logo
Miami Minicamp Confidential: LB Tyrel Dodson heads into first full season in South Florida

Miami Minicamp Confidential: LB Tyrel Dodson heads into first full season in South Florida

USA Todaya day ago

Miami Minicamp Confidential: LB Tyrel Dodson heads into first full season in South Florida
The Miami Dolphins start mandatory minicamp this week. It will be the first in South Florida for a returning signee from the middle of last season, linebacker Tyrel Dodson.
Playing eight games for the Dolphins after claiming him off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks, Dodson will stay in Miami Gardens after inking a two-year contract in the offseason, worth $6.25 million
Dodson played outstanding football in his appearances, which included three starts. The coverage aspect of his game was on display, tallying three interceptions from Week 11 through Week 18.
The trio of picks was the most from a linebacker during the 2024 season, and in the timeframe with the Dolphins, just five other defenders overall recorded at least three interceptions. He also was able to rack up four passes defended with Miami and six total on the season.
In addition to his coverage skills, Dodson showed he could get to the quarterback as well, notching a pair of sacks back in Seattle in the first half of 2024.
As a tackler, Dodson racked up 15 against the Cleveland Browns in a 20-3 Week 17 Dolphins victory. That performance featured the most single-game tackles by a Miami player since 2020 when linebacker Jerome Baker had 16 against the New England Patriots in the season opener. With his interception against the Browns in that same game, Dodson became the first Miami player to record 15 tackles along with a pick since 1994.
Dodson put together a very respectable season across his play with both teams, finishing the season with a career-high 107 tackles along with five tackles for loss and four quarterback hits in addition to his work in coverage.
Dodson held quarterbacks to a career-best 66.7 passer rating through his eight games with Miami, and 77.2 on the season when factoring in his work in Seattle. His previous seasonal best in this metric was his rookie season at 87.2.
Entering his sixth year in the NFL, Dodson was undrafted in 2020 out of Texas Tech and signed with the Buffalo Bills as a rookie. Mainly a special teamer in Western New York across his four seasons with Buffalo, Dodson showed sparks of his potential in the Pacific Northwest with Seattle, playing 98% of the defensive snaps in his nine games with the Seahawks.
His first games with Miami last year plus a multi-year contract should send him into the 2025 season with momentum. However, the Dolphins also signed veteran free agent linebackers K.J. Britt as well as Willie Gay, Jr. this offseason, so Dodson still has some work to do to solidify a starting spot, or at worst, significant snaps.
At this moment, you can pencil in Dodson to pair with Jordyn Brooks as inside linebackers, who also was a standout player in his first season in Miami.
The middle of the second phase of defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver's unit will be crucial this season. Weaver's defense is a group that on paper is superior in talent within the front-seven as opposed to the secondary.
Dodson and the Dolphins hold mini-camp on Tuesday, June 10 through Thursday, June 12.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel addresses Jalen Ramsey's absence, ongoing trade pursuit: 'I don't give a s*** what I feel'
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel addresses Jalen Ramsey's absence, ongoing trade pursuit: 'I don't give a s*** what I feel'

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel addresses Jalen Ramsey's absence, ongoing trade pursuit: 'I don't give a s*** what I feel'

