Miami, FL
Dolphins Sunday Mailbag: Kohou, Tyreek, Dart, and More
Third and final part of the pre-draft weekend Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag:
From Bubba:
What’s up, Alain. I just don’t see it with Kader Kohou. What does most people see in him?
Hey Bubba, well, for one thing, Kohou is a very, very good tackler as a defensive back, about as good as the Dolphins have had in many years. He’s also solid in coverage, though I like him a lot better in the slot than outside. So, bottom line, I think he’s an above-average nickel corner, and there’s clearly value in that.
From Mike Zwilling:
A player you do not want the Dolphins to take at 13?
Hey Mike, I’m going to keep this to players who could or should be there at number 13 and just mention Tyler Booker, the guard from Alabama. This is nothing personal, but I don’t like guard at 13 because of positional value, not to mention the fact he’s a bad scheme fit.
From Mason:
Alain, thanks for the great work you do keeping us fans well informed. I have a simple question, do you see Grier stepping down from the GM position after this draft? He had the look of a defeated person in the pre-draft press conference.
Hey Mason, no, I don’t see that happening. I didn’t notice a major difference in his demeanor at the press conference, to be honest with you.
From Thee Dolphins Dum Dum:
With big money comes big responsibility. Last year was a disappointment to almost everyone rooting for the Dolphins. To succeed in this league as a team your players have to have a positive payroll-to-production ratio. When I break the parties most responsible for failure, I follow the money first to see if those who have been invested in the most have met their responsibilities. In the case of Mr. Ramsey and Mr. Hill, my answer is absolutely not. They both began the season shaking down the team for more money and both promptly did their best Xavien Howard impersonation and put up pedestrian seasons. Now both men want out of Miami. Hill was the 27th-most productive receiver and Ramsey was the 16th-rated corner, according to PFF. Ramsey only had 2 turnovers and I’ve heard he’s a great tackler. After researching this info I discovered he attempted 54 tackles and missed 14 of them. He allowed a 93.5 passer rating when thrown against. Both men are over 30 and it’s rare to see a player bounce back after that age. Can the Dolphins have success if their 2 highest-paid players put up mediocre production? Is there something that I’m missing? Did they have better seasons than I’m pointing out?
Hey Dana, that’s a very good, elaborate question. I don’t think Hill and Ramsey had their best seasons, but I don’t think they were disasters, either, and understand that Hill played through a lot of health issues. But you’re absolutely right about the concern that their production will continue to decline as they get older. And I could not agree more with criticizing the decision to redo their contracts, which is where the Dolphins eeded to stand their ground but failed to do so.
From Jake McVay:
Hey Alain, fans have been screaming for a better O-line for years. Can the Dolphins really afford not to draft a stud guard in the first or second round?
Hey Jake, how bad was the offensive line in 2023 when the team led the NFL in total offense? That said, yes, the Dolphins offensive line could use upgrades, but I don’t like the idea of taking a guard only in Round 1. I’m fine with it in Round 2 or taking a tackle who moves to guard as a rookie and later moves back to tackle.
From Mark Lever:
If Jackson Dart is available on our second-round pick, do you take him?
Hey Mark, I’ll start with the thought that I don’t believe Dart will be there at 48, but going along with the hypothetical, that’s an interesting one to consider. It certainly wouldn’t do anything for the Dolphins in 2025, but I’m not sure the franchise shouldn’t be looking ahead even with Grier and McDaniel on the hot seat. In the end, it comes down to what we think Dart’s NFL ceiling might be and I’m not sure it’s high enough that I wouldn’t hold off on a QB.
From James Vernon:
Is this the worst situation the Dolphins have been in, in recent memory? The tank for Tua season notwithstanding? And what chance is there that Tyreek Hill is in trouble again before the season begins?
Hey James, last question first, and it’s an unfair question. On the bigger picture, yeah, it’s been a while since the Dolphins had a roster with this many holes (excluding the 2019 seaosn, of course).
From Jason:
If you were Chris Grier, would you use every pick on CB/D-Line and O-Line in the draft?
Hey Jason, I don’t know about EVERY pick, but definitely the majority of them, and I’d absolutely throw in a safety in there and maybe a quarterback as well.
From Chris Shields:
Who you taking at 13 if the following are available. J. Barron, W. Johnson, J. Simmons, K. Banks, G. Zabel, M. Starks, N. Emmanwori, K. Grant, W. Nolen, D. Harmon, T. Warren?
Hey Chris, of the players you listed, I’d be fine with either Jahdae Barron, Will Johnson, Kelvin Banks Jr. or Kenneth Grant.
