The Miami Dolphins selected O.J. McDuffie 25th overall in the 1993 draft, and like so many wide receivers, he was used mostly as a returner as a rookie. He handled both kick and punt returns early on while working his way into a larger role on offense.

As he saw more playing time at wide receiver, McDuffie was used less as a returner. In his first four seasons, he had well over 1,100 all-purpose yards, peaking at 1,515 as an NFL sophomore. He developed into a reliable option who could catch the ball in traffic and contribute in multiple ways while the offense was still finding its footing.

In 1996, McDuffie began a three-year streak of 900-yard receiving seasons, with a career-high 1,050 coming in 1998. That year he also led the NFL in receptions with 90. The production showed what he could do once he settled in as a primary target, and he remained productive through the late 1990s before injuries began to limit him.

McDuffie played only two more seasons after that peak and retired after the 2000 season because of a nagging toe injury. With the Dolphins, he finished with 5,074 receiving yards, 8,356 all-purpose yards, and 31 total touchdowns. He spent his entire career in Miami and became one of the team’s more productive receivers of that era.

Brent Grimes had already spent six seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, including a Pro Bowl nod in 2010, before he signed with the Miami Dolphins as a free agent in 2013. Few expected him to become the team’s clear top corner, but that is exactly what happened once he settled into the defense.

He made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons in Miami and earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2014. During that stretch, he recorded 13 interceptions, 202 return yards, and two pick-sixes. Those years marked the strongest stretch of his career, and he gave the Dolphins a reliable outside presence who could handle top receivers.

A skilled cover corner who could stick with receivers and jump routes in the air, he remained productive until the end of his time in South Florida. Grimes anchored the secondary over that three-year period and ranked among the team’s better players at any position, even if the peak did not last long. His ability to create turnovers showed up consistently during those Pro Bowl seasons.

The Dolphins released him after the 2015 season when he declined to restructure his contract. With Miami, the three-year stretch produced solid numbers and recognition that had not been as steady earlier in his career.

Reshad Jones played the entire 2010s with the Miami Dolphins, and the Georgia Bulldog was arguably one of the more underrated defensive backs during that time. A fifth-round pick in 2010, he became a starting safety for the Fins in his second season and settled into a regular role on the back end.

While his play could be inconsistent, he was a two-time Pro Bowl selection in 2015 and 2017. Those seasons showed the best version of him as a hard-hitting safety who could cover and make plays on the ball. He had 21 interceptions over his Dolphins career and was productive in the box, piling up tackles year after year.

In three separate seasons, Jones had well over 100 tackles and finished with 776 overall in Miami. He stayed with the team through the entire stretch and remained a starter for most of that run. The Dolphins released him in March 2020 after injuries limited him in 2019, ending a 10-year career that was spent entirely in South Florida.

With the Dolphins, he was a durable safety who put up solid numbers without always getting the wider recognition. The Pro Bowl nods in 2015 and 2017 marked the peaks, and the release came after a long run with the same team.

As a Miami Dolphin for the first six years of his career, Chris Chambers had an underrated run. A second-round pick from Wisconsin, Chambers was an All-Rookie wide receiver, and in that debut campaign he led the NFL in yards per reception. He brought good speed and the ability to get downfield, which showed up right away in his rookie production.

He came close to the 1,000-yard plateau many times, but he finally broke it in 2005, when his 1,118 yards and 11 touchdowns earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl. That season was the clear high point. Chambers was a vertical threat who could win deep and make plays after the catch on shorter routes. He was not the biggest receiver, but he used his quickness and route running to create separation and stretch defenses.

He left Miami when he was traded to the San Diego Chargers in 2007 for a second-round pick. The Dolphins were off to a rough start that year, so they moved him midseason. With the Dolphins, he finished with 5,688 yards and 43 touchdowns, numbers that are higher than people may realize.

His time in Miami was productive, though he didn't always get the recognition that came with bigger-name receivers. He was a consistent outside option who could take the top off a defense, and his 2005 Pro Bowl season showed what he could do when everything clicked. The trade ended a solid stretch with the team.