Tag: Zach Sieler

Dolphins’ top 2025 draft prospects: Toledo DT Darius Alexander

Zach Sieler is the only Dolphins defensive lineman under contract in 2025. Could Darius Alexander be a long-term solution?

At 6’4, 310 pounds, with top-end speed for his position, Toledo defensive lineman Darius Alexander has the explosive ability to be disruptive in the backfield.

Alexander is a powerful and athletic tackle who has the speed that the Dolphins covet. The extremely quick lineman could be an immediate impact player as a three-down tackle.

His draft projection has been on the rise since his performance at the Senior Bowl. Alexander was one of the biggest winners in Mobile, Ala. and may have climbed a round or even made himself a top 50 prospect.

Alexander earned First-Team All-MAC honors in 2024, finishing his final collegiate season with 40 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, five passes defended, and an interception. In 57 career games, he tallied 127 total tackles, 22 for loss, nine sacks, and 13 passes defended.

Position: Defensive tackle
Projected round: 2nd round
Height: 6’4
Weight: 310

Fit for Miami

The Dolphins have a few impending free agents on the defensive line, including Calais Campbell, Benito Jones, and Da’Shawn Hand. Veteran Zach Sieler could use some help should Campbell officially retire and Alexander could be a perfect three-technique, three-down tackle for the Dolphins to plug in right away.

Alexander can pair with Sieler on the Miami line. With Sieler coming off back-to-back 10-sack seasons, adding Alexander could be beneficial for both the Miami run and pass defense.

Bottom line

Miami didn’t miss a beat on the defensive line after losing Christian Wilkins in free agency, thanks to the arrival of Campbell. But after his 17th NFL season, Campbell’s return is far from a lock.

Even if Campbell decides to go another round in 2025, Alexander could still be in play as a long-term solution. The Dolphins could use a player with his power and speed as a disruptive force against the run with pass-rush potential.

One thing is for sure, should Campbell call it a career, Miami will need to address the defensive line in the draft sooner than later. Despite coming from a MAC school in Toledo, the Dolphins would be wise to consider Alexander on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL draft.

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Jonnu Smith takes Travis Kelce’s place in the 2025 Pro Bowl

The Dolphins will have a Pro Bowl representative after all.

Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith is a Pro Bowler after all.

On Monday, the team announced that Smith will participate in the 2025 Pro Bowl Games, becoming the Dolphins’ only representative at the NFL’s annual all-star competition.

The spot for Smith opened Sunday when the Kansas City Chiefs earned a trip to Super Bowl LIX. That made Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce unavailable for next weekend’s festivities, leaving the AFC in need of an alternate tight end.

In December, Smith called the Dolphins’ exclusion from the Pro Bowl rosters a “slap in the face.” He had a reason to feel jilted after finishing the regular season with better numbers than Kelce by many metrics.

In his first season after signing with Miami in the offseason, Smith recorded 88 receptions for 884 yards with eight touchdowns — all Dolphins single-season records for a tight end. Kelce, who has been voted a Pro Bowler in 10 straight seasons, finished 2024 with 97 receptions for 823 yards and three touchdowns.

Also unavailable to play the Pro Bowl next weekend is Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones. But it was New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams who earned a spot as a replacement instead of Miami Dolphins lineman Zach Sieler. Williams finished the year with six sacks and eight tackles for a loss, while Sieler had 10 sacks and 13 tackles for loss.

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Dolphins’ top 2025 draft prospects: Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen

Zach Sieler needs a long-term running mate on the Dolphins defense line. Could Walter Nolen be the answer?

Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen is a 2024 All-American and a surefire first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft. The well-decorated defensive force started his collegiate career at Texas A&M where he played two seasons before transferring to Ole Miss.

In his senior year at Mississippi, Nolen led the team in tackles for loss with 14 and was fourth in sacks with 6.5. The versatile lineman lined up all over the defensive front, and showed he can be a run-stopper as well as a viable pass-rusher.

