Dolphins Saturday Mailbag: 2025 Draft Class, MVP Candidates, and More

Jaylen Waddle, Jalen Ramsey and Jason Sanders are among the players discussed in the latest Miami Dolphins mailbag

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (17) catches the football during training camp at Baptist Health Training Complex. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Part 2 of a preseason finale weekend Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag:

From Dolphins and Opera Guy:

Is there any chance we could see a package with all four top pass rushers on the field at once?

Hey DAOG: Without question, I think there will be packages when the Dolphins (assuming they keep all four on the 53) will have Phillips, Chubb, Chop and Judon on the field at the same time, and those instances would be very obvious passing situations like third-and-15 or something like that.

From Dolfan72:

Who’s been the top 2 among long shots this preseason???

First, I’d have to know your definition of “long shots,” but from my end I think I’d go with edge rusher Derrick McLendon on defense and then maybe wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. on offense.

From Jason Kirkland:

Hi Alain, I know you don't like to make W-L predictions, but do you think it's more likely that Miami wins 6 or 11? Also, what were your thoughts when the 2 other sites ranked Miami's roster 24? Thanks, bud, and keep up the great work! Nobody better covering Dolphins.

Hey Jason, thanks for the kind words. Oh man, you’re putting me on the spot (and you know I don’t like that). But you asked, so I’ll answer. Given the large number of questions that have to go right for the Dolphins to have a successful season — and because you asked — I’d lean right now toward it being more likely the Dolphins win six games than they win 11. I still the final answer will be between those two numbers, though. As for the roster, I didn’t have a major reaction to the roster rankings because the Dolphins lost a lot of big-name talent in the offseason with Armstead, Campbell, Holland, Ramsey and Jonnu all leaving and they didn’t really replace any of them with proven commodities.

From Jayco:

Do you have a theory on why so many former/current Fins CBs (Howard, Fuller, Ramsey, Bonner, C. Smith) have had such a high injury rate?

Hey Jayco, no, I don’t. How’s that for an answer! LOL. But I will tell you that cornerback and wide receiver are two positions that lend themselves to a high injury rate given the amount of running they do through practices and games. And with Howard, Fuller and Ramsey, you’re also dealing with cornerbacks who were in their 30s or getting there and therefore had some mileage on them.

Miami Dolphins cornerback Ethan Bonner (27) catches the football during mandatory minicamp at Baptist Health Training Complex in 2024. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

From Grier and Ross have got to go:

Who can throw down more drinks at the bar: Poupart, Omar, Perkins, J Harold Rose? Out of all the Dolphins reporters and press media, who would Alain Poupart choose if you needed help in a bar fight?

Interesting question, but I’m going to defer on the first one (out of respect for my peers), though I will say I’m not even in the conversation as a lightweight who’ll have an occasional glass of red wine but basically drinks only water and coffee. As for part 2, off the top of my head, I think Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN would be my choice. He’s young, he's got good size and looks strong. But I’m not a big bar fight kind of guy. LOL.

HELPING OUT THE SECONDARY

From Crash Jensen:

Could the Dolphins scheme their way out of needing to improve their secondary? A lot of Dolphins’ opponents last year with average pass defenses shut down Miami’s passing attack. Could Miami do the same to mask weak CB play, especially with a good EDGE rotation?

Hey Crash, yeah, the way to mask a mediocre secondary — if that’s what the Dolphins wind up having — is with the pass rush and the Dolphins clearly are counting on the quarter of edge rushers to make a big difference. If those four can’t deliver, then it’s time to start sending safeties or inside backers. The way the roster looks right now, the Dolphins defense is going to have a tough time if they can’t get pressure on the quarterback, so whatever is necessary to get that done needs to be done.

From Bubba:

Aloha Alain. Do you believe, if we had any other HC, that Julian Hill and Jason Sanders would be on this team? 2-3 years ago J. Sanders missing all those kicks and last year with J. Hill’s holding calls.