From Ed Helinski:
What’s your opinion and insight on what’s really going on with Chris Grier and this Jalen Ramsey situation? Good luck trying to trade a player with a $25 mil cap hit.
Hey Ed, that’s a great question and a pretty good mystery right now. Chris Grier said it was not contract-related, so that leaves as possibilities an issue with the scheme, personality differences, maybe Ramsey not liking what’s going on with the roster. That’s all I can think of right now. And, yes, it won’t be easy to trade him, though an acquiring team would take on a $21 million cap hit since the Dolphins already paid him a $4 million roster bonus.
From Matty K:
Why should we have ANY faith in this staff to attack this draft?
Hey Matty, what purpose does it serve to assume it’s going to be a failure? Was De’Von Achane not a good pick? Did Chop Robinson not have a great second half last year? I get the frustration, but can we stop pretending everything this regime does is wrong.
From JohnnyFrostbite:
Good morning. What was your thoughts when Grier responded with Tyreek is a leader?
Hey Johnny, I’m going to guess my immediate thought was the same as most Dolphins fans and that was, huh? Really? I have been consistent in my praise of Hill as a player since he got to Miami, but I’ve never seen him as a leader because everything is too much about himself.
From Colin Crabb:
Hi Alain, with the draft nearing, is this Grier’s chance for us to draft players in both sides of the trenches to give us some toughness in third-and-1 situations given the DT position is very deep. Thanks for your continued work.
Hey Colin, I don’t recall problems being so significant in third-and-1 situations on defense so much as offense. And the way I see it, it’s not simply that the Dolphins aren’t good enough with their interior offensive line, but their scheme also priorities mobility over power for O-linemen and that’s going to show up in those short-yardage situations. If the Dolphins can find a mobile and powerful interior offensive lineman, they should grab him immediately.
From Jason Kirkland:
Hi Alain, it was said the FO was getting serious about the O-line. They signed Daniels (good), then Borom (awful), and brought Liam back (sucks). How can we take these guys serious when they say that, but do this? There’s time left, but it’s mostly guys that aren’t desirable.
Hey Jason, yeah, I do think everybody expected more significant moves than what we’ve seen so far, though I’ll take issue with your Eichenberg take and say again I think it’s a very good re-signing if he comes back as a backup. But understand the Dolphins all along felt they had their new left tackle in place with Patrick Paul along with Austin Jackson coming back from his knee injury.
From Poor Dolfan:
If Sanders falls to 13, who do you think will want to trade up to take him? We definitely need a couple more 2nd and 3rd picks to fill holes.
The logical teams to try to land Sanders would seem to be the New Orleans Saints, who could just simply take him at number 9, or the Steelers have been mentioned as well and they pick 21st. The New York Giants also have been mentioned and maybe they circle if they don’t take him at 3. Not sure what other teams would fit there, other than maybe Cleveland likewise coming back to trade for him after going Travis Hunter at number 2.
From Kendavidson2025:
Tua had a muscle tear in Houston on the same hip that was surgicially repaired. That muscle stabilizes the joint to avoid redislocation, a retear has to be 2-edged sword concern heading into ’25 for Grier and Co., does it not? Doesn’t that make drafting a QB more likely?
Hey Ken, I’m not a doctor, so I can’t speak on what exactly happened with their hip injury, other than relay that Mike McDaniel said it was not related to what happened at Alabama, it was not joint-related and it was soft tissue. But I don’t think it’s out of line to be concerned about the hip, given the severity of what happened in college. The fact is there is an overriding durability concern with Tua, which is why some expect the Dolphins to take a quarterback sooner rather than later in the draft.
Last week, PetaPixel reported that the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix has strict rules on what cameras are allowed in — so one photographer brought along a tape measure to prove that his gear was eligible for entry.
Roberto Baldea says on Instagram that a security guard on the gate told him his lenses — an 18-35mm and a 70-200mm — were too big. But he had a cunning plan.
“They didn’t want to let me in with my camera and my lens,” Baldea says. “I came prepared. This is a measuring tape from Ikea, and the guy was beefing with me. He was like, ‘It’s not six inches, this is too big for six inches’.”
The lens that Baldea brought with him, as he demonstrates in the video, is exactly six inches. “Be aware, photographers, bring a measuring tape if they say there’s a certain length limit. Don’t let them get to you,” he adds.
Baldea thanks professional motor sports photographer Jamey Price, who initially sent out a public service announcement about the strict rules at the race.
