Miami, FL
Sunday Dolphins Mailbag: Wright, Ferguson, Pass Defense, and More
Third and final part of the pre-Buffalo game Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag:
From AKASHA (@BeHereNowBuddha):
Would you say Minkah Fitzpatrick & Tunsil are Grier’s best draft picks from the rebuild?
Well, since the rebuild started with the 2019 season, neither Fitzpatrick nor Tunsil would apply because they were drafted in 2018 and 2016, respectively. The best draft pick since the rebuild probably was De’Von Achane in the third round in 2023 or maybe Andrew Van Ginkel in the fifth round in 2019. If we’re talking during Grier’s GM tenure, which started in 2016, I think I’d go with Xavien Howard in the second round in 2016 as his best pick.
From vegas rosin (@VegasRosin):
My question is why do we still not know why Blake Ferguson went to IR?
First, Ferguson isn’t on IR, he’s on the Reserve/Non-Football Illness list. And we don’t know exactly what’s going on because the Dolphins don’t have to reveal the nature of the issue and the team’s M.O. has been to not divulge information it doesn’t have to. For example, there was no clarity on what kept OBJ out for the start of the regular season until way after the fact. I can tell you that Ferguson was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 13, but I do not know whether that’s part of the issue right now.
From Jake McVay (@JakeMc945):
Hey Alain, the fan base is hoping for an upset, I love the Dolphins, but I honestly see a 30-point blowout, with Allen sitting out the 4th quarter. How can they stay competitive in this game, really? I see another unhappy Sunday and a selloff of players Monday.
Hey Jake, a 30-point blowout absolutely would be disheartening, but I don’t see it happening. The offense was pretty good overall last week against Arizona and that was in Tua’s first game back, so it should be even better and help the team stay in the game.
From Roger Dodger (@RogerDolfan):
I know Houston was missing a few its top WR but did the Jets look a lot better in Thursday night game or was that just my wild imagination?
Hey Roger, yes, the Jets looked better, but it wasn’t very high bar to clear.
From The Thrill (@PhinPhil):
Is the defense going to sh*t down their legs again? Why is it we can’t cover WRs tightly like everyone else at least tries to do.
The Dolphins actually had been very good in coverage all season until last week. Even after the tough outing against Arizona, they’re fifth in the NFL in pass defense — and this is without any semblance of a pass rush. So, yeah, the Dolphins actually can cover.
From Mark Lever (@MarkFinsfan):
It seems that we have the most success against Buffalo running the ball. Is this a game that you could see Jaylen Wright breaking out?
Hey Mark, I wouldn’t count on it, not because of Wright but because it’s Achane who is now the workhorse at running back and Raheem Mostert also is going to get his touches. It just don’t know how many carries Wright will get.
From Pajake Japat (@D1nonlyJP):
Anything you could say to give me hope Dolphins have a chance against Buffalo?
The offense was good against Arizona except for the snapping issues and could have success against Buffalo if it can avoid turnovers.
From gaznay (@gaznay):
Are Tua’s midweek remarks about fans eating chips on the sofa an indication he is feeling the pressure? He was pretty good in the comeback, but his comments were strange. Accidents happen but multiple snap errors in pro teams should not. The queries were valid.
That’s a good question. Truth is it was the second consecutive week where Tua got a little snippy because it happened also when he was asked concussion questions when he returned. I don’t know if it’s an issue of feeling pressure, but I would say it’s not a very good look.
From Don (via email);
Big fan, go back to the Dolphin Digest days. The Tua contract has a feature that none of the other big QB contracts signed this year have, that I’m aware of, with the fact that $54M for 2026 does not guarantee until March 2025 if he’s still on the roster. The Dolphins very conspicuously gave themselves an out, presumably due to the injury history. The discussions I hear on the podcast always seem to be that the Dolphins are committed to Tua for multiple years, but they really are not. There is not one other NFL team in my opinion that would allow $54M to guarantee for 2026 before a snap is played in 2025, with his injury history, but these are the Dolphins though. The fact they included it in the contract gives them leverage, and if there is a new GM calling the shots before March next year I think it’s likely that some change is made or Tua is cut. Would be interested to hear your thoughts at some point on the podcast. Quick comment also, from Tua this year: Show me the money, the offensive line in front of him doesn’t matter, the defense didn’t get us the ball back (after the offense failed to run clock against AZ), and now fans and potato chips. Not a leader, and I’ll bet some of his teammates are noticing. Anyway, thanks for what you do! Love the show.
