Dolphins Sunday Mailbag: Tyreek, Bonner, Ramsey, and More

Part 2 of a Miami Dolphins On SI Miami Grand Prix weekend mailbag:

From Jorge boyd:

Hi Alain do you think the RBs will be able to run with this OL, especially 3rd and 4th-and-1 situations?

Hey Jorge, that’s the hope, right? I think there’s absolutely reason to believe that James Daniels and Jonah Savaiinaea will be upgrades at guard and help the Dolphins in short-yardage running situations, and with Alexander Mattison and/or rookie Ollie Gordon II, the Dolphins have the big back that was missing last season. I don’t know that the Dolphins will become a great short-yardage running team, but they should be improved.

From NYCFinFan4Life:

As always I'm grateful for you and the time you take for fans. Do you feel the D-Line can be disruptive enough to mask our weak secondary? Also, what do you think will realistically be the end result with Ramsey. Bonus: Axl Rose or Freddie Mercury for greatest vocal range.

First off, thanks. Appreciate the support. It’s the pass rush that needs to be disruptive, and that falls on Phillips, Chubb and Robinson. And the question mark there is whether Phillips and Chubb can regain their pre-injury form. If they do, I have confidence in the pass rush. The end result with Ramsey will be a trade, most likely after June 1. As for the music question, is that a trick question? It’s Mercury for me by a mile.

From JK:

Say over the past 10 drafts what percent of Fins draftees ended up playing anywhere in the NFL? NFL says overall 30 percent.

In the 10 drafts between 2015-24, the Dolphins drafted 69 players and all but four of them have played at least one regular season game in the NFL. The four who haven’t are 2015 fifth-round safety Cedric Thompson, 2016 seventh-round quarterback Brandon Doughty, 2021 seventh-round running back Gerrid Doaks, and 2024 seventh-round wide receiver Tahj Washington, who spent his rookie season on IR.

From Greenview Construction:

Say we trade Ramsey, give us some trade options for CB… Know there are some unhappy guys looking for trade.

Well, the first name that jumps out is Jaire Alexander of the Green Bay Packers, though the latest reports indicate that situation has cooled and he could be back there in 2025. Besides, he’s pricey and too often injured. He's the only one who comes to mind right now.

From Luis Rodriguez:

Hi Alain, if you could only sign 2 of these 4 CBs, which 2 would you sign? R. Douglas, A. Samuel, Jack Jones and Gilmore. Also, would the two you choose be a better solution than any CB Fins would have drafted after RD1?

Hey Luis, of the list you provided, I’d go with Douglas and Samuel provided Samuel’s shoulder checks out. As for whether that’s better than anybody the Dolphins could have gotten after Round 1, it depends on whether Will Johnson and Benjamin Morrison hold up physically because they’re both high-end cornerback prospects who lasted until Round 2 because of durability concerns.

From Judd Jugmonger:

Is Cheetah gonna return punts this year ... again?

Hey Judd, my best guess is that Tyreek will return punts in selected situations, such as if the team needs a spark. It’s how he’s been used since he got to Miami and I see no reason that should change.

From Mark Malbeck:

Everyone is saying that MM is the reason Ramsey wants out of Miami. I’m not sold on that, based on Ramsey’s history; he does not stick around long with teams. Did all those other coaches cause him to leave their team?

Hey Mark, from my understanding, Ramsey left Jacksonville as the result of conflict with some Jaguars front office officials and then the Rams traded him to shed salary at a time when Ramsey also wanted a new contract. Chris Grier said it wasn’t contract-related and there’s no way to believe it would be because the Dolphins just gave him a contract and they also can’t really ask him to take a pay cut considering his 2025 salary is guaranteed.

From Poor Dolfan:

You think we'll ever know the truth about the blow-up between McD and Ramsey?

That’s a good question, as to whether the specific details will come out. I could see coming out through unnamed sources, but there’s no guarantee of that.

From rumble fish:

Who will win another championship first? The Miami Dolphins or Toronto Maple Leafs?

For those not familiar with the NHL, the Maple Leafs last won the Stanley Cup in 1967, six years before the Dolphins had their last Super Bowl title. The Maple Leafs will face the Florida Panthers now in the second round of the NHL Playoffs this year, though I don’t see them winning the Cup. I do think they’re closer right now to a title than the Dolphins. Sorry.

From Thee Dolphins Dum Dum:

Tyreek Hill’s production fell off a cliff last year and so did the Dolphins offense as a whole. Do you expect any changes in this year’s offensive philosophy? What, if anything, will likely change?

Hey Dana, I really don’t expect major changes because the offense did hum pretty good in 2023 and that’s where the Dolphins would like to return. At their best since McDaniel took over as head coach, Tyreek Hill was the central focus of the offense, and he’s what (more than anything) made the Dolphins offense really dangerous at its peak.

From David Triana:

Given what happened in the Colts, Cardinals, & Bills (@ Buffalo) games last season, there’s a chance the Dolphins could have been an 11-win team. What do you think the Dolphins have to do to eliminate “unforced errors” & is there any phase of the game where they’re most prevalent?

Hey David, it’s a dangerous game to play what you’re doing because they also easily could have lost against Jacksonville in the opener, against New England at Gillette Stadium, and in the first game against the Jets. Specific to the three games you mentioned, the defense failed to rise to the occasion against the Cardinals and Bills, and there were costly fumbles against the Colts and Bills, plus the costly safety against Arizona. The bottom line is there was a thin line between winning and losing in several games, and the Dolphins won some and lost some.

From Jorge Fernandez:

Can someone ask coach directly not Frank Smith’s-vague response last year about using a more physical big body grouping with 6-7 O-line players on short yardage and everyone knowing it, yet still doing it to prove the point of physicality? Create their own version tush-push Gordon?

Hey Jorge, the question to Smith couldn’t have been more pointed when he was asked why the Dolphins never use a sixth offensive lineman in short-yardage situations, and his answer simply was that it’s just not something the Dolphins do. I’d doubt McDaniel would offer a very different answer, but I’m sure we’ll ask at some point.

From Angelo Ray:

Do you think Ramsey will have a change of heart now after the draft?

Hey Angelo, I have a very hard time anticipating that after his Instagram post on draft night. That was very different from Tyreek Hill venting after the season finale against the Jets and saying he wanted out. This was thought out and posted, and the message was pretty clear that he doesn’t like what’s going on in Miami. Now, maybe he does have a change of heart, but I certainly wouldn’t count on it.

From Mike McDonald:

Hi Alain, who is your round 5-7 guy to get the most playing time/biggest impact?

Hey Mike, the two who immediately come to mind are DT Jordan Phillips and RB Ollie Gordon II, and I’ll go now with Phillips because I think he’s in line for way more snaps as a rookie.

From Dave:

Alain, is it a crazy thought to actually give a guy like Ethan Bonner a chance to play in real games? He seems to always have good things said about him, but never is given a chance. We have taken heat for not drafting a high CB in draft. Maybe we already have a guy?

Hey Dave, there was some thought among some media members that Bonner could have a breakthrough last year after playing late in 2023, but it never materialized. And it’s not about him not being given a chance, but rather about his coaches not seeing enough in practice to give him a bigger role. So it’s a stretch to say he’s an answer, while at the same time understanding that maybe he can make a big jump in practice and therefore earn more opportunities. But he’s not a sure thing at the moment.

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