The Miami Dolphins have been looking to trade cornerback Jalen Ramsey since April. Ramsey is still with the team; however, he's not at mandatory minicamp this week, nor does head coach Mike McDaniel expect him to be there. Because Ramsey's absence is excused, he will not be fined. Advertisement McDaniel was asked Tuesday if he's surprised it's taken this long to trade the three-time, first-team All-Pro corner. "I don't give a s*** about what I feel," McDaniel said in a news conference. "I don't even really go down that road of how do I feel about it. My job is to react and control my controllables and make sure that people are moving in one direction appropriately." McDaniel continued: "The business is business. The opportunity that business does provide in the offseason is a rep to the team about handling noise. What do I define noise as? Noise is things that don't have to do with what actually you're there to do and you should be focused on doing because you'll be held accountable to do." The Dolphins acquired Ramsey in March 2023 via a trade with the Los Angeles Rams, who received a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long in exchange. Ramsey missed seven games in his debut season with Miami but still made the Pro Bowl. He then signed a three-year, $72.3 million extension, which, at the time, made Ramsey the NFL's highest-paid corner. Advertisement Last season, though, Ramsey's play declined while he turned 30. He missed the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2019, as he gave up a reception 70.8% of the time he was targeted and recorded a 19.4% missed tackle rate, according to Pro Football Focus, both of which were career worsts for him. Ramsey finished the 2024 campaign with 60 total tackles, 11 passes defended and two interceptions. Long regarded as a top-flight corner, first at Florida State and then in the NFL, Ramsey has piled up 24 interceptions and 108 passes defended in his nine-year pro career. In April, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier told reporters during a pre-draft news conference that Ramsey didn't ask to be traded but that the decision to shop him was a mutual one. Advertisement Ramsey wasn't the only top Dolphins player not participating in minicamp Tuesday. Tight end Jonnu Smith, who is vying for a new contract after a breakout 2024 season, also didn't show up. His absence, on the other hand, was not excused, according to McDaniel. "Business in offseasons allows you to speak to your team about how the focus of noise is a constant battle that, if you're successful, you have to win," McDaniel said Tuesday.

Exclusive: Seahawks' Sam Darnold on Rejoining the NFC West and Resurgence
Exclusive: Seahawks' Sam Darnold on Rejoining the NFC West and Resurgence

Newsweek

time2 hours ago

  • Newsweek

Exclusive: Seahawks' Sam Darnold on Rejoining the NFC West and Resurgence

Two of the biggest moves the 2025 NFL offseason saw were the Las Vegas Raiders trading for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith. Smith's exit led to the Seahawks replacing him with former Minnesota Vikings star signal caller Sam Darnold. More news: Steelers Receive Unfortunate Update on TJ Watt Amid Contract Issues Darnold returns to the NFC West and spoke with Newsweek Sports about his new partnership with Lowe's, returning to the West Coast, and his resurgence in 2024. Talk about your partnership with Lowe's "I partnered with Skills USA, and we had several kids who were actually able to go into their skill trades. We were able to hang out with them, their families on this very important day for them ... it hits home for me too, to be able to see my dad because my dad's been a plumber for the last 30 plus years." "I think it was the largest Signing Day event to date, there were several kids there all their families and even their future employers were there being able to support these kids as they close the book on high school and enter into their new passion in the skills trade work, because me and my dad, we've actually talked about it for years on end, but feel like it's kind of a lost art. You know, the skill workers and what they're able to do, and, like I said, the impacts that they're able to have on their communities." Sam Darnold #14 of the Minnesota Vikings reacts after the Vikings defeated the Tennessee Titans, 23-13, at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. Sam Darnold #14 of the Minnesota Vikings reacts after the Vikings defeated the Tennessee Titans, 23-13, at Nissan Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. Photo byMore news: Texans Make Massive Nick Chubb Announcement How are you feeling about everything after joining the Seattle Seahawks? "Yeah, it's been great, man. You know, it's been great to be able to, like I said in the beginning, just spend time in Seattle, hang out with my teammates, hang out with my coaches, and just enjoy the area. And then be able to meet fans every now and then, you know, just bumping into fans on the street, like these fans are, you know, I've gotten to play here the last couple of years, and these fans are some of the best that I've seen, the loudest that I've seen. And it's a special place. They sure do love their football. And, you know, I'm excited to play for this franchise." What was the thought process in selecting the Seahawks? Yeah, I think when it comes to deciding on Seattle, I think the biggest thing was just there being mutual interest there. You know, when I found out about the Geno trade, I knew that that was a very, very good possibility that I could end up there. But I still had to do my, you know, due diligence and my homework on kind of all these, these other places that, you know, we're reaching out and, you know, I think at the end of the day, like there was so much mutual interest both ways. You know, a really good defense. Obviously, Coach McDonald has those boys over there firing, and you know, going up against that scheme last year, it's a great scheme. And then the offensive weapons that we have, I mean, you know, there's a ton of weapons out there." How excited are you to play with Cooper Kupp? "So excited. I mean, I've seen Cooper from afar. We've gotten to chat a little bit, you know, before games and such. But just to, just to be able to, you know, hang out with him for a little bit and get to know, you know, his beautiful mind man, he's like a quarterback out there playing receiver. And you know, he's, he's trying his best right now to understand the system and get the formations, get the concepts, and kind of see how he can, you know, just affect the game and all ways possible. And it's special to play with a player like that that just wants to get better every single day because that, at the end of the day, that's contagious." What transpired, or what led to this resurgence and this new era of your playing career? "Yeah, I think it's just understanding myself as a quarterback, understanding the scheme of what we're trying to do, and how a defense is trying to play us. And there are so many different things, right, that go into playing quarterback, and for me, it was just making everything simple. What are my reads on every single play? How are we attacking the defense? Like, if we get zone, if we get blitzed, if we get man, what are my different outs on every play? And you know, when I broke it down that way and kept it simple and just made it especially on first and second down, just made it about getting completions, that's when it really changed. You know, I felt like my game really went to the next level is just finding completions on first and second down, if things aren't necessarily there, being able to, you know, throw the ball away or, you know, just not take negatives." Was there ever a kind of worry for you to be labeled as a journeyman quarterback? "No, at the end of the day, I have a lot of respect for anybody in the NFL. You know, I should follow that up by also saying, like, I don't really care what anybody labels me as, or labels anyone as, at the end of the day. Like, we're all, we're all playing this, this tough position, you know, one of the hardest positions in all of sports. And you know, I'm just here to do my best to help the team win. And if I can just continue to do that every single day, man, I'll be a happy man, absolutely." How important is you to be back on the West Coast "I love it. I grew up in Orange County, California, and so it's still about a two and a half hour flight, but it's, it's awesome, man. Just to first of all, I think the West Coast time zone is the best time zone, I will say. And there's going to be a lot of people coming at me with that comment. But I love the fact that I love the fact that all these games that we're watching the playoffs right now are starting early." To watch the entire interview, watch the video above. More NFL: Jets Ranked Surprisingly High as Team to Snap Playoff Woes in 2025 For more on the Seahawks, head to Newsweek Sports.

