2025 NFL Draft Visits: Schwesinger, Cowboys, Nolen, Ezeiruaku, Burden, Turner, Bond, Steelers, Emmanwori
This isn’t exactly a visit in the sense of top-30 visits, like most of the rest of bullets that follow this will be, but UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger held a private pro day earlier this week in Los Angeles and had 30 teams in attendance, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
While, obviously, not a comprehensive list, Schefter specifically mentions the Cowboys, Giants, Saints, Chargers, and Broncos, and notes that the linebackers coaches from Dallas, New York, and New Orleans all met privately with Schwesinger.
Schwesinger is not currently the top-ranked linebacker prospect in most analysts’ eyes, but he often slides in as the second-best off-ball linebacker in the class behind Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell — third if you count Georgia defender Jalon Walker, who has the ability to play every linebacker spot at the next level. Some thought Schwesinger may sneak into the back end of the first round at the end of the month, but more likely is that he hears his name on Day 2. Per Tony Pauline of sportskeeda, it would be surprising to see him fall past the first half of the second round.
Here are some more prospect-NFL team connections we’ve seen recent reports on:
- The Cowboys have certainly been very busy in the runup to the 2025 NFL Draft. On Friday, the team held their invite-only “Dallas Day,” hosting draft prospects without the visits counting towards their top-30 visits. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton met with the team at “Dallas Day.” The well-balanced rusher continues to skyrocket up draft boards, is likely to join Ashton Jeanty in the first round, and has several other visits lined up.
- Jeanty was also in attendance on Friday, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. We had relayed that Jeanty would be taking a top-30 visit with the Cowboys, but it’s unclear whether this is what was meant in that original report. Also in attendance for “Dallas Day” were Texas A&M defensive tackle Shemar Turner, Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon, TCU wide receivers Savion Williams and Jack Bech, Texas quarterback and offensive lineman Quinn Ewers and Cameron Williams, and Miami tight end and running back Elijah Arroyo and Damien Martinez.
- Also in attendance at “Dallas Day” was Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Nolen will follow up his Dallas visit with a visit with the Panthers on Monday and a visit with the Bengals some other time this week.
- Joining Nolen in Carolina on Monday will be Boston College pass rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku, per Joe Person of The Athletic. The ACC Defensive Player of the Year has been a hot topic with multiple scouts of late, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid. He’s currently viewed as an early-Day 2 prospect, and his stock continues to rise.
- Speaking of another “Dallas Day” athlete, Wilson of KPRC 2 provided an updated list of teams that Turner, from Texas A&M, is set to visit with. We already noted his recent visit in New Orleans, but Wilson tells us that Turner has also visited the Texans and plans to visit the Ravens, Rams, Eagles, Dolphins, Colts, Buccaneers, and Cardinals.
- According to Mike Klis of 9NEWS, the Broncos hosted Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden for a top-30 visit last week. The talented wideout fell off in 2024 after an incredible sophomore campaign with the Tigers, but his high ceiling makes him a borderline first-round prospect. Denver would love to bring in another talented weapon for young quarterback Bo Nix.
- We already reported recent visits for Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond in Atlanta, Chicago, Green Bay, and Los Angeles, but we now have a couple sources adding some new locations for the Longhorn. Wilson of KPRC 2 tells us that Bond had dinner with the Bills before a private workout Friday and a top-30 visit as well as visits with the Browns and Packers. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds that Bond has visits scheduled with the Chiefs and Titans, as well.
- Brooke Pryor of ESPN tells us that the Steelers hosted a full house on Thursday. Prospects on hand last week included Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden, Florida State cornerback Azareye’h Thomas, Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, and Pittsburgh tight end Gavin Bartholomew.
- Lastly, Pryor adds that Pittsburgh was one of the recent teams to host South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori. The pre-draft standout had reportedly lined up visits with Atlanta, Carolina, Seattle, Cincinnati, and Miami already. The Steelers’ interest in the Gamecock is no surprise as he’s trending towards being a Day 1 selection at this point.
Dolphins High On S Malaki Starks; No Pre-Draft Visit Planned
The Dolphins, as expected, saw Jevon Holland depart on the open market. Since they have also elected not to retain fellow starter Jordan Poyer, safety is a position of need entering the draft. 
