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Miami Herald
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Two Dolphins defensive backs update their status after injuries.
Two Dolphins defensive backs who have been slowed by injuries addressed their situations for the first time on Wednesday. Safety Ifeatu Melifonwu said he began training camp sidelined because of an injury sustained in the days before training camp. He's now off the non-football injury list and back participating in parts of practice. Meanwhile, fifth-round rookie cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. said he has been slowed in recent days by a minor hamstring injury. 'I'm just trying to get 100%.' He was limited in practice on Wednesday, and his status for Sunday's game at Chicago (1 p.m., CBS 4) is in question. Melifonwu said his issue 'was a little injury I had right before, leading up to camp, I'm feeling good, following the protocol, working myself back and following what the trainers are telling me to do.' He participated in a few 11-on-11 drills on Tuesday but seemed to do only individual drills on Tuesday. He said he 'is definitely very anxious' to begin practicing after moving from the Detroit Lions in March. 'But you've got to be patient and listen to what the trainers tell you to do.' Provided he's healthy, he's the front-runner to start opposite Minkah Fitzpatrick, with Elijah Campbell among others competing. He said his potential partnership with Fitzpatrick is 'interesting. [We] complement each other well. I'm learning off him; he's learning off me. We are bouncing ideas off each other.' Melifonwu was productive when he played for Detroit but missed time with a thigh injury as a rookie in 2021; missed seven games with ankle injury in 2022; sustained a broken hand in 2023 but played a full season and was limited to three games last season because of an ankle injury and then a finger injury. 'Obviously it's very frustrating,' he said. 'I've got to keep faith in God and people that support me.' Melifonwu started all three of his regular season appearances last season and 6 of his 17 games in 2023. He has a career 93.7 passer rating in his coverage area, per Pro Football Reference. As for Marshall, the former Florida Gators cornerback said he has liked what he has put on tape in training camp. 'Sticking with Tyreek [Hill], sticking with [Jaylen] Waddle is helping me, building my confidence,' he said. How has he grown from his final year at UF? 'Tremendously,' he said. 'Mentality wise; being much more of a pro, taking care of my body. Watching more film, taking more time to study.' Though he has been beaten some in coverage, he had one brilliant play — a superb sideline interception, on a Quinn Ewers pass — on the fourth day of training camp. Marshall – who had only two interceptions in four years at UF, including none the past two years – said he puts no pressure on himself to create turnovers. 'Once I put the pressure on myself, that builds a lot commotion in my head and that's when something can go [wrong],' he said. Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said the lack of picks at UF didn't concern him. 'In terms of no interceptions, he is a guy that's around the ball,' Grier said after the draft. 'He's competitive. He had the injury this year which set him back. He had a couple games where he dropped a couple picks, too, but we had him here at our Miami local day workout, watched him move around. 'He has ball skills; he has hands. So for us, he's a size corner [at 6-2] with movement skills. It's up to us and him with our coaching and him working to make those improvements, but we're very optimistic with his skill set that he has that he will do that.' Edge rusher Grayson Murphy and receiver Tahj Washington have had good camps after missing their rookie seasons with injuries. Murphy, unprompted, disclosed the reasons why both missed last season. Murphy said he had an MCL knee and Washington had an ACL injury.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Aaron Donald takes 4 of the top-10 best DT seasons since 2019
