Extra Points: Hill, Lyles, Bolts, Bears, UFL
The Tyreek Hill-Noah Lyles race will not happen, after all, this year. The Olympic 100-meter champion and three-time 200-meter world champion said the event was slated to take place this coming weekend in Times Square, a setup that would have come not long after a boxing event in the same location. But the race is off, per Lyles, due to unspecified complications and personal reasons. A high school track standout who was a sprinter at Oklahoma State before being kicked off the football and track teams (following a much-discussed domestic violence arrest), Hill made a return to the sport last week. The All-Pro wideout clocked a 10.15-second 100-meter dash at a meet in Sherman Oaks, Calif. (This time marked a personal best, as Hill clocked a 10.19 in high school.) Although Hill had run a 60-meter dash since joining the Dolphins, this was his first 100 since becoming an NFLer.
“We were very deep into creating the event,” Lyles said, Instagram link via the New York Post. “Unfortunately, there were some things, complications, personal reasons that it just didn’t come to pass, but we were full on. We were gonna have a big event, we were going to shut down New York Times Square and everything. We were gonna have all the billboards for the event; it was going to be a lot of fun.”
This may end up boosting Hill’s stock as an all-time NFL speedster, as Lyles (27 in July) would have been a heavy favorite in a race. While Hill’s 10.15-second sprint is certainly impressive at 31, it is tied for 121st in the world this year. Lyles’ personal-best time is 9.79. Not confused with Usain Bolt in terms of dominance in the 100, the Team USA superstar has 24 sub-10-second 100-meter clockings (including 11 sub-9.9-second performances) in his career.
The Dolphins are likely not too disappointed about this race’s cancellation, as Hill is coming off an injury-plagued 2024. The 10th-year veteran, who had dropped early 15 pounds this offseason, is coming off two offseason wrist surgery and will now focus on a fourth Dolphins training camp. Here is the latest from around the pro football world:
- Jim Harbaugh needed to leave the sideline during a Chargers-Broncos game last October, enduring a heart episode. An atrial flutter, an arrhythmia that leads to an accelerated heart rate, led to the brief exit. Harbaugh returned to coach in that game but underwent heart surgery this offseason. The second-year Bolts HC said (via ESPN.com’s Kris Rhim) he underwent a cardiac ablation procedure, along with a hip replacement surgery, this year.
- The Bears drafted tackles on Day 2 in each of the past two years, following their Kiran Amegadjie third-round choice with a second-round selection of Ozzy Trapilo. In the meantime, contract-year left tackle Braxton Jones is recovering from an ankle surgery expected to sideline him into training camp. Chicago could move Darnell Wright, who split time at left and right tackle at Tennessee before becoming entrenched at RT with the Bears, to the blind side. But Ben Johnson threw cold water on an extended LT look for Wright. The Bears HC said (via ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin) the team is “pretty comfortable” keeping Wright at RT. Chosen 56th overall out of Boston College, Trapilo has worked with the Bears’ first-stringers at LT, per Cronin. Naturally, this will be a storyline to monitor as Jones — a three-year LT starter — enters a walk year.
- The UFL wrapped its second season Saturday, and the spring/summer league does not appear in danger of folding. In fact, an expansion could commence. The league trademarked four names — the Oakland Invaders, the Philadelphia Stars, the New Jersey Generals, and the Tampa Bay Bandits, all part of the original USFL in the mid-1980s — according to UFLNewshub.com. Combining XFL 3.0 and USFL 2.0 franchises, the UFL features eight teams. It would be interesting to see expansion become a legitimate topic, as the XFL twice folded and then merged with a rival league. Attendance and viewership for the minor-league product of sorts was down this season, per SportsBusinessJournal.com’s Ben Fischer, who indicates ratings dropped by 20% from 2024. Attendance declined 5% from Year 1.
