How the Dolphins Can Replace Calais Campbell in 2025

Last June, Miami received good news when long-time defensive lineman and former Walter Payton Man of the Year, Calais Campbell, decided to come home, where he played his college football at the University of Miami, and continue his illustrious career with the Dolphins.

Campbell was not expected to produce at a high level given his age, and was brought in as a rotational piece next to the criminally underrated, Zach Sieler.

Instead, Campbell defied expectations and played in all 17 games.

Along with the leadership he provided, he also played a key part in the team’s resurgence in the second half of the season and was strong all season long as evidenced by his five sacks.

Now, Campbell is gone as he is off to play for the Arizona Cardinals, leaving a big hole in the middle of the Dolphins’ defense both literally and figuratively.

So, where do the Dolphins go from here?

Well, they have a few options and most of the production can thankfully be filled in the draft.

With their first-round pick at number 13, they can choose to select Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant.

There’s also the opportunity for them to trade down a few spots and possibly add Walter Nolen at Ole Miss.

Later in the draft, there will be guys like Alfred Collins from Texas, Darius Alexander from Toledo, Tyleik Williams from Ohio State, Nazir Stackhouse from Georgia, and Vernon Broughton from Texas.

If the team is looking for a veteran free agent addition, there are plenty of those to choose from as there are guys like John Jenkins, Raekwon Davis, Taven Bryan and Austin Johnson.

My personal option would be for the Dolphins to select two players in the draft and add a veteran free agent.

From the collection of talent, I think a duo of Darius Alexander in the second round, along with Nazir Stackhouse or Vernon Broughton, would add much-needed youth to the room.

The two of them plus John Jenkins on a short-term deal would be a good plan to replace Campbell in the aggregate.

It would also give the team four options for the Dolphins to play early in the season in Sieler, Benito Jones, Jenkins, and Alexander while they bring Stackhouse or Broughton along with an idea of using them later in the season and as a focal point for the middle of the defense for years to come.