It's hard to pick another defensive tackle better than Los Angeles Rams legend Aaron Donald. The Rams' star made the Pro Bowl all 10 years he played in the NFL, as well as eight first-team All-Pro teams and three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards. He was a top-5 vote-getter for DPOY four other teams, too. So, it's not terribly surprising that some of Donald's seasons rank among the best by a defensive tackle over the past six seasons. But, according to Pro Football Network, Donald's four best seasons took the top-four spots in their top-10 rankings since 2019. These were ranked on PFN's DT+ metric. Here's how the seasons broke down for Donald: Now, it should be noted that Donald's 2018 season, when he led the NFL with 20.5 sacks, wasn't included because it predated the 2019 cut-off. But the rest of these seasons make sense. Donald tallied 12.5 sacks in 2021 with 19 tackles for a loss, 25 quarterback hits and four forced fumbles in the Rams' Super Bowl-winning year. He also came in third for DPOY. In 2019, Donald led the NFL with 20 tackles for a loss to go with his 12.5 sacks and 24 quarterback hits. He finished fifth in DPOY. Oddly enough, Donald's best statistical season and third DPOY award ranked third on this list. He tallied 13.5 sacks — his second most in a season after his 2018 year — with 14 tackles for a loss, 28 quarterback hits and a NFL-leading approximate value (via Pro Football Reference) of 23. Donald's final NFL season in 2023 ranked fourth on the list. He registered eight sacks, 16 tackles for a loss and 23 quarterback hits. While he didn't make the DPOY top-5, he finished ninth in Comeback Player of the Year after he missed six games in 2022. Donald was one of the best defensive players of the past decade and played every year for the Rams. It will be tough for any defensive tackle in the near future to come close to the accomplishments of Donald.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Buffalo Bills S Cole Bishop claiming starting snaps early in training camp
After two days of training camp, the Buffalo Bills appear to have a decided pecking order at strong safety. In his second NFL season, Cole Bishop has taken the bulk of snaps at strong safety with the starting defense. Alongside Bishop, it's been Taylor Rapp in at starting free safety. Bishop struggled to acclimate to the position as a rookie during the 2024 season, partially due to a shoulder injury (scapular fracture) he suffered late last July. While Bishop did eventually recover and participate on defense in his rookie season, it was clear he had a lot of catching up to do. That injury opened the door for safety Damar Hamlin to claim the starting job next to Rapp. It was a move that Hamlin never relinquished last season, despite plenty of people anxious to see Bishop take his lumps. It was also a role that seemed too big for the rookie. When given a chance, Bishop struggled throughout the season, whether filling in for an injured Hamlin or perhaps most evident while trying to defend against Kansas City Chiefs wide receivers Xavier Worthy and JuJu Smith-Schuster during last season's AFC Championship Game. Still, Bishop ended his rookie campaign on a more positive note than it began simply because he was playing more, and gaining experience. All told, Bishop ended 2024 starting four of 16 games in which he suited up. He made 40 tackles (25 solo), one tackle for loss, two pass defenses, and one forced fumble (per Pro Football Reference). Most importantly, Bishop ended the season healthy enough not to be listed on the team's final injury reports. Due to such inconsistent efforts, plenty of questions remained about what head coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich planned to do at safety heading into 2025. Could the team trust Bishop enough given his early injury history, struggles, and inability to supplant Hamlin? It would seem they've done just that in the early going, with Bishop continually playing with the ones. If he's able to limit the bad breaks in coverage and lapses in judgement observed to often last year, Bishop is a player with an athletic pedigree that stands out in the safety room. Now, he'll have to prove capable of doing all the other things important of his position: calling defensive coverages and communicating with the back seven units. It's a role that Hamlin excelled with in 2024, and one likely needed for anyone hoping to lay full claim to Buffalo's strong safety spot in 2025. Is Bishop ready to become the Bills' coverage chess piece in year two? More from Bills training camp preview and bold predictions Buffalo Bills preseason football can't get here soon enough OL Mike Edwards looks to make a large impact with the Buffalo Bills this summer Bills Mafia pick Buffalo's 2025 receiving TDs leader Do you remember the Bills' 'Monday Night Football' debut in 1973? Second-year safety Cole Bishop can seize a starting spot this summer Bills make series of roster moves ahead of 2025 training camp
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bengals Trade Trey Hendrickson for Disappointing Haul in Proposed Deal
