Miami Dolphins’ offensive star believes those concerned are wrong about the defense, key observations at camp

Jaylen Waddle says the Miami Dolphins defense is ‘very tough to move the ball on.’

A lot has been made of the Dolphins’ turnover this season, and in fairness, the concerns have been valid.

Starting safeties Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer both left after the 2024 season, with Holland being a major loss as one of the most talented young safeties in the league.

Fans believed that Holland quit on the team in 2024, having a down year before entering free agency. He signed a three-year, $45.3 million deal with the New York Giants, leaving a gap to be filled in Miami.

Poyer, formerly of the Buffalo Bills, wasn’t particularly good on the field this past season, but he did bring a veteran presence to the locker room.

Then, at corner, the Dolphins released veteran Kendall Fuller just one year into his free agency deal, before trading Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers in one of the biggest moves of the offseason.

That meant that of the five starters Miami had in 2024, only Kader Kohou remains. He’s a fourth year player who fought his way into a starting role, having been an undrafted free agent in 2022.

Despite the major shift in personnel, Jaylen Waddle claimed that the group is showing up and performing at training camp. He said:

“They look tremendous. They know where their help is at, they’re playing together as one, on all three levels. So when your defense is playing like that, they’re going to be tough to move the ball on.”

The Dolphins have replenished the group in recent weeks, especially with the acquisition of Minkah Fitzpatrick.

The veteran safety was initially drafted by the Dolphins in the first round in 2018, but was traded during his second season due to frustrations with the way he was being utilized.

He now returns, and will serve as a leader for a relatively inexperienced group.

Former second-round pick Cam Smith has yet to make an impact at corner, while Storm Duck is another undrafted free agent from the 2024 class who hopes to play a key role at the position.

Miami added two veteran safeties on short-term deals in free agency, with former Detroit Lions’ talent Ifeatu Melifonwu and former New York Jet Ashtyn Davis.

More recently, the Dolphins have been in the market for veteran cornerbacks, adding both Jack Jones and Mike Hilton to the unit. Both are aggressive corners who will bring a lot of energy to the group, plus their veteran experience.

The Miami Dolphins’ depth in the front seven may be their secret weapon in 2025

The Miami Dolphins may have one of the most underrated defensive fronts in the NFL. That starts with interior defensive lineman Zach Seiler, who is one of the most overlooked talents league-wide.

Seiler was one of the biggest reasons for the Dolphins allowing Christian Wilkins to leave in free agency, knowing they had a great player in the locker room that the rest of the league was sleeping on.

When healthy, both Jaelen Phillips and Bradley Chubb provide tremendous pressure off the edge, and last year’s rookie first-rounder Chop Robinson was incredibly disruptive despite only seeing rotational playing time for most of the year.

The Dolphins spent another first-rounder on the D-line this offseason, selecting Kenneth Grant with the 13th pick in the draft. Grant is a big body who will help to plug the interior, while also having the speed and get-off to rush and crash the pocket from the inside.

Crucially, the Dolphins have also built depth at linebacker, signing veterans Willie Gay Jr. and KJ Britt. Gay Jr. looks to be particularly good value, as one of the players showing up with a lot of plays early on in training camp.

Mina Kimes said she was a big fan of the defensive line, which may still be undervalued.

If the defensive line stays healthy and these young players continue to develop, the Miami Dolphins’ pass rush will quickly climb the power rankings in the NFL.