Extension Talks Ongoing Between Dolphins, TE Jonnu Smith
It remains to be seen if Jonnu Smith will play for the Dolphins in 2025. If the veteran tight end does stay in Miami, it may well be on a new deal. 
Smith’s preference is to stay in place for the coming campaign, which doubles as the final year of his current pact. The 29-year-old is coming off a record-breaking season for Dolphins tight ends, however, and he is aiming to parlay that into a raise compared to the $4.09MM he is currently owed. A potential trade to the Steelers – and thus a reunion with Pittsburgh OC Arthur Smith – has come up on multiple occasions, but it would come as a surprise if such a deal were to be worked out given Pittsburgh’s TE depth chart.
Nevertheless, Smith was absent from minicamp last week with his future undecided. Against the backdrop of a possible trade, extension talks have also taken place. That process is ongoing and it is clear nothing is certain regarding Smith’s future.
During his weekly appearance on WSVN-7 yesterday, agent Drew Rosenhaus said (via Isaiah Smalls II of the Miami Herald) contract talks with Smith and the Dolphins are “still fluid.” With no resolution in place, it is still unclear whether or not this relationship will continue in 2025. During his debut campaign in Miami, Smith set new career highs in catches (88), yards (884) and touchdowns (eight). That production marked the best single-season output in franchise history at the position, and trading away the Pro Bowler would create a notable vacancy late in the offseason for the Dolphins.
On the other hand, Smith’s modest production in many of his previous seven seasons could make it challenging to quantify his value on a multi-year Dolphins pact. The former third-rounder failed to reach 500 yards in a season until 2023, his lone campaign working with Smith in Atlanta (after the two were also together in Tennessee from 2017-20). Aside from the Steelers, other suitors could emerge if they are prepared to make a lucrative investment in this case.
That will only become relevant, though, if no agreement can be reached with the Dolphins. Miami is among the teams currently projected to be over the cap next year, and making further long-term commitments on offense in addition to those already accounted for could be challenging. With plenty of time remaining until training camp, this situation could linger for several weeks without a final resolution.
Return Targets Set For Dolphins’ Austin Jackson, James Daniels
The Dolphins are hoping that offensive linemen Austin Jackson and James Daniels will be ready by the team’s regular-season opener in Indianapolis.
Jackson started just eight games last season before undergoing season-ending knee surgery. He is expecting to be ready by training camp, per ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, where he is expected to retake his role as the Dolphins’ starting right tackle.
After the offseason departure of Kendall Lamm, who started seven games in Jackson’s stead in 2024, Miami has limited options at right tackle should Jackson suffer a setback. Jackson Carman started one game last season, while free agency addition Larry Borom has 1,045 career snaps at right tackle, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), though only 33 have come in the last two seasons.
Daniels, who signed a three-year, $24MM contract with the Dolphins in March, is coming off a torn Achilles suffered at the end of September. His representation has said that he will be ready for Week 1, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, but the team will want to prepare its other guards in case Daniels’ timeline does not work out. Liam Eichenberg started 14 games at right guard last year, so he will likely be the team’s primary stopgap option if Daniels isn’t ready for the regular season.
Second-round pick Jonah Savaiinaea is expecting to push for the Dolphins’ starting left guard job, with Aaron Brewer retaining his job at center and Patrick Paul replacing Terron Armstead at left tackle.
AFC East Notes: Bills, Wilkins, Hilton, Pats
Formerly a GM candidate, Lake Dawson has not come up on the PFR pages since 2019. But the former NFL wide receiver had remained a key presence in the Bills‘ front office. The longtime Brandon Beane lieutenant, however, is no longer with the franchise. Dawson joined Oklahoma’s staff under new Sooners GM Jim Nagy. The SEC program announced Dawson’s addition as senior assistant GM recently. Dawson, 53, played for the Chiefs from 1994-97, being a regular starter during the back half of Marty Schottenheimer‘s tenure. He has nearly 25 years’ worth of experience on the personnel side, moving from the Seahawks to the Titans to the Browns to the Bills. The Panthers twice interviewed Dawson for their GM job before rehiring Marty Hurney in 2018. Dawson turned down an offer to become the Dolphins’ GM in 2014. The former Tennessee VP of player personnel had been Buffalo’s assistant director of college scouting, but he will follow Joe Schoen in leaving the team for another opportunity.
