Dolphins CB Cam Smith, S Jevon Holland appear to react to Vic Fangio news

A couple Dolphins react to the Dolphins parting ways with their DC.

On Wednesday, the Miami Dolphins decided to part ways with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio after just one season with the team.

After news broke on social media, everyone appeared to have their opinion, including two members of the Dolphins secondary – safety Jevon Holland and rookie cornerback Cam Smith.

Holland showed himself literally kicking rocks while Smith used a lone emoji.

While they’re the only members of the current team to react, those around them also have their thoughts.

Like Holland’s father, Robert:

Or former Dolphins defensive back Trill Williams, who was cut by Miami before the start of the season:

It seems pretty clear that things weren’t as peachy inside the halls of the Dolphins facilities as they were made out to be.

Miami will need to begin their search quickly to get their top choice leading their talented group of defenders.

7 recently-cut players the Saints should consider adding

7 recently-released players the New Orleans Saints should consider adding after NFL roster cuts deadline

The NFL roster cuts deadline has come and gone, and now teams are busy working the phones recruiting players for their practice squads. So who could be a good fit for the New Orleans Saints?

Odds are strong that the Saints will focus on reuniting with many of the players they let go during roster cuts, but they always seem to add one or two players from other teams. Here are six candidates who could fit what they’re looking for:

Dolphins’ Trill Williams provides health update after torn ACL in 2022

He’ll have to impress in the coming months to crack the 53-man roster.

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The Miami Dolphins have concluded their mandatory minicamp sessions, giving their players a much-needed break before training camp commences in late July.

While a lot of players are vacationing and taking time to enjoy themselves, some are participating in charitable events, like cornerback Trill Williams, who took part in Xavien Howard’s celebrity softball game.

Williams suffered a torn ACL in last year’s preseason bout with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he’s looking to return to game action in 2023.

At the softball event, Williams provided the media with an update on his health before training camp gets underway.

“I feel fantastic,” Williams said. “I got cleared towards the end of OTAs, and I’m just ready to go back out there and compete and prove to myself and show coaches and everybody else what I can do and what my ability (is).”

The former undrafted free agent out of Syracuse is entering his third professional season, but missing last year was a big loss, as these first seasons are so important for a player’s growth.

Now, he’s entering a cornerback room that’s a bit different than the last time he was on the field.

Kader Kohou ascended from roster hopeful to a starter as a rookie. Nik Needham is recovering from a torn Achilles. Jalen Ramsey was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams.

“We got some good pieces in there,” Williams said of Miami’s room. “Everybody that’s in that room is going to compete. You want a room where you got guys that’s going to compete because it’s going to push you to be the best version of yourself. We have a great corner room”

It’s going to be a tall task for Williams to overcome and make the 53-man roster this year, but if he can pick up from where he was before the injury, it’s far from impossible.

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Dolphins re-sign CB Nik Needham

The cornerback room gets back one of its rising competitors.

One day after the Miami Dolphins took care of a few running backs of their own in Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson, they re-signed unrestricted free agent cornerback Nik Needham.

Needham has agreed to a one-year deal to return to Miami in 2023 worth just under $2 million, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Needham was playing great football as a fourth-year defensive back following a tough-road-traveled to the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2019.

The Dolphins fought off a number of teams, at least six, including one that employs his former head coach, as the Minnesota Vikings and new defensive coordinator Brian Flores were very much after Needham.

A top-tier slot corner in 2021, Needham, unfortunately, was hurt last season during a Week 6 game, ironically against the Vikings, when he tore his Achilles.

Ahead of schedule, running and aiming for normal participation in training camp, Needham will come back to the team that took a chance on him in 2019.

Needham is part of a deep cornerback room in Miami, with depth players like Kader Kohou and Trill Williams. He could be a valuable piece in Vic Fanigio’s defense, as he’s an originally-trained boundary cornerback and could also resume work in the slot. He could even be a candidate to help out with safety duties.

Of course, following a massive splash trade on Sunday, when the Dolphins sent a 2023 third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for superstar cornerback, Jalen Ramsey, their secondary is as deep as ever.

Ramsey now pairs with Xavien Howard for arguably the league’s most fearsome duo, as the pending release of Byron Jones doesn’t seem to be an issue anymore.

In his four seasons, Needham has tailed 192 tackles, six interceptions including a “Nik-6” touchdown, as well as 25 passes defended. You can also add in three sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

A player who earned the respect of teammates, coaches and Dolphins fans, Needham will no doubt continue to work and rehab his way back to the field, and back to form.

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Report: Dolphins CB Trill Williams suffered torn ACL vs. Buccaneers

The second-year cornerback will miss the 2022 season.

While there were many positive things that occurred on the field at Raymond James Stadium for the Miami Dolphins on Saturday, Mike McDaniel’s team also suffered a big loss.

According to Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed, Dolphins cornerback Trill Williams suffered a torn ACL during the matchup, ending his season.

Williams had to be carted to the locker room after making a huge stop on a screen pass that went for a loss.

During training camp, the second-year cornerback had been fighting for the third outside spot on the depth chart with Keion Crossen and Noah Igbinoghene. Williams had put together a solid couple of weeks, putting him neck-and-neck with Crossen.

Now, Miami’s already thin cornerback depth gets thinner.

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Dolphins CB and DL ratings in Madden NFL 23

Fans are not going to be happy.

With the end of another NFL offseason insight, football fans are eagerly awaiting the release of the newest installment of the Madden video game series, Madden 23.

