one touchdown catch in his coverage area all season.
Ideally, he would be retained on his current deal, but the cap situation makes that challenging.
Fitzpatrick — like Bradley Chubb, Tyreek Hill and Austin Jackson — is owed no guaranteed money after this season. His current contract calls for a $15.8 million salary and an $18.9 million cap hit in 2026.
The 2026 Dolphins dead money cap hit drops to $12.9 million if he’s cut or traded before June 1 and just $3.2 million after June 1, but with the difference on Miami’s books in 2027.
The view here: The dead money is too high — and Fitzpatrick has become too valuable — to part ways. The hope would be renegotiating for a more cap-friendly deal, but Fitzpatrick would need to be amenable.
▪ Do the Dolphins need to bring in one new corner or two next offseason?
Rasul Douglas and to a somewhat lesser extent, Jack Jones, have exceeded reasonable expectations, and a case could be made to re-sign Douglas or perhaps both. Douglas and Jones will both be free agents in March.
Douglas had his first interception of the season on Sunday but also allowed a TD pass to Chris Olave and a couple of other late completions. Jones allowed the late touchdown to DeVaughn Vele.
Entering the game, Douglas had allowed just 23 of 40 targets to be caught, with a sterling 79.6 passer rating in his coverage area and just one TD pass allowed. Jones, entering Sunday, had permitted 17 of 30 to be caught, with a 90.8 passer rating against, three TDs and the critical overtime interception against Washington.
Kader Kohou will return from an August knee injury next season and has earned enough trust to be projected for a top-four role. It would be difficult to come up with another cornerback under contract for 2026 who can be projected for a major role.
Despite winning the nickel corner job in preseason, fifth-round pick Jason Marshall Jr. has proven nothing yet, permitting 12 of 15 targets to be caught for 161 yards and two TDs (a 151 passer rating).
If Fitzpatrick continues to play a lot in the slot, Miami won’t know whether Marshall can be viewed as a rotation player next season. But winning should be prioritized over gaining that information as long as the Dolphins remain alive as long shot wild card contenders.
The Dolphins won’t get any clarity on Juju Brents, who had one great game and one subpar one in which he sustained a season-ending foot injury.
So at least one starting corner is needed. How Douglas, Jones and Marshall finish the season likely will determine if two sure-fire starters are needed.
▪ What’s the future at outside linebacker?
With Jaelan Phillips dealt to Philadelphia, the Dolphins must hope Robinson becomes a quality long-term starter, and not by default. He took a major step in that direction on Sunday, making just his second career start and finishing with 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hits, five tackles and the game-ending stop of Shough on the failed fourth-and-1 sneak.
There are questions about whether Robinson can be an above-average starter, considering his historically uneven play as an edge-setter in the run game.
Entering Sunday, Robinson has just 11 pressures and one sack in 133 pass-rushing chances, compared to 32 and three in 181 Dolphins snaps for Phillips before his trade to the Eagles. Overall, PFF rated Robinson just 106th of 117 edge players heading into the weekend. But Robinson was very good Sunday.
Chubb had a sack and tackle for loss on Sunday, giving him six of each. With Phillips gone, there’s a need for Chubb in 2026. But cap gymnastics could get in the way.
It’s hard to imagine the Dolphins retaining Chubb at his current 2026 numbers. His current contract carries a $19.4 million salary next season (all nonguaranteed) and a $31.2 million 2026 cap hit.
If they cut or trade him, the cap hit is $23.8 million before June 1 — or $10.9 million after June 1, with the remaining $14 million of the cap hit applied to Miami’s 2027 books.
The question is whether he would be willing to take a pay cut for a second year in a row. If not, he could become a post-June 1 cut, with a bit of the $20 million in 2026 cap savings used on a replacement.
▪ Should the Dolphins commit long-term to Jordyn Brooks and at all to Dodson?
Brooks leads the NFL in tackles (he had a team-leading 12 more on Sunday) and has become the leader of the defense and a key cog in its resurgence.
The question is whether the Dolphins try to lower his $10.9 million 2026 hit by extending him past next season, with potential void years as well. His $7.8 million salary next season isn’t guaranteed, but he’s a durable, respected, productive player that Miami should want to build around.
The only concern: His 515 passing yards allowed in his coverage area, entering Sunday, were second most among inside linebackers, per PFF. His 52 receptions allowed (in 57 targets) also are second most.
Dodson is due $2.4 million, none guaranteed, next season. On Sunday, he made a strong play in coverage on an incomplete third-down throw to tight end Jaquan Johnson. And Robinson said that Dodson was partly responsible for stopping Shough on the 4th and 1 to close out the win.
The 2026 cap hit for Dodson (due $2.4 million nonguaranteed) would drop from $3.7 million to $717,500 with a pre-June 1 cut.
Quick stuff
▪ Tight end Julian Hill had an exceptional day as a blocker, including creating a lane on Achane’s 29-yard TD run on Miami’s first possession. He’s as improved as any player on offense.
▪ The Dolphins committed their fifth illegal formation penalty (the third most in the league) and a 12-man-in-the-huddle penalty. That, and squandering timeouts, remains an issue.
▪ Linebacker Willie Gay Jr. had a good play in pass coverage on Johnson. Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver’s lack of usage of him has been one of the season’s dumbfounding decisions.
▪ Tagovailoa improved to 16-4 in November, though Miami won Sunday more in spite of him than because of him. He finished with a 55.9 rating (12 for 23 for 157 yards, one interception). This marked the fourth game this season that Tagovailoa had a passer rating below 55.
In addition to throwing one interception (into double coverage) and throwing another near interception, he was off on ball placement on several throws, took three sacks when he should have tried to throw the ball away, and slid prematurely on a 3rd and 4 run.
Here’s what McDaniel said after the game.
This story was originally published November 30, 2025 at 5:15 PM.
