Chris Johnson hasn’t even settled into his first Dolphins camp, and he already sounds like a player who’s comfortable with the setup around him. That matters, because Miami is asking a lot of the first-round cornerback, and the early signs point to a pairing that could help him handle it.
The biggest reason is Jeff Hafley. Johnson said in a recent interview with Dolphins personality Travis Wingfield that having the head coach so involved in the defensive back room has made a real difference.
"It's just great to have a direct pipeline to the head coach, because a lot of times, you're in your position room, you ask your coach about something and he's like, ‘Okay, I need a minute. I’ve got to ask the head coach about that.’ But the head coach is right there with us, so, instant feedback."
That kind of access is a different world from what Johnson has known before. He said he’s been around plenty of offensive-minded head coaches, the type who are more locked in on the other side of the ball. Hafley, by contrast, is watching everything unfold and reacting fast.
"I've been around a lot of offensive-minded head coaches. So, they're kind of more watching the offense, but I feel like Coach Haf, you can genuinely see that he's paying attention to both. […] If you mess up on a play, literally before you get back done, he's already telling you something about the play, because he was sitting there watching it."
That background is no small thing. Hafley spent 15 years coaching defensive backs and working in the secondary across the college and pro ranks, and Miami clearly values that expertise. The Dolphins went against the league’s usual offensive-head-coach trend and hired the former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator to replace Mike McDaniel.
For Johnson, the fit looks natural on paper too. He was one of the better zone corners in the draft class at San Diego State, posting a 91.9 PFF grade in 2025 and missing just three tackle attempts. Hafley’s system leans heavily into zone coverage, which gives Johnson a chance to play to his strengths right away.
Miami is also moving him around. Johnson is being cross-trained as both a boundary cornerback and a slot corner as the Dolphins sort through the rest of the secondary and figure out who lines up where.
What’s already clear is that Johnson arrived with the highest cornerback ceiling on the roster, whether inside or outside. He was taken 27th overall, and the expectation is that he’ll get plenty of chances to learn on the fly as a rookie. If the early connection with Hafley keeps building, Miami may have found a corner who can grow into a franchise piece.
That would be a big deal for a team that has had only five Pro Bowl cornerbacks since 1983. The list is short: Sam Madison, Patrick Surtain, Brent Grimes, Xavien Howard, and Jalen Ramsey. Johnson has a long way to go to join them, but the path is there.
In Other News...
Dolphins Fans May Finally Be Getting The Uniform Update They Crave
The latest jersey rollout around the NFL has only fueled the kind of uniform chatter Dolphins fans know well. Fanatics is selling stitched-style authentic jerseys for 30 teams, but Miami and New Orleans were left out, which has naturally led to speculation that both clubs may be headed toward something new down the line. For a fan base that has spent years debating the look, even a small omission can feel like a clue.
What makes the conversation more interesting is that any update does not necessarily have to mean a full throwback revival. The most realistic path could be a refresh built around the current identity, with changes to the color palette, striping, shading or font rather than a wholesale return to an old logo. No official announcement has been made, but the absence from this rollout has already given Dolphins supporters something to watch for, and maybe a reason to keep an eye on 2027. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Rebuild Is Drawing Brutal Reviews For One Troubling Reason
The Dolphins spent the offseason making a hard break from the roster that had defined their recent run, and the reaction around the league has been just as blunt as the moves themselves. After major changes at quarterback, in the secondary and along the defensive front, one Sporting News analyst handed Miami a D grade for the work, a verdict that reflects how much uncertainty now hangs over the teams direction.
What stands out most is how thin the margin for optimism looks right now, especially with questions still swirling around the quarterback spot and a receiver group that no longer carries the same punch. The defense has its own set of unknowns, and the overall picture is so shaky that some evaluators are already wondering whether Miami can avoid a full bottom-out in the standings. [Read more 🡒]
Jacob Rodriguez May Be Forcing A Dolphins Decision Already
The Dolphins spent a second-round pick on Jacob Rodriguez even with Jordyn Brooks and Tyrel Dodson already in the linebacking room, a move that said plenty about how Miami views the Texas Tech product. Rodriguez arrived with a different kind of background too, having spent time at quarterback before becoming a linebacker, and that versatility has helped shape the way he sees the game as he settles into the NFL.
Rodriguez has also fit quickly into the building, praising the teams facilities and the overall care Miami provides while he and the rest of the rookie class grind through their early work ahead of training camp. The bigger question now is how soon his presence starts to affect the depth chart, because when a rookie linebacker is already drawing attention in practice, the veterans around him can feel the pressure even before the pads come on. [Read more 🡒]