The Dolphins special teams unit from last year is staying exactly the same, despite massive rule changes within the league where teams strategy on special teams will be changing. The NFL implemented the rule changes specifically on kickoffs, where coverage and return units will align within 10 yards of each other. Return units are allowed 2 return men to bring back the kickoff. This rule will hopefully reduce player injury while increasing player safety, as well as introduce new strategy for both the kickoff and return units.
It is believed that there could be more trickery and lateral action with the 2 return men in the backfield. The kickoff unit will also deploy a new strategy, compared to last year now touchbacks are awarded on the 30 yard line compared to the 25. This will make the kickoff specialist focus more on a well placed kick rather than kicking it out of the endzone every time. The Dolphins tried out both Jason Sanders and Jake Bailey as kickoff specialists in the preseason.
Back to the Dolphins, all 3 true special team positions return the same exact 3 players. The Dolphins are running it back with Jason Sanders, who has been the Dolphins kicker since 2018. It has been an up and down career for Sanders with the Dolphins, but overall has been a decent kicker. He has a career 83.3% field goal percentage, which is slightly below the 2023 league average of 85.9%.
His best year came in 2020 when he had a huge breakout year, making all of his extra points and going 36/39 on field goal attempts. It is worth noting he had a very strong end to the 2023-2024 NFL season, notably having a 5/5 field goal game with a game winning field goal to clinch a playoff spot for his squad.
His holder and current punter Jake Bailey is also returning to the team. Bailey spent his first four years in the NFL punting for the division rival New England Patriots, and came over to Miami last year. He is slightly above average in comparison to his peers, the NFL league punt average is 45 yards, while Bailey’s career and 2023-2024 season average was 45.7 yards. Bailey is the first Miami Dolphin punter to be brought back to the team for a previous year since Matt Haack in 2020.
Lastly is fan favorite Blake Ferguson, who has been the Dolphins long snapper since 2020. Ferguson was a 6th round draft pick for the Miami Dolphins in the 2020 NFL draft (it is rare for long snappers to get drafted) and has been as consistent as they come. Ferguson is well loved by the fans and his teammates for his personality on twitter, where he tweets at fans and has conversations with them. Blake has a brother Reid Ferguson, who is the long snapper for the Buffalo Bills. Reid has been in Buffalo since 2017, so Blake and him have been going head to head against each other for 4 years.
The return game is fairly straightforward for the Dolphins, on kick and punt returns the team has shown confidence in Braxton Berrios to get the job done. He was the return man all of last year, and it is not expected to change. Berrios had 0 touchdowns for the Dolphins in the return game, but also showed consistency in not fumbling.
That is something the Dolphins struggled with in the past, and specifically with this team it is paramount the Dolphins offense is on the field as many times as possible. The team gave rookie Malik Washington looks during the preseason in the return game and he was impressive, his ability to make people miss in a phone booth was on full display. It is possible Washington takes over full time return man duties next year if the Dolphins decide to move on from Berrios.
Other players who could possibly be flirted with on kick and punt returns are Raheem Mostert, Devon Achane, Jaylen Wright, or if the Dolphins decide to get really crazy, possibly Tyreek Hill. With the new kickoff rules, it is certainly in the realm of possibility that Hill gets a look back there.