The Raiders’ first opponent of the 2026 season may look like a team in transition, but Miami still has enough moving parts to make Week 1 worth a close read. And if Las Vegas fans are already circling the opener at Allegiant Stadium, the picture from the Dolphins side is more complicated than a simple rebuild label.
That’s the takeaway from Shayne Kubas, the site expert at Phin Phanatic, who broke down what the Raiders should expect when the two teams meet to open the season. His view of Miami’s new direction starts with guarded belief in the people now running the show.
“There is plenty of cautious optimism in the new regime itself, both now and looking towards the future,” Kubas said. “As far as the QB situation, it's very mixed.
Some believe Malik Willis has the talent to stick as the starter long-term, while others question if he will even finish 2026 as the QB1. It's definitely one of the harder things to gauge at this point in the offseason.”
That uncertainty at quarterback hangs over everything else. Miami has torn down a lot this offseason, but Kubas stopped short of calling it a full surrender.
On paper, the moves point toward a rebuild. The money tells a different story.
“Almost everything about their first offseason in charge suggests that they are in full rebuild mode, but the decision to pay Willis nearly $70 million suggests that they aren't interested in completely throwing in the towel in 2026,” he said. “Internally, I believe they want to remain competitive despite knowing it's unlikely to result in many wins.”
For Raiders fans trying to size up the Dolphins’ roster, Kubas pointed to a couple of familiar names. On Benito Jones, the assessment was blunt: “Jones is a below-average interior defender overall.
Despite his size, he has been a better pass rusher than run defender so far in his career. Solid depth, but probably best as the fourth or fifth option inside.”
As for former Las Vegas safety Lonnie Johnson Jr., he said, “I can't say I have heard much buzz around him since he was picked up in May.”
The offseason overhaul in Miami was not just about the roster. Kubas said the biggest change came at the top, with Jon-Eric Sullivan replacing the combination of Chris Grier and Champ Kelly at general manager. He also flagged the departures of Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle as defining pieces of the shift.
“As far as true impact, going from the combination of Chris Grier/Champ Kelly to Jon-Eric Sullivan at GM takes the cake,” Kubas said. “He has already shown that he isn't afraid to do what is necessary to get Miami going in the right direction. I would also say the Tua Tagovailoa release and the departure of both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle deserve mentioning, as those three were the faces of the most recent era of Dolphins football.”
If there’s a place Las Vegas can attack in Week 1, Kubas sees it in the middle of the field. That’s where he thinks the Raiders’ passing game could find room to operate, especially with Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer in the mix.
“There are (unfortunately) several good answers for this, but I would say the entire middle of the field in the passing game will be where teams like the Raiders can attack the Dolphins relentlessly,” he said. “Between the lack of coverage chops from the linebackers and potentially two recent fifth-round picks (Dante Trader Jr. and rookie Michael Taafe) starting at safety, Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer could have a field day.”
He did note one area that could be better than some around the league realize: Miami’s offensive line. Kubas wasn’t ready to stamp it as a strength yet, but he laid out a path for it to become one.
“There is a real path to Miami having an above-average offensive line in 2026,” he said. “Aaron Brewer is fresh off an All-Pro season at center, Patrick Paul quietly played well at left tackle last year, and Austin Jackson is a solid right tackle when healthy.
First-round pick Kadyn Proctor is obviously an unknown, and Jonah Savaiinaea was a disaster as a rookie in 2025. But they would only need to be passable starters for the O-line to be a strong overall unit.”
For the Raiders, that means Week 1 is not just a soft landing against a team in flux. Miami still has enough talent, enough uncertainty and enough schematic weak spots to make the opener a revealing test right away.
In Other News...
Nakobe Dean's Early Mendoza Take Says A Lot About Raiders Hope
Fernando Mendoza has only been around the Raiders for a short time, but the rookie quarterback already seems to have made the kind of offseason impression teams hope for when they hand a young passer the keys. Nakobe Deans comments pointed to more than simple politeness or practiced professionalism, with the veteran linebacker crediting Mendozas upbeat presence and the way he carries himself around the building as part of what has stood out early.
For a Raiders team trying to find its footing at quarterback, that matters because the first layer of belief has to come from inside the room. Mendozas long-term NFL future is still an open question, but the coaching staff has clearly noticed the same traits Dean did, and the organization appears ready to give him every chance to grow into the job even as some outside voices remain skeptical of whether his easygoing nature is the real thing. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Have More Than One Trade Chip Fans Should Worry About
Dont'e Thornton Jr. is one of the names worth watching as the Raiders sort through the bottom half of the roster, and the rookie wideouts path is not exactly getting easier. He needs a strong enough summer to hold off Malik Benson, and the lack of special teams value makes the margin for error even smaller as Las Vegas keeps looking for players who can justify a roster spot in more than one way.
Jackson Powers-Johnson and Jeremy Chinn add to the uncertainty around a team still sorting out what it wants to keep long term. Powers-Johnson never really clicked with last years coaching staff, while Chinn is coming off a solid first season and now enters a contract year under a new defensive coordinator, with recent draft picks only adding to the competition. None of this means movement is imminent, but it does make the Raiders one of those teams where more than one familiar name could come up if the right deal appears. [Read more 🡒]
Jonah Laulu Is Becoming A Raiders Building Block Up Front
Jonah Laulu has gone from a waiver-wire addition to one of the more important pieces on the Raiders defensive front, and that kind of rise matters in a room that still needs bodies to hold up over a long season. After arriving from Indianapolis, where he was drafted but did not last on the initial roster, Laulu carved out a real role in Las Vegas and eventually became a starter, giving the team something it did not have enough of up front: a lineman who could stay on the field and contribute in multiple ways.
Last season, Laulu finished with 51 tackles, four sacks and 26 pressures while starting 15 games, production that makes him look less like a depth story and more like part of the plan. With Adam Butler, Thomas Booker IV, Tonka Hemingway, JJ Pegues and Brandon Cleveland also in the mix, the Raiders have numbers and competition on the defensive line, but Laulus trajectory is the one that stands out most as the group heads into the next season. [Read more 🡒]