There’s a lot of reasons to be excited about the 2026 Miami Dolphins. It really feels like with the 2 guys running the show here, namely GM Jon-Eric Sullivan and HC Jeff Hafley, that we made some excellent choices. Gone is the fuck-around-if-you-want-to behavior brought down by the buddy-buddy Head Coach Mike McDaniel. Yeah, some players respected him, but the majority of them didn’t see the boundaries. I’m not saying that either Sully or Hafley are Marine Corps Drill Sargents, they don’t have to be. Players need guidelines, rules, they need to understand what is OK and what isn’t, and that if you do what isn’t tolerated, there are consequences. If the Head Coach is too familiar with the players, and they feel a lack of discipline, they will find ways to exploit that and do less. It’s human nature. Not everyone is like that, but all you need is a few to just tune out and it can become contagious. It seems clear that at least early on, the players like what they see and that’s awesome.
There’s always going to be ups and downs in training camp, but a couple of players that desperately needed “ups” are DE/OLB Chop Robinson and OG Jonah Savaiinaea. Surprisingly, both of these guys are thriving early on, and that’s so good to see. Unfortunately, while Savaiinaea has done a 180, RT Austin Jackson is back in a familiar spot, OFF THE FIELD. We’re told it’s not a long term injury, but this just doesn’t inspire any confidence that Jackson can possibly play an entire 17 game season. In fact, the last 2 season Jackson hasn’t even played half. To add insult to injury, backup swing Tackle Jamaree Salyer is also banged up, and if he can’t go, then it falls to OT Charlie Heck, who is really the 3rd option. Is it possible that we may have to speed up the potential switch to OT much earlier than expected and rookie LG Kadyn Proctor moves to RT and then you move Jonah Savaiinaea back to LG, and then DJ Campbell to RG? None of that is ideal, because Savaiinaea had a nightmare season and although he seems to have gotten some confidence back, a move back to LG could shatter that. It’s early, and we’ll just have to wait and see, but we may belooking for OL sooner than we had hoped if Jackson can’t stay healthy.
So far QB Malik Willis has been up and down with no real super highs or lows. He’s been adequate, but until we actually see some game action, which will be happening soon enough, August 14th will be Preseason Game 1 away at Washington. One player who has been a surprise, more so because of how much he has participated is WR Chris Bell. Bell has seen quite a bit of action which leads us to believe that instead of beginning the season on the PUP or IRR (IR Return) that he may actually make the 53 man roster. In any case, fellow rookie WR Caleb Douglas has been very good so far in training camp, another good sign. WR Malik Washington has been excellent, but we kind of expected him to be ahead of the curve. If you’ve been paying attention around the NFL, a few RB’s were signed to some big contracts. Detroit Lions RB Jamhyr Gibbs signed a 3YR/$75.5M (67.5M Guaranteed) contract, Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson signed a 3YR/$75M ($51M Guaranteed) and Indianapolis Colts RB signed a 2YR/$44M ($39M Guaranteed) contract, all of these making our own contract done earlier this year with RB De’Von Achane, who signed a 4YR/$64M ($27.4M Guaranteed) contract, look pretty darn fair at this time.
TE Greg Dulcich has a finger injury and has been kept out of drills where he has to catch the football for obvious reasons. In the meantime, that gives rookie TE Will Kacmarek more time on the field. On defense, it’s looking like the starting 3 CB’s will be CB Juju Brents, CB Chris Johnson and CB Jason Marshall. It seems like the former 2 will be on the outside, but it seems like they like Chris Johnson in the slot as well, which would then move Jason Marshall to the outside. I believe this will be fluid most of the season and situational. As for safety, it looks like Dante Trader is the one guy penciled in as a starter while the guy opposite him will be rotational, that means S Lonnie Johnson, S Michael Taafe and S/LB Louis Moore will all get some reps depending on down and distance and the type of offense we face. Hafley seems like a guy that won’t be counting on any one player, but rather use many different players in different ways.
