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On Tuesday, the Miami Dolphins welcomed their rookies back to their facility for the start of their first training camp under new head coach Jeff Hafley, who replaced Mike McDaniel this offseason after four years.
With the massive changes to the roster that followed Hafley's arrival, Miami's left their safety room rather thin, despite adding six players to the room over the last few months.
Before the players get back on the field at the Baptist Health Training Complex, let's take a look at the safety room.
Dante Trader Jr.
Trader played at Maryland from 2021-24 before the Dolphins took him in the fifth round (No. 155 overall) of the 2025 NFL draft. As a rookie last year, he played 39% of the team's defensive snaps in 17 games and started three of those contests. He finished the year with 55 tackles, one forced fumble, one pass defensed and one fumble recovery.
As the only returning member of the room from last year, he has a leg up on his competition for a starting role.
Projected Role: Starter
Lonnie Johnson Jr.
Johnson played at San Bernardino Valley, Garden City Community college and Kentucky before the Houston Texans took him in the second round (No. 54 overall) of the 2019 NFL draft. After three years with the Texans, he's had stints with the Kansas City Chiefs, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers and Las Vegas Raiders.
The 30-year-old has played quite a bit of football over the last seven years, appearing in 92 games and starting 22. That type of experience should put him ahead of others.
Projected Role: Starter
Zayne Anderson
Anderson spent six years at BYU from 2015-20 before signing with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2021. After two years in Kansas City, he had a cup of coffee with the Buffalo Bills and then spent the last three years with the Green Bay Packers.
Mostly a special teamer in his career, he'll likely do more of the same in Miami, while providing some depth for Hafley's defense as well.
Projected Role: Rotational/Special Teams
Michael Taaffe
Taaffe spent the last five years at Texas, earning All-SEC honors once and All-American honors twice while recording 222 tackles, 14 passes defensed, seven interceptions, three sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 53 career games.
Miami took the former walk on in the fifth round (No. 158 overall) of this year's draft. While he's certainly be depth elsewhere, the Dolphins should allow him to compete for a role.
Projected Role: Depth/Special Teams
Omar Brown
Brown played at Northern Iowa from 2019-21, earning All-MVFC honors twice before transferring to Nebraska for 2022-23. After going undrafted in 2024, he signed with the Denver Broncos and spent the last two years with the Green Bay Packers.
The 25-year-old has played in just two games in the NFL so far, so he should be fighting for a job throughout camp.
Projected Role: Depth/Practice Squad Candidate
Major Burns
Burns began his collegiate career at Georgia in 2020, but he transferred to LSU to finish out his final five seasons with the Tigers. After going undrafted in 2025, he signed with the Chicago Bears, but he landed on injured reserve before his rookie season even started.
The 24-year-old also played in the UFL with the Houston Gamblers this spring, leading the league in interceptions and earning All-UFL honors. Now, he's attempting to show that he belongs in the NFL.
Projected Role: Depth/Practice Squad Candidate
Louis Moore
Moore played at Navarro College from 2019-21, Indiana from 2022-23, Ole Miss in 2024 and then back at Indiana in 2025. Last year, he earned All-Big Ten and All-American honors on his way to a national championship with the Hoosiers.
Miami signed Moore as an undrafted free agent this year, but some believe he is one of the most-likely undrafted rookies to make the roster in 2026.
Projected Role: Depth/Practice Squad Candidate
This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins training camp preview: Safety looks especially thin
