Breaking Down the Dolphins Defensive Depth Chart

A position-by-position deep dive, from Wilkins to Ramsey and everyone in between, on where the Miami Dolphins defense stands after the 2023 NFL draft

How do you fix an underachieving defense?

That was the question the Miami Dolphins were posed after the 2022 season, a year when the defense was more of a hindrance than a help for many games.

Miami began that offseason challenge by removing Josh Boyer, and replacing him with former Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio, who the Dolphins reportedly made the highest-paid defensive coordinator in the NFL.

The next step in the rehabilitation process was to improve the secondary, which got watered down by injuries last season. Miami traded for Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey, drafted Cam Smith in the second round, and signed safety DeShon Elliott, who had started 35 games the previous four seasons.

Miami also swapped out inside linebackers, replacing Elandon Roberts with David Long Jr., a younger linebacker with better coverage skills.

While additions might be made before the start of training camp in late July, the hope is that the scheme change and better coverage will allow the defense to become a top 10 unit in 2023.

Let's look at the depth chart and break down each defensive unit in this series analyzing the Dolphins depth chart.

For a look at the offensive depth chart breakdown click here.

DOLPHINS EDGE PLAYERS (8)

Emmanuel Ogbah, Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb, Malik Reed, Andrew Van Ginkel, Cameron Goode, Garrett Nelson (R), Mitchell Agude (R)

Chubb and Phillips have the talent to each produce double-digit sacks when healthy, and Fangio’s scheme will put them in position to serve as playmakers. Chubb recorded 13 tackles and 2.5 of his eight sacks in the eight games he played for the Dolphins following the midseason trade. The hope is that he’ll develop into an elite pass rusher under Fangio, who is familiar with him from their time together in Denver.

Phillips’ second season (61 tackles, seven sacks and two fumble recoveries) hints that the 2021 first-round pick is a blossoming star. But Miami needs more consistency from him.

A triceps injury limited Ogbah to 328 snaps last season, which forced the Dolphins to play without its top defensive lineman for the second half of the season. The hope is that Ogbah’s healthy return will add another nine or so sacks to the team considering his skill set makes him the most suited defensive lineman for Fangio’s scheme.

Another player with whom Fangio has experience is Reed, a free agent addition who spent his first three seasons in Denver before playing for the Steelers last season. He started 36 of the 59 games he’s played he past four seasons, contributing 143 tackles and 16 sacks. Van Ginkel, who has contributed 118 tackles, 11 sacks and forced four fumbles in his previous four seasons with the Dolphins, has a knack for being around the ball. Goode, Nelson, Vandenburgh and Agude likely are competing for practice squad roles because Miami has a history of adding veteran pass rushers like Trey Flowers and Melvin Ingram late.

DOLPHINS DEFENSIVE TACKLES (8)

Christian Wilkins, Raekwon Davis, Zach Sieler, Josiah Bronson, Jaylen Twyman, Brandon Pili (R), Anthony Montalvo (R), Randy Charlton (R)

The Dolphins’ top three defensive linemen all are playing on expired contracts, so expect Wilkins, Davis and Sieler to pick up where they left off in 2022, which was as the main reason Miami ranked fourth against the run last season, allowing 103 rushing yards per game.

Wilkins, the Dolphins’ 2019 first-round pick, is coming off what arguably can be considered his best season seeing as how he was two tackles shy of being a 100-tackle defensive lineman. It was the most tackles a defensive lineman in the NFL had produced since 1994. His productivity per snap has gone up each season, and the same can be said about Sieler, who contributed 70 tackles, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles last year.

Davis, on the other hand, has fallen short of the expectations placed on this former second-round pick coming out of the University of Alabama. Last season Davis recorded 33 tackles and one sack.

Bronson and Twyman haven’t contributed much, if anything, during their brief NFL career, so it’s difficult to project what their future holds. And the same can be said about Pili, Montalvo and Charlton, the undrafted rookie free agents added.

DOLPHINS INSIDE LINEBACKERS (6)

Jerome Baker, David Long Jr., Duke Riley, Channing Tindall, Aubrey Miller (R), Zeke Vandenburgh (R)

Baker has been Miami’s most productive inside linebacker since the Karlos Dansby years. He’s averaged 102 tackles a season throughout his five-year career, and also has contributed 21 sacks, forced six fumbles and pulled down three interceptions. But this will be a pivotal season for him considering his $11.1 million salary could become an identical amount of cap space if he’s released in the offseason.

