Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Sean Duggan offered some praise to the rookie linebackers and how they are being taught to "play fast."
When NFL players are told to "play fast," it is often met with some degree of guidance. However, Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Sean Duggan wants his players to play fast while they correct mistakes as they go.
The nature of playing fast could greatly benefit the young linebacker unit that has come in. Linebackers Jacob Rodriguez, Trey Moore, and Kyle Louis were brought in to be the future, but their impact is already being felt.
Rodriguez led the FBS with seven forced fumbles in 2025, and he has been able to punch the ball out of the hands of many prominent Dolphins players, including running back De'Von Achane. While rookie players still have a learning curve, Duggan wants the defender to play fast and "let loose."
"I tell you, they're all doing a great job. We've thrown a lot at the linebackers. We've put a lot on their plate. To handle the amount of information and install we've done is pretty impressive from those three, and they're just getting better. I mean we've had only a couple of days in pads, but you can tell the game is starting to slow down a little bit with each practice, which is really what you want to see," Duggan said of Rodriguez, Moore, and Louis.
What is most interesting is the rookies getting the opportunities they are getting and how it will factor into the bigger plans when the regular season comes around. Miami already has a strong unit in Jordyn Brooks, Tyrel Dodson, and Willie Gay Jr.
Now, the Dolphins may have the good problem of figuring out which players are best suited to be the every-down linebackers.
The rookies may work themselves into a strong rotational role, but it will definitely get a bit hard to keep players like Rodriguez off the field if he continually forces turnovers.
Duggan wants the trio to continue playing like that, while correcting their mistakes as they go.
"But I think just those three have done a great job. Just their attitude every day, right? Their willingness to learn. And what I love is they just go out there and play, man. Just go play fast. We'll correct the mistakes. We'll correct everything that we need to schematically, but just go cut it loose out there," Duggan said.
One way in which head coach Jeff Hafley has changed the defensive game plan is to teach players to track the ball. While that may sound simplistic, the idea is to create turnovers in multiple ways.
Duggan indicated the defense does two minutes of "takeaway drills" in a way to foster the idea of making a play on the ball, even as a defender. For rookie players like Rodriguez and the other linebackers, staying with the ball can lead to their opportunities to punch it out.
Miami's defense could be a major factor in keeping the team competitive in 2025, and it is due to young players like the aforementioned linebacker trio continuing and buying into the culture change of physicality and violence that could lead to a strong defensive push.