Many mock drafts from the end of the 2024 campaign and shortly thereafter understandably connected Miami to safety Malaki Starks. The Georgia product has long been seen as one of the two Day 1 prospects at the position, being joined in that regard by South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori. The latter’s stock has increased since his impressive Combine performance, but Starks is still drawing interest from the Dolphins.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports the team “thinks highly” of Starks, an indication he will receive consideration for the No. 13 pick. Jackson notes no pre-draft visit has been lined up yet, but he adds general manager Chris Grier was in attendance at Georgia’s Pro Day. Information gleaned from that event will help inform the Dolphins’ decision with their top selection.
Starks made an immediate impact for the Bulldogs, starting 14 games as a freshman for the national champions. He followed that up with a highly productive season, racking up three interceptions and seven pass deflections en route to first-team All-SEC and All-American nods. The junior was unable to match those feats in 2024, with his production taking a step back. Still, he earned second-team honors on both fronts and continued to occupy a highly versatile role on Georgia’s defense.
To be clear, Jackson writes the Dolphins have strong evaluations of “several other” prospects in the range of their first-round selection. Considering Miami is also among the potential suitors which has hosted Emmanwori, Starks is certainly not a lock to be selected by the team. Nevertheless, safety is a position to watch as the Dolphins look to further re-tool at that spot during the remainder of the offseason.
Returnees Elijah Campbell and Patrick McMorris have been joined on the roster by free agent signings Ashtyn Davis and Ifeatu Melifonwu. It would come as no surprise if one or more rookies were added to that group, and Starks could be among them.
Dolphins LT Terron Armstead To Retire
The Dolphins will indeed be without Terron Armstead for 2025 and beyond. The veteran left tackle is retiring, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. 
Armstead’s playing future has been in question this offseason, with many indications pointing to him hanging up his cleats. Miami entered free agency with the presumption that would be the case, and today’s update confirms the team will need to make other plans on the blindside. Armstead’s NFL career will end after 12 seasons.
The most recent comments on the subject from Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel noted the Dolphins were unaware of Armstead’s intentions. This development will not come as a surprise, though, and with plenty of time remaining before the draft Miami will be able to look even more closely into left tackle prospects. Whichever option – in-house or otherwise – takes on a starting gig, replacing Armstead will prove to be a challenge.
The 33-year-old managed to play 15 games in 2024, but as usual he dealt with a number of ailments along the way. Injuries were a constant issue for Armstead, whose three-year Dolphins tenure was preceded by a strong run with the Saints. When at (or even near) full strength, he was among the top left tackles in the league, as illustrated by his five Pro Bowl nods. Rather than trying to manage nagging ailments once again in 2025, though, Armstead will turn his attention to his post-playing days.
One non-void year remains on the former third-rounder’s contract, one which included a pay cut last offseason. Armstead was reported in February to be prepared to once again reduce his base pay, a helpful move given the Dolphins’ cap constraints. None of his base salary (set to check in at the veteran minimum) was locked in as of the 2024 restructure.
In spite of that, Armstead’s pro career proved to be quite lucrative. Starting all but four games (during his rookie year) across his Saints tenure, the Arkansas Pine-Bluff product secured $13MM per season on a five-year New Orleans extension in 2016. While playing out that deal, Armstead remained a consistent performer in terms of PFF evaluation, earning a stellar 90.4 grade in 2018. At no point was he able to log a full season, however, something which informed his free agent departure.
Miami added Armstead on a five-year, $75MM pact in 2022. Expectations were high as a result, and he delivered strong performances when on the field; this past campaign, Armstead registered the fourth-highest PFF grade amongst offensive tackles. Miami will be hard-pressed to enjoy that level of play with a replacement (likely Patrick Paul) next year, but a run of durability will nevertheless be welcomed.
Selected in the second round of last year’s draft, Paul made three starts and logged a 30% snap share. The Houston product could be in line for a much heavier workload in 2025, although Miami could look to this month’s draft to add a starting-caliber option early on. By this point in free agency, few veterans capable of stepping into a first-team role remain on the market.
Overall, Armstead will hang up his cleats after playing 146 combined regular and postseason games. He accumulated roughly $115MM in career earnings.
