All reports coming out of the Miami Dolphins camp indicated that the team wanted to retain six-time pro bowler Calais Campbell. It was announced on Tuesday that the 38-year-old defensive tackle would be returning to the Arizona Cardinals on a one year deal worth $5.5 million.
“Calais specifically is in a unique situation where he is assessing multiple options as a player in the 45th year of his career,” said McDaniel jokingly during his media availability last week. “I feel like we have some options at the position. He has some options. That position in particular has been a focal point of mine this offseason and I feel good about how it could play out and there’s a couple different scenarios it could play out.”
Although McDaniel eluded to the team having options at the defensive line position, the fourth-year head coach also made it clear that the Dolphins wanted Campbell back.
“He was a very important player to the team last year,” the coach said just one day before news of the contract signing broke. “And I see him having the opportunity to be a very important player on the team this year.”
Campbell graded out as PFF’s seventh best defensive lineman in 2024, receiving the leagues highest grade in run defense at the position.
It is also worth noting that with more than $16 available in cap space, the Dolphins could have met or exceeded the Cardinals’ offer.
Who Is Left On Miami’s Defensive Line?
The rest of the unit for Miami was unremarkable in 2024, finishing 27th in sacks in 2025.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald has a less than optimistic outlook on the room going into next season, writing, “The Dolphins have only one above-average defensive lineman under contract in Zach Sieler. They have a nose tackle, Benito Jones, who has consistently graded out among the worst in the league, per Pro Football Focus. Their only two other defensive linemen under contract are journeymen Matt Dickerson and Neil Farrell.”
With a sparse defensive line free agent class, it is unlikely that the Dolphins will be able to bring in a starter in the coming months. This leaves a hole to be filled through trades or the draft at the end of this month.
‘Most Talented Defensive Line Class In The Last 30 Years’
Todd McShay, who served as an ESPN draft analyst for 17 years before leaving the company in 2023, has been vocal about the depth of this year’s defensive line class.
He took to his podcast, The McShay Show, to voice his opinion, saying, “This is the most talented defensive line class in the last 30 years.”
“I have 16 interior defensive lineman and 19 edge rushers with grades in the first three rounds,” the draft expert continued. “So even if I over graded eight of them, it would still be the most defensive lineman taken in the first three rounds in at least 30 years.”
With the Dolphins drafting at pick 13 in this month’s draft, SI’s Diante Collinelli has the team addressing the hole left by Campbell with Michigan’s Kenneth Grant.
“He could become much more than a run-stuffing nose tackle with some improvement to his pass-rush instincts,” said the writer. “That type of upside should appeal to the Dolphins in Round 1, especially given how barren their defensive tackle depth chart looks.”
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