10 Players to Watch During Miami Dolphins OTAs

The Miami Dolphins Organized Team Activities (OTAs) begin Tuesday, and with those come a great opportunity to see how the Dolphins will look this coming season. 

OTAs are not the best evaluation tool for obvious reasons, but they can be good to check in on certain players and see where they’re at on the depth chart, what kind of shape they’re in, and how they're recovering from injuries. 

The Dolphins have no shortage of players who need to get off to a strong start during OTAs, so let’s look at 10 players fans should keep an eye on this week.

10 Players to Watch During Dolphins OTAs 

10. Storm Duck, Cornerback 

Given Miami’s cornerback situation, most of this list could be comprised of corners, but we’re only naming a couple, starting with Storm Duck. Assuming nothing changes with Jalen Ramsey, Duck will be one of many corners fighting for a starting spot. 

The former undrafted free agent made the roster last season and got significant playing time, recording four passes defended, 35 total tackles, and one tackle for loss. 

Duck played well for an undrafted free agent, but he’s not an ideal starter heading into the season. OTAs will be a good chance to see if Duck has built on a strong start to his career or if he’s likely to be a depth option in 2025. 

9. Austin Jackson, Offensive Tackle

Miami’s running game tanked toward the end of last season, and a big reason for that was Austin Jackson’s season-ending knee injury against the Bills. 

The Dolphins’ offensive line will undergo several changes this season, and Jackson is one of the few projected starters with multiple years of experience in the scheme. OTAs should give us some insight into where Jackson is in his rehab. 

If the Dolphins want to become a tougher, more physical football team, they’ll need Jackson at full strength for the start of the season. 

8. Jonah Savaiinaea, Offensive Guard 

The Dolphins traded up in the second round to select Savaiinaea, and he's slated to start at one of the team's guard spots this season. That's a lot of pressure for the rookie, and OTAs will be a good chance to see where his knowledge of the scheme is.

Offensive guard has been a problem in Miami for several seasons, so Savaiinaea’s development will be a big storyline this summer. He needs to be ready right away and likely will play be a major part if the team's running game is to make a jump in 2025.

7. Patrick Paul, Offensive Tackle

Sticking with the offensive line, OTAs will be our first extended look at Patrick Paul as the team’s starting left tackle. Paul has big shoes to fill, replacing Terron Armstead, who decided to retire this offseason. 

Paul’s rookie season featured several highs and lows, but he showed enough promise to be the team’s default starter. The big question for Paul is how much his technique has improved since last year. 

Most of his losses were because of inconsistent hand placement or timing. It’s not hard to imagine that a full offseason of NFL coaching could help fix those issues. 

6. Ashtyn Davis, Safety 

The Dolphins’ safety room was a disaster last season, and the team decided to address it by taking low-cost fliers on free agents. One of those signings was Ashtyn Davis, who seemingly has the inside track to replace Jevon Holland at free safety. 

OTAs will be a good opportunity to see how Davis handles potentially being a major part of a defense again, as he was getting phased out of the Jets’ defense in recent seasons. 

In the last three seasons, he logged 1, 19, and 26 percent of his snaps on defense, with the rest coming on special teams. With Ifeatu Melifonwu penciled in at strong safety, players like Elijah Campbell and Dante Trader Jr. will be close behind Davis on the depth chart. 

5. Zach Wilson, Quarterback

Miami’s backup quarterback position might be the most important one in the NFL. Tua Tagovailoa is arguably the league’s most injury-prone passer despite playing well when on the field. 

This year, the Dolphins are taking a risk by investing in Zach Wilson. We’ve covered why Wilson is such a significant gamble in the past, but OTAs should provide a barometer for how much he’s improved since flaming out with the Jets. 

Wilson has plenty of natural talent, but has his mechanics, decision-making, and consistency improved after one season under Sean Payton? 

4. Kenneth Grant, Defensive Tackle

One could argue that Grant is Miami’s most significant addition of the entire offseason. The team selected him with the 13th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, and he’s likely to start next to Zach Sieler this season. 

Grant already saw some action during rookie minicamp, but this will be a chance to see him line up next to Sieler. There’s been plenty of discussion about how versatile Grant can be at his size, and his performance as a rookie will be a major factor in how good Miami’s defense will be this season. 

3. Julian Hill, Tight End 

Hill is another player fighting for a starting spot. Last year, he took the majority of the team’s in-line snaps at tight end, but he’ll likely need to beat out Pharaoh Brown, who the team signed from the Seahawks this offseason. 

Hill struggled with penalties and inconsistent blocking last season but seemed to get better as the year progressed. OTAs are the first step in seeing if Hill can carry that momentum into 2025, or if he’s destined to see less playing time. 

2. Bradley Chubb, Edge 

Chubb hasn’t played football since Week 17 of the 2023 season when he suffered a torn ACL against the Baltimore Ravens. Simply put, the Dolphins need Chubb to be a consistent contributor in 2025. 

Jaelan Phillips is dealing with his own injury concerns, Chop Robinson is still developing, and the rest of Miami’s edge rushers are pretty uninspiring. Miami won’t push Chubb during OTAs, but they should help us get a grasp on how close Chubb is to returning to form. 

1. Cam Smith, Cornerback

Cam Smith might be the Dolphins player under the most pressure this offseason. The former second-round pick has barely played the past two seasons due to injuries and defensive coordinators feeling like he wasn’t ready for a more significant role. 

Dolphins general manager Chris Grier called Smith out during his pre-draft press conference, and the Dolphins have given Smith an incredibly easy road to being a starter this season. 

His main competition at cornerback includes former UDFAs, a fifth-round pick from this past draft, and a few veterans who haven’t had much, if any, NFL success. It’s hard to imagine an easier path to the starting lineup for a former second-round pick. 

However, Duck beat out Smith last season, and the Dolphins have reportedly reached out to veteran cornerbacks since the draft. OTAs are another chance for Smith to prove this season will be different.

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