The Miami Dolphins’ sixth training camp practice brought a clear theme: the defense made more noise than the offense.
At the Baptist Health Training Complex on Tuesday, Aug. 4, cornerback Alex Austin and defensive lineman Matthew Butler stood out while quarterbacks Malik Willis and Quinn Ewers went through a shaky session that included multiple interceptions. It was the sixth practice under first-year coach Jeff Hafley, and Miami is set to take a day off before returning for three more practices, with the week wrapping up in a session at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 8.
Austin continues to make a case for himself in a group the Dolphins badly need to sort out at cornerback. He picked off Ewers and, at this point, is projected to make the roster.
A 6-foot-1, 191-pound defender, Austin was a 7th-round pick of the Bills out of Oregon State and has appeared in 29 games, including 26 with the Patriots. He brings size and enough ball skills to stay in the conversation.
Butler also turned in a strong day, finishing with a sack and several run stops inside. He fits the mold of the kind of player who can change his standing with a good camp and preseason.
The 6-foot-3, 305-pound Tennessee product is viewed as a roster bubble player, and these next few weeks will matter as he tries to impress Hafley and coordinator Sean Duggan. He also played 12 games for Miami in 2025, a detail easy to overlook.
On the other side of the ball, the quarterbacks had a rougher outing. Willis and Ewers both had trouble finding consistency, and the day did not match the previous two practices for Miami’s offense.
Zayne Anderson intercepted Willis in the end zone, though he later dropped a potential interception. Ewers was also picked off by Austin.
Ewers had a slow start to camp in his rookie season before improving, and the Dolphins will be looking for that same kind of rise as practice continues. There’s still a broader read to take from these back-and-forth sessions: if the offense and defense keep trading blows, maybe both units are good. Or maybe both are still searching.
In Other News...
Dolphins First Padded Practice Raised Real Questions Up Front
The Dolphins got into pads for the first time in training camp, and the session had the feel of an early measuring stick for both sides of the ball. Miami worked through one-on-one drills but skipped 7-on-7 periods, giving the first real glimpse of how the lines would hold up once contact picked up. Cornerback Ethan Bonner stood out with an interception and tight coverage, while Malik Willis put together a strong passing day as the team sorted through the opening physical tests.
Up front, the review was less tidy. The offensive line showed mixed results, which is exactly the kind of thing that gets more attention once the pads come on, and the absences also mattered with Greg Dulcich and Jamaree Salyer out. Austin Jackson was limited because of injury, leaving the Dolphins with more questions than answers about how settled they are across the front as camp begins to turn from installation to evaluation. [Read more 🡒]
Christian Wilkins Still Looms Over A Bigger Dolphins Question
Clelin Ferrells arrival in Miami brought an immediate reminder of how much Christian Wilkins meant to some of the players who passed through the locker room with him. Ferrell pointed to his former college teammate as a positive influence in his own decision to join the Dolphins, a small but telling note about the kind of presence Wilkins had during his five seasons in Miami before heading to Las Vegas.
Now Wilkins is back on the market, though the conversation around him is much bigger than simple free agency. He has not played in nearly two years, and after a contract dispute with the Raiders, his NFL future is far from settled. Ferrell said he hopes Wilkins draws interest somewhere, but for now the more important question is whether a player who once felt like a foundational piece can actually find his way back onto a field. [Read more 🡒]
Malik Willis Gives Dolphins Fans An Early Reason To Stay Patient
Malik Willis is still in the early stages of settling in with the Dolphins, and the first four practices of training camp have offered a little bit of everything. The new quarterback has flashed enough to show why Miami wanted to take a look, but the staff has kept the emphasis on his passing fundamentals while he gets accustomed to the playbook, the timing and the new faces around him.
For now, the job is less about highlight plays and more about steady progress, which is why the coming weeks matter so much. Willis is still working through that pocket-passing focus as he develops chemistry with teammates, including rookie Caleb Douglas, and the sense around camp is that he is improving without quite being where the Dolphins want him yet. The preseason should provide a better read on how far he can come. [Read more 🡒]