MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Monday marked the first of nine OTA offseason workouts for the Miami Dolphins under first-year head coach Jeff Hafley.
Tuesday’s practice was the first open to reporters, and Hafley answered questions at the podium before it began.
Hafley and Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan have been hard at work since taking over a roster that was poorly constructed under former general manager Chris Grier and coach Mike McDaniel.
While OTAs are voluntary and do not include full-contact drills, Hafley said running back De’Von Achane would be present after recently signing a four-year, $64 million contract extension that keeps him under contract through the 2030 season.
The deal makes him the third-highest-paid running back in the NFL.
“I just think excited, happy for him. I think that’s probably the biggest thing, and that wasn’t about me. I had confidence that it would get done and I was patient with it. Happy for him, happy for his family and happy for the Dolphins,” Hafley said.
Veterans will begin adjusting to new schemes, including linebacker Jordyn Brooks, who led the team in tackles in 2025 with 183, and center Aaron Brewer.
Both could be in line for significant pay raises under the new management.
Hafley had strong praise for Brooks and also indicated Brewer would join the team for Tuesday’s practice.
“Great leader, loves football, works really, really hard. He’s made the right way. I’ve really enjoyed him. You see the film, you see the type of player that he is; but once you get to know him you kind of understand why. I think his work ethic is elite and he loves football. He absolutely loves the game and he wants to meet. He wants to go over stuff. He wants to learn. He’s a fun guy to coach,” Hafley said of Brooks.
Of Brewer, per Hafley: “Yeah, Brewer will be out there. You caught me off guard with that one. I was like, ‘Is there something I don’t know?’”
Miami continues its long offseason with plenty of questions to answer, as the team now knows its full 2026 schedule, which is a very challenging one.
Hafley noted there were discussions about having back-to-back games on the West Coast, with the team opening the season in Las Vegas before traveling to San Francisco.
Several position battles are expected to develop throughout the spring and summer, and OTAs will offer the first glimpse at where players stand on the depth chart heading into training camp, which is set to begin in late July.
The Dolphins, according to Hafley, will have two joint practices during the preseason: one with the Washington Commanders and one with the New York Giants, leaving Tua Tagovailoa’s Atlanta Falcons out of the equation.
You can find the full list of the Dolphins’ key offseason dates, including mandatory minicamp, here.
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