AfterĀ the release of wide receiver/tight end ratings on Monday, linebacker/defensive end ratings on Tuesday and running back and safety ratings on Wednesday, EA Sports, the publishers of the game, released defensive line and cornerback ratings on Thursday. While these may be some of the team’s best position groups that the Dolphins have, the grades were a bit underwhelming for their top players.

Hereā€™s a look at most of Miamiā€™s defensive line and cornerback ratings for launch and how they compare to other players at the same position:

  • Xavien Howard – 89 overall (t-No. 10 CB)
  • Byron Jones – 87 overall (t-No. 13 CB)
  • Christian Wilkins – 78 overall (t-No. 17 RE)
  • Nik Needham – 75 overall (t-No. 74 CB)
  • Zach Sieler – 73 overall (t-No. 34 LE)
  • Keion Crossen – 72 overall (t-No. 105 CB)
  • Noah Igbinoghene – 72 overall (t-No. 105 CB)
  • John Jenkins – 71 overall (t-No. 46 DT)
  • Raekwon Davis – 71 overall (t-No. 46 DT)
  • Adm Butler – 69 overall (t-No. 58 DT)
  • Trill Williams – 62 overall (t-No. 245 CB)
  • Elijah Campbell – 60 overall (t-No. 269 CB)
  • Benito Jones – 59 overall (t-No. 128 DT)

Howard and Wilkins’ ratings are unexplainably low. There’s no way someone could look around the league and find that many players at the position better than those two.

The same could be said for Sieler, but everyone knows he doesn’t get the respect he deserves, so it’s expected.

EA Sports has some work to do.

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Dolphins position preview: Breaking down the CBs ahead of camp

It’s a lot of the same faces.

The Miami Dolphins had an extremely busy offseason between the firings and hirings of head coaches, game-changing trades and impactful free agency signings.

This time in between minicamps/OTAs and training camp is a great opportunity to assess the state of Miamiā€™s roster at each position before they hold true competitions at the end of this month and into August under new coach Mike McDaniel for the first time.

Weā€™ve talked aboutĀ quarterbacks,Ā running backs,Ā wide receivers,Ā tight ends,Ā offensive linemen,Ā defensive linemen, linebackers and specialists but now itā€™s time to jump back to the defense and discuss the cornerbacks on the roster.

Dolphins DB Trill Williams posts funny video about dealing with WRs

Some John Legend music behind it makes it perfect.

The Miami Dolphins have finished their OTAs and minicamp this month and are now off until later in July when training camp gets underway.

With a lot of their downtime, members of the organization will be doing various activities. Some may spend their time playing golf. Some may go on a tropical vacation.

One thing that a number of Dolphins have been doing so far is producing content on social media. Safeties Jevon Holland and Brandon Jones have a history of making some hilarious videos on Tik Tok, and defensive back Trill Williams has been doing some of that as well.

This week, Williams posted a hilarious video to show what’s going through his head when he’s battling with receivers.

@trillwilliams6

Just give me the greenšŸ¤£šŸ¤£šŸ¤£ #ItsGreatOutdoors #AmazonMusicProudHeroes #fyp

ā™¬ Green Light (feat. AndrĆ© 3000) – John Legend

The Dolphins have some of the NFL’s best social media users on Tik Tok. If you’re not following the trio of defensive backs, you probably should.

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S Brandon Jones leads Dolphins inactives vs. Giants in Week 13

Miami will be without their starting safety for the second game in a row.

The Miami Dolphins are set to take on the New York Giants on Sunday afternoon with a chance to win their sixth game of the season.

Brian Flores’ team will be without safety Brandon Jones for the second week in a row, as he’s been dealing with ankle and elbow injuries. Eric Rowe really stepped up against Carolina, so it could be assumed that the same will happen this week.

Miami also announced that running back Phillip Lindsay, tight end Adam Shaheen, cornerback Trill Williams, defensive tackle John Jenkins, and linebacker Darius Hodge will be inactive for the Week 13 matchup.

Lindsay was limited in two practices this week with an ankle injury, so Miami was preparing for this outcome. It’s likely that Salvon Ahmed and Patrick Laird get some extra run, as Duke Johnson was not brought up from the practice squad this weekend.

Hunter Long will likely get more opportunities again as the third tight end with Shaheen out. Hopefully, we can see him used in the passing game at some point, and he can bring in his first reception.

The remaining guys have been inactive for most of the season, so even if Williams was healthy, he probably wouldn’t have been out there.

Miami kicks off against New York on Sunday at 1 p.m.

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Dolphins injury update: 3 players listed as doubtful for Sunday vs. Giants

Two wide receivers were removed completely from the injury report Friday as well.

The Miami Dolphins held their final practice of the week in preparation for their Week 13 matchup with the New York Giants at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday.

There were three players who were limited on Friday that are listed as doubtful on the injury report, including running back Phillip Lindsay (ankle), tight end Adam Shaheen (knee), cornerback Trill Williams (hamstring).

Shaheen will likely be replaced by rookie Hunter Long again who played a career-high 24 snaps against Carolina last week. Maybe this will be the week he gets his first reception.

If the newly-arrived Lindsay can’t go, the Dolphins have plenty of options to turn to, including Salvon Ahmed, Patrick Laird, and Duke Johnson.

Safety Brandon Jones (ankle/elbow) and linebacker Jaelan Phillips (hip) were also limited Friday and were listed as questionable for the game.

Jones missed last week but said he was preparing to play throughout this week, and Phillips will probably play, as he was limited throughout practice last week and still appeared in the game.

Safety Jevon Holland (ankle) was a full participant Friday, and right guard Robert Hunt (back) was upgraded from limited to full. Wide receivers Jaylen Waddle (glute) and Preston Williams (knee) were removed completely from the report Friday which is great news for Miami.

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