Hey Bubba, Jason Sanders was lights out last year, so it’s a no on that one and it’s not close. As for Julian Hill, I think he had like one holding call in the second half of the season, so it’s not like the problem wasn’t corrected at least bit. And the reality is he’s also the best blocking tight end on the team until proven otherwise, though Pharaoh Brown may overtake him in that department. He’s also a player on a cheap contract, so why dump him merely for a couple of holding penalties early in the season?

From Chris Bustin:

Hey Alain, if Mike McDaniel and Chris Grier are fired after this season, how could Steve Ross realistically replace them? Wouldn’t being stuck with Tua’s massive, non–playoff-winning contract for at least another year scare off top candidates? Thanks!

Hey Chris, I’m not going to get into the weeds too much about potential replacements until it’s time to talk about potential replacements. But the answer to your question is that there are only 32 head coach and GM jobs in the NFL, and I don’t think you’ll have a hard time finding somebody being willing to take on whatever the circumstances, though, yes, it might keep away some of the more appealing options.

From rjgrosso:

Is it too optimistic to conclude that the seeming improvement of the the DBs (from abysmal to below average?), the talent at inside & outside LB, and the apparent growth of the rookie D-lineman, orchestrated by a talented DC (Weaver), that this could be a game-impacting defense?

Hey Richard, yeah, hate to be that guy but I think expecting this to become a “game-impacting defense” might be a reach. It would take an awful lot of positive developments beyond what we saw in training camp, where hyperbole often is the rule rather than the exception when it comes to projecting your own players. What it means by that is that, yes, based on what we saw from Jaylen Waddle over the summer, he looks like he might be ready for a massive season. But in the case of the young DTs, they did look very promising, but that’s a long way from being able to predict they’ll be impactful right away. Best way to sum it up is to hope but also go in with realistic expectations. If the defense can reach “solid” status, I would be fine with that.

DOLPHINS MVP CANDIDATES

From finsfan4life:

If you had to pick a dark horse on winning the Dolphins Dan Marino MVP award at end of year, who would it be? You do vote on that, correct?

Yes, I do vote on the award. And if you’re asking me for a dark horse beyond the obvious candidates (Tyreek, Tua, Sieler, Achane), maybe I’d go with somebody like Minkah Fitzpatrick or Jordyn Brooks. And how’s this for another dark horse? How about Darren Waller?

Miami Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (29) walks on the field during training camp at Baptist Health Training Complex. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

From Dan P:

Not Dolphins specific, but which of the 2024 playoff teams fail to make it in 2025?

Hey Dan, very interesting question. So we’ll start with the 14 playoff teams, which were Kansas City, Buffalo, Baltimore, Houston, L.A. Chargers, Pittsburgh and Denver in the AFC and Detroit, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, L.A. Rams, Minnesota, Washington and Green Bay in the NFC. From that list, I think the Steelers and Chargers are question marks because of Aaron Rodgers and the Chargers losing Rashawn Slater for the season, and in the NFC, I don’t like the vibes in Washington, and I’m not sold on J.J. McCarthy being “it” for the Vikings.

From Chris Larrondo “From work”:

Who is the actual backup F back? All these years and I have yet to figure it out.

Hey Chris, the Dolphins don’t have a backup fullback listed on their depth chart behind Alec Ingold, but they can use somebody in a similar role simply by having Julian Hill or Pharaoh Brown line up next or in front of the halfback.

From Rich Miller:

Once training camp is finished, what is your impression of this draft class?

Hey Rich, training camp is now done, and I would call this draft class at the moment very promising. I’m not ready to predict major impact immediately, but I do see a lot of upside with pretty much the entire group — Kenneth Grant, Jonah Savaiinaea, Jordan Phillips, Jason Marshall Jr., Dante Trader Jr., Ollie Gordon II, Quinn Ewers and Zeek Biggers.