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Two sons of former Miami Dolphins players, Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) and Los Angeles Chargers tight end William Navarro-Imagn Images

Final NFL 2025 Week 3 Observations...With Dolphins Angles

Originally posted on Miami Dolphins on SI
By Alain Poupart | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 11:11 AM ET

While the Miami Dolphins continued to get very little production in the passing game from their tight ends in Week 3 in another game waiting for Darren Waller to be ready, a rookie tight end for the Los Angeles Chargers was making a big impact in his NFL debut.

That rookie is Oronde Gadsden II, and if the name sounds familiar, that's because he's the son of the former Miami Dolphins wide receiver of the late 1990s/early 2000s with the long reach, huge hands and spectacular catches.

After being inactive for the Chargers' first two games, Gadsden got into the lineup because veteran Will Dissly was sidelined with a concussion and was a big enough factor in a 23-20 victory against the Denver Broncos that he'll be very difficult to take out of the lineup.

In fact, one would expect him to be in the lineup when the Dolphins face the Chargers at Hard Rock Stadium in Week 6.

Gadsden didn't start but finished the game with five catches for 46 yards, including the first two receptions on the game-winning field goal drive. His longest gain of the day was 17 yards.

By comparison, Dolphins tight ends Tanner Conner and Julian Hill combined for four receptions for 37 yards with a long of 14 yards (by Conner).

Like his father, Oronde Gadsden II is known for his reliable hands, and he went into the 2025 NFL draft as a prospect who wouldn't contribute much as a blocker but could be a factor in the passing game.

The Dolphins had Jonnu Smith on the roster at the time of the draft, though they knew by then his desire for a new contract, a desire that led to him being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Selecting Gadsden in the middle of the draft certainly would have made sense and the Dolphins had three shots at him in the fifth round, but instead selected DT Jordan Phillips, CB Jason Marshall Jr. and S Dante Trader Jr.

As with everything related to the 2025 draft, it's way too early to make definitive judgments about whether the right selections were made, the Dolphins clearly could have used this kind of pass-catching help over the first three weeks.

Final thought on Gadsden, it was very cool to see him trade jersey with another Dolphins legacy, Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II, after the game.

TAYLOR THOUGHTS

Gadsden, of course, was one of two tight ends in the 2025 draft with a father who was a former Dolphins player, the other being Mason Taylor.

While Gadsden made his NFL debut Sunday, Taylor has been the New York Jets' No. 1 tight end pretty much since the time he became the team's second-round pick this spring — even if he didn't start against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

But Taylor hasn't been able to make much of an impact yet, with six catches for 43 yards in three games. Of course, the Jets passing game isn't nearly as efficient as that of the Chargers and Taylor contributes as a blocker.

Taylor will be back in South Florida next Monday night for the Jets-Dolphins Week 4 matchup.

STATE OF THE STEELERS

Because of the magnitude of the Dolphins-Pittsburgh Steelers trade during the summer, we're going to be keeping tabs on Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith and how they're doing with their new team.

Ramsey had a very quiet day in the Steelers' 21-14 victory against the New England Patriots, with no part in any of the five takeaways that helped Pittsburgh win.

Meanwhile, Smith had his longest reception of the season with a 21-yard gain in the first quarter, but finished with a modest three catches for 33 yards.

Smith does lead the Steelers in receptions after three games with 12, but he's averaging only 5.4 yards per catch. At his current pace, he'll finish with 68 receptions for 368 yards after catching 88 passes for 884 yards for the Dolphins last season.

THE FORMER DOLPHINS REPORT

-- Make it three games out of three for running back Raheem Mostert being a healthy scratch for the Las Vegas Raiders.

-- Veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell continues to make an impact in his 18th NFL season. After getting the game-clinching sack in the Arizona Cardinals' Week 2 victory against the Carolina Panthers, he caused a holding penalty that gave Arizona a 15-13 lead late in their Week 3 game against the San Francisco 49ers, though they lost on a last-second field goal.

-- While he didn't take part in the Minnesota Vikings' takeaway fest in their 48-10 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals, Andrew Van Ginkel did get two sacks in his return to action after missing a game with a concussion.

-- Tight end Jack Stoll, who appeared in four games for Miami last year after being claimed off waivers from the Philadelphia Eagles, started and had a touchdown reception in the New Orleans Saints' 44-13 loss against the Seattle Seahawks.

THE MIAMI DOLPHINS ON SI POWER RANKINGS

How we ranked the 32 NFL teams (because everybody is doing it) based on record, quality of wins, and talent.

1. Buffalo Bills (3-0)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (3-0)
3. Los Angeles Chargers (3-0)
4. Detroit Lions (2-1)
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-0)
6. Los Angeles Rams (2-1)
7. Indianapolis Colts (3-0)
8. San Francisco 49ers (3-0)
9. Baltimore Ravens (1-2)
10. Green Bay Packers (2-1)
11. Minnesota Vikings (2-1)
12. Kansas City Chiefs (1-2)
13. Washington Commanders (2-1)
14. Seattle Seahawks (2-1)
15. Denver Broncos (1-2)
16. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1)
17. Cincinnati Bengals (2-1)
18. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1)
19. Arizona Cardinals (2-1)
20. Carolina Panthers (1-2)
21. Atlanta Falcons (1-2)
22. Chicago Bears (1-2)
23. Cleveland Browns (1-2)
24. Las Vegas Raiders (1-2)
25. New England Patriots (1-2)
26. Dallas Cowboys (1-2)
27. Houston Texans (0-3)
28. New York Jets (0-3)
29. Miami Dolphins (0-3)
30. New York Giants (0-3)
31. Tennessee Titans (0-3)
32. New Orleans Saints (0-3)