Reports out of Friday's joint practice with the Chicago Bears were not particularly good for the Miami Dolphins. Now, the team will look to regroup, and exact some revenge when the two teams square off at Soldier Field on Sunday in their first preseason game in 2025.
Miami's cornerback group is filled with inexperience, and it showed against Chicago's receivers in practice. In the game, they'll be one of the most watched units on the field.
Dolphins cornerbacks may prove the front office needs to do more at the position vs. Bears
The reports out of Chicago this offseason haven't been positive when it comes to quarterback Caleb Williams, who has consistently struggled according to local beat reporters. Yet, he seemed to have few troubles against the Dolphins' defense in Friday's joint practice.
Bears receivers whipped Dolphins cornerbacks in 1-on-1s. Most of the incompletions were flags.
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) August 8, 2025
Mike Hilton, Ethan Bonner, Cornell Armstrong had PBUs.
While 1-on-1 drills do greatly benefit wide receivers, the Dolphins' poor showing against the Bears' offense in 7-on-7s raises a concern that has been glaring all offseason: the secondary. More specifically, the cornerback room.
Even prior to trading Jalen Ramsey, fans knew that Miami's CB group would considerably lack depth and experience in 2025. Before his season-ending injury, Kader Kohou was the Dolphins' CB1 going into camp, with a sea of unknown behind him. Unfortunately, that sea remains while Kohou does not.
By process of elimination, Storm Duck, a 2024 undrafted free agent who started three games last year for Miami, became the team's top corner. On the Dolphins' first unofficial depth chart, Kendall Sheffield is listed opposite Duck as the starter. Sheffield has been a journeyman since the Atlanta Falcons drafted him in 2019, and he hasn't started a game since 2020.
Although the Dolphins did ease the pain very slightly by bringing in veteran experience in the form of Jack Jones and Mike Hilton, it's quite understandable to be worried by the group for the 2025 season. And Friday's joint practice only intensified those worries.
To call the joint practice against the Bears bad for the Dolphins would be an understatement. By all accounts, the team was terrible from top to bottom. Chicago beat down Miami bad enough that, at one point, Dolphins players even started fighting amongst themselves.
Despite the team getting beat in all forms, the Dolphins' position groups that will be mostly monitored going into Sunday's matchup will be the offensive line and cornerbacks. They are the most questionable for Miami going into the regular season, and we've previously discussed how the OL play would be key against the Bears in joint practice.
The offense was not good, with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa throwing three interceptions against Chicago, after throwing just one all training camp, and getting inconsistent play from the offensive line. Likewise, the Bears' receivers "found frequent success against Dolphins cornerbacks," said Palm Beach Post reporter Joe Schad.
One cornerback who Schad did praise was Jones, noting the former Las Vegas Raiders CB "has a lot of talent." Unfortunately, Jones had to leave practice on a cart with a potential lower body injury. Things could somehow get worse for this group if Jones is forced to miss some time.
It's safe to say that he will miss Miami's first preseason game for sure, as should Cam Smith, who continues to remain sidelined. Nevertheless, onlookers will still have a watchful eye on the Dolphins' secondary against Chicago. If Williams further exploits how bad Miami is on the back end, fans should be in for a rude awakening on how bad this season could get.