Miami Dolphins’ first depth chart of 2025 regular season features a surprising name listed in a starting spot ahead of Week 1
The first unofficial depth chart of the regular season is out for Miami and the biggest surprise is in the defensive backfield.
Welcome to depth chart season — the bridge between the 53-man roster cutdowns and the start of the regular season. For NFL coaches across the league, formalizing the pecking order of their roster carries various amounts of weight. Some play it by the book, while others put together a depth chart that is a little less reflective of the actual snaps the team will use on game days.
For the Miami Dolphins, there aren’t too many surprises with the initial depth chart. But there is one potential position designation that may have flown under the radar due to an injury this summer. The Dolphins’ starting safety listed on the depth chart opposite Minkah Fitzpatrick is veteran Ashtyn Davis.
Dolphins release Week 1 unofficial depth chart, Ashtyn Davis holds starting spot
Miami’s safety room has had no shortage of opportunities afforded to just about everyone. Davis got run early in camp while Ifeatu Melifonwu was on the Non-Football Injury list, then Davis went down with a scary lower body injury that appeared as though it may have been a major setback. Davis spent portions of training camp in a walking boot before recently returning to action — a pleasant surprise for the Dolphins. While Davis was down, Melifonwu returned to action and has predominantly held the second safety spot while Miami progressed through the preseason.
The time on task does not appear to have helped, at least in the eyes of the unofficial depth chart. Whether or not Davis suits up for Week 1 is yet to be determined — he returned to the practice field over the last week or so and was not included among the players omitted from participation for Monday’s on-field work by head coach Mike McDaniel during his press conference Monday morning. So Davis is close.
Melifonwu’s background as a college cornerback could warrant the team playing him down in the nickel, where the Dolphins are also experimenting with fifth-round rookie Jason Marshall Jr. Such a role may prompt Davis to serve as the other traditional deep safety and would, by default, leave Melifonwu as the “third” safety. We should have more information in the next few days on all fronts, including Davis’ participation level thanks to the first injury report of the week and then snap shares to reference if Davis does indeed dress on Sunday when the Dolphins compete against the Colts in the season opener.
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