Baker will be playing for his NFL future this season, but he’s confident Fangio’s scheme will put him in position to shine.

Miami signed Long to a two-year, $10 million deal hoping that his ability to cover in space would make him the three-down player Roberts, who signed with the Pittsburgh, wasn’t. Long comes to Miami after producing four solid seasons as a part-time starter for the Titans, for whom he started 26 games, contributing 230 tackles, four interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Long will be competing with Riley, who contributed 45 tackles and one sack last season as a pass coverage specialist, and Tindall, a 2022 third-round pick who played nine snaps on defense last season, for playing time and starting roles. Miami signed Miller, an HBCU standout, and Vandenburgh, a standout at Illinois State, as undrafted rookies, and will see what they bring to the field when pads come on.

DOLPHINS CORNERBACKS (11)

Xavien Howard, Jalen Ramsey, Kader Kohou, Nik Needham, Cam Smith (R), Trill Williams, Noah Igbinoghene, Keion Crossen, Justin Bethel, Tino Ellis, Ethan Bonner (R)

Howard and Ramsey should be one of the NFL’s best cornerback duos in 2023. They both have the ability and experience of shadowing the opposition’s best receivers and have a reputation for producing turnovers. Ramsey has tallied 19 interceptions and forced six fumbles in his seven seasons, and Howard has recorded 28 interceptions and forced four fumbles in his seven seasons.

Kohou played well as an undrafted rookie thrown into the fire because of injuries last year. He contributed 72 tackles, one interception, forced one fumble and broke up 10 passes. It’s possible that he could take another step forward in his second season as Miami’s nickel cornerback.

Smith’s status as a second-round selection gives him a leg up on the competition because the Dolphins need the rookie to develop. Expect him to serve as Howard and Ramsey’s primary backup on the boundary, unless he proves his skills translate to nickel.

Needham and Williams are coming back from season-ending leg injuries, which likely means they should be brought along slowly this spring and summer. Needham is a scary versatile defensive back who has started 27 games in his first four seasons. Williams shined during training camp last year before tearing his ACL in practice.

The Dolphins didn’t pick up Igbinoghene’s fifth-year option, and it’s reasonable to conclude he’s on borrowed time despite $1.6 million of his $2.1 million salary being guaranteed. At this point there’s no reason to continue investing in Igbinoghene unless his coverage skills drastically improve. The Dolphins should consider moving him to safety.

DOLPHIN SAFETIES (6)

Jevon Holland, Brandon Jones, DeShon Elliott, Verone McKinley, Elijah Campbell, Bennett Williams (R)

Holland took another step forward in his second season as a starter, contributing 96 tackles, two interceptions, one forced fumble and 1.5 sacks. But there’s more meat on that bone, and to pull it off the Dolphins need to find a safety who complements his skill set better.

Jones, who has been decent but relatively inconsistent the past three seasons, suffered a season-ending knee injury (ACL) in late October. The hope is that he makes a full recovery come September. But Jones is limited from a coverage standpoint, and it would benefit the Dolphins to add a safety who could cover tight ends since Eric Rowe is now in Carolina.

Miami signed Elliott to a one-year deal worth $1.1 million, and the hope is that this former Texas Longhorns player can compete with his former college teammate (Jones) for the starting strong safety spot. Elliott started 35 of the 42 games he played the past four seasons for the Ravens and Lions, contributing 205 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions and forcing three fumbles.

McKinley, Campbell and Williams likely will need to earn a roster spot through special teams. But it’s more realistic that they are developed on the practice squad if deemed worthy.

DOLPHINS SPECIAL TEAMS (4)

K Jason Sanders, P Jake Bailey, P Michael Turk, LS Blake Ferguson

The Dolphins decided to keep Sanders despite his struggles (made 26 of 32 field goals attempted, and 41 of 44 extra points) last season, mainly because $2.5 million of Sanders' 2023 salary is guaranteed.

Bailey, a 2020 Pro Bowl selection as a member of the Patriots, replaced Thomas Morstead, who signed with the Jets. The 25-year-old is coming off a season where he averaged a career-low 42.1 yards per punt and 35.1 net yards last season before landing on injured reserve with a back injury.

Dolphins guaranteed all of Bailey’s $1.1 million contract, which means Turk, who averaged 47.2 yards per punt during his college career, would have to drastically outperform Bailey to unseat him.

Signing receiver Baxton Berrios could help Miami's return game because he’s a clear upgrade over Wilson Jr. as a punt returner. And Achane and Anderson have experience as kickoff returners.