The Miami Dolphins defense has already faced a lot of scrutiny.
Through five games, the unit ranks 29th in total defense, last against the run and second to last on third down. Put differently, the Dolphins can’t stop the run and fail to get opposing offenses off the field when it matters most.
As if that weren’t bad enough, a concussion will force the Dolphins to play the Los Angeles Chargers without Tyrel Dodson. The sixth-year linebacker plays a crucial role on Sundays as he wears the green dot, which means he receives the call from defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and relays the message to the entire unit. Now, the responsibility is up for grabs.
“A lot of people are capable of doing it,” coach Mike McDaniel said Friday. The question, however, becomes “can you flourish while doing it because you are on the front end. Your job is to get everyone’s table set to do their jobs.”
The Dolphins have several options. It could be Jordyn Brooks, a starter alongside Dodson and the NFL’s leading tackler. Or it could be K.J. Britt, Dodson’s primary backup. It could even be Willie Gay Jr., a fan favorite who made a splash during training camp, or potentially Minkah Fitzpatrick, a three-time All-Pro safety who has been forced to play more nickel cornerback due to the plethora of injuries at the position.
“We have the utmost faith in both K.J. and Willie, whoever ends up trotting out there at the end of the day,” Weaver said Thursday. “K.J. has been trained in that role throughout, Willie has kind of bounced back and forth. We’ll see, there may be opportunities for both of them out there as the ‘Mike,’ and then in terms of just who wears a green dot, we’ll make that decision. It could be safety, it could be Jordyn Brooks.”
“In an ideal world,” Weaver continued, “it’s somebody that’s out there all three downs so you’re not forced to do some of the things where you have to signal in calls and things like that, which we’ve gotten into at times.”
Although Brooks would likely be the obvious choice, he initially didn’t want it. His preference: to just go out there and do his job. Brooks, however, recently changed his tune.
“I got to do what’s necessary to help us with T. Dot being down so I can take on that responsibility until he gets back,” Brooks said, referring to Dodson. “
Britt never had to worry about the green dot during his four years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to the presence of one-time Pro Bowler Lavonte David. The qualities, however, are there, according to edge rusher Bradley Chubb.
Miami Dolphins linebacker K.J. Britt (3) speaks to reporters after practice at the Miami Dolphins Training Camp in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Wednesday, August 20, 2025. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com
“Commander of the huddle, clear communication, a dominant presence,” Chubb said of what makes a great green-dot player. “We’ve been having a good guy do it in [Dodson]. I’m excited to see what [Britt] brings.”
Gay, meanwhile, handled the responsibility once during his second season with the Kansas City Chiefs. The game speed certainly affected him. Whether the Dolphins think he deserves another shot or should be overlooked entirely remains to be seen.
“The speed ain’t no thang no more,” Gay said. “Now it’s all about getting in there, banging your head one good time, and now I’m ready,”.
What could ultimately affect both Britt or Gay’s chances, however, would that neither fit the three-down criteria. Britt specializes primarily in stopping the run — and area where the Dolphins have struggled — while Gay usually plays in dime packages as he’s better in coverage. If the Dolphins opt to do a timeshare at linebacker, that could potentially hurt the communication.
“The process of having various green dots during the practice week is that we have the potential to use all of them during the game, and it forces a lot of people to overcommunicate, which is never a bad thing,” McDaniel said.
That would leave Fitzpatrick as the final option. Although the role usually falls to linebackers, the green dot can be bestowed to safeties, something that the Chargers certainly did with Derwin James. Here’s where McDaniel’s mention of “flourishing” applies: if Fitzpatrick gets the green dot, how will it affect his versatility?
“He would be capable,” McDaniel said of Fitzpatrick. “Those communication patterns might adjust his versatility.”
Miami Dolphins free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (29) celebrates with cornerback Rasul Douglas (26) after a play in the second half of their NFL game at the Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Translation: to add the green-dot responsibility to the former University of Alabama standout’s plate that already includes a time split between safety and nickel might just be a bit much.
“People just think, ‘yeah, just give the next guy the green dot,’” Weaver said. “That guy that has the green dot, there’s a tremendous amount of responsibility that comes with that. And I’ve been around some guys who have gotten that and then it’s slowed down their play, because now they’re in charge of disseminating all this information everywhere, and now they’re like, ‘oh god, what’s my job?’ Some guys just need a little bit more time to process what they have to do, who they have to talk to, what they’re looking at, all those things.”
As the Dolphins’ defense looks to find some solutions ahead of Sunday, whoever wears the green dot will have a lot on their shoulders. Originally considered a force following the unit’s top-five statistical ranking in 2024, the defense has been a shell of its former self. Hopefully whoever fills-in for Dodson can help inject a sense of life into the struggling unit.