Dolphins hit with wave of injuries ahead of preseason opener

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Rowan Fisher-Shotton

By Rowan Fisher-Shotton

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The Miami Dolphins kick off their preseason on Friday against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.

From there, they'll host their final two preseason games back in Miami Gardens against the New York Giants (Aug. 22) and Atlanta Falcons (Aug. 28).

But the Dolphins won't have several key starters available — at least for the Commanders matchup, and potentially beyond. Before Monday's practice, head coach Jeff Hafley revealed a long list of injuries, notably cornerback JuJu Brents, safety Dante Trader Jr., wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr., tight end Ben Sims, former No. 4 overall pick Clelin Ferrell, and kicker Zane Gonzalez.

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"I would say Zane [Gonzalez] will be week-to-week. JuJu [Brents], I don't think JuJu will practice this week, but I don't think it's going to be anything long-term. But if I wanted to play it cautious, I would say that JuJu will be out this week," Hafley said. "[Clelin Ferrell] will be out a few weeks. Yeah, he will not be practicing today. He'll be a few weeks ... For [Kevin] Coleman, I don't expect him this week. [Ben] Sims is getting close. I don't think he'll practice this week ... Dante [Trader], I don't think he'll practice this week either. They're getting close. Hopefully next week."

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JuJu Brents of the Miami Dolphins.

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Expectations for the Dolphins in 2026 are understandably modest. They've got a new quarterback with only a handful of starts under his belt in Malik Willis, and dozens of young players trying to make a roster the team completely overhauled this offseason. Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Bradley Chubb, and Minkah Fitzpatrick are all gone, leaving the door open for new faces to step in and make an impact.

But a young, rebuilding team like Miami needs steady veteran leadership to build continuity and good habits early on. Instead, it looks like several of those veterans will be sidelined when preseason opens Friday.