Jonah Savaiinaea has gone from looking like one of the roughest picks in the 2025 NFL class to one of the Dolphins’ clearest turnaround stories.
A year ago, the Miami guard was getting buried by the numbers. He gave up 8 sacks, was flagged five times and allowed 2.6 pressures per game. Eight weeks into this season, the picture looks completely different: no sacks allowed, just one penalty and 1.5 pressures per game.
That shift showed up again in Week 8 against the Patriots, even if it wasn’t the flashiest part of the game. On the right side, Austin Jackson had a rough outing and Aaron Brewer was off his usual level, but Savaiinaea kept doing his job. He also picked up his first penalty of the year on Sunday, something he hadn’t done all season.
For Miami, the change says as much about coaching as it does about the player. The Dolphins have long watched former players leave and thrive elsewhere, with fans and media often pointing to fit as the explanation. Savaiinaea’s rise suggests there’s more to it than that.
Under the team’s new coaching and schematic setup, the offensive line is being asked to play with more force and less finesse. Instead of trying to hold blocks for a couple of seconds, the linemen are being coached to attack defenders and push them out of the way.
That approach is paying off for Savaiinaea, and it’s showing up across the roster. Josh Uche, who was released by the Patriots, said he is having the most fun he has ever had in the NFL and credited the discipline and direction of Jeff Hafley’s coaching.
That’s a sharp contrast from the Mike McDaniel era, when players wanted to be in Miami because it was fun and loose, but there wasn’t much pressure to get things right. The new setup is different. Players are praising a system that holds everyone accountable, coaches included.
For Savaiinaea, that accountability is bringing out a different player. The former Arizona lineman is looking more and more like someone who can handle the demands of an NFL interior lineman.
If that continues, the Dolphins could end up with one less problem on the line. Jackson is gone after this year, if not before next week’s trade deadline, and Miami would much rather be replacing one spot than two.
In Other News...
Dolphins New Staff Is Changing Everything About Chris Griers Draft Legacy
The Dolphins are still living with the draft footprint left behind by former general manager Chris Grier, but the picture around that group is starting to look different under the current coaching staff. Miami has 13 remaining draft picks from Griers tenure, and six of them are now starting in the 2026 season, giving the organization a steady stream of young players whose development will keep shaping the roster for a while.
Under Jeff Hafley and the current staff, several of those holdovers have taken clear steps forward, including Jonah Savaiinaea, Malik Washington, Chop Robinson and Dante Trader. The broader question for Miami is whether that trend can keep building, because not every name from Griers draft history has followed the same path, and the gap between the players who are flourishing and the ones who have not is becoming harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Rookie Rotation Suddenly Raises Questions On Both Sides
The Dolphins rookie usage against New England offered a clear look at how thin the margins can get in a single game. With Kadyn Proctor out because of a concussion, Miami had to shuffle its options up front, while backup quarterback Kyle McCord and offensive lineman Andrew Meyer were active but never got onto the field. On offense, Caleb Douglas ended up carrying the heaviest rookie load, logging the most snaps among the first-year group as the Dolphins leaned on younger depth in key spots.
Will Kacmareks role was far more limited, and his reduced workload stood out in a game where the rookie rotation was already in flux. On the other side of the ball, four defenders played every snap, Kyle Louis returned from injury for a season-high workload, and new additions Chukwuebuka Godrick and Kaytron Allen both made their first appearances of the season in brief cameos. For Miami, the bigger question is how these pieces fit once the roster is closer to full strength. [Read more 🡒]
Larry Csonka Loved What Kept The Dolphins Alone In History
The last unbeaten team in the 2026 NFL season finally fell when the Minnesota Vikings lost to the Detroit Lions, and it sent an old piece of Miami Dolphins history back into the spotlight. For the only team to finish a season perfect, it was a reminder that the 1972 Dolphins still stand alone, and one of the men who helped make that happen was more than happy to see the record remain untouched.
Larry Csonka, the Hall of Fame fullback from that unbeaten Miami squad, celebrated the moment on social media, a fitting reaction from a player whose career and legacy are still tied to that remarkable run. The 1972 team remains one of the leagues defining benchmarks, built around key players and coach Don Shula, and every time the final undefeated contender goes down, the Dolphins place in history gets another little jolt of attention. [Read more 🡒]