The 2025 NFL offseason officially began in March 2025, with teams able to sign free agents beginning on March 12. Cornerback D.J. Reed, wide receiver Chris Godwin, and safety Jevon Holland were among the top players available. Holland, a 25-year-old Canadian, spent the last four seasons with the Miami Dolphins, where he recorded 301 tackles, five forced fumbles, five sacks, and five interceptions.
Following the first week of free agency, Miami has multiple safeties to replace Holland and made other moves in hopes of improving its roster. Here’s a look at some of their early signings.
1. Ifeatu Melifonwu
Miami signed safety Ifeatu Melifonwu to a one-year, $4 million contract on March 13. Ranked as the 87th-best free agent by ESPN, the former Detroit Lion missed most of the 2024 season due to injuries, but had a productive season in 2023 with 33 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions in 17 games. He made a critical interception late in a game against the Minnesota Vikings on December 24 that secured the Lions their first division title since 1993.
The Lions drafted Melifonwu as a cornerback out of the University of Syracuse, but converted him to safety after his first season. Miami is hopeful that he can stay healthy and play as well as he did late in the 2023 season.
2. Ashtyn Davis
The Dolphins also added a veteran presence at the safety position, signing former New York Jet Ashtyn Davis to a one-year, $2.5 million contract. A third-round pick of the Jets in the 2020 NFL Draft, Davis has 175 tackles, 15 passes defended, eight interceptions, and three forced fumbles in 69 career regular season games. He had two interceptions in 15 games last season.
Like Melifonwu, Davis had the best season of his career in 2023. He played in all 17 games and recorded career highs in interceptions (three), passes defended (eight), and fumble recoveries (three). He is expected to play the free safety position in Miami, covering zones down the field.
3. James Daniels
The offensive line has been an area of concern for the Dolphins for several years. Injuries and inconsistent play plagued Miami in 2024 as the team ranked 29th in yards per carry. In January, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier acknowledged “this is the time for us to invest in some offensive linemen,” and he made good on his promise in March, signing James Daniels to a three-year, $24 million contract.
ESPN’s 32nd-best free agent, Daniels has a chance to be an impact player next season, but his health is in question. He also missed the majority of the 2024 season due to an Achilles injury, but is a proven lineman with good size and above average foot speed. The 6-foot-4, 327-pound center was a second-round pick of the Chicago Bears in 2018. He played four seasons in Chicago before signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022. Daniels started 36 games over the course of three seasons in Pittsburgh.
Miami also signed Larry Borom for offensive line depth. A four-year veteran, Borom has appeared in 27 games at the tackle and guard positions.
4. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Grier also addressed another critical need of the Dolphins in free agency, signing receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine to a two-year contract. The Dolphins have been searching for a capable wide receiver to slot behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle for years, and Westbrook-Ikhine fits the bill. At 6-foot-2 and 211 pounds, he brings much-needed size to Miami’s receiver corps and is coming off a career-best season in which he had 497 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
An undrafted free agent out of Indiana University, Westbrook-Ikhine played sparingly in his rookie season with the Tennessee Titans, but has been a steady performer over the last four years. He recorded at least 370 receiving yards and three touchdowns in each of those four seasons.
5. Alexander Mattison
Miami also added size at the running back position, signing veteran Alexander Mattison. At 5-foot-11 and 220 pounds, Mattison complements speedster De’Von Achane, who had a team-leading 907 rushing yards last season. The Dolphins are hopeful he can improve the team’s success rate in short-yardage positions. Only the New England Patriots were worse last season at converting third-and-short and fourth-and-short runs. Mattison has a career success rate of 81 percent in those situations.
Selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Mattison has 2,790 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns in 89 career regular season games. He had a career-best 700 rushing yards with the Vikings in 2023 and spent last season with the Las Vegas Raiders, picking up 420 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games.
6. Ryan Stonehouse
Looking to address their weak special teams play, Miami also signed former Titans punter Ryan Stonehouse. Like many of Grier’s early signings, there are some injury concerns, as he missed time last year due to a knee injury. However, Stonehouse holds the NFL record for longest punting average at 53.10 yards, set in the 2022 season. He averaged 53.06 yards, second all-time, in 2023.
Miami’s previous punter, Jake Bailey, averaged just 47.1 yards per punt last season.