MIAMI GARDENS - It's probable Miami Dolphins rookiereceiver Chris Bell will make his pro debut in the preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons (Friday, Aug. 28 at Hard Rock Stadium).
It's also possible rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez misses this game, as he sat out Miami's final training camp practice for unknown reasons.
The Dolphins have 13 rookies and it's possible all or all but two - Trey Moorealready has a serious injury - make Miami's initial 53-man roster, which must be finalized by Sunday at 6 p.m.
Miami will rely on Kadyn Proctor, Chris Johnson, Jacob Rodriguez, Chris Bell, Kyle Louis, Michael Taafe, Caleb Douglas, Will Kacmarek and Kevin Coleman this season.
Here is the latest scoop on Proctor, Johnson, Rodriguez and Bell from Miami
coaches:
Miami Dolphins roster: Rookies all over depth chart
CB Chris Johnson, 1st round
What DC Sean Duggan is saying on growth: "Understanding of the techniques, of what's going on around him, of issues in coverage, how he can be attacked in certain coverages or techniques, and that understanding. Again, he's a guy that has gotten better every single day.
"He has a feel for the game. It's one of those things like, you know, when you talk about instincts for me, just sometimes it's a little hard to explain, but it's one of those when you see it, you know it. Executing the techniques within the call, he's definitely an instinctual player."
What we can add: Johnson has a chance to be a very good starting NFL cornerback. He is fearless. He is quick. He is physical enough. He goes after the ball. He can play outside and slide inside on some third downs.
OL Kadyn Proctor, 1st round
What offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is saying on his play: "He's only had limited game action so far. But you kind of take into consideration the joint practice. You're taking into consideration all the stuff we've done against our defense, and he's taken steady step. Like all our young guys, like they're steady steps. There's stuff that he has … like there's a reason we took him in the first round and it shows. Like we're really excited about the talent he has but just continuing to hone in on the consistency for all these guys is going to be really on us as coaches.
What we can add: If the Dolphins offensive line plays poorly in 2026, Proctor is unlikely to be the biggest reason. He's got the size, agility and mindset to play guard this year and slide to tackle next year. There is no indication Proctor cannot be capable as a rookie.
LB Jacob Rodriguez, 2nd Round
What defensive coordinator Sean Duggan sees: "I think the game's slowing down for Jacob. You know, just the understanding of the call, understanding what's going on, not only in front of him as it pertains to the run game, but what's going on around him, and whether it's zone coverage or man coverage. I think, you know, when you play defense, the more understanding you have of what's going on around you, the faster you can play and you can start anticipating. "
What we can add: Rodriguez is a ball hawk with great intensity and sideline to sideline pursuit. It won't be perfect as a rookie. But Rodriguez's approach aligns perfectly with what is desired by Duggan and Hafley.
WR Chris Bell, 3rd round
What offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik sees: "He's only practiced a little bit here and there, but just going off his college tape, like some of the things that were awesome to just watch him do, like he's a really big dude. He's a really fast dude. He's hit some wild numbers on GPS, considering his size. He's got great hands. He's a tough tackle. So I mean, you could do a lot of things with that.
"As far as the receiver goes, he's a good ball in hand player. He's a good guy that can make competitive catches. He can go down the field and he can run underneath routes. I think the more we get used to just being with him we'll kind of settle into what exactly his role is going to be for us. But from his college tape there's not many limiting factors as far as what we're going to let him at least explore."
What we can add: Logic suggests Miami is going to ramp up Bell in his return from a season-ending ACL injury. Could that mean 12-20 snaps at Vegas, then 17-25 at San Francisco and 25-30 and up and so on moving forwad? Sure, that seems possible. This is an exciting player. But Miami will surely have a ramp-up plan.
Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: What Dolphins coaches say about Chris Bell, rookies, before Atlanta