The veteran WR’s Tutu Atwell and Jalen Tolbert have looked good in camp, so in reality, there truly is no reason to rush WR Chris Bell to the 53, but on the other hand, if he’s ready to go and there’s no good reason to hold him back, he could be a game changer for this offense. I also like WR Theo Wease who seemed to have a connection last season with QB Quinn Ewers, but he has also done well with QB Malik Willis. Another guy who has flourished on the defensive side is pass rusher Joshua Uche. We’re going to need something from other side of Chop Robinson to give Chop a better chance of success, we have to keep them honest and not allow them to double Chop all the time if he’s succeeding. The 3 DT’s we drafted last season are all getting good work in, but supposedly Phillips and Grant are doing better than 1st RD pick DT Kenneth Grant. Sieler as always is doing well, the veteran never stops and he’s still teaching our young OL what to watch out for. Some observers have Quinn Ewers struggling but I think he’s clearly the #2 QB and backup, and I also think for one reason or another, he will probably see some playing time.
Rookie LB Jacob Rodriguez has been active, but he’s behind 2 excellent inside backers in Brooks and Dodson, so like the guys opposite of SS Dante Trader, I think he’s going to have to work very hard to get major playing time and not just be a situational player this season. DT Rene Konga who was signed as an UDFA will go on IR and will miss the 2026 season. It seems pretty clear that our offense will be a run heavy offense, which means that besides RB De’Von Achane who will no doubt see plenty of touches, we’re going to need more from our other 2 RB’s, RB Jalen Wright and RB Ollie Gordon. At one point in camp it looked like Ollie Gordon had a leg up but I believe Wright is right back in it. Wright is quicker and more explosive, while Ollie is the short yardage guy, but I’m sure RB ollie Gordon would like more carries other than the short yardage type. It also seems that although we currently have a FB on the roster, when all is said and done, we’ll probably have a TE line up like an H-Back and we won’t carry a FB so another guy can make the roster.
I think the most important aspect as far as expectations for our team are not Wins and Losses. I say that not because we’re in “tank mode” because that’s horseshit. I think the current roster is just as capable if winning 7 games like last season, but to me, to see that we’re headed in the right direction, that the guys we drafted are legit NFL talents, that this team can play against any team in any climate and that we’ve lost the “soft” moniker. These are the important things to me. You all know my feelings on Tua, I have to restrain myself from foaming from the mouth at his mention, but I do believe his absence, along with the departure of HC Mike McDaniel will make this team a tougher team. I just feel it’s impossible to win in big moments if your team leader isn’t ready to put everything on the line for his team, and Tua checked out in that department after the concussions. I don’t blame him for feeling that way, but then retire, and do the right thing. Anyway, it will be refreshing to see a QB out there who has the ability to run past the first down marker and actually secure a first down when things break down. Hey, maybe even dive behind an OG or C and pick up a short yardage 4th down play, something we simply could not ask Tua to do.
Plenty of reasons to be excited! I really am genuinely pumped up about our team! I think we’re going to be fun to watch. It will be wonderful to have a TE who can actually block. The better he blocks, the more he’ll see the field, and those of you who think Dulcich will be an 800-1000 yard receiver, you can forget about that. Not that we can’t have 2 TE’s, but we do have a lot of talent at WR that we’re going to want to get the ball to, especially if Chris Bell starts the season on the 53 man roster. Jeff Hafley to my knowledge does not own a pair of Capri pants. I’ve listened to pressers and he doesn’t mumble, and he doesn’t seem like he’s stoned out of his face and take ridiculous “um” pauses after nearly every few words. Hafley seems like a no nonsense guy, just telling it like it is, very direct. Players like that, you know where you stand, and you’re gonna know when he’s happy or unhappy with what you’re doing. There will be a different level of “accountability”. That’s a big thing boys and girls, because sadly, I can safely say that was sorely missing for far too long!
GO DOLPHINS!!!
Finsmob Unleashed 
PhinPhanatic has an article this morning about Grant OR Phillips being listed as the starter next to Seiler. That has got to sting for Grant the 1st round pick and Phillips must be very happy his work has put him in the position to eclipse Grant.
As a fan I am happy and excited about Phillip’s development, but disappointed with Grant.
Hopefully Grant uses this a motivation to grind more. (Omar alluded to Phillips putting in more work than Grant)
The only other thing that surprised me on the depth chart was Max Llewellyn ahead of Cameron Goode. I have heard Goode mentioned in the practice notes and that he was having a good TC so far, but have heard nothing on Llewellyn. That puts Goode and Reiger as 4th string Edges.