Hey Don, I’ll address this here and tell you the one issue you forgot is that by Tua’s contract is fully guaranteed for 2025, so do we really expect the Dolphins to move on next March to avoid the guarantee of 2026 when doing so would result in a massive cap hit next season? The answer from where I sit is no. That’s why, as Spotrac suggested, the real first offseason where the Dolphins realistically could move on is 2027, not 2026 and certainly not next offseason.
From Thomas Hudson (via email):
Hi Alain, as always, thank you for the work you do. I guess as far as questions go, mine to you would be this: Do you think part of the problem the Dolphins have had the last couple seasons has simply been too much inexperience on the parts of Grier, McDaniel, and Tua? And is there hope that they will actually learn from their mistakes? I have tried to stay pretty positive about it, but if McDaniel and Tua can’t figure out how to work OBJ and Washington into the offense, if the team keeps looking like the more unprepared team every week, or Tua lowers his head and tries to run over another safety, I might start doubting that optimism.
Hey Thomas, as politely and succinctly as I can put this, nope. Grier has been GM since 2016 (really with personnel authority since 2019), Tua has been in the NFL since 2020 and McDaniel has been a head coach since 2022 after being a coordinator. That is not applicable. And where was the inexperience an issue when the Dolphins made the playoffs the past two seasons. Sorry, not on board with this. Is there hope that things can turn around? Sure. There’s always hope. But the Dolphins are quickly running out of time to make something of this 2024 season.
The full 2026 NFL schedule was released on Thursday night — including dates and times for all 17 regular season Miami Dolphins games. However, following that release, the NFL also released preseason schedules for all teams — and a familiar face will be returning to Miami to face-off against the team that made him the #5 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was released by the Dolphins this offseason, but quickly found a new home in Atlanta with the Falcons. During the final week of preseason action, Tagovailoa will be returning to South Florida when the Falcons play the Dolphins on Friday, August 28th at 7:00 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium.
It is not uncommon for NFL teams to practice against each other for a few days leading up to a preseason showdown, so Tagovailoa may find himself on familiar ground for longer than one game if the Dolphins and Falcons choose to mix it up in Miami Gardens ahead of their Week 3 preseason tilt.
Of course, plenty of teams rest starters during the final week of the preseason, so Tagovailoa may not actually end up seeing the playing field when the game kicks off, but seeing the former first-rounder on the sidelines again in Miami — albeit on the visiting sideline this time around — will be a peculiar sight nonetheless.
We will continue to keep you updated on all things Miami Dolphins as the march towards the preseason — and regular season — continues on through the summer.
A group of Miami residents has filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump and the state of Florida over a land giveaway for his proposed presidential library.
Almost three acres of prime waterfront land that once belonged to Miami Dade College (MDC) was illegally gifted to the US president by Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, the lawsuit states.
It cites the domestic emoluments clause of the US constitution that prohibits a sitting president from receiving any personal gain, profit or advantage from their position.
The action was brought in US district court for the southern district of Florida by the Washington DC-based Constitutional Accountability Center (CAC) on behalf of plaintiffs including an MDC student, a Miami non-profit, and residents, who state the land “is no longer available to serve MDC’s student community and downtown Miami”.
Instead, the filing states, “the land will house a Trump hotel that brings riches to the President”.
Plans for the “gaudy” project were unveiled in March, to be built next to Miami’s iconic Freedom Tower, the historical landmark and community art museum. A giant golden statue of the president will stand before a 50-story tower block that will feature the controversial $400m Boeing “flying palace” jumbo jet gifted to him by Qatar, but not yet in service, in its cavernous lobby.
At the time, Trump said the building was “most likely going to be a hotel”.
The land on which it will sit, the lawsuit said, is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
“Rather than prevent President Trump from using the gifted land for personal gain, Florida … required that the conveyed land include only ‘components of a Presidential library, museum, and/or center’, leaving the door open for the President to develop the property in any way he sees fit,” the CAC said in a statement.
