Dolphins Lose Helping Hand on D-Line

The Miami Dolphins lost unrestricted free agent defensive lineman Da'Shawn Hand to an AFC West team

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) is sacked by Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Da'Shawn Hand (90) during the first quarter at Lumen Field. / Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins have a huge need on the interior of the defensive line, and their options are getting thinner.

On Wednesday, former Dolphins interior defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand signed a one-year, $3.35 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, eliminating another potential option for Miami.

Hand’s numbers weren't overly impressive last season, as he managed just 31 total tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, and six run stuffs. However, he was a solid role player and could have given the Dolphins an easy way to fill snaps this coming season.

The Dolphins' Thin IDL Room

Miami’s current interior defensive line chart looks pretty barren.

Zach Sieler is locked in as a starter and has grown into one of the NFL’s most underrated star players, and the team re-signed Matt Dickerson, but the room is empty apart from them.

Calais Campbell had a tremendous 2024 season, recording 35 total tackles, five sacks, five pass breakups, and 11.5 run stuffs. Still, he’s an unrestricted free agent and is undecided about whether he wants to play another season.

Even if Campbell does decide he wants to return, he’ll turn 38 in September and was already on a limited snap count last season. Relying on him to be anything more than a depth piece is a huge risk at such an important position.

Obviously, the Dolphins should welcome Campbell back if he wants to play next year, but re-signing him hardly solves the team issue. Besides, it's not a lock that Campbell wouldn't sign with another team.

Miami’s last major contributor, Benito Jones, is also an unrestricted free agent. He played limited snaps and functions mostly as a nose tackle, so his box score stats aren’t impressive.

That said, he was an average rotation piece for the Dolphins last season and likely wouldn’t cost much to bring back for 2025.

The Dolphins’ lack of depth on the interior stems from the team’s decision not to replace Christian Wilkins with a high-value asset after he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders last offseason.

In fact, Jones and Campbell were brought on last offseason to help replace Wilkins’ production. And despite both players performing well relative to expectation, Miami’s long-term need remained.

In total, the Dolphins need a starter and likely two depth pieces on the interior of the defensive line for next season.

The Dolphins IDL Options

Although the free agent interior defensive line class is starting to dry up, the Dolphins have a few options. Of course, re-signing Campbell and Jones would be smart depth moves, but some other free agents are still worth considering.

If the team wanted to add a more battle-tested nose tackle, John Jenkins could be a option. He’s already had two stints with the Dolphins (2019 and 2021-22) and has consistently produced well enough to be worth a cheap deal.

If the Dolphins want some more upside, they could take a swing on young but inconsistent players like Jerry Tillery (Vikings), Khalil Davis (49ers) or Byron Cowart (Bears).

None of those players will likely solve Miami’s long-term need, but they could be worthwhile bets as rotation players. At this point in the offseason, the Dolphins’ best chance to find a quality starter next to Zach Sieler is in the 2025 NFL draft.

The Dolphins have 11 picks in the upcoming draft after they were awarded with four compensatory picks Tuesday. This year’s interior defensive line group is incredibly talented, including a popular option at 13 overall.

Michigan’s Kenneth Grant is frequently mocked to the Dolphins in the first round, and it’s not hard to see why. Grant, listed at 6-3, 339 pounds, has the mass to anchor the middle of the line and the athletic ability to affect the game beyond being a run stuffer.

That versatility and upside should be an incredibly appealing option next to Sieler, who would benefit from teams having to devote more resources to deal with Grant.

If Miami wants to wait till Day 2 or 3 to address the interior defensive line, it should still have plenty of options. At nose tackle, Jordan Phillips (Maryland), Jamaree Caldwell (Oregon), and Alfred Collins (Texas) all profile as early contributors.

If the Dolphins want more pass-rush upside, Omarr Norman-Lott (Tennessee), T.J. Sanders (South Carolina) and Darius Alexander (Toledo) would be worth considering.

The Dolphins have missed out on the best free-agent options, so using free agency to fill out the room's depth is smart. Whether through re-signing Jones and Campbell, adding multiple new names, or a combination of the two, they can’t stand pat forever.

After that, addressing the position with one of their first two picks and possibly again on Day 3 should give the Dolphins a real chance to find a long-term partner for Sieler.

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