Alain Poupart has even said this:
— Two things that stand out at edge are rookie seventh-round pick Max Llewellyn listed ahead of veteran Cameron Goode at one spot and Robert Beal Jr. listed ahead of David Ojabo at the other. Goode flat out has outperformed Llewellyn so far in camp, while Ojabo brought better credentials to Miami than Beal when both arrived as free agents.
This roster is not as deep as we would like but you have to admit that Sully has done a great job assembling what we have. Especially when you take into account that he is operating with 179.2 million or 58% of our cap space as dead cap.
That’s just crazy when you step back and look at it.
Our only true fullback being behind Simms a TE on the depth chart surprised me. It doesn’t look good for him!
It doesn’t. I think we keep 3 TE’s and then TE/FB Sims a a 4th.
From Poupart:
— Ben Sims being listed as first-team fullback/tight end tells us the Dolphins will be using a fullback in 2026, even if not in name. This matches what we’ve seen in camp with the usage of Sims as an H-back.
Tim,
— Rookie fourth-round pick Trey Moore has gotten a lot of work with the first unit in training camp, so it’s not surprising to see him listed ahead of Willie Gay Jr. Gay, who left practice early with an injury Monday, remains one of the most confusing players on the roster.
Why is rookie Trey Moore a first-team linebacker? “He’s done a really good job setting the edge,” Hafley said. “He can play inside the line can play outside linebacker at Sam. And then he’s got the ability to rush. So he gives you a linebacker who can play all three downs. He can play in zones. He’s good against the run. And he’s got rush value to him. So we’ll see where he’s at. But I like the way he’s practiced.”
at training camp on Friday, never thought to look up Trey Moore’s number, even though I had a printed roster
Just found his number, 17. I do remember 17 on D, my picture of his was out in the flat, on the Os rt side. Don’t remember seeing him on the LOS. I thought 17 was a DB, he moves well
From Hafley’s presser this morning:
I really like the guy. He has un-common sense.
Why play some veterans in the preseason? “We’re young,” Hafley said. “So like when you say veterans, how many guys that we have that have been through this year after year? It’s just not who we are as a team right now. I talked to the staff about that this morning, and in a perfect world, in these joint practices, you get your so called 22 starters, 30 to 35 reps, you give them tomorrow, walk through, and then they don’t really play very much. But as you go through our team right now, there aren’t many of those guys. So we have to gain experience.”
https://x.com/Commanders/status/2087547761134903584
Live stream of today’s practice
can’t see nothing
if you don’t see nothing, what do you see?
Jalen Tolbert made an outstanding caught on a ball from Ewers in the corner of the end zone, and Theo Wease and Cole Turner followed with nice catches as Dolphins receivers are having their way against Washington’s secondary.
In one-on-one drills …
In 11-on-11 drills …
Into the red zone …
In more 11-on-11 drills …
I’d guess we’ll see a rotation of 4-6 IDL guys as usual. We need all our young guys to take a step up.
I think Phillips’s work ethic is off the charts, so I’m not too worried to hear that he may be out working Grant. I’d bet he outworks everybody on the DL. He’s also just a better fit with Sieler as far as play style. He brings a stoutness in the middle. Good for the young man. it sounds like he’s earned it.
Phillips outworks everyone. Last year he and fellow Terp Trader had competitions on staying the latest. We already knew Phillips was a workout warrior when he was drafted
from the 11v11 seems like overall we held our own, both Os seemed to have gotten the better of the Ds
last year against Bears and Lions we were getting laughed at with our soft play
Sounds like we did good in drills then not so much when it counted in 11 on 11 and red zone.
I would really like to get Edge Clev Lubin next draft. Not only is he graded as the #2 ranked pass rusher, he is also the #3 ranked cover LB out of all Edge, ILB and OLB’s going into this season. He’s not small either at 6’3, 255.
Though, his overall ranking drops a bit due his #20 ranking among all edge, ILB and OLB in run defense.
Thanks for the Trey Moore info. guys. Sounds like his versatility is showing up in camp.