Mike McDaniel Addresses Tyreek Hill’s Dolphins Future; Latest On Terron Armstead
For a player who received a $54MM guarantee last summer, despite three years remaining on his previous contract, Tyreek Hill keeps coming up in trade rumors. This can be expected given how the mercurial star’s 2024 season ended.
More Hill social media inferences toward a potential Miami departure surfaced recently. Though Twitter emojis do not exactly qualify as significant trade buzz, Hill having checked himself out of the Dolphins’ Week 18 game and then casting doubt about his Miami future postgame obviously did. Noise about a Hill South Beach exit has persisted.
GM Chris Grier said in January no Hill trade request had come out of the strange Week 18 development, and while Mike McDaniel said such behavior will not be tolerated going forward. Several weeks later, the fourth-year Miami HC did indicate he expects to keep working with the future Hall of Famer.
[RELATED: Dolphins’ Calais Campbell Offer Leads To Cardinals Deal]
“I can certainly say with certainty that at this certain moment,” McDaniel said when asked about Hill’s 2025 Dolphins status (via the Miami Herald’s C. Isaiah Smalls II), later adding “We are fully planning to move forward for a better version of our relationship with Tyreek.”
Hill made an effort to recommit to the Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa in February, but his name continued to come up in trade rumors soon after. The Dolphins have the veteran speedster on their books through 2026; trading Hill before June 1 would cost the team $28.29MM in dead money. Only Stefon Diggs, via his 2024 Bills-to-Texans move, brought a larger dead cap hit among receivers.
While it would benefit the Dolphins to retain Hill, moving him ahead of an age-31 season would presumably bring more value than dealing him at 32. Miami having Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle on big-ticket deals also would make a cost-conserving effort logical, but for now, the team still rosters Hill. The period leading up to the draft represents the next trade window, one that would likely close on Day 2 of the draft.
Although Hill is coming off an injury-plagued season, he effectively cinched up Hall of Fame entry one day by stacking back-to-back 1,700-yard seasons on a resume that included a host of productive Chiefs campaigns. With injuries preventing Tagovailoa from finishing six games, however, Hill’s production cratered; he finished with 959 yards in 17 games. Hill underwent an offseason procedure on his wrist, and the Dolphins will hope — barring a strong offer prying him from Miami — he can recapture his pre-2024 form.
Hill’s fourth Dolphins offense may be unlikely to include Terron Armstead, who is still mulling retirement. While injury prone, the accomplished tackle has continued to play well. He is coming off a 15-game season, matching a career-high mark, but reports earlier this offseason pointed to a retirement and Patrick Paul taking over at left tackle. McDaniel, however, has not received word Armstead is done.
“We have had unbelievable amount of conversations about his body and how he feels. I think, tied into that, where he’s at relative to other years and how we can realistically forecast that, I think that’s going to really shape the answer to that question,” said McDaniel, who expects (via the Herald’s Barry Jackson) a decision soon. “It hasn’t ever been about Terron’s play, right? It’s been about how he’s been available, and he’s been straining to be more available for us than a counterpart would. He’s played through a lot of stuff.”
A February report suggested Armstead would reduce his base salary to the veteran minimum to lighten the cap burden on the Dolphins, as the Pro Bowler’s salary is nonguaranteed. If Armstead is to make a surprising return for his age-34 season, the Dolphins would need to regroup and work with him on a salary well north of the vet minimum. Pro Football Focus graded Armstead as the NFL’s fourth-best tackle last season. A 2024 second-rounder, Paul played 337 offensive snaps as a rookie.
QB Prospect Notes: Fins, Colts, Saints, Rams
While much of the pre-draft quarterback talk has been focused on teams atop the draft board, there are plenty of additional squad eyeing prospects at the position. Over the past few weeks, the Dolphins, Colts, Saints, and Rams have been among the teams connected to rookie quarterbacks.
As mentioned, the Dolphins have been among the team’s scouting quarterbacks, with Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reporting that the team has met with, scouted, or “evaluated” Texas’ Quinn Ewers, Louisville’s Tyler Shough, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, and Syracuse’s Kyle McCord. Jackson passes along a prediction from agent Drew Rosenhaus, who recently opined that the Dolphins will end up taking a QB in the draft.
