Someone finally offered an explanation of why Zach Sieler is off to a slow start for the Dolphins — and what the plan looks like to get him back on track

“Zach, he’s such an incredibly smart football player in that he can take in all the information in real time – both stances, communication, backfield sets – so some of those things he can take advantage of. Now like we talked about earlier in the season when he was trying to help so many people, we weren’t giving him the opportunity to do that," explained Weaver.

"I think now with again some of the maturation of some of the younger guys around him, maybe playing not both rookies with him and trying to take some of that off him at times, that’s going to allow him to be him and take some of the stress we had on him earlier in the season.”

Miami Dolphins 2025 rushing defense by the numbers through Week 4

• 632 rushing yards allowed (ranks 30th in the NFL)
• 5.1 yards per rush allowed (ranks 29th in the NFL)
• 5 rushing touchdowns allowed (ranks 25th in the NFL)
• Ranked 20th in rush defense EPA against non-quarterbacks

Sieler did have his best game of the season in Week 4 against the Jets, posting two pressures and logging tackles for loss on two consecutive plays. He's certainly not back to his prior standard — that is expected to be a work in progress thanks to the moving pieces of the puzzle around him. But it is at least somewhat reassuring that the man pulling the strings for the Dolphins defense appears to have been able to identify why the issue has been playing out the way it has for arguably Miami's best defensive player.

Sieler has been a prime player in Miami's pass rush for the ways that he can set the table for others and win through picks, stunts and games. The feel of the angles and timing of those opportunities thus far for the Dolphins in 2025 has yet to materialize, so it makes sense that Weaver is aspiring to put him out there alongside the Dolphins' two rookies, Kenneth Grant and Jordan Phillips, less.

A banged up Panthers offensive line in Week 5 is Miami's next opportunity to "get right" and unleash Sieler to his fullest potential? They are stacking days of progress but the hope (or worry) is just how quickly the improvement will come to life. Week 4 was a good start. What's next?

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