Here is the latest from the AFC East:
- Dawson’s GM what-if came years before Christian Wilkins turned down the Dolphins‘ offer to stay, but it became easy to see why once the Raiders’ monster offer emerged. Las Vegas gave the standout defensive tackle a four-year, $110MM deal ($57.5MM guaranteed at signing) in March 2024. The Dolphins and Wilkins could not agree on an extension before his contract year, and we heard at the time they were willing to pay him as a top-10 DT. The team is believed to have offered around $18MM per year, per the Herald’s Omar Kelly. Wilkins ended up scoring a whopping $27.5MM per year; the NFL’s second-highest-paid DT benefited from a record-setting cap spike and the Chiefs taking Chris Jones off the market at the 11th hour. The Raiders are still waiting for the deal to pay off, as Wilkins continues to battle a foot injury.
- Connected to several cornerbacks this offseason, the Dolphins still have Jalen Ramsey on their roster. A trade remains expected, however, and a separation would deal a major blow to Miami’s coverage capabilities. Rasul Douglas, Asante Samuel Jr. and James Bradberry have discussed terms with the team this offseason — one that has not yet included Jaire Alexander interest — and the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson indicates Mike Hilton has hovered on the radar as well. Hilton, 31, has held a different role compared to the above-referenced trio; he has been a career-long slot corner. Hilton played out a four-year Bengals deal last season, and while he expressed interest in another Cincinnati deal, nothing developed on that front. The former Steelers and Bengals cover man has played at least 59% of his team’s snaps in each of his eight seasons. He logged a 70% snap rate in 2024, as Pro Football Focus tabbed him as the NFL’s 15th-best CB.
- The Patriots lost Camren Williams to the Broncos last month; the former New England exec is now Denver’s co-director of player personnel. National scout Tony Kinkela will rise into Williams’ old position of college scouting director with the Pats, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes. The Pats hired Kinkela from Jason Licht‘s Buccaneers staff in 2022; he now joins director of pro scouting A.J. Highsmith as new Pats scouting heads. The team is also relocating Patrick McDonough from northeast area scout to southeast area scout, per InsidetheLeague.com’s Neil Stratton, and hiring Ekene Olekanma as director of coaching analytics (per ESPN.com’s Seth Walder). Olekanma will come over from the 49ers, where he served as the team’s research and development coordinator. McDonough previously worked with the Ravens.
Jonnu Smith, Jalen Ramsey Absent From Dolphins Minicamp
JUNE 11: Despite McDaniel’s Tuesday remarks, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on NFL Live (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald) that Smith’s absence is actually excused given the ongoing trade talks in his case. McDaniel declined to say whether or not Smith will be subject to fines (valued at a three-day total of roughly $104K) for his absence, but a decision on that front could help indicate whether or not he will remain in Miami for 2025.
JUNE 10: A pair of Dolphins veterans won’t be in attendance during mandatory minicamp this week. Coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that tight end Jonnu Smith and cornerback Jalen Ramsey will be absent from upcoming practices, per NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe.
Smith continues to seek a new contract and will be sitting out in apparent protest. The veteran’s absence is unexcused, so he’ll be subject to fines if/when he returns. Ramsey’s absence is excused as the two sides work to find a new home for the cornerback, according to McDaniel (via Wolfe).
Smith has been included in trade talks for several weeks now, although the tight end has made it clear that he wants to stick in Miami. The veteran is entering the second season of a two-year, $8.4MM deal and has been pushing for an extension, although it sounds like the Dolphins aren’t in any rush to ink the 29-year-old to a new deal.
