The Dolphins don’t just need a better result in their home opener against the Chiefs on Sunday. They need answers.
Miami is staring at another game as a heavy underdog, and while the final score matters, the bigger picture is about who can hold up, who can rebound, and who can make a case to be part of what comes next. With the organization having essentially chosen to sacrifice the 2026 season for a better 2027 and beyond, Week 3 is as much about evaluation as it is about the scoreboard.
A few players are under the microscope for very different reasons.
Austin Jackson is one of them. The Dolphins have defended the tackle this week after two rough outings to open the season, pointing to the health issues he dealt with in training camp and the fact that he had to deal with Maxx Crosby and Nick Bosa in the first two weeks.
That explanation has some weight, but Jackson is still a veteran starter with a contract situation that makes it at best 50-50 that he'll back next season - and that's probably a generous estimate - and Miami may need to look at a younger option such as Caedan Wallace at right tackle if the struggles keep coming. Against George Karlaftis, Jackson needs a cleaner showing.
Riley Patterson is also in a precarious spot. The Dolphins brought in a couple of kickers for tryouts this week, and special teams coordinator Chris Tabor let Patterson know about it. He remains the kicker for this game, but after missing a field goal in each of the first two games, his strong 27-for-29 showing in 2025 is quickly losing its protective value if the misses keep piling up.
Chop Robinson’s return comes with added attention, too. He told reporters Thursday that he’ll be wearing a Guardian cap after sustaining his fifth concussion dating back to college and his third in the last calendar year.
Miami’s pass rush has been quiet whether Robinson has been on the field or not, but he still offers the best chance to bother Patrick Mahomes. The summer buzz around Robinson has faded, and he needs to start producing in 2026 as he becomes extension-eligible with his fifth-year option decision due by next May.
Malik Willis is another player who needs to seize the moment. His first two games were uneven, which fits with his limited starting experience and a supporting cast that lacks both experience and high-end talent.
Still, if the Dolphins are going to make this one competitive, Willis has to deliver a much stronger performance. His play also feeds into what looks like a season-long evaluation for Miami as it tries to figure out how urgent the need is to draft a quarterback in 2027.
Chris Johnson rounds out the list. Any of the rookies could have landed here, because they all need to keep showing growth and prove they belong in the team’s future core.
Johnson gets the nod after a difficult first two games in coverage, even with the understanding that his job may be tougher than any other rookie’s on the roster. If he can steady himself, it would also help the Dolphins limit the damage Kansas City’s offense might be able to do.
In Other News...
Dolphins Loss May Have Exposed How Long This Rebuild Really Is
A loss to the 49ers offered a familiar kind of reminder for the Dolphins: when a roster is being torn down and rebuilt, the growing pains can show up fast. Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan have already pushed Miami into a major reset, and the rough start to the 2026 season has made it clear the work ahead is about more than just fixing one bad Sunday.
Malik Willis gives Miami a young quarterback to build around, and the front office has the kind of future cap flexibility that can help accelerate things when the timing is right. Even so, the comparison to the early Kyle Shanahan years in San Francisco is hard to ignore, because patience may be part of the plan here, and the real payoff could still be a couple of offseasons away. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Cornerback Trouble Could Force A Desperation Move
Miamis cornerback room has become one of the more uncomfortable roster questions hanging over the early part of the season, and it is pushing the Dolphins to consider options they probably did not expect to be discussing this soon. One name that has surfaced is Trevon Diggs, who is currently on the Seahawks practice squad after a career that has included real playmaking ability but also enough inconsistency to make any team think twice before leaning on him too heavily.
The appeal is obvious for a defense looking for help, especially with Jeff Hafleys system rewarding corners who can hold up in space and play with confidence. Still, Diggs is not a clean solution, and even Seattle general manager John Schneider has pointed to his late arrival and the work it has taken to get him up to speed. For Miami, the question is whether the upside is worth the gamble, or whether this is simply the kind of desperation conversation teams have when the depth chart starts to fray. [Read more 🡒]
Kyle Juszczyk Is Now Arguing Over What Dolphins Celebration Meant
Kyle Juszczyk is still bristling over a pair of fines he says came from a celebration the NFL misread after the 49ers Week 2 game against the Dolphins. The league tagged him twice for unsportsmanlike conduct, billing each infraction at $14,926, and the fullback has pushed back on the idea that his gestures crossed the line.
Juszczyks explanation has turned the episode into more than a standard postgame penalty dispute, with the veteran insisting the message was about juice rather than beer. He has left open the possibility of appealing, which keeps a small but oddly specific sideline controversy attached to a game Miami has already moved past. [Read more 🡒]