Now that July is officially here, Miami Dolphins fans can look forward to training camp opening later this month. Through this Dolphins Wire series, position groups have been featured, and based on what transpired during OTAs, here is the latest look at what needs to be focused on in camp in a few weeks.
Part V will look at the last remaining unit of the defense, which is arguably the team’s strongest room overall.
The Linebackers
Led by a veteran coming off his first All-Pro season, Jordyn Brooks is the leader of not just the linebacking core, but perhaps the entire Dolphins team as a whole. Brooks was stellar in 2025 and was seemingly all over the field, on the way to leading the league in solo and combined tackles with 99 and 183, respectively. His tackling output since being signed by Miami in 2024 is comparable to another Texas Tech standout and Dolphins legend, Hall of Famer Zach Thomas.
Although Miami is in the midst of a reset and rebuilding yet again, Brooks could be next in line for a contract extension, despite some trade rumors that have been circulating since the NFL Draft portion of the offseason. Should Brooks stay in South Florida, whether it be for months or for years, he will continue to be a mentor to yet another Texas Tech star to wear the Orange and Aqua.
Rookie Jacob Rodriguez was drafted in the second-round in April’s draft, and could be both an immediate complement to Brooks, as well as his successor should the veteran be dealt or move on in 2027. Rodriguez had a phenomenal 2025 season for the Red Raiders, showcasing an uncanny ability to create turnovers, leading the nation with seven forced fumbles, which tied an NCAA single-season record. He added a pair of recoveries as well as four interceptions.
He even finished fifth in the country in Heisman Trophy voting and is already looking as if he could be one of the steals of the 2026 draft as the 43rd overall pick. He had a memorable game against BYU in the Big 12 Championship game, making 13 tackles on the way to victory. He stacked his trophy room as the winner of the Bronko Nagurski, Butkus, Lombardi and Chuck Bednarik Awards, as well as being named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and selected to the First-team All-Big 12 in 2025 as well as 2024.
Depending on what happens with Brooks, Rodriguez could eventually take over as the middle linebacker as well as earn the “green dot” as leader of the defense, getting the plays in from the sidelines. Head coach Jeff Hafley teased that possibility last month with reporters saying, “Jacob is learning. Now in college, you actually have the helmet-to-helmet communication, which is nice because it’s not the first time that they’re doing it, but it will be good eventually to hear my voice and how I call it in.”
In the meantime, Rodriguez should see action as a weak-side linebacker, as well as potentially being a special teams contributor on coverage units. His attributes are more than tackling and creating turnovers, as his preparation, football IQ and effort are similar to Thomas, which were all hallmarks of the 2023 Hall inductee.
Next in this group is Tyrel Dodson, who was acquired by Miami in the middle of the 2024 season, and he immediately contributed and impressed, especially in coverage aspects of the position. Dodson intercepted three passes in just eight games for Miami in 2024 and earned 16 starts last season.
He finished 2025 putting up career highs with 129 combined tackles, five sacks, and 10 tackles for loss. He added three passes defensed, an interception, as well as a forced fumble and a recovery. Dotson is also a candidate for the green dot responsibility, as Hafley told the media, “T Dot has done a great job with the green dot in the past. He’s a great communicator, and he’s been doing a good job calling it here.”
Hafley also discussed Brooks having the green dot, saying last month to media members, “Oh, he’s worn it and he’s called it, and I think he did a really good job with it. Whether or not that’s how we’ll go during the season, that’s not what’s important to me right now. It’s sometimes it’s nice to force guys to be uncomfortable, get them out of their comfort zone and then they start to realize that they can do it and they can get comfortable.”
Brooks, Dodson and Rodriguez make for a potentially formidable trio for Hafley, who has to be excited to coach this group. Speaking of excitement, another rookie could be the perfect chess piece for Hafley in fourth-round pick Kyle Louis out of Pittsburgh. In his four collegiate seasons, Louis displayed versatility, athleticism, toughness and leadership, and could be a certified Swiss-Army knife for Hafley.
While listed as an inside linebacker, Louis could be a linebacker-slash-safety hybrid and handle the “star” role, which combines aspects of both positions. He finished his career at Pitt with 201 combined tackles, 10 sacks, 25.5 tackles for loss and six interceptions. He also had six passes defensed, an interception returned for a score, as well as a pair of forced fumbles and recoveries. A team captain for Pitt, Louis could see significant snaps for Miami immediately.
Not to be left out is rookie Trey Moore out of Texas, who was discussed in this series in the edge portion and could see time there as well as off-ball linebacker. Back in April, after they were drafted, Hafley was asked about both Louis and Moore being “tweaners,” and he said, “It excites me. I think anytime you can draft a player who can do multiple things, it’s our job as coaches to have a vision for him and figure out where to play him or play him in multiple spots.”
He elaborated, saying, “What’s the down-and-distance? What’s he going to do on early downs? Is he going to be a stack backer on early downs? Is he going to be a sub rusher on second-and-7-plus, third down? Is he a guy that can line up as a spinner and pick guards and rush? Then you look at the other guy, can he play outside backer? Can he play inside backer? Can you insert him in different spots on the field? The great part about our conversations is if you find a really good football player, and I mean smart guy, tough guy, a productive player that jumps out on tape, I think it’s our job as coaches to have a vision for him.”
Also in the mix will be veteran Willie Gay Jr., who returns to Miami after an underwhelming and underutilized first year in South Florida. The former Kansas City second-round pick was a Super Bowl winner with the Chiefs and spent four seasons there before going to the New Orleans Saints in 2024, where he started eight games. Gay saw limited action in 2025 for the Dolphins, playing in only 12% of the defensive snaps and 29% on special teams, but will battle to be more of a contributor with Hafley and this new regime.
Another veteran fighting for a roster spot is 2026 free agent signing Ronnie Harrison Jr., one of the many one-year free agents brought in this offseason. Harrison enters year nine in the NFL and spent 2025 with the Atlanta Falcons, where he appeared in 10 games, starting four. Drafted in 2018 in the third-round by the Jacksonville Jaguars, the journeyman has seen time at linebacker as well as safety and could push Louis during training camp, but no lock to make the 53-man roster.
Rookies report to camp on July 21st, and the veterans will join them on the 28th.
This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins’ OTA takeaways, outlook to training camp Part V: Linebackers