To Smith’s credit, the tight end is rightfully looking to capitalize on a career season. After showing flashes in stops with the Titans, Patriots, and Falcons, Smith emerged as one of Miami’s most reliable pass catchers in 2025. The tight end finished the year with career-highs in receptions (88), receiving yards (884), and touchdowns (eight). The Dolphins don’t have much of a solution behind their starter, but it’s uncertain if that would be enough for the organization to blink during extension talks. Smith, meanwhile, would be subject to more than $100K in fines if he sits out all of mandatory minicamp.
We heard recently that Ramsey wouldn’t be in the building for mandatory minicamp. The two sides continue to look for a new team for the veteran cornerback, although the player’s contract remains a sticking point. An acquiring team would have to pick up at least $2.02MM in 2025 (Ramsey’s salary and per game roster bonus) with $65.7MM of non-guaranteed money due over the following three years.
There were recent rumblings that there was genuine interest in the cornerback, although suitors would be looking for some salary relief in a potential trade. The Dolphins are surely preparing for this scenario, although the front office has every reason to wait out the process in pursuit of the best possible deal.
Dolphins, Rams Not Showing Jaire Alexander Interest; Latest On CB’s Free Agency
Several teams have reached out to Jaire Alexander‘s camp since he became a free agent; the Bills negotiated with the Packers on a potential trade. But the former Pro Bowler remains unattached. A one-year deal should be considered likely.
Not high on a Packers pay-cut offer, Alexander elected to try his luck in what amounts to an audition season. That should be considered Alexander’s most likely play, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who predicts a one-year contract that will — should the veteran cornerback shake his injury issues — open the door to a bigger payday as a 2026 free agent.
[RELATED: Dolphins Excuse Jalen Ramsey From Minicamp]
While Schefter does not envision Alexander collecting as much as he would have made on a reduced Packers deal, an opportunity should come soon. Teams are understandably leery of Alexander’s injury past; the former first-round pick has missed 20 games over the past two years and 33 over the past four. Expecting much on a one-year accord is probably unrealistic for the seven-year veteran, but a starting opportunity to serve as a potential platform to a 2026 free agency bid should certainly be expected.
The Dolphins have a rather notable need at corner, as they are prepared for a Jalen Ramsey separation, but the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson indicates they did not touch base with the Packers on Alexander. Miami is also not believed to have contacted Alexander since his release. While the Dolphins have been connected to corners — Rasul Douglas, Asante Samuel Jr, James Bradberry — due to Ramsey’s eventual exit gutting them at that spot, they may not be ready to bet on another high-maintenance cover man. Their Ramsey trade did not work out, and it will lead to sizable dead money if/once he is traded. Alexander has been less dependable than Ramsey, though the seven-year Packer is the new top corner available as a free agent.
The Rams continue to come up as a Ramsey destination, but Sean McVay sounded considerably more hesitant on Alexander. Los Angeles has not made an outside CB addition this offseason, passing on additions in the draft and the UDFA ranks. Two 30-something CBs (Darious Williams, Ahkello Witherspoon) are already on the Rams’ roster, but it sure sounds like they are comfortable reacquiring Ramsey, who will play an age-31 season in 2025. Alexander turned 28 in February.
“There are so many layers to the Jalen conversation,” McVay said. “Obviously, with Jaire, a lot of respect for him as a player, haven’t talked about those types of things. This will really represent our last OTA day, so we’ve kind of just been focused on our group. Les [Snead] and I have had some dialogue and discussions as it relates to the Jalen thing, but there’s really no news to report on. And with Jaire, nothing but respect for the player but I don’t know if that’s a direction that we would go.”
Ex-McVay staffer Ejiro Evero is running a third Panthers defense, and while The Athletic’s Joe Person notes Carolina will do due diligence on Alexander, nothing appears imminent there. The Panthers extended Jaycee Horn and re-signed Michael Jackson this offseason.