The library has already been the subject of one lawsuit that claimed MDC trustees, most of them handpicked by DeSantis, erred by originally handing the land to the state in September during an unadvertised meeting with no public discussion.
The board held a do-over in December, and voted unanimously to proceed with the transfer.
The Guardian has contacted the Trump Presidential Library Foundation and DeSantis’s office for comment.
To no one’s surprise, FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami CF engaged in a scorefest May 13 at TQL Stadium.
A hat trick by one of the best goalscorers in the history of the game, Lionel Messi, sparked Miami to a 5-3 win. Miami scored three times from the 79th minute on to come from behind.
A sellout crowd of 25,513 witnessed the showdown, the club’s sixth home sellout of the season.
FC Cincinnati falls to 4-5-4, staying at 16 points, taking its first loss since April 4 at Red Bull New York. Miami improves to 7-2-4 for 25 points, improving to 7-1-1 on the road this season. Miami moved into second place in the Eastern Conference behind Nashville. Cincinnati started the night tied for fifth but could drop depending on games later on.
Second half highlights as FC Cincinnati squandered a late lead
Cincinnati took a 3-2 lead in the 64th minute.
Evander fired a rocket from the top of the 18 into the top left corner. Deneky passed ahead to him, then he maneuvered around two defenders, and no one stepped up to him. It is Evander’s seventh goal of the season.
Miami tied it in the 80th minute, 3-3.
After a Cincy turnover, Rodrigo De Paul quickly found Messi in transition, who delivered to Mateo Silvetti. Silvetti, playing his first game in a month, maneuvered in space and scored from the top of the box for his fourth of the season.
Miami took a 4-3 lead in the 83rd. A Messi free kick from 35 yds was saved by Cincy keeper Roman Celentano. He collided with Andrei Chirila, which knocked the ball out of his hands. Miami’s German Berterame pounced on the rebound to give Miami the lead, his fourth goal of the season.
Chirila landed hard after the collision and was taken out of the game.
Miami took a 5-3 lead when Messi made a sliding shot after a cross from Silvetti. The ball went off the post, then off Roman Celentano, who was on his stomach trying to get the ball, then in. Messi was credited with the goal and a hat trick.
FC Cincinnati took a 2-1 lead in the 49th minute.
Pavel Bucha scored from close range. He took a crossing pass from Bryan Ramirez after Denkey found him on the left side in transition.
It was Bucha’s second goal of the MLS season and the second assist for Ramirez. Bucha was hit in the head late in the first half and examined by trainers, but stayed in the game.
Moments later, Messi had a free kick from 30 yards saved by Celentano.
Messi scored again in the 56th minute to tie it, 2-2. He had a nice give-and-go with Rodrigo De Paul, who dribbled near the end line and crossed to him from the right side. Messi was unmarked and scored easily from near the penalty spot.
In the 62nd minute, Luis Suarez missed an open shot that Celentano saved, set up by a quick transition by Miami.
Miami ended with 17 shots to 10 for Cincinnati, six on target. After an even first half, Miami controlled the expected-goals mark, with 4 to 1.6 for the home team.
First half highlights
Messi scored from close range in the 24th off a turnover by Matt Miazga. Miazga tried to pass to a teammate on the side but the pass went straight to Messi.
He had a goal in the fifth minute waved off by offsides.
In the 32nd minute, Cincinnati won a corner kick, which Evander placed right in front of the goal line but the ball was cleared away.
In the 42nd minute, a Kevin Denkey penalty kick tied it up. Denkey drew the PK after collecting a good pass into the box by Pavel Bucha and being grabbed by Gonzalo Lujan. Denkey converted for his team-high eighth goal of the season.
The first half was tied 1-1 and virtually even on statistics. Both sides had seven shots, one on goal, and 1.1 expected goals. Neither keeper made a save.
What’s next for FC Cincinnati?
Cincinnati heads to the West Coast to play San Diego FC 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16. It is the first meeting between the teams. San Diego, 3-5-4 for 13 points, was set to play Austin later May 13. Cincinnati will leave for California on May 14.
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