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NFL News: Mike McDaniel leaves door open for more moves as Dolphins suffer multiple injuries

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel isn't shutting the door on new players as the team is dealing with multiple injuries at the start of training camp ahead of the 2025 NFL season.

Head coach Mike McDaniel of the Miami Dolphins looks on before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on December 29, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio.
© Nick Cammett/Getty ImagesHead coach Mike McDaniel of the Miami Dolphins looks on before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on December 29, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Miami Dolphins were eagerly counting the days for the start of training camp, hoping to get to work for a comeback year in the 2025 NFL season. However, the very first day of practice brought bad news for Mike McDaniel and company.

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Multiple players got hurt early in preseason, with the team dealing with setbacks in different positions. For instance, one of Tua Tagovailoa’s newest weapons in Miami is already off to a wrong start, with tight end Darren Waller being placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

But perhaps the biggest problem for the Dolphins is at cornerback. Not only did they give up Jalen Ramsey in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers last month, but also saw Artie Burns go down with a potentially torn ACL. If MRI confirms the extent of the injury is that serious, his season may already be over.

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Speaking to the media on Wednesday, McDaniel addressed the possibility of adding at the position. While he didn’t guarantee that the Fins would make a move before Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season, the coach didn’t rule it out either.

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel during a game.

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel looks on during a game.

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McDaniel doesn’t rule out new players for Dolphins

Are we resisting getting better? We are not resisting getting better,” McDaniel said, via Pro Football Talk. “The key part of any roster acquisition is getting better. I understand completely there’s a lot of tweets, words, articles for people that care about the Dolphins about a position.

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It will never change — if you have youth at a position that’s developing and you’re developing it and you have confidence in it, you’re going to have confidence in it before the people that haven’t seen it do. We’re confident in the group. That being said, we’re not closing the door for anything. There’s multiple players we talk about each and every day. We’re also very excited with some guys that have a lot to prove and know that and are excited about the opportunity.”

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A challenging CB situation in Miami

With Ramsey gone and Kendall Fuller still unsigned after being released, the Dolphins face a challenging situation with a relatively inexperienced CB room. Kader Kohou and Kendall Sheffield are in pole position for the starting spots, but they’re not seen as proven options yet.

Behind them, a group of young players is looking to show their potential in the NFL: Cam Smith, Storm Duck, Jason Marshall Jr., BJ Adams, Ethan Robinson, Ethan Bonner, Isaiah Johnson, and Ryan Cooper Jr.

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Dolphins looking at former Bills veteran

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins remain in talks with free agent cornerback Rasul Douglas, who is still a free agent after spending the last two seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He will turn 31 in August. McDaniel isn’t shutting the door on new arrivals, and perhaps Douglas is the new face the Dolphins need at cornerback.

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Another injury in training camp

Apart from the aforementioned injuries, the Dolphins were dealt another piece of bad news with offensive lineman Bayron Matos being transported to a local hospital in a helicopter after getting injured at the the end of Wednesday’s practice session. The extent of the injury remains unknown, but Miami said that Matos is in stable condition. Needless to say, not an ideal start to training camp for the Fins.

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