Bengals Trade Trey Hendrickson for Disappointing Haul in Proposed Deal originally appeared on Athlon Sports. On Monday, ESPN's Adam Schefter posted a confusing report about alleged progress made between Trey Hendrickson and the Cincinnati Bengals for a contract extension. Hendrickson has been clear about his stance not to play the final year of his current deal, which would pay him $16 million. He even posted a video of himself driving out of Ohio while headed to Florida. Schefter reported that the team and the player now have a framework deal in place but are being held up by a "big disagreement" in guarantees in the contract. If that's the case, then they don't have a framework deal in place. The situation is growing closer and closer to the Bengals having to trade Hendrickson. And PFSN predicted a trade to the Detroit receive: EDGE Trey Hendrickson Bengals receive: 2026 2nd-round pick, 2026 5th-round pick "The Detroit Lions boasted an elite defense (5th in PFSN's Defense+ metric) for much of last season despite playing without Aidan Hutchinson, who suffered a season-ending leg injury. However, they faltered late, failing to register a sack or a takeaway in their playoff loss," PFSN wrote. "Detroit's non-blitz pressure rate in that game was a season low, highlighting how much they missed Hutchinson's disruptive presence. With Hutchinson now cleared for activities but returning from a significant setback, the Lions need a proven pass rusher to avoid a repeat scenario. "Trey Hendrickson stands out as a premier edge rusher after ranking first in sacks (17.5) last season, per Pro Football Reference. He also finished sixth in pressure rate among all players with at least 200 pass-rush snaps, earning his first All-Pro selection." This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Miami Dolphins CB Jack Jones new chance in NFL: Blame me for my past troubles
MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins cornerback Jack Jones isn't claiming his troubles are just a misunderstanding. He's not blaming anyone else. He understands why so many NFL teams passed on him, and how he went from being a starter last year to nearly being out of football this year. 'Absolutely, it's understandable,' Jones said. Jones' latest – and possibly final – chance came last week when the Dolphins, hit with injuries in the secondary, called a player with a list of off-field problems, including a 2023 arrest after two loaded firearms were found in his carry-on at Boston's Logan Airport. Charges were eventually dropped. ANOTHER NEW GUY: Minkah Fitzpatrick: I'm a lot more emotionally mature now Jones, 27, said his past transgressions led to a period of self-reflection. 'When you've got life looking at you, rather if you're going to go down the left road or the right road, you've got to do some self-evaluating,' he said. Jones said he leaned on past coaches, his agent and players such as T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Ryan Clark. 'I didn't want to be stubborn and be like, 'I'm gonna figure it out on my own,' ' Jones said. MORE SECONDARY MAKEOVER: Willie Gay Jr.: I checked out last year in New Orleans Jones began as a fourth-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2022 out of USC. Coincidentally, the pick originally was owned by the Dolphins but was included in multiple deals best known for allowing Tyreek Hill to come to Miami. Jones appeared in 18 games for the Patriots, starting two, before ending up with the Las Vegas Raiders for the past two seasons. Last year, he started 16 games, finishing with three interceptions and 69 tackles. In 2018, Jones was arrested for allegedly trying to break into a Panda Express (charges were reduced). USC ruled him academically ineligible for fighting in practice. He also served time on the Patriots' suspended list, reportedly stemming from a disagreement with the team over rehabilitating an injury. Most recently, the Raiders chose not to re-sign him. When late July arrived and he was still without a team, it was time to worry. 'It's definitely understandable on my part, though,' he said. 'I'm not going to be a guy to be like, 'Why didn't you (sign me)' when I understand why. I'm learning.' LAST LINE OF DEFENSE: Dolphins' secondary gets makeover, remains team's biggest concern entering camp On one hand, Jones has started half of the 42 career games he has played and returned four interceptions for touchdowns. On the other, he was charged with allowing eight TD passes last season, according to Pro Football Reference. 'I feel like with the talent I got, man, I shouldn't be on three teams in four years,' he said. 'It just lit a spark under me to do right – on and off the field.' This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins Jack Jones gets another chance after self-reflection