While the organization may simply be doing their due diligence, it makes sense for the Dolphins to consider the position in the draft. Tua Tagovailoa‘s injury and concussion injury has been well documented, and there will continue to be questions about the starter’s playing future. While Miami brought in Zach Wilson this offseason, the former draft bust likely wouldn’t be the team’s first choice to take over atop the depth chart.
Sticking in the AFC, Colts GM Chris Ballard admitted that his team would take a QB if the situation presented itself. The team is rostering a former fourth-overall pick in Anthony Richardson, and they added former Giants starter Daniel Jones this offseason. Still, the organization has a hole on the depth chart after Sam Ehlinger left in free agency, and they could look for a QB3 via the draft.
“If you think there’s somebody organizationally that you believe in, at any point, I think you pull the trigger,” Ballard said (via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star).
One of the teams that’s considered likeliest to select a QB is in the NFC. Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football recently said there’s “something” to the team’s flirtation with many of the non-blue chip prospects. Underhill cites the team’s need for a long-term answer behind Derek Carr, and their pursuit could even lead to them selecting a QB in the first round. Among the players presumably under consideration is Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reporting that head coach Kellen Moore was in attendance for the school’s pro day.
Finally, the Rams have been mentioned as a potential landing spot for rookie quarterbacks. Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic says the team is “open” to drafting a player at the position, although they “won’t reach for one.” As Rodrigue notes, both GM Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay have expressed interest in bringing in a young signal caller to play behind Matthew Stafford.
Cardinals Reunite With DL Calais Campbell
APRIL 2: The Dolphins offered Campbell the third-most money of the teams pursuing him, per Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald. The Ravens were also in the mix, but the Cardinals offered more bonus money and Campbell and his family preferred to return to Arizona.
APRIL 1: The Cardinals are signing six-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Calais Campbell to a one-year deal, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The signing, which was confirmed by Cardinals team reporter Darren Urban, will bring Campbell back to the team that originally drafted him. The 38-year-old is set to earn $5.5MM in 2025 with an additional $2MM available via incentives, according to Schefter and Rapoport.
Campbell entered the offseason as an unrestricted free agent weighing retirement against a return to the field for his 18th season in the NFL. He had offers from the Dolphins and the Ravens, but chose to return to Arizona where he started his career as a second-round draft pick in 2008. All three options offered familiarity; Campbell spent his college career and the 2024 season in Miami, and he also played in Baltimore from 2020 to 2022. The Cardinals, however, are closer to Denver, where he was born and raised.
Campbell is the Cardinals’ second addition to their defensive line this offseason. They signed Dalvin Tomlinson in March to join Dante Stills and Bilal Nichols in the trenches. Campbell will give Arizona a four-man rotation to which they can still add via the draft.
Campbell’s departure leaves the Dolphins precariously thin along the interior of their defensive line. Zach Sieler and Benito Jones are the only returning starters from last year’s unit.. Neil Farrell and Matt Dickerson combined for just 11 appearances and 80 defensive snaps. That will likely force Miami to scour the league’s remaining free agents and invest in at least one defensive lineman in April’s draft, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
The new contract will bring Campbell’s career earnings over $150MM, per OverTheCap, the third-most of any defensive linemen in NFL history. He has remained an effective defender into his late-30s, with 17.0 sacks and 26 tackles for loss since 2022.
Dolphins Restructure Austin Jackson’s Contract; Team Could Make OL Additions
The Dolphins have made a number of moves aimed at carving out 2025 cap space. That process has included a restructure of right tackle Austin Jackson‘s deal, as detailed by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. 
$9.71MM of his Jackson’s base salary for next season has been converted into a signing bonus; as a result, his 2025 cap hit has been lowered by $7.8MM down to $5.79MM. The move sets him up for a $15.77MM cap charge next year, but it helps Miami’s efforts to bring in further additions up front in the near future. The Dolphins have brought in guard James Daniels as well as tackle Larry Borom so far in free agency, and more moves could be coming.
Jackson notes Daniels – who inked a three-year, $24MM pact – has been told by the team it is unclear at this point whether he will play left or right guard. The former Steeler will be counted on to operate as a starter at one of those spots, but his remarks suggest Miami plans to make other moves along the interior. That could include bringing in a rookie fairly high in next month’s draft; the Dolphins own 10 selections as things stand, including one in each of the first three rounds.
