MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel was not particularly in the mood to answer questions about players not with the team for mandatory minicamp, but he knew he would be peppered with a series of questions of the sort ahead of Tuesday’s first practice of the minicamp.

So he got out in front of the subject as he walked up to his podium at team facilities, predicting that the first question from the media would be something not pertinent to his mission of the day, coaching his present players.

“Let’s start it off with questions that I can’t nor don’t want to answer,” started McDaniel, who would proceed to get testy at times in the coming minutes. “First and foremost, what doesn’t have to do with today? Go.”

Sure enough, Tuesday’s interview session started with a bevy of questions on who was and wasn’t present for minicamp.

After an NFL Network report already revealed Monday that cornerback Jalen Ramsey would not attend minicamp, which McDaniel confirmed, the coach said Tuesday tight end Jonnu Smith would not participate either.

Smith is seeking a new contract this offseason after setting franchise records at the position as Miami’s lone Pro Bowl selection in 2024. The Dolphins have had trade talks with other teams involving Smith as they haven’t agreed to new terms. Smith’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said on his weekly Sunday night appearance on WSVN his attendance for minicamp would be a “fluid” situation.

“That’s something that we’ve been in communication with, and I don’t need to get into personal matters,” McDaniel said. “I’m not into hiding anything. It’s just not about today.”

McDaniel declined to say whether Smith would be fined for his absence at mandatory minicamp.

According to Spotrac, a player is fined $17,462 for a first absence during minicamp, $34,925 for a second and $52,381 for a third. Teams can also waive fines.

That appears to be the case with Ramsey, as McDaniel called it an excused absence for him.

The Dolphins have been trying to trade him for nearly two months, since before the draft.

Is McDaniel surprised it’s taken this long to find a trade partner?

“I don’t give a sh– about what I feel,” McDaniel responded. “I don’t even really go down that road about how do I feel about it. My job is to react and control my controllables, and make sure that people are moving in one direction appropriately.

“Business is business. The opportunity that business does provide in the offseason is a rep to the team about handling noise. What do I define noise as? Noise is things that don’t have to do with what actually you’re there to do and you should be focused on doing because you’ll be held accountable to do. … It’s about not really caring about all things other than what we’re here to do today, which is mandatory minicamp practice 1.”

Defensive tackle Zach Sieler will be a minicamp participant, McDaniel said. Although he was not seen on the field participating in the two sessions of organized team activities open to the media over the previous two weeks, McDaniel said he has been in team facilities every day of the offseason program.

Alexander pursuit?

With Ramsey on the trade block, the Dolphins need to make an outside signing at cornerback before the season.

The free agent market at the position became more robust Monday, with news the Green Bay Packers are releasing Jaire Alexander.

“We’re considering everything,” McDaniel said Tuesday. “That’s our job to. Again, those are things that my major focus that is on the team. Conversations with (general manager Chris Grier) are fluid.”

Originally Published: June 10, 2025 at 10:44 AM EDT