The team did not draft a corner, but Jackson — a 2024 trade pickup who started 17 games (albeit for the league’s 32nd-ranked defense) last season — signed a two-year, $10.5MM deal to stay alongside Horn. Alexander is a Charlotte native who would be expected to usurp Jackson were the Panthers to pursue him.
Jalen Ramsey To Skip Dolphins’ Mandatory Minicamp
As Jalen Ramsey and the Dolphins continue to prepare for a parting of the ways, the seven-time Pro Bowler will skip Miami’s three-day mandatory minicamp, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. Minicamp begins on Tuesday, June 10.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said last week (via ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques) that “nothing has changed” regarding Ramsey. The team has insisted that the decision to seek a trade for the veteran cornerback is mutual, but Ramsey has been pushing for an exit, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. He likely lost his $100k workout bonus by skipping OTAs and will incur another $105k in fines for skipping minicamp.
The veteran cornerback has generated “more interest…than people realize,” according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Jackson), but his contract remains a sticking point. An acquiring team would have to pick up at least $2.02MM in 2025 (Ramsey’s salary and per game roster bonus) with $65.7MM of non-guaranteed money due over the following three years. However, the Dolphins already paid Ramsey’s $4MM roster bonus in March and would prefer to shed the remaining $20.235MM in guaranteed money on his deal, which includes an $18.98MM option bonus due on August 31, per OverTheCap.
If Ramsey’s new team doesn’t want to absorb all of Ramsey’s option bonus, the Dolphins could handle his contract in a manner similar to the Eagles-49ers Bryce Huff trade. Philadelphia declined Huff’s fully-guaranteed option bonus, which turned into a guaranteed salary for the same amount. The Eagles then restructured a portion of that salary into a signing bonus to absorb some of Huff’s remaining money and spread the dead cap charges across two years; the 49ers took on the rest of Huff’s 2025 salary.
A completed trade would leave $10.7MM in dead money on the Dolphins’ 2025 cap, along with any additional money they absorb in the deal. Another $18.4MM would hit the books in 2026, which could increase if Miami eats 2025 salary and converts it into a signing bonus as described above.
Despite interest from around the league, a trade is no guarantee. ESPN’s Dan Graziano believes that Ramsey is more likely to be released than traded. In that case, the Dolphins would likely exercise his option bonus early, resulting in $11.8MM in dead cap charges in 2025 and a whopping $40.4MM in 2026.
Lingering Knee Injury Drove LT Terron Armstead’s Retirement
Retirement was known to be a distinct possibility in Terron Armstead‘s case this offseason well before it became official he will no longer play in the NFL. The 12-year veteran addressed his injury issues and their role in his playing days coming to an end. 
Armstead was consistently one of the league’s top blindside protectors when healthy during his time with the Saints (2013-21) and Dolphins (2022-24). Remaining available proved to be a problem on both teams, however, as he played 10 or fewer games six times in his career. In particular, a knee ailment suffered in 2015 led to lingering problems through the remainder of Armstead’s tenure.
“I’ve been dealing with a knee since my third year in the league,” the 33-year-old said during an appearance on The Nightcap Show (video link). “I didn’t see a practice field at all, and not because I didn’t want to or the Dolphins just wanted me to rest. It’s like I literally couldn’t walk. After a game on Sunday, I wouldn’t be able to walk on my own, under my own power, until Wednesday, Thursday.
“So I was only able to play under the pain meds. I couldn’t put any pressure on my knee, so it was like, I can’t keep doing that to myself.”
Considering Armstead managed to collect five Pro Bowl nods between 2018 and 2023, he was certainly able to maintain a high level of play well after suffering the initial injury. His inability to recover in full makes his decision to hang up his cleats an understandable one, however. The former third-rounder amassed over $115MM in earnings during his NFL tenure.
