Three Dolphins position groups now offer more questions than they did when the season started and the implications could stretch far beyond 2025

EDGE Defender

Chop Robinson? Where are you? Bradley Chubb? The sack totals are strong — the pressure numbers are not. Jaelan Phillips? Missed opportunities have squandered his disruptive play. The future of both Chubb and Phillips should be considered in question. That was the case two months ago as well, given Phillips is a contract year and Chubb needed to renegotiate his contract this offseason to avoid being a cap casualty.

But Chop Robinson has not played more than 24 snaps defensively since Week 1. He's averaging one pressure per game through six games. This was supposed to be the face of the future of the room — and instead we're wondering if he's a slow starter annually after a slow emergence during his rookie season, too.

All three have struggled to finish plays. Chubb's been a closer with his sacks but he's missing over 25% of his tackle opportunities on the season. Phillips twice had Justin Herbert in his grasp in the final minute of regulation and failed to get him on the ground either time. Phillips, at the very least, has posted 17 pressures in the last four games. But he's now a buzzy name for the trade deadline. Will Miami ship him out? Will they keep him? Would they extend him after the season?

Lots of questions, indeed!

Miami Dolphins 2025 QB Pressure Leaders Through Week 6

1. EDGE Defender Jaelan Phillips: 20 pressures
2. EDGE Defender Bradley Chubb: 13 pressures
3. Defensive Tackle Zach Sieler: 11 pressures
4. Defensive Tackle Kenneth Grant: 7 pressures
5. Linebacker Jordyn Brooks: 7 pressures

Offensive guard

How well does James Daniels actually fit in the Dolphins' offense after signing a three-year, $24 million contract in free agency? Who knows! He's played three snaps this season. Daniels has been on injured reserve since the start of Week 2 and will not return in Week 7 after suffering a pectoral injury on Miami's opening drive of the season.

If that doesn't summarize Miami's offensive line experience this season, I'm not sure what does.

The domino effect has introduces some long-term questions and concerns about someone who was supposed to be seen as a long-term solution in rookie Jonah Savaiinaea. That isn't to say he won't be — but he's firmly in the deep end of the pool trying to keep his head above water as Miami offers extra help and support to the backups on the right side of the offensive line who have been starting since Week 2.

Miami invested two top-1oo picks and a big contract in free agency for offensive guards and doesn't feel any closer to an upgrade than they were last season.

Defensive tackle

Zach Sieler, are you okay?

Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver suggested the other week that Sieler has been bogged down by over-communicating to his rookie teammates when sharing the field with both — and that the solution lies in not tasking him with playing with the rookies so often.

We'll see what it brings over the next few weeks. But Sieler got a big contract this August was a nod of who he's been and a new bar for who Miami needs him to be amid their youth movement. It's been a work in progress, but Sieler hasn't been the player Dolphins fans have been fully accustomed to seeing so far in 2025 — which in turn creates more questions than we had in August.

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