Dolphins June 2025 Preview

The Miami Dolphins enter their last month of the offseason with one draft pick still left to sign and some big-name veterans on the way or possibly on the way out

Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) speaks to reporters during mandatory minicamp at Baptist Health Training Complex. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The final month of the Miami Dolphins offseason program has arrived, and it will conclude with a three more Organized Team Activities (OTAs) this upcoming week followed by the three-day minicamp.

But those practices in shorts and shirts and no contact won't be the story for the Dolphins, who are headed for potentially busy and significant month that could reshape their roster for the 2025 season.

THE RAMSEY WATCH

At the top of the projected headlines for June will be what seems to be the inevitable trade of Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

It's now been about six weeks since word leaked that the Dolphins and Ramsey were looking to part ways via a trade, and nothing has happened since to change that outlook.

The arrival of June, though, doesn't mean a Ramsey trade is coming any second — though it's not impossible — because what makes any deal tricky isn't so much the cap ramifications for the Dolphins (who now will get to spread their cap hit over two years instead of just 2025) but rather coming to an agreement as to what the Dolphins will get in return and/or what they'll be asked to contribute toward Ramsey's fully guaranteed $21 million salary.

JONNU SMITH SPECULATION

This one just popped out of seemingly nowhere last week, and it's entirely different (or at least seems to be) from the Ramsey situation.

The situation with Jonnu Smith isn't about a broken relationship, but rather a contract negotiation that so far hasn't produced the desired results.

It's pretty simple: Smith, who played at FIU in Miami, wants to stay with the Dolphins, is a great fit in the Dolphins scheme, but wants a contract raise/extension that reflects his production of 2024 when he set franchise records for tight ends for catches and receiving yards.

If the Dolphins didn't want to keep Smith, they would have moved him earlier in the offseason, but there's only so far they'll go in terms of financial commitment.

Just because the Dolphins are discussing trade possibilities with Smith doesn't mean he's gone, though, and the best guess remains he'll be with the team in 2025.

THE OFFICIAL DEPARTURE OF ARMSTEAD

Veteran tackle Terron Armstead remained on the roster as of Sunday morning despite announcing his retirement in early April.

But that's going to change, likely Monday, when his retirement becomes official.

The only real effect here for the Dolphins should be a small savings off his salary cap number of $9 million.

SIGNING SAVAIINAEA

The Dolphins got to June having practically their entire draft class signed, a sharp contrast to 2024 when they had nobody under contract because they needed for Xavien Howard's contract to come off the books.

But there's one important caveat.

Whereas there were no issues involved in signing any of their draft picks this year, the Dolphins now are dealing with the aftermath of the precedent set by the Houston Texans when they gave second-round pick Jayden Higgins a fully guaranteed four-year contract.

The next day, the Cleveland Browns did the same with the top pick in the round, linebacker Carson Schwesinger, and that's been it as far as second-round signings. And Schwesinger signed May 9.

So clearly there's an impasse here. Agents are pointing to Higgins' contract for their own clients and asking for fully guaranteed contracts and teams are resisting. And that includes the Dolphins.

Something is going to have to give at some point, but the Dolphins can't really afford to have Savaiinaea miss much of training camp if the standoff continues to that point.

VETERAN ADDITIONS ON THE WAY?

One of the Dolphins' most significant veteran additions of 2024 happened in June when the team signed defensive lineman Calais Campbell, and it's not like their roster couldn't use that kind of player this year.

There are plenty of big-name veterans still on the market, either because teams wanted to figure out their roster after the offseason or simply because there was no great desire by some of those players to work in the spring if they have enough experience.

At positions of need for the Dolphins, players who stand out would include guard Brandon Scherff; safety Justin Simmons; and cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore, Rasul Douglas, Asante Samuel Jr. and Mike Hilton.

Any of them could make a difference for the 2025 Dolphins.