Hafley Should Right Away Fix the Dolphins’ Defense

Hafley Should Right Away Fix the Dolphins’ Defense

Most fans will look at the 2025 season as a failure of the Dolphins’ offense.

There was an injury to Tyreek Hill.

Jaylen Waddle did not get enough targets.

The Dolphins’ offensive line did not show up in pass protection in games down the stretch.

And of course, there was the huge regression of Tua Tagovailoa, and with that, Tagovailoa’s Dolphin tenure went with him.

However, there was an even bigger drop-off this season in Miami.

The Dolphins’ defense.

What happened to it?

It seemed like returning defensive coordinator, Anthony Weaver, had figured some things out down the stretch in 2024.

And while there were some younger pieces on that side of the ball, including in the defensive interior and in the secondary, Weaver seemed like the man who could keep the team in the game with a strong defensive gameplan.

While Weaver’s defense was a main reason that the team won four games in a row to get back in the playoff race, all that goodwill was for not down the stretch.

In three of its final four games, Miami surrendered 28 or more points.

That included a collapse at home against the lowly Bengals, where Cincinnati racked up 45 points.

I know the Bengals had Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins back for that contest, but come on.

That kind of performance is unacceptable.

So now, Hafley steps in, and with him comes a new outlook on defense.

In 2025, Hafley’s crew ranked 12th in yards allowed and seventh in the league in passing defense.

That was without the Packers having an All-Pro edge defender, Micah Parsons, for the latter portion of the season.

In his first year in Green Bay, Hafley’s defense was even better as they ranked fifth in total defense and sixth in scoring defense.

With Hafley in town, you should not have to worry about the Dolphins’ defense.

His first task will be getting the most of the young talent up front in Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips, and Zeek Biggers, along with finding some help on the edge for Chop Robinson.

Next, he’ll need to find a strong pairing to go alongside Jordyn Brooks and then find some young corners to help the secondary come along.

Fortunately for Hafley, he comes from the Packers, who are known for their ability to draft and develop high-quality players.

If he can get that kind of production in Miami, Hafley will do just fine.