With roughly $16.5MM in cap space, Miami also has the financial means to sign a veteran blocker before or after the draft takes place. At this stage of free agency, of course, expectations would be limited for any signing to step into a first-team role. Nevertheless, it would come as little surprise if the plan in place (as mentioned to Daniels) includes at least one notable addition.
The Dolphins expect to be without left tackle Terron Armstead in 2025, and his absence could thrust Patrick Paul (selected in the second round last year) into a full-time starting gig. Along the interior, Daniels is slated to start at one guard spot with center Aaron Brewer still on the books for two more seasons. Jackson – who was limited to eight games in 2024 – will reprise his starting role at right tackle, but it remains to be seen who will occupy the other first-team guard role. Veteran Liam Eichenberg represents the top in-house option, but competition could be added later this offseason.
AFC Contract Details: Becton, Bolts, Texans, Jenkins, Browns, Bills, Patriots, Dolphins
Here are the latest details from contracts agreed to around the AFC:
- Mekhi Becton, OL (Chargers). Two years, $20MM. Despite raising his value with the Eagles, Becton only fetched $6.94MM guaranteed at signing, Cards Wire’s Howard Balzer tweets. The deal includes $3.06MM of per-game roster bonuses in 2025 and $2.55MM in ’26, with these protecting the Bolts after Becton missed 33 games from 2021-22. Becton is due a $2.5MM roster bonus on Day 3 of the 2026 league year, per OverTheCap.
- Christian Elliss, LB (Patriots). Two years, $13.51MM. The Pats are guaranteeing Elliss $7.75MM at signing, the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin tweets. This Raiders offer sheet includes guarantees into Year 2, with Volin adding $2.25MM of Elliss’ $7.38MM 2026 base salary is guaranteed at signing. Although Las Vegas designed this deal to give New England pause about matching, the team did so and has since released Ja’Whaun Bentley.
- Cam Robinson, T (Texans). One year, $12MM. The Texans are guaranteeing Robinson $10.75MM, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. Up to $1.25MM is available via per-game roster bonuses. Houston also included four void years, which would create a $7MM 2026 dead money bill if Robinson is not re-signed before the 2026 league year.
- Garrett Bradbury, C (Patriots). Two years, $9.5MM. Bradbury will see $3.8MM guaranteed at signing; $2.4MM of that comes via a signing bonus, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss tweets. Bradbury’s $3.7MM 2026 base salary is nonguaranteed, giving the Pats an out if the fit proves poor this year.
- Mario Edwards, DL (Texans). Two years, $9.5MM. The team is guaranteeing the nomadic D-lineman, $4.5MM, Wilson tweets. Edwards’ $4MM 2026 base salary is nonguaranteed.
- Reid Ferguson, LS (Bills). Four years, $6.5MM. Ferguson’s latest Bills contract sits second (to the Chiefs’ James Winchester) at the NFL’s lowest-paid position. The deal includes $2.37MM guaranteed at signing, which Wilson notes is comprised of a 2025 salary guarantee and a $1.1MM signing bonus.
- Zach Wilson, QB (Dolphins). One year, $6MM. The ex-Jets starter still secured a fully guaranteed deal as he attempts to reset after spending the 2024 season as the Broncos’ third-stringer. The Dolphins guaranteed Wilson $6MM, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. Wilson only counts $2.2MM on Miami’s 2025 cap, per Jackson, as the team added four void years to keep that number low.
- Sheldon Rankins, DT (Texans). One year, $5.25MM. Coming after Rankins underwhelmed on a two-year, $24.5MM Bengals accord, the former first-round pick will see $4.5MM guaranteed, per Wilson. Playing-time incentives worth a total of $1.75MM are also included in Rankins’ second Texans contract.
- Teven Jenkins, G (Browns). One year, $3.1MM. The guard market dried up for Jenkins, whose free agency reminds of Dalton Risner‘s recent forays. The three-year Bears starter, who held a high asking price early on the market, settled for a deal including just $2.67MM guaranteed, Wilson adds. Cleveland included up to $340K in per-game roster bonuses.
- Ifeatu Melifonwu, S (Dolphins). One year, $3MM. The Dolphins are guaranteeing the ex-Lions defender $2.45MM, Wilson tweets. Another $1MM in incentives is present.