“I told you all,” Price responded to Baldea’s video. “These tracks want to create issues. Security isn’t hired by their high IQ levels. Well done for being prepared.”
On the event’s FAQs page, under cameras, it says that “point-and-shoot cameras and cameras with consumer-grade detachable lenses no longer than six inches will be allowed in order for guests to take photos, provided that they are only for personal and private non-commercial purposes.”
Fortunately for Baldea, he was able to get his cameras in and captured photos of the action as well as race winner Kimi Antonelli. A few years ago, at the same event, one fan wasn’t so lucky after he was turned away from the gate for having a mirrorless camera with him. Undeterred, he returned the next day with a floppy disk camera.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
MIAMI — The Miami Marlins promoted highly-rated catcher Joe Mack from Triple-A and demoted slumping catcher Agustin Ramirez before the club’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday.
Mack, rated the fifth catching prospect in the major leagues and 54th fourth overall, is hitting .244 with three homers and nine RBI through 24 games with the Marlins’ affiliate in Jacksonville.
In ESPN’s latest team-by-team rankings, Kiley McDaniel has Mack rated as Miami’s No. 3 prospect behind pitchers Thomas White and Robby Snelling.
The Marlins are closing a four-game series against Philadelphia and Mack started behind the plate and hit seventh.
“It’s everything that I’ve worked for my whole career, my whole life,” Mack said. “You dream of this as a kid and finally being able to actually be here, it’s just truly amazing. I thank God every single day for it. He’s carried me through everything. Very blessed to be in the spot that I’m at.”
The 24-year-old Mack has ascended through the Marlins’ organization after he was the 31st overall selection in the 2021 draft. The club notably values his defensive skills.
“They called me up for a reason and they called me up to be me,” Mack said. “I’m not going to go out there and be somebody else. I’m going to play my game.”
Mack will split catching duties with Liam Hicks, who also been one of Miami’s top offensive performers this season. Hicks began Monday with a team-leading seven homers and 29 RBI.
“It’s exciting for anybody making their debut,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “Joe has earned that on the performance side of things.”
After a breakout rookie season in 2025, when he hit 21 homers and drove in 67 runs, Ramirez was hitting .231 and had two homers before his demotion to Triple-A. Ramirez, who finished sixth in the 2025 NL Rookie of the Year voting, also struggled defensively. He has thrown out two of 20 base stealing attempts and has an NL-leading four errors in 17 games.
“We’re going to continue to surround a lot of support around Agustin,” McCullough said. “This is a hot place, there’s nowhere to hide. You hear the narrative. You start to read about it. Sometimes getting out of the spotlight a little bit and have the light a little bit dimmer can let you reset and get back to the player we all know he has a chance to be.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The fifth edition of the Miami Grand Prix gave Formula 1 another chaotic and competitive weekend around Hard Rock Stadium. The race started three hours earlier than planned because of weather concerns, but the change did not reduce the action on track. Kimi Antonelli turned pole position into another victory, even after losing the lead on the opening lap, while early incidents involving Pierre Gasly and Isack Hadjar reshuffled the field. The result was a race that produced clear winners, painful losers, and another strong reminder that Miami has become one of the calendar’s most unpredictable stops.
Antonelli’s win stood out because it was built on control rather than a perfect start. The Mercedes driver again struggled off the line, but he recovered with a strong strategy call and held off pressure from Lando Norris to win. That made it his third straight Grand Prix victory from pole, a rare sequence in Formula 1 history. McLaren also left Miami with real momentum after Norris and Oscar Piastri both finished on the podium, while Williams, Alpine, and even the broader championship picture all found reasons to leave encouraged. On the other side, Ferrari, Red Bull’s second seat, Audi, Aston Martin, and George Russell all had weekends that exposed problems they still need to solve. Miami was not just a race winner’s story. It was also a weekend that showed which teams are building form and which ones are still fighting for answers.
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Winner of the Grand Prix
Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Kimi Antonelli won the Miami Grand Prix and extended his championship lead to 20 points. He started from pole, lost the lead early, and still recovered to finish first by using a strong undercut and clean race management. The Mercedes driver became only the third racer to win his first three Grands Prix consecutively, joining Damon Hill and Mika Hakkinen. That makes his Miami result another major milestone in a sophomore season that is starting to look like a title fight.
Antonelli also showed more maturity under pressure, especially with Lando Norris close behind in the final stint. He said, “I think I feel much more comfortable in the car, much more in control as well.” His pace and composure gave Mercedes another clear win. Even with the start issues, he is proving he can still deliver when the race gets tense.