On the edge, Nolen has quickness and speed and uses his power well. If he plays inside, he has the strength to collapse the pocket and make life difficult for quarterbacks.

Nolen is everything you want in a do-it-all defensive tackle and has the ferocity and physicality to dominate immediately. Nolen is a potential Pro Bowl talent and a top 15 prospect in the draft class.

Position: Defensive tackle
Projected round: 1st
Height: 6’3
Weight: 305

Fit for Miami

The Dolphins may lose veteran Calais Campbell to retirement or free agency. Furthermore, they have other players across the defensive line, like Benito Jones and Da’Shawn Hand, set to hit the market. Veteran Zach Sieler is one of the more underrated and productive defensive tackles in the league, and if Miami added Nolen to the line, it could wreak havoc on opposing offenses.

Nolen’s versatility and Sieler’s consistency could make for a potent pair up front for the Dolphins. Should Campbell retire or depart, the Dolphins will need to address the line one way or another.

Bottom line

The last time Dolphins general manager Chris Grier used the No. 13 overall pick he drafted Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. Miami let Wilkins hit the free agency market last offseason and he joined the Las Vegas Raiders.

While Campbell was a more than adequate replacement, it was only a temporary one with his retirement looming.

If Campbell hangs up the cleats, Nolen could be a great match with Sieler to create yet another tandem of tackles in Miami.

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4 Dolphins received All-Pro votes (but none earned a spot)

It’s no surprise that the Dolphins didn’t have anybody on the All-Pro list, but one player received a first-place vote.

The Associated Press announces its NFL All-Pro teams Friday and, to no surprise, no Miami Dolphins earned a spot.

After zero Dolphins received Pro Bowl honors, it would’ve been a shock if any players from the team made it on to the even more trimmed down All-Pro roster. However, four Miami players received votes and one even got a first-place vote at their position.

Linebacker Jordyn Brooks finished with 10 votes, including a first-place vote which is worth three. First-team honors went to the Eagles’ Zack Baun, 49ers’ Fred Warner, and Ravens’ Roquan Smith. On the second-team was the Commanders’ Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner, and the Colts’ Zaire Franklin. Brooks would’ve needed 30 more votes to pass Franklin’s 39 for the last spot.

Brooks, who signed with the Dolphins on a three-year, $26.5 million deal in the 2024 offseason, finished his first season in Miami with 143 tackles, six passes defended, three sacks, two fumble recoveries, and 11 tackles for loss.

Dolphins defensive lineman Zach Sieler finished with four votes, cornerback Jalen Ramsey had two, and fullback Alec Ingold got one.

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Mike McDaniel is hunting for an answer to the Dolphins’ discipline issue

Mike McDaniel said he fined certain players multiple times, but it “didn’t move the needle.”

The Miami Dolphins had a discipline issue and head coach Mike McDaniel had a hard time finding a solution during the 2024 season.

“I can fine people til they’re blue in the face,” McDaniel said at a press conference Tuesday. “One thing I did learn during the course of the season is that fining guys … didn’t particularly move the needle in the way we need to, so I’ll adjust as I should as the head coach.”

The exact issues were mostly kept behind closed doors, but several of the team’s leaders told reporters that discipline needs to be a point of emphasis in 2025.

“There was things going on this year, obviously in the background, that needed to get taken care of,” Dolphins defensive lineman Zach Sieler said Monday. “We needed to be on our p’s and q’s earlier in the season and earlier in camp.”

“You definitely need structure any time you’re striving to do something great,” Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith added. “There’s a lot of things we need to clean up as a team.”

So what comes next if players won’t respond to being fined? Parting ways.

“We’re at the point in our team where guys are firmly aware of the expectations, and if your actions continually lead to finable offenses that you’re telling me without words that you don’t want to be here. I think it’s very clear,” McDaniel said.