- Marcus Epps, S (Patriots). One year, $2.03MM. One of two 2024 Raiders starting defenders heading to New England (along with Robert Spillane), Epps received only $500K guaranteed, Reiss tweets. That includes $350K of Epps’ $1.17MM base salary, which does not make the former Super Bowl LVII starter a roster lock.
NFL Staff Updates: Kelly, Leftwich, Fisher
Champ Kelly‘s continuous rise through the front office ranks of the NFL was put on hold last year when he took a slight step back with the Raiders after serving as their interim general manager in 2023. After parting ways with Las Vegas last month, Kelly has agreed to join the Dolphins as a senior personnel executive in 2025, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Beginning his front office career in the National Indoor Football League, in which he first served as a player and coach, Kelly entered the NFL in 2007 as a college scout for the Broncos, rising to assistant coordinator of pro and college scouting and, eventually, assistant director of pro personnel. In 2015, he joined the Bears as director of pro scouting before being promoted to assistant director of player personnel.
He then moved to Vegas, where he served as assistant general manager starting in 2022, eventually filling in in an interim role after Dave Ziegler was fired. While he was still in the running for the Raiders’ official general manager role, Kelly also interviewed for the Panthers’ open position that eventually went to Dan Morgan. After missing out on both jobs, he returned to Las Vegas with a slight demotion from interim GM back to assistant general manager. This offseason, Kelly auditioned for the Jaguars’ open job which was ultimately awarded to James Gladstone.
With his new role in Miami, Kelly will work roles in both pro and college scouting for the Dolphins. He’ll set himself up once again to start working towards another general manager opportunity.
Here are a few other updates from former NFL staffers, though these men have transitioned to the collegiate level of the sport:
- After being fired in early-2023, former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich vowed to return to the NFL. Immediately following his dismissal, Leftwich interviewed for the offensive coordinator role in Baltimore that ultimately went to Todd Monken in 2023 as well as the Patriots’ head coaching gig that went to Mike Vrabel and the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator gig that went to Klint Kubiak in this last cycle. After failing to land an NFL job for the third straight cycle, Leftwich will reportedly take an assistant role with Deion Sanders at Colorado, per Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. It’s unclear exactly what his role will be with the Buffaloes, but it will be Leftwich’s first taste of college ball since he graduated from Marshall in 2002.
- Lastly, former Titans and Rams head coach Jeff Fisher has earned another head coaching gig, per HBCU Premier Sports. Five years after his NFL coaching career came to an end, Fisher took an advisor role with Tennessee State under his former running back in Tennessee and then-head coach Eddie George. With George recently accepting the head coach job at Bowling Green State, Fisher will return to Nashville to coach the Tigers as his successor. This will be Fisher’s first coaching role since 2022, when he was the head coach of the Michigan Panthers of the USFL. Since then, Fisher has served as chief advisor for an Arena Football League team while also working as that league’s commissioner.
Dolphins Re-Sign DT Benito Jones
The Dolphins have an offer out to Calais Campbell, who could play an age-39 season, but they are doing work elsewhere on their defensive line. Benito Jones is coming back.
Miami re-signed its starting nose tackle Thursday, according to a team announcement. Jones started 15 games for the Dolphins last season, doing so after coming over from the Lions.
Joining the Dolphins shortly after Christian Wilkins‘ free agency defection last year, Jones won a position battle to start up front alongside Campbell and Zach Sieler. Miami, which cut Jones competitor Teair Tart last summer, had the five-year veteran on a one-year, $1.79MM contract. It stands to reason his latest deal will land in that ballpark.
Not a pass rusher like Campbell and Sieler, Jones manned the nose spot at a low rate after filling a first-string role while on a Lions rookie contract. Detroit used the former UDFA as a 15-game starter during the 2023 season. The Lions moved to upgrade by paying D.J. Reader early in last year’s free agency period, leading Jones out of town. Jones, who did not start a game until the 2023 season, notched a career-high four tackles for loss with the Dolphins in 2024.
Although Sieler is on a three-year, $30.75MM contract, the Dolphins opted to save along their defensive line by passing on going where the Raiders did (four years, $110MM) for Wilkins. Jones, 27, has been part of the team’s solution under Anthony Weaver. The 335-pound DT will soon get to work on reprising a role as a starter.