The Miami Dolphins opened training camp with De'Von Achane locked in as the lead back, but the real questions are hanging behind him. Jaylen Wright has jumped out fast, while Ollie Gordon II has taken a little longer to settle in before showing more life over the last three practices.
On Sunday, head coach Jeff Hafley was asked point-blank whether Gordon was being eyed as just a short-yardage option. Hafley didn’t leave any room for that idea.
"No, I want Ollie (Gordon) to compete and be an every down back."
That answer says plenty about how the Dolphins view the rookie. Hafley is seeing the whole roster for the first time, and that includes players like Jonah Savaiinaea, who is getting a do-over after a poor start to his career. It also means Gordon and Wright both have a chance to reshape how they’re perceived.
The setup in Miami should help. The offense is expected to lean on the run, and there are enough carries to go around. With Achane needing to stay fresh, the backups matter, and Gordon’s skill set gives the Dolphins a different kind of body in the backfield.
" When Ollie flashes, and he knows what he is doing, and he hits it," Hafley said, " He has great speed and great size, and he can catch the ball out of the backfield too. It gives us the ability with a bigger back to be good on third down and protection."
That’s the role the Dolphins want Gordon to grow into: not just a power option, but someone who can handle more than a narrow package of snaps. Wright has already earned praise early in camp, and both backs have shown enough to hint at a larger workload. The problem has been finishing once the chances arrive.
Both players are expected to be on the final 53-man roster, and the competition between them should keep pushing the room forward. Nobody is being handed anything, and that’s exactly how it should be. The first depth chart will give the first real snapshot of where they stand, and that could make things interesting in the weeks ahead.
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 🡒]