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Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Franco Colapinto had his best weekend in Formula 1 so far. He qualified eighth, beat teammate Pierre Gasly for the first time this season, and finished seventh after Leclerc’s penalty promoted him one place. For Alpine, that was a strong sign that the upgrades may have worked and that the team can fight in the midfield.
Colapinto drove a clean race and avoided the mistakes that hurt several others around him. He made the most of Alpine’s improved pace and a lighter chassis. It was also a confidence-building result for a driver who has faced criticism since replacing Jack Doohan. The weekend gave Alpine proof that progress is possible when both pace and execution come together.
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Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris left Miami with a win in the Sprint and second place in the Grand Prix. That was a strong return for McLaren, especially because both drivers stayed in the podium fight across the weekend. Norris also pushed Antonelli hard in the closing stages and kept the pressure on until the flag. The result helped McLaren strengthen its position in the championship and close the gap to Ferrari.
Even so, his pace and consistency showed that McLaren’s upgrade package is working. With Oscar Piastri also on the podium, the team left Miami with a clear step forward. It was not the victory Norris wanted, but it was still a major positive.
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Losers of the Miami Grand Prix
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc had one of the most frustrating Sundays of the race. He started strong, took the lead on lap one, and then lost ground after another slow Ferrari pit stop. He still fought back into third before a final-lap spin damaged his race completely. After the stewards gave him a 20-second penalty, he dropped from sixth to eighth in the final classification.
Leclerc said after the race, per SI, “I’m very disappointed with myself, it’s all on me.” That was a harsh end to a race that had once looked like it could produce a podium. Ferrari’s car showed some pace, but the execution again let the team down. If the team wants to stay in the title picture, it needs cleaner stops and fewer self-inflicted errors.
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Isack Hadjar, Red Bull
Isack Hadjar’s Miami weekend ended in another early exit. He crashed into the wall at Turn 14 and finished the race as a retirement, adding to a difficult start to life alongside Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver had already been off the pace in qualifying and sprint qualifying, and the race only confirmed how much work he still has to do. His crash also removed any chance of a useful result.
Hadjar admitted the mistake was his own, and the emotion was visible after the incident. His season has brought only four points from six scoring chances, which is not enough for a Red Bull seat under normal standards. The team will be hoping this is a learning weekend rather than a pattern. For now, the gap to Verstappen remains a major concern.
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Aston Martin and Cadillac
Aston Martin and Cadillac both left Miami with more questions than answers. Aston Martin’s best result came from Fernando Alonso in 15th, while Lance Stroll finished 17th in both the sprint and the Grand Prix. Cadillac was more reliable, but both cars still finished outside the points in 16th and 18th. For teams at the back, that is not enough when others are making clear progress.
The future aspect is simple: both teams need more pace before the season slips away from them. Cadillac in particular is still early in its project, but slow progress will not help build momentum. Aston Martin, meanwhile, needs a stronger response after another flat weekend. The data from Miami may help, but the results do not.
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George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell came into the season with championship expectations, but Miami was another weekend where he trailed Antonelli. He qualified and raced well behind his teammate, and the gap was clear throughout the event. Russell did recover to fourth after Leclerc’s late problems, but he was never a real threat to the win. That is a concern because Mercedes expects both cars to challenge at the front.
Russell’s problem is not one race, but a pattern. Antonelli has now beaten him in every Grand Prix qualifying and race since Australia. The Miami result made the gap in the standings even harder to ignore. He will need a stronger response in Canada if he wants to stay close in the title fight.
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Audi, especially Nico Hulkenberg
Audi had a weekend full of reliability problems and no points to show for it. Nico Hulkenberg’s car suffered issues across the weekend, including a first-lap retirement in the Grand Prix after a fire in the sprint and more trouble in qualifying. Gabriel Bortoleto also had a rough weekend, finishing outside the points despite a better Grand Prix result than qualifying suggested. The team is still learning, but the losses are piling up.
Hulkenberg called it a “proper character building weekend,” which fits the overall picture. Audi says it is playing the long game, but long-term plans still need cleaner race weekends. If the team cannot finish sessions and races, it cannot make real progress. Miami showed the work still ahead.
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Conclusion
Miami delivered a race full of movement, mistakes, and momentum shifts. Antonelli proved again that he can handle pressure, McLaren made a clear step forward, and Colapinto gained real confidence. At the same time, Ferrari, Red Bull’s second seat, Audi, and others left with unfinished work. The season is still open, and Canada now offers the next chance to change the story.
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