Will anything change with both McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier set to return? The latter says that’s largely up to the players.

“Players have to be accountable for each other,” Grier said. “Coaches aren’t around them 24/7. “It’s clearly understood now and Mike’s message to the team was very well received.”

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2 Dolphins deserve to feel like Pro Bowl snub was ‘slap in the face’

It’s been an underwhelming and disappointing year for the Dolphins, but zero Pro Bowlers?

Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith told reporters it felt like a “slap in the face” that the team had zero players on the 2025 Pro Bowl Games rosters that were released Thursday morning.

He’s got a point.

After the Dolphins had six Pro Bowlers last season, it’s no surprise that an underwhelming season didn’t yield the same amount of individual accolades. After all, Miami went from No. 1 in the NFL in total offense last season to No. 18 in 2024. And even though the Dolphins have a chance at finishing with a winning record, it’d take a small miracle for the team to reach the postseason.

But zero?

That puts the Dolphins in the same boat as the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, and Tennessee Titans, three teams with 12 wins combined. Even the three-win Patriots, Browns, and Giants have at least one representative each.

Smith may have the most deserved gripe.

The veteran tight end has 79 receptions for 828 yards and seven touchdowns. But Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce got the last spot at tight end in the AFC. Despite getting 34 fewer targets, Smith has more receiving yardage than Kelce (828 to 823) and more than double the touchdowns (seven to three).

Smith has earned a career-best 79.2 grade from Pro Football Focus this season. Kelce has a career-worst 70.9.

Dolphins defensive lineman Zach Sieler also has a justified case to be disgruntled with the result. After notching double-digit sacks last season, Sieler is at 8.5 this season with a career-best 12 tackles for loss.

But the Steelers’ Cameron Heyward, Chiefs’ Chris Jones, and Ravens’ Nnamdi Madubuike were given the nod instead. Not one of those players has more sacks or tackles for loss than Sieler.

There’s still time for some rights to be wronged. If the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl for the fifth time in the last six seasons, neither Kelce or Jones would participate in the Pro Bowl Games, which could open the door for Smith and/or Sieler to get the nod.

For now, though, there’s a pair of Dolphins who have a reason to feel like their performances this season aren’t being properly recognized.

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Dolphins lineman earns AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors

A couple of timely fourth quarter sacks helped the Dolphins pull off a comeback Sunday.

Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Zach Sieler earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career, the NFL announced Wednesday.

Sieler, 29, recorded two sacks and three quarterback hits in the Dolphins’ 32-26 overtime win against the New York Jets. Both of his timely sacks of Aaron Rodgers came in the fourth quarter and effectively ended a pair of Jets drives.

The first came on a third down deep in Miami territory, forcing New York to punt for the first time Sunday.

His second sack came with just over a minute left in the fourth quarter, pinning the Jets into a third-and-21 situation they were unable to convert.

“Man, he played a game. He had a day today,” Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell said after the game. “So many close plays early. So many close plays early, but just bringing that energy, bringing that leadership, bringing that passion and then the dam broke in that fourth quarter. He went off and made big plays that essentially called game for us or at least gave us a shot for the offense to call game.”

Sieler is the Dolphins’ first AFC Defensive Player of the Week honoree of the season and the team’s first since Bradley Chubb earned the distinction for recording three sacks against the Jets in a 2023 game

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Zach Sieler says he’ll wear visor rest of his career after eye injury

“I’ll be honest, I don’t want to go through something like that again.”

Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Zach Sieler is expected to make his return to action Monday after missing two games due to a fractured orbital he suffered in practice. When the defensive team captain rejoins the lineup, he’ll don a visor that isn’t planning on ditching anytime soon — or ever.

“I’ll have a visor on, per my wife, the rest of my career,” Sieler told reporters Thursday with a laugh. “She’s right, though. I’ll be honest, I don’t want to go through something like that again.”

Sieler, 29, isn’t exactly sure what happened in practice two weeks that caused his eye injury.

