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Dolphins 2026 camp DT preview: Young group (and the key veteran) on the spot

Miami Dolphins On SI · Jul 22, 2026 20:25 · 3 min read

Dolphins 2026 Camp DT Preview: Young Group (And the Key Veteran) on the Spot — Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Jordan Phillips looks on from the field during training camp at the Baptist Health Training Complex last summer. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Breaking down the Miami Dolphins by position as head into training camp

The Miami Dolphins are inching ever closer to the start of another training camp, one that's filled with mystery and intrigue as the result of the most complete overhaul the franchise has seen in many years.

The Dolphins will head into this training camp with a new general manager (Jon-Eric Sullivan), new head coach (Jeff Hafley) and new quarterback (Malik Willis) since 2008 — though we could put an asterisk on 2019 when the Dolphins had Brian Flores as a first-year head coach, Ryan Fitzpatrick as a new quarterback and Chris Grier returning as GM but with more authority after the departure of Executive Vice President of Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum.

Regardless, it's a brand new day for the Miami Dolphins, and after the first steps of the offseason comes the real leadup to the 2026 regular season with training camp.

With a roster overloaded with young or unproven players, this should be one of the more interesting training camps in a while and we'll be previewing it with a series of position previews.

We continue with the defensive linemen.

Defensive Line Position Breakdown

On the roster: Zach Sieler, Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips, Zeek Biggers, Matthew Butler, Alex Huntley, Rene Konga, Keith Cooper Jr., Khalil Saunders

2025 stats:

Sieler: 17 games, 17 starts, 47 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss

Phillips: 17 games, 16 starts, 34 tackles, 1 tackle for loss

Grant: 17 games, 5 starts, 33 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 tackles for loss

Projected depth chart: Zach Sieler, Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips, Zeek Biggers

Offseason moves: Signed Keith Cooper Jr. to a future contract ... re-signed Matthew Butler as an unrestricted free agent ... signed Khalil Saunders as an undrafted rookie free agent

Training camp QBs one year ago: Zach Sieler, Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips, Zeek Biggers, Matthew Butler, Benito Jones, Matt Dickerson, Alex Huntley, Ben Stille

Position better or worse than at the end of the 2025 season: Considering it's basically the same group that ended last season except for only Benito Jones, who was not a front-line player, then this looks like pretty much an even proposition with the expectation that the 2025 draft picks will be taking a step forward in their second NFL season.

THE THREE BIGGEST QUESTIONS AT DEFENSIVE LINE

1. Is Kenneth Grant the real deal?

That Grant wasn't able to make a major impact as a rookie can be forgiven given the circumstances and the learning curve going from college football to the NFL, but he needs to become a factor this season. The Dolphins didn't spend the 13th overall pick on him in the 2025 draft just for occasional flashes, and that's pretty much all they got last season. Another mediocre season from Grant, and it's start being a problem.

2. Can Zach Sieler be a difference-maker once again?

Zach Sieler earned himself a lucrative extension in 2025 after back-to-back seasons where he reached double digits in sacks, quite the feat for an interior defensive lineman. But Sieler got off a very slow start last season before he came on in the second half of the season, and while part of it had to do with being surrounded by young players, that didn't explain everything. There's no reason Sieler can return to his 2023-24 form, but there's also no guarantee and it could determine whether he's back in 2027.

3. Do the Dolphins have enough at the position?

This is a fair question just about everywhere on the Dolphins roster, and it might be the defensive line and linebacker are the two spots where there's no clear need for an upgrade. Of course, that's dependent on the three 2025 draft picks — Grant, Jordan Phillips and Zeek Biggers — taking that next step from the start of the season. A good sign there is that Biggers and Grant look slimmer than last year, while Phillips should be a rock-solid run stopper for years to come.