Pouparts 2 part minicamp/OTA mailbag
From Filis:
Has there been any clarity on the Ramsey falling-out? Any rumblings of other dissenters in the locker room?
There has been no clarity beyond what Ramsey suggested with his Instagram post on the first night of the draft and the reports of a less-than-desirable relationship with head coach Mike McDaniel, which the latter did nothing to contradict when he was asked about it at the end of the draft and said he wanted the focus to be on the rookies. There have been no reports of other being dissatisfied.
From Miami Dolphins & Real Madrid PTY:
Which rookie could be a pleasant surprise?
If we use the word “surprise,” that immediately eliminates Kenneth Grant and Jonah Savaiinaea because the former was a first-round pick and the latter was somebody for whom the Dolphins traded up. That leaves the other six draft picks, and the obvious candidate here would be sixth-round pick Ollie Gordon II considering that before his stats slipped in 2024 he won the Doak Walker Award the previous season as the best running back in college football.
From Michael Blackman:
What happened with Blake Ferguson? Except for the issues last year he has been a solid long snapper and a good guy.
Hey Michael, this has been quite the mystery from the time the Dolphins placed him on the Non-Football Injury list last October. The Dolphins typically don’t make players on IR (or other reserve lists) available to the media, so we never got the chance to directly ask him what the issue was, and that assumes he’d be willing to share what happened. I have regularly checked Ferguson’s social media accounts, but he hasn’t discussed what happened there as far as I can tell. And the Dolphins don’t get into specifics in situations like this one.
From Luis Rodriguez:
Hi Poup, is Tua a “fragile” QB because the injuries happen every season? He’s only played 5 games less than Burrow and Burrow had a 6-game head start as a rookie. Thoughts? Is trolling also in decline (like his game)? Seems to me if he really wanted to troll and get clicks, he would have said Herbert was #5 instead of Mayfield.
Hey Luis, there are two issues at play here, and the first is regularity of injuries. Burrow has had three seasons where he’s started 16 or 17 games compared to only one for Tua. Also, Tua is considered a “fragile” QB because of the frequency of his injuries, the nature (three concussions) plus the fact he’s among the small players at his position. As for Tyreek and his trolling, yeah, I guess putting at Herbert would have taken it to a whole other level, but he still got headlines regardless for leaving Tua out.
From Jeff:
Hello Alain, I see 3 or 4 main avenues for money to shift around on the Dolphins roster right now, which may or may not impact when Ramsey is traded (if they have a partner, of course). Jordyn Brooks is an easy candidate for void years to free up at least 5m in cap. Jaelan Phillips is on his 5th year option, due for an extension or something and his salary is 100% hit against the 2025 cap right now (13m cap). Finally, you have the consideration of whatever they bring in via trade or via FA signings. I don't know what Grier will do, but I am looking at everything through the lens of the cap hits in 2026. What would the cap hits be in 2026 regarding the following players: Ramsey, Armstead, Tua, Waddle, Hill, Chubb and Sieler? Can the Dolphins genuinely fill a team in 2026 with these hits? I don't see much room right now and quite a few of those players won't be in a Dolphins uniform in 2026.
Hey Jeff, let’s start with what you said about some of the big-name players not being here in 2026, and those absolutely could or should include Ramsey, Armstead and probably Hill and Chubb. As for your earlier suggestions, I could see extensions for Brooks and Sieler, but it’s not that simple to simply extend Phillips because then you’re committing money and cap space for future years on a player who’s had an Achilles tear and torn ACL the past two seasons. The Dolphins are going to make sure they’re comfortable he can regain his form before making that kind of financial commitment.
From Jason Kirkland:
Hi Alain, I think there are still many holes that will keep the Dolphins from beating last season's record. The FO thinking they have safeties in the building that are good enough to start is 1. Need 2 CBs starting caliber. Still need more DTs. That's just on defense. On offense, more depth on the O-line is needed. They're 2 injuries away from Liam & Borom BOTH starting and that's a disaster waiting to happen. I think the drop-off from Terron to Paul will be significant. The roster now, without Ramsey, is a 7-win team. Your thoughts on all?
Hey Jason, my first thought is there’s a lot of gloom and doom here, some of it justified. The reality is this is a roster with a whole lot of question marks, including Tua’s ability to stay healthy along with personnel issues, but enough talent that a playoff berth isn’t out of the question if more questions than not wind up getting positive answers.
From Thee Dolphins Dum Dum:
I asked you this question after free agency but with the draft now ended, and the Dolphins’ continued emphasis on players with size and physicality, have the Dolphins done enough to be a much more physical team?
Hey Dana, this is an ever-popular topic surrounding the Dolphins and, yes, they can be more physical, but let’s also understand — as center Aaron Brewer indicated last week — that the emphasis on the offensive line more than physicality is mobility. Ideally, you can find linemen with both, and this is what the Dolphins hope they got with James Daniels in free agency and Jonah Savaiinaea in the draft. But the offensive scheme is based on deceiving opposing defenses and confusing them, not overpowering them.
From Craig M:
Who are you looking at to really show something that you might not have been expecting to see it from, at rookie minicamp?