“My head went back and something hit my face or hand, I don’t know what it was,” Sieler said. “I remember just coming on the edge and I don’t know what it was, but something got up in my mask and I just remember my head going back and I just had to put my hand – kind of just dark, no other way to say that.”

The Dolphins defense didn’t play well in Sieler’s absence. First, it allowed the Arizona Cardinals to rack up 389 yards of offense — the most Miami has allowed in a 2024 game — in a 28-27 loss. Then the Dolphins couldn’t get a stop in the second half of a 30-27 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Would Sieler have made a difference?

“I’d like to think I bring some energy to [the defense],” Sieler said. “I think those guys did a great job these last couple of weeks. I think they held them under 100 yards rushing both teams and hopefully I can come back in and make that even better.”

In six games this season, Sieler has two sacks, three tackles for loss, and five quarterback hits. He’s one of five players on the Dolphins defense — along with Jalen Ramsey, Calais Campbell, Kendall Fuller, and Marcus Maye — with a PFF grade above 70.

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Mike McDaniel ‘optimistic’ about Zach Sieler returning in Week 10

After two games without Zach Sieler, the Dolphins defensive lineman appears set to make his return in Week 10.

The Miami Dolphins have been without defensive lineman and team captain Zach Sieler for the last two weeks due to a fractured orbital suffered in practice. But Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel is feeling good about Sieler’s chances at returning in Week 10 with an extra day of rest ahead of a Monday night matchup.

“I’m optimistic about that timeline,” McDaniel told reporters Monday. “You have to take it day by day, anyway, to accumulate information. But that was more safe of a timeline from his injury. So I feel optimistic about that.”

Without Sieler in the lineup, the Dolphins defense has put together two of its worst outings of the 2024 season. The lineman isn’t the only one dealing with an injury on the defensive side of the ball, though. Outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips is on injured reserve, and cornerbacks Kader Kohou and Storm Duck have also missed the last two weeks.

Sieler, 29, sat out all of the Dolphins’ practices ahead of their Week 9 game against the Buffalo Bills. While McDaniel ruled Sieler out Friday, two days ahead of the game, he told reporters that the lineman was “pretty close” to being able to play.

“He will wear a visor upon return, but I’m pessimistic for sure about it and have planned accordingly,” McDaniel told reporters Friday. “What you’re worried about is further injuring and hurting – you need to be able to see and you don’t want to do anything to your eyes if you can prevent it.

“If it was just performance-based, I think he would probably be out there regardless, but you have to prevent him from further injury and that’s where the motive is.”

In six games this season, Sieler has recorded two sacks, three tackles for loss, and five quarterback hits.

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Dolphins list 7 as inactive vs. Bills in Week 9

The Dolphins ruled out Jevon Holland, Storm Duck, and five others for Sunday.

The Miami Dolphins will be without starting safety Jevón Holland for the second time this season. After returning from a hand injury to play last week, Holland was listed as doubtful this week due to a knee injury suffered in the Dolphins’ Week 8 loss.

Holland was one of seven players ruled out by the Dolphins on Sunday:

Dolphins inactives

  • CB Kader Kohou
  • S Jevón Holland
  • RB Jeff Wilson Jr.
  • CB Storm Duck
  • OL Andrew Meyer
  • TE Julian Hill
  • DT Zach Sieler

Bills inactives

  • WR Amari Cooper
  • S Mike Edwards
  • LB Nick Morrow
  • FB Reggie Gilliam
  • CB Christian Benford
  • G/C Will Clapp
  • DE Zion Logue

Dolphins wide receiver River Cracraft was also ruled out Saturday, but because he’s still a member of the team’s injured reserve, he didn’t need to be listed as an inactive Sunday. Active for Miami is fullback Alec Ingold, who entered the weekend as questionable.

The significant loss for the Bills is Cooper, who they acquired in a trade in October.

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