Mike McDaniel gives blunt answer as Jalen Ramsey trade drama spirals: ‘Don't give a s–t'
Mike McDaniel gives blunt answer as Jalen Ramsey trade drama spirals: ‘Don't give a s–t'

New York Post

time2 hours ago

  • New York Post

Mike McDaniel gives blunt answer as Jalen Ramsey trade drama spirals: ‘Don't give a s–t'

Jalen Ramsey's future with the Dolphins doesn't concern Mike McDaniel. Miami and the star cornerback have been mutually exploring trade options for nearly two months now, yet no deal has been made. Is McDaniel surprised? 'I don't give a s–t about what I feel,' the Dolphins head coach said. 'I don't even really go down that road of 'how do I feel about it?' My job is to react and control my controllables and make sure that people are moving in one direction appropriately.' Jalen Ramsey has likely played his last game as a Dolphin as trade talks swirl. AP McDaniel is looking to work with what he's got, and seemingly any matters regarding roster construction hold no importance to him. Miami's mandatory minicamp began Tuesday and it's been reported that Ramsey was a no-show — electing to stay away from the team until the situation is resolved. The 30-year-old is a seven-time Pro Bowler, three-time All Pro selection and won the Super Bowl with the Rams in 2022. He's a season removed from signing a three-year, $72.3 million extension with the Dolphins, so any team who may be interested in acquiring his talents will take on a serious cap hit. Warning: Graphic Language As for McDaniel, it's now his fourth year on the job as head coach. He led Miami to a 9-8 record in his first season and 11-6 in the next before declining to an 8-9 record this past season. Mike McDaniel spoke to media Tuesday and addressed trade talks about Jalen Ramsey. X/Miami Dolphins No matter the roster or the moves the front office makes, this season could be make or break for McDaniel — and he's hoping that the team responds strongly to the circumstances. 'The business is business — the opportunity that business does provide in the offseason is a rep to the team about handling noise,' he said. 'Noise is [something] that don't have to do with what actually you're there to do … Business and offseasons allow you to speak to your team about how the focus of noise is a constant battle that, [to be] successful, you have to win.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store