From NYCFinFan4Life:
As usual appreciate you. Have to catch up on your pod, especially the star-studded 500th. Heading into minicamp, which late-round pick or UDFA do you expect to surprise in camp. Which battles are you looking forward to the most and are you rooting for the Maple Leafs in the Cup?
Here’s what Dolphins fans need to know about the rookie minicamp. The media viewing was limited to the first 20 minutes of practice Friday, which consisted of four periods, one of which was stretching. So that leaves little time to observe a whole lot. In that limited time, I was just looking for anything that stood out, good or bad, from any of the rookies on hand. I can’t say there was anything noticeable (that I wouldn’t expect) from the top two picks, Quinn Ewers threw mostly short passes that didn’t give him a chance to show off his fastball. All the rookies looked to be either in good or acceptable shape, so nothing there as well. The one player who stood out was rookie free agent WR Theo Wease Jr. for how he went up and high-pointed the ball on two 7-on-7 passes. As for the Toronto Maple Leafs, I know you’re asking that because I was born in Canada, but my first rooting interest is the Florida Panthers, who I covered for some 20 years as a side gig.
From Mark Lever:
What game are you most looking for to seeing with the schedule release?
Hey Mark, full confession: I’m a schedule release nerd (or whatever term you want to use).
The game I’m most intrigued about, as usual, is the one at Buffalo because the Bills remain the biggest obstacle. But I’m also curious to see when the Dolphins will face the Bengals and Chargers, and of course the Spain opponent, though rumors and reports indicate that’s a done deal with Washington the opponent in Week 11.
From The_Finsider:
Which day 3 pick do you think will get the most play time this year? You’re the goat!
First off, huge thanks! I’m used to getting call many things, but goat is a first and I am deeply appreciative. And it’s a great question you ask (and I’m not saying that just because of the compliment you just paid me). Hmm, I’ll start with the obvious that injuries will play a big role in that, but if I had to guess right now, I’d be inclined to say Jason Marshall Jr. because there should be opportunities for young cornerbacks to get playing time. The safer bet, though, would be Jordan Phillips.
From Dave Campbell:
Congrats again for number 500 on the Podcast. Had another question in mind, but it surfaced again all this BS with Hill (ty) REEK(s). Badum tiss. When has the organization had enough !? Talented player but as the old cliché goes, no I in Team. Does it get to the point of suspension for conduct detrimental to team? If, as Omar stated on the Collective, there's a beef between him & Tua, does human nature take over & he ignores him as 1st Read come game time ? Sorry for just speculative questions. Different age but Coach Shula would have traded/cut him faster than Tim McKyer back in the day.
Hey Dave, thanks for the shout-out on the
500th episode of the All Dolphins Podcast last week. These are all legit questions you ask and it’s a great reference with McKyer, who was a great cornerback but annoyed Shula enough that he traded him away one year after bringing him in a different trade. But, as you mentioned, it’s a different time and there’s now a salary cap that plays a role in everything. As Jimmy Johnson once suggested, it’s a fact of life that coaches/organizations will tolerate more from a star player than a bottom-of-the-roster guy, and again the cap plays a role in that. As for suspending a player for conduct detrimental to the team, off-the-field personal issues wouldn’t factor into that, and any move toward a suspension would have to go through the NFLPA. And ultimately everything will be measured with this: Are the Dolphins better with (for what he brings on the field) or without (drama, distractions) Tyreek. And if the answer becomes B, is it bad enough to warrant the cap ramifications?
From Ricardo Cardona 2:
Would any team take Tyreek & Ramsey as a package deal? I know Kittle just re-signed but hypothetically, could a scenario like that have worked?
Hey Ricardo, that’s an awful lot of salary and potential drama (with Ramsey, he also reportedly had clashes with Jacksonville Jaguars management) for any team to take on. Let’s just say that highly unlikely might not be strong enough.
From Jackson Long:
Should the Dolphins extend Jaelen Phillips's contract now?
Hey Jackson,
I wrote about this a while back and my feelings haven't really changed. I just don’t see how you can without having some assurance he can be back to the player he was before the Achilles injury in November 2023 and then the torn ACL in September 2024. Phillips is a hard worker and I wouldn’t bet against him making a full recovery and being back to his early form, but there are no assurances. And that’s understanding that an extension for Phillips would significantly lower his 2025 cap number of $13 million, which is what he’s scheduled to get on his fifth-year option. Having said all that, I definitely could see an extension at some point after the Dolphins have been able to eyeball Phillips for a while to the point where they’re comfortable investing future dollars on him.
From Jayco:
If Ross decides to sell the franchise, does he have a potential buyer in place?
Hey Jay, as reported in the Sports Business Journal a while back, Ross has changed his succession plan to leave the franchise in the hands of his daughter, Jennifer Ross. The plan previously called for Vice Chairman Bruce Beal to succeed him as owner.
From Jorge boyd:
Hi Alain, I don't think it's going to happen but if Hill is traded or can't play because of his wrist operation, who do you think would take his place (Malik Washington)?
Hey Jorge, like you, I’m not seeing that scenario, but going along with the hypothetical, yeah, I think it would mean an increased role for Washington and increased opportunities for some of younger receivers on the roster. But not sure about “taking his place” because there are few wide receivers in the NFL who can do what Hill does when he’s healthy.
