Part 2 of a post-minicamp weekend Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag:
From Dave Campbell:
Hey Alain, a few questions before your well-deserved vacation. First, I really enjoy both All Dolphins & Dolphins Collective podcasts. My questions are, I know it’s way early but a name I haven’t heard is Alexander Mattison. Has he been leapfrogged by Gordon? Pretty sure the Houston & Cleveland GMs are off the Christmas card lists league wide for guaranteed contracts of 2nd picks. Wouldn’t it behoove Grier to get something done before another team sets the new precedent ? Thanks again for all the hard work !
Hey Dave, first thanks for the kind words on the podcasts. With the running back question, it’s way too early to suggest anybody has leapfrogged anybody on the depth chart. Now, I do expect a good battle for playing time between Mattison and Gordon, but nothing that happened in the spring (based on what I saw) would suggest Gordon now is in the lead. As for the other question, the precedent already has been set by Houston of fully guaranteeing a second-round pick’s contract. What Grier has to do is simply follow suit.
From Troy Ortiz:
Alain, we know McDaniel is on the hot seat and could potentially be fired midseason if the season goes sideways. In this worst-case scenario, what players would you expect to be traded at the deadline? I’m thinking Cheetah and Chubb are at the top of the list.
Hey Troy, first off, I’ll say it would take some kind of a disastrous start for anything to happen to McDaniel before the end of the 2025 season. Under your hypothetical, then, yes, Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb jump out as two players who could be on the move. If another team were interested, trading Tua (again, under that scenario) would make sense) but it’s difficult to envision another team willing to take on his contract, which guarantees $54 million next year.
From marc rainford:
If Smith gets traded, who do you feel gets the snaps instead?
Hey Marc, I think the Dolphins would see who else they could bring in from the outside first, but then could look internally and split snaps among Tanner Conner, Julian Hill and Pharaoh Brown.
From Bag of Donuts:
Is there a possibility that no trade happens for Ramsey ? Will Tyreek remain a Dolphin?
Hey BOD, I’d put the chances of no trade involving Ramsey at extremely low because it just feels like an irreparable situation — the team excusing him from mandatory minicamp was a telling sign. I’d be almost equally shocked if Hill wound up being traded. He’s too important to what the Dolphins hope to accomplish in 2025.
From Brent George:
Players sign multi-year contracts. After one year, they want new contracts. It seems to me, if they take the stability of a long-term contract, they should honor it. If they want to negotiate a contract every year, they should only sign one-year contracts. What’s your opinion?
Hey Brent, hear to what you’re saying, but what about team that cut players after one year of a multi-year deal. It works both ways. And also understand that not every player can ask to have his contract redone. Furthermore, the team doesn’t have to give somebody a new contract if it doesn’t want, but then has to deal with the potential consequences of having the player play hard ball or become disruptive.
From Thee Dolphins Dum Dum:
Minicamp is in the books. Any players surprise you in a positive way?
Hey Dana, in no particular order, the players who impressed more than maybe I would have expected were WR Dee Eskridge, CB Kendall Sheffield, OLB Grayson Murphy and rookie safety Dante Trader Jr.
From Cheesefrog:
How much can anyone actually take from the minicamps in regards to who might have the edge on making the roster?
If we’re going to be honest about this, it’s a very small piece of the puzzle. There are some players who can look bad in the spring but come on with the start of training camp and vice versa, but roster spots aren’t won in the spring. They can be lost, however, on rare occasions.
From Prince-Bishop Militantly Aardvark:
The Oracle of Perkins seems excited about the Dolphins’ front seven. Do you share his enthusiasm?
Hey PBMA, you’re referring to frequent All Dolphins Podcast guest Chris Perkins, who indeed is very bullish on the Dolphins front seven. I think the group does have intriguing potential, but I’m not ready to anoint it as a team strength because the draft picks have to prove themselves on the D-line, Chubb and Phillips have to show they can return to their old form, and Brooks and Dodson have to take the next step at linebacker. But it’s definitely a group that could be good.
From SciGuy17:
Been thru minicamp, and best chance yet to see draft picks. Any tea leaves readings to indicate Dolphins are excited/disappointed in what they saw?
There’s truly no way of knowing because there was nothing in the rotations in the open practices that provided major clues and what coaches will say to be media always will be positive. But based on what I saw, there’s no reason to not be optimistic about any of the draft picks.
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