The Miami Dolphins have entered the 2025 offseason with a clear focus and a strong sense of direction. With Organized Team Activities underway and a mandatory minicamp scheduled for June, the team is taking full advantage of every opportunity to prepare for the season ahead. These early sessions are vital for building team chemistry, integrating new players, and refining the playbook under the guidance of head coach Mike McDaniel
This year, the Dolphins are continuing a strategy that has become central to their preseason approach: holding joint practices with each of their preseason opponents. Before facing the Chicago Bears on August 9, the Detroit Lions on August 16, and the Jacksonville Jaguars on August 23, Miami will spend several days practicing alongside those teams. These joint practices are designed to push the players beyond the limits of traditional training camp sessions, offering more intensity, variety, and situational experience than intra-squad matchups can provide.
They serve as a crucial evaluation tool, particularly for players competing for roster spots. By working against unfamiliar schemes and different levels of talent, the team can get a more complete picture of how players perform under pressure. Starters benefit from seeing new looks without the full risk of preseason game injuries, while younger players can prove themselves in a controlled but challenging environment. These sessions also help identify players who can adapt quickly to in-game adjustments, an essential trait for success during the regular season. Coaches have praised the value of these practices in replicating real-time decision-making, something that cannot always be recreated in closed team drills.
This approach also allows coaches to focus on specific scenarios, such as red zone execution, two-minute drills, and third-down conversions, in a way that is more difficult to script in live games. It provides a blend of competition and structure that has become increasingly popular across the league, and the Dolphins are leaning into it as they aim to build on progress and take another step forward in 2025. With the ability to set the tempo and customize situations, joint practices offer a more tailored preparation tool than standard preseason matchups.
With Organized Team Activities providing a solid start and joint practices scheduled to bring an added layer of intensity to August, Miami’s offseason program is designed to leave no detail overlooked. Every drill, session, and rep is part of a broader plan to ensure the team hits the ground running when the regular season begins. The Dolphins are not just preparing to compete; they are preparing to win, and it shows in every phase of their offseason strategy.
Miami Dolphins
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