The AFC East is shaping up as a two-team race in 2026, at least on paper. Buffalo and New England are the clubs drawing the strongest expectations, while the Jets and Dolphins sit on the other end of the spectrum. New England is coming off a division title over Buffalo and now has Drake Maye at quarterback, which only adds to the sense that the Bills and Patriots are the teams most likely to be battling for control of the division again and again.
Miami, meanwhile, has leaned fully into a rebuild under the new regime of Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley. That doesn’t mean the Dolphins are harmless, though. Bills fans learned that lesson last season when the teams split the season series, a reminder that division games can blow up the script fast.
With training camp set to begin later this month, Brian Miller of Phin Phanatic offered some useful perspective on where Miami stands and what Buffalo fans should be watching.
One of the first questions centered on De’Von Achane, whose re-signing raised eyebrows for some observers. Miller said he could see both sides of the decision, but he believes Miami sent the right message by keeping one of the league’s most promising young runners in the fold.
As he put it, " I could go either way, but having one of the most promising young runners in the league getting a contract extension he deserves was the absolute right message to send to the team. Achane could still be a huge part of this rebuild, and if things don’t go well in a couple of years, he will still have value in a trade.
His contract is good for the Dolphins which helps a lot. I think in general, there are no guarantees with a draft pick, but there are great odds betting on Achane."
Miller also laid out the reality of first-year expectations for Jeff Hafley. With Miami facing the second toughest schedule in the league, he said there isn’t much room for optimism in the short term.
He believes the Dolphins could be staring at only a handful of winnable games, even if he personally sees a path to six wins. That kind of season, in his view, would require the roster to stay aligned and outperform its experience level across the board.
When the conversation turned to offseason additions, Miller didn’t point to a free-agent splash. Instead, he said the draft is where Miami is likely to make its biggest mark.
He singled out Chris Johnson in round one as a possible late first steal, praising his ability to become a shutdown corner down the line. He also highlighted Jacob Rodriguez in round two as someone who could make an immediate impact.
The bigger picture, according to Miller, is that Miami is making developmental bets now in hopes that the payoff comes in 2027 or even 2028.
Malik Willis was another major topic. The Dolphins gave him a three-year deal, and some have questioned whether that made sense for a team expected to struggle in 2026.
Miller sees it differently. He called it a smart move and said Miami is trying to build an identity, with Willis bringing leadership and energy to that process.
He acknowledged the doubts about whether Willis can become a franchise quarterback, but framed the situation as a win either way for the Dolphins. If Willis hits, Miami gains its answer.
If not, the team could still end up drafting a high quarterback next season. Miller even pointed to Green Bay as the model, saying, " Willis is the now and he proves he can be the future, then great, but Miami also will draft a guy that they can develop from the bench, much like the Brett Favre - Aaron Rodgers - Jordan Love cycle in Green Bay."
As for another Buffalo-Miami split, Miller doesn’t expect it to happen again. Still, he stopped short of ruling anything out in a rivalry where the results can get weird. He said Miami’s youth will create mismatches the Dolphins have to survive, and if they can take one game from Buffalo again, that would be a sign the rebuild is moving in the right direction.
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