The Dolphins’ defense gets a big boost with the return of this player

The Miami Dolphins’ defense just got a little bit better.

Captain and veteran defensive tackle Zach Sieler returned to practice Thursday — albeit in a limited fashion. If cleared to play in Monday’s pivotal, cross-country matchip with the Los Angeles Rams, Sieler hopes to help a unit that has given up 28 and 30 points in respective weeks.

“I’d like to think I bring some energy to” the defense, Sieler said Thursday afternoon.

One of the stars of the defense, Sieler fractured his orbital bone during an Oct. 24 practice. The injury happened during what has been a Pro Bowl-level season for the defensive tackle. Through six games, Sieler racked up a fumble recovery, an interception and 18 combined tackles, three of which were for a loss. He also added two sacks.

“I am a much better coach when he is on the field,” defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said of Sieler in late October.

Two weeks removed from the initial injury, however, Sieler was still a bit unsure what happened.

“I remember just coming around the edge — and I don’t know what it was — but something got up in my mask,” Sieler said. “I just remember my head going back. I just had to put my hand up and it was just kind of dark.”

Luckily, Sieler managed to avoid a scratch to the cornea and his vision wasn’t impacted.

“I was very fortunate,” Sieler continued, adding that he will wear a visor for the rest of his career. “God looked out. My actual physical eyesight and everything ended up being all right. The biggest thing was the swelling.”

The injury cost him back-to-back games against the Arizona Cardinals and Buffalo Bills in which the Dolphins came up short. Sieler, who emerged as an iron man for the Dolphins, had appeared in 78 consecutive games since he joined the active roster in 2019. The absence, frankly, wasn’t fun at all.

“It kills me,” Sieler said. “It sucks to be in the trenches — working with these guys day in and day out — and then just on a Thursday, just be able to say ‘Hey look guys. It’s on y’all this week.’”

Although the Dolphins lost the two games that Sieler sat, the defense held both opponents to less than a 100 rushing yards, a first for a unit that has struggled to stop the run.

“The guys did a great job these last couple weeks,” Sieler said, specifically praising the run defense. “Hopefully, I can come back and make that even better.”

Just the mere thought of Sieler’s return had outside linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah smiling.

“Everybody loves when Zach is out there,” Ogbah said, later adding that the unit was missing “him bringing the team together, bringing our defense together, making big plays and giving us that spark. We’re just glad to have him back.”

The same goes for Da’Shawn Hand.

“It’s always great to have my brother out there,” the defensive tackle said.

Whether Sieler will play against the Rams ultimately comes down to how his body reacts after not practicing since late October. Coach Mike McDaniel indicated Monday that he’s “optimistic” about his star defensive tackle’s chances.

“I’m optimistic about that timeline and you have to take it day-by-day anyway to accumulate information,” McDaniel said.

Sieler’s presence will be a huge boost to a unit that must stop the Rams’ high-powered offense that’s currently has the team on a three-game win streak. Though Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua are widely considered the focal points of that offense, running back Kyren Williams is no slouch. The third-year back had a breakout 2023, finishing with the NFL’s third-highest rushing yards en route to making his first Pro Bowl. And while he hasn’t quite matched last year’s production, Williams still has the second-most rushing touchdowns in 2024.

“The biggest thing for this week is being gap sound,” Sieler said when asked about Williams. “We have to play our style of defense which is do your job, your one piece of 11, and focus on our part, our process, each play we’re going to do and work from there. It’s not about trying to be an All-Star, making these huge plays. It’s ‘Hey. This play dictates what I can do and play within the scheme.’ I think we have a great shot if we could do that.”