The Dolphins are giving David Ojabo a fresh start, but the real question is whether that change of scenery can actually turn into something on the field.
Ojabo arrives in Miami after four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, where the former second-round pick never quite matched the expectations that came with being taken 45th overall in 2022. He signed with the Dolphins as a 2026 free agent on a one-year, $1.4 million deal that counts for $1.3 million against the salary cap.
Last season was supposed to be the reset. Ojabo was healthy and ready to get back on track, but instead he spent much of the year stuck behind other players on the depth chart.
He appeared in 14 games, a career high, and finished with 16 tackles and 0.5 sacks. Even with the increased game total, he was on the field for only 22 percent of Baltimore’s defensive snaps and played just 19 percent of the special teams snaps.
By the end of the year, it was clear the Ravens were not planning to bring him back.
That opens the door in Miami, at least in a limited way. The Dolphins have plenty of bodies in the mix at defensive end, including Josh Uche, Robert Beal, Jr., Cameron Goode, Seth Coleman, Rodney McGraw, Mason Reiger and rookie Trey Moore, who was drafted in the fourth round, along with seventh-round pick Max Llewellyn.
For Ojabo, the most realistic path is not a starting job. He is not being viewed as a challenger for the spot opposite Chop Robinson. Instead, Miami would likely be looking for him to give the defense a few useful snaps as a rotational piece, someone who can spell a higher-up option and keep the pass rush moving.
There is still a range of outcomes here. Ojabo could force his way into the conversation, but he could also end up buried deep on the roster, land on the practice squad, or simply spend the summer as a camp body.
The opportunity is there. What he does with it will decide the rest.
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