Some notes on new Dolphins... ▪ Receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine — who gives the Dolphins a bigger target at 6-2 — ranked in the NFL’s top 10 last season in touchdowns (his nine were tied for ninth) and yards per reception (15.5 per catch was 10th). He was 36th in passer rating when targeted (103.9), 49th in average yards after catch per reception (4.0). He dropped three passes and caught 32 in 60 targets. His blocking is considered very solid. ▪ K.J. Britt, who was an 11-game starter for Tampa Bay last season and likely will be the No. 3 or 4 inside linebacker with the Dolphins, has been decent against the run but has struggled against the pass. Britt has been targeted on 56 passes in his career and allowed 46 receptions for 453 yards (a 9.8 average), with no interceptions but just one TD allowed. That computes to a 106.3 passer rating against. Last year, he received by far his most playing time, and PFF rated him among the worst inside linebackers against the pass. He allowed 26 of 34 to be caught for 277 yards (10.7) and one TD — a 109.6 passer rating against. PFF rated him only 71st of 84 against the run, but that’s selling him short. Thanks to three interceptions during his Dolphins’ stint, returning inside linebacker Tyrel Dodson had a sterling 53.7 passer rating against last season. Miami’s other starter, Jordyn Brooks, had a very good season overall, but his passer rating against wasn’t good (115.9, with five touchdowns allowed). FYI: The 2024 passer rating against former Dolphins linebacker Anthony Walker was 102.2. He and Britt essentially switched teams and jobs, with Walker joining Tampa Bay. ▪ New Dolphins punter Ryan Stonhouse, who led the league in punting average for Tennessee in 2022 and 2023, said he was surprised the Titans didn’t tender him as a restricted free agent last month. “More clarity would have been nice,” Stonehouse said. He’s pleased to be reunited with former Titans special teams coach Craig Aukerman, who was hired by the Dolphins to replace the ousted Danny Crossman. “He’s very great at developing young players, putting them in the right position,” Stonehouse said of Aukerman. “I think that’s so important. He brings a lot of energy… is passionate about special teams.” ▪ Veteran Pharoah Brown, who will try to beat out Julian Hill to be the team’s top in-line blocking tight end, has run blocked on 1,173 rushing attempts, including 154 for Seattle last season. Pro Football Focus graded him 47th of 75 tight ends solely as a run blocker last season; Hill was ranked last. But Brown’s run-blocking grade with Houston in 2020 was elite and he would have led the league that season if he had more snaps to qualify. His run blocking grade in 2023 with New England would have ranked 18th last season. He pass blocked only 27 and 40 times the past two seasons, but his pass-blocking grades have been very solid. In 216 career pass-blocking snaps, Brown has allowed two sacks and 14 hurries. By contrast, Hill has permitted two sacks in four pressures in 84 career pass blocking snaps. FYI: Brown has lined up in the slot at times and has six career snaps as an offensive tackle, per PFF. ▪ Penalties have been a problem for Brown at times. He had 10 penalties in 605 snaps for Houston 2021 and five in the 263 snaps for Seattle last season. Hill, conversely, committed seven penalties last season after committing four as a rookie in 2023. When Seattle signed Brown last offseason, Seahawks general manager John Schneider said: “Pharaoh in our opinion is one of the top two or three blocking tight ends in the National Football League. He brings a nastiness to us. “He’s a guy that can take care of the C-gap. He’s nasty. He’s going to bring a toughness to our offense. He’s a tempo-setter. He’s a little bit of an old soul that way. He’s going to fight you and not back down, and I think that’s going to rub off on our offensive identity.” Here’s my Wednesday column about what has gnawed at me about Chris Grier’s Jan. 7 press conference, and how it has played out.
