Jeff Hafley took the kind of heat most first-year head coaches try to avoid, and he took it on the chin anyway.
After Miami’s 26-3 Week 2 preseason loss to the New York Giants, the criticism came fast over his decision to keep the starters mostly parked. Through two preseason games, they’ve played just one series total. Plenty of Dolphins fans made that frustration loud on social media, but Hafley’s choice was never really about pleasing the crowd.
He knew what this roster looked like when he signed up for the job. He also knew the team was in the middle of a major overhaul, and Saturday’s mess only reinforced that reality. Still, he stuck to the plan rather than chasing a better preseason box score.
That call made sense for the long haul. Miami’s offensive line has already shown how thin things get when one piece comes out of the lineup; when right tackle Austin Jackson missed time in camp, the backup group looked rough.
With that kind of uncertainty up front, plus an unproven receiving corps, the ugly quarterback play in the preseason doesn’t come as a shock. One injury to any member of the starting five in the trenches would be a disaster unless the Dolphins find help from outside the building.
The same logic applies on defense. Hafley is a defensive coach, and there was no reason to expose his best defenders to unnecessary risk in a preseason game that had little chance of producing a clean result anyway. Miami also has the youngest team, which only raises the value of every live rep for the players who need it most.
In that sense, Hafley resisted the classic rookie-head-coach impulse to chase a morale boost at the expense of health. He knew the Giants game was likely to be ugly, and it was. But he didn’t let that change the approach.
There’s still one more preseason opportunity if Miami wants to open things up. Friday’s finale against the Atlanta Falcons could provide a different kind of test, especially with the third preseason week no longer carrying the old dress-rehearsal feel now that there isn’t a fourth exhibition game.
That could give the Dolphins a chance to get more work for the starting offense led by Malik Willis and De’Von Achane, along with a receiving group that still needs time together. It would also be worth watching how Hafley handles his defense, particularly with the Falcons featuring ex-Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. On Atlanta’s side, Michael Penix Jr. has finally been cleared for 11-on-11 activity, leaving Kevin Stefanski with a quarterback competition still worth tracking.
For Miami, though, this preseason has been about sorting through a roster packed with bubble players after the offseason purge. The Dolphins brought in what amounts to nearly two draft classes with 13 picks, and the next step is figuring out who can actually help in 2026 and beyond.
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Dolphins Pass Rush Problem Just Got More Urgent
The Dolphins second preseason game offered a useful reminder of where the roster still feels thin, especially behind the starters at cornerback, wide receiver and edge rusher. Miami has some promising rookie receivers and is still working to build out depth in the secondary, while general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan continues to juggle the roster as camp moves along.
The edge-rusher situation looks even more pressing now after Derek Barnett signed with the Browns, removing one of the more obvious veteran options from the board. Miami is expected to keep scanning the waiver wire for help, and the pass-rushing corps has become one of the more important areas to watch as the team tries to shore up the back end of the defense before the season begins. [Read more 🡒]
Jevon Holland Just Gave Dolphins Fans A New Reason To Revisit His Exit
Jevon Hollands return to South Florida came with an early reminder of what the Dolphins used to have at safety. Now with the New York Giants, Holland helped beat Miami in a preseason game, then turned heads afterward with a message on Instagram aimed back at the organization he left behind. For Dolphins fans still sorting through the aftermath of his departure, the whole scene brought the conversation right back to how one of the teams most recognizable defenders ended up elsewhere.
Hollands exit landed in the middle of broader changes around the franchise, with Miamis management structure shifting and free agency offering a different path than the one both sides might have imagined a year earlier. Even in a preseason setting, the matchup gave the Dolphins another look at a player they know well, and Hollands post only added to the sense that this separation still carries some sting. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins May Be Forced Into Another Former First-Round Gamble
The Dolphins are again doing the kind of roster homework that can define a season on the margins, lining up a workout for Kenneth Murray as they look for help at linebacker. Miami has already shown a willingness to take chances on former first-round picks, with Jalen Reagor and Clelin Ferrell both fitting that mold, and the need at linebacker has become more pressing with injuries thinning the group.
Murray, once a Chargers first-rounder and later with the Titans and Cowboys, is one of several unsigned former first-round free agents under 30 who could still draw interest around the league. For Miami, the question is less about pedigree than fit and availability, and whether another reclamation project can provide immediate depth without forcing the front office into a long-term commitment. [Read more 🡒]