Dolphins Don’t Have Time for Rookie Growing Pains with the Rookies

Dolphins Don’t Have Time for Rookie Growing Pains with the Rookies

For the Miami Dolphins to be successful in 2025, they are going to rely on a lot of rookies and draft picks to play key roles this season.

And if the Dolphins have any hope of making the playoffs, they will need those rookies not to go through the typical rookie growing pains, but to adapt to the NFL game quickly.

It’s a youth movement in Miami this season as Chris Grier and the Dolphins coaching staff have transformed this roster from the oldest in the NFL to one of the youngest.

We will now see if that means it’s just year one of another rebuild, or if this team with some youth can win in the “now.”

First-round draft pick Kenneth Grant may not be listed as a starter on the depth chart, but is expected to play significant snaps and be a day one contributor on Miami’s defensive line. He is stepping into a huge role, replacing Christian Wilkins and Calais Campbell, two great players.

In the case of Campbell, who arguably was the best Dolphins player on defense in 2024 on a week-in, week-out basis.

Not only must Grant play a healthy amount of snaps each week, but he must also produce in the way of sacks, tackles for losses, and setting the edge on running plays.

Anything less, and the “strength” of the Dolphins’ defense that is the front-7, may not be as strong as many think.

Second-round pick Jonah Savaiinaea is replacing a traffic cone at left guard, but expectations are still sky high for him as a rookie.

Yes, almost anyone stepping into that role this year would be an upgrade over Robert Jones, but what Miami traded away in the form of draft capital means Savaiinaea has pressure on him to be a key factor in fixing Miami’s offensive line woes.

Ollie Gordon was a sixth-round pick who started training camp as the 4th string running back. Days away from Week 1 kickoff, he is the backup running back who should be on the field often, at least until Jaylen Wright returns, when his workload may be reduced some.