Notes, thoughts, metrics and postscripts on the Dolphins’ defense, by position, in the wake of Friday’s 20-7 preseason opening loss at Washington:
Defensive tackles and ends
With Zach Sieler listed as “week to week” with an undisclosed injury, the Dolphins opened with Kenneth Grant and Jordan Phillips at defensive tackle and Chop Robinson and Joshua Uche at defensive end.
Phillips had an excellent stop for no gain among his 10 defensive snaps, and Pro Football Focus rated him 19th among 36 players who logged defensive snaps for Miami. Grant, regrettably, was ranked 36th and last for his work on 10 snaps, though that’s too small a sample size to make any conclusions whatsoever.
Could 2025 seventh-round Zeek Biggers and fifth-rounder Phillips end up helping the Dolphins more than Grant, Miami’s first-round pick in the last draft run by Chris Grier? It would have been a ridiculous question last August, but it’s natural to wonder now. Grant must parlay his improved conditioning (he dropped from 337 pounds to under 330) into more impactful play.
Biggers did not play in the opener (a reason wasn’t given) but by all accounts has had a strong camp and should play a lot, considering his ability to toggle between tackle and end.
The backup defensive tackles were pushed around at times.
Second-year player Fatorma Mulbah, the former West Virginia starter who was released by the Jets last January, logged 23 snaps and was the best of the bunch, according to PFF, which rated him as Miami’s fifth-best player on defense Friday, behind Robinson, safety Zayne Anderson and cornerbacks AJ Green III and Miles Battle.
Matthew Butler (30 snaps) and Keith Cooper Jr. (36) are battling for a backup roster spot that could be churned this season if neither stakes a convincing claim. Butler, in his defense, played well at times in 215 defensive snaps for the Dolphins last season and it would be a surprise (though not a shock) if the Dolphins move on from him, even more so because of Sieler’s injury. PFF rated both as below average on Friday.
It wasn’t a great night for Alex Huntley, who logged 31 defensive snaps but was Miami’s second-worst defender on Friday, per PFF.
Robinson’s improved play setting the edge has been heartening, and that was on display when he forced Kayton Allen inside for a one yard run. He also had a quarterback hurry in his six snaps.
Here are the snap counts and PFF grades (among 36 Dolphins defenders) for Miami’s other defensive ends:
Uche (12 snaps, No. 8 among 36 Dolphins), David Ojabo (25 snaps, No. 7), Robert Beal (22 snaps, No. 28). Clelin Ferrell, who entered camp with a decent chance to beat out Beal, remains week to week with an injury.
Linebackers
With Jordyn Brooks held out of Friday’s game, the Dolphins opened the game with Tyrel Dodson, Willie Gay Jr. and Trey Moore, the fourth-round rookie whose diverse skill set appeals to coaches.
Moore led all Dolphins with 48 defensive snaps, and PFF ranked him 14th of 37 defenders. Dodson (23 snaps) was rated sixth and Gay (35 snaps) was 17th. Moore and Gay continue to compete for the same role when Miami opens in a 4-3.
Jacob Rodriguez, who’s competing with Dodson to start, came off the bench to play 13 snaps and was ranked 26th, partly the byproduct of two passes in his coverage area being caught for 18 yards.
Undrafted rookie Mason Reiger, who has had a quiet training camp, had a sack and made something of his 23 snaps; PFF rated him 11th of the 37 Dolphins defenders; he will need more efforts like that to make a case for the 53 after falling out of the draft because of past knee injuries.
Also logging snaps at linebacker: Rodney McGraw (15 snaps, No. 16), Jackson Woodard (35 snaps, No. 20), Max Llewellyn (27 snaps, No. 25), Kyle Louis (31 snaps, No. 30) and Cam Goode (14 snaps, No. 34). Goode had a sack but was among several defenders sealed off on a long run. Llewellyn and Ojabo split a sack.
Veteran Ronnie Harrison Jr. didn’t play.
PFF ranked Woodard and Dodson as Miami’s best linebackers against the run and Louis the worst in his 24th defensive snaps.
Miami’s backup linebackers mostly struggled in coverage against Washington reserves. Louis allowed both passes in his coverage area to be caught for 33 yards, and Woodard allowed both of his targets to be caught for 37 yards.
Safety
With likely starter Dante Trader Jr. sidelined, Zayne Anderson and fifth-round rookie Michael Taaffe opened the game, and Anderson – a likely starter for the first time in his career – was graded by PFF as Miami’s second best player on defense, albeit in only nine snaps. The only pass against Anderson was caught, for a measly one yard.
Taaffe, who played 18 snaps, was rated only 33rd, ahead of only Goode, Huntley and Grant.
Indiana undrafted rookie Louis Moore (32 snaps) and former UFL standout Major Burns (30 snaps) had some good moments, ranking 9th and 10th among Dolphins defenders, per PFF. Moore and Burns were each targeted once and both throws were completed for modest gains (five and eight yards, respectively).
The Dolphins gave 30 defensive snaps to veteran Lonnie Johnson, who’s on his seventh team in five years, and could soon be looking for an eighth if he doesn’t play better. Johnson was rated Miami’s worst run defender among safeties for the game; Moore was ranked the best.
Cornerback
First-round pick Chris Johnson started and logged 18 defensive snaps in his NFL game debut and allowed one of two targets to be caught for 14 yards. He made a very good play on the ball on the other target and nearly intercepted it in the end zone.
With Juju Brents sidelined by injury, Jason Marshall Jr. also started and wasn’t targeted on his six snaps.
Aside from Alex Austin (who allowed both targets to be caught for 23 yards), most of the other corners held up in coverage. Marco Wilson had Miami’s one interception on his only target on the final play of the first quarter.
Commanders quarterbacks went 0 for 1 against Battle, 0 for 2 against Green and 1 for 3 (for 16 yards) against Ethan Bonner, who drew praise from Hafley for his consistency throughout camp.
Ethan Robinson and Ahmari Harvey weren’t targeted.
Veteran Nick McLeod, who started four games and appeared in 15 for the Bears last season, allowed a 12-yard completion on his only target.
PFF rated Austin as Miami’s best run-defending cornerback and Wilson the worst.
Bonner and Moore played the most snaps among defensive backs (32 apiece).
Here’s my position-by-position report on the Dolphins’ offense.
Here’s everything notable that Hafley said Saturday, including his interesting comments about Ollie Gordon’s penalty and what won’t be tolerated.
This story was originally published August 16, 2026 at 10:01 AM.
Miami Herald
Barry Jackson has written for the Miami Herald since 1986 and has written the Florida Sports Buzz column since 2002.