The Saints’ decision to allow Armstead to depart in free agency in 2022 created a notable vacancy at the left tackle spot. First-round picks have since been used on Trevor Penning (who will shift to guard in 2025) and Taliese Fuaga (who will move to right tackle after operating on the blindside last season). No. 9 pick Kelvin Banks is in position to start at left tackle as a rookie with New Orleans still attempting to find a long-term Armstead replacement.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, will rely on Patrick Paul to handle blindside duties in 2025. Selected in the second round of last year’s draft, Paul made three starts during his rookie season. A strong showing this year would set him up to provide Miami with a left tackle starter for years to come.
Armstead’s plans for his post-playing future are unclear at this point. Needless to say, though, he will aim to move past the issues related to his knee which proved to be prevalent through much of his career.
S Ifeatu Melifonwu Could Start In Miami
The Dolphins watched both starting safeties — Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer — walk in free agency this offseason and reloaded at the position with some free agent signings of their own. Unfortunately, all three safeties the Dolphins signed lack full-time starting experience, but it sounds like Ifeatu Melifonwu has taken an early lead on one of the two starting positions, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. 
A former third-round pick out of Syracuse, Melifonwu was drafted by the Lions in large part due to the versatility he brought to the secondary. As a rookie, he started four of seven game appearances at both cornerback and safety. He likely would’ve started even more games, but a thigh injury led to a stint on injured reserve. His health issues lingered into his sophomore season, but he played in each of the final eight games that year, making one start in 10 appearances.
Finally seeming healthy, Melifonwu began his 2023 campaign as a reserve defender on special teams. An early-season injury to Kerby Joseph allowed him some starting minutes, but he reverted back to the bench when Joseph returned. Eventually, Detroit would bench Tracy Walker, and Melifonwu would start the final five games of the season, logging two interceptions and seven passes defensed in that span.
Last year, the Lions were looking to come into the season with a rotatable three-headed monster of Joseph, Brian Branch, and Melifonwu, but a training camp ankle injury kept the latter of the three off the field to start the year. He was placed on IR once again, and when his 21-day practice window opened, and he began to practice again, Melifonwu suffered a dislocated finger. The team activated him so that he would not be reverted to season-ending IR but returned him right back to IR for the third time in his career. He didn’t make it back to the field until the team’s final three games of the regular season.
Melifonwu is competing with Ashtyn Davis and re-signed Dolphin Elijah Campbell for the starting roles. While Jackson notes that Melifonwu is a front-runner for one of the starting jobs, Davis is probably the most likely to earn the other starting spot next to him. A former third-round pick out of Cal for the Jets, Davis looked like he had the makings of a full-time starter, logging 16 starts in 23 games his first two years. After that, though, the Jets seemed to lose faith as he started six games over the next three seasons.
Campbell has been in Miami for the last four years. He’s made three starts over that time and seen some reserve snaps off the bench, as well. He and rookie fifth-round pick Dante Trader will attempt to challenge the favorites, Melifonwu and Davis, for playing time as the offseason progresses.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/4/25
Today’s minor moves across the NFL:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Jaelen Gill
- Waived: K Andre Szmyt
Denver Broncos
- Reverted to IR: TE Cole Fotheringham
Detroit Lions
- Waived (with injury designation): CB Divaad Wilson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived (with failed physical designation): G Cooper Hodges
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DT Ben Stille
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Ife Adeyi
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: S Quindell Johnson
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: WR Nate McCollum
Gill becomes the 13th wide receiver on the Browns roster. While that certainly seems like a lot, keep in mind that the Browns need to run drills for four quarterbacks and some receivers aren’t able to participate at the moment. An undrafted receiver out of Fresno State last year, Gill spent the last two months of the season on the Browns’ practice squad.
The Eagles add another undrafted rookie to their group in Adeyi. The speedy, diminutive wideout spent his final two collegiate seasons at Sam Houston State. He had 30 catches for 271 yards and a touchdown, with another score on the ground. He returned punts for the Bearkats in 2024, as well.