The Miami Dolphins’ new regime has already gotten real production out of a chunk of Chris Grier’s draft haul, and the contrast is pretty stark. Of the 13 players the Dolphins selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, more than half are already making a positive impact, and six are starters. That’s a very different story from what Grier’s classes had been giving them before the coaching and executive overhaul in South Florida.
There are still 13 players left from Grier’s time with the team, including six of the seven drafted in 2025 and four of the seven from 2024. Austin Jackson is the longest-tenured holdover, having come in back in 2020 with Tua Tagovailoa and Noah Igbinoghene. Jackson is likely headed out after this season because of his contract situation, but a handful of the other surviving picks are either thriving under Jeff Hafley or falling short of what the Dolphins need.
Jonah Savaiinaea has been one of the clearest success stories. The 2025 second-round guard looked like a bust after his first season, but that has flipped quickly.
He’s now showing his value and has become the best lineman on the right side. In Week 8, he was flagged for his first penalty of the season, and he still hasn’t allowed a sack.
No former Grier pick has benefited more from the coaching change.
Malik Washington is another player who has taken a step forward. The Dolphins believed they had landed a steal when they picked him in the sixth round in 2024, but he never really got the chance to show it.
Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle were the focal points of Mike McDaniel’s offense, and Washington struggled when they weren’t on the field. That’s changed this year.
After putting up 317 receiving yards last season, he already has 329 through seven games.
Chop Robinson’s path has been more uneven, but the signs are there. His rookie year had flashes.
His second season didn’t deliver much. He also started this year slowly, but the staff has stayed with him and worked on his technique.
The payoff is showing up in the pressure numbers: Robinson is now tied for second in QB pressure percentage at 21.2%, according to Sumer Sports.
Dante Trader has also moved into a bigger role. The 2025 fifth-round safety showed promise as a rookie, but the Dolphins didn’t trust him enough to let him start or play major snaps.
This season, that has changed. He’s starting next to rookie Michael Taaffe, and he has clearly taken a step forward.
Not every former Grier pick is on the rise, though.
Kenneth Grant has not delivered like a first-round defensive tackle should. The Dolphins may even want to sit him and lean more on Zach Sieler, Jordan Phillips, and Zeek Biggers.
Since Grant returned, Miami’s run defense hasn’t looked as physically imposing, and what had been a strength earlier in the year has faded. Grant is part of that slide, and so far the coaching staff hasn’t gotten him to another level.
The same goes for Wright. He was supposed to challenge De’Von Achane for carries after he was drafted, but that never happened.
He was supposed to be the dependable backup in 2025, and that didn’t happen either. Going into 2026, he had the inside track to back up Achane again.
Then Achane went down early, Wright got hurt, and Ollie Gordon II stepped in and hasn’t given the job back. Wright still has ability, but he hasn’t taken advantage of the chances in front of him.
In Other News...
Jonah Savaiinaea Is Making The Dolphins Rethink A Major Concern
Jonah Savaiinaea has gone from a question mark to one of the more encouraging developments on the Dolphins offensive line this season. After a rocky rookie year, the guard has looked far more settled in 2025, showing the kind of steady play Miami has been searching for as it tries to firm up protection and keep its offense on schedule.
The progress has not happened in a vacuum. A different coaching voice and a more demanding schematic approach under Jeff Hafley appear to have pushed Savaiinaea in the right direction, and the early results are hard to ignore. For a team that entered the year with real concern about the interior line, his growth is starting to make that problem look a little less urgent. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Rookie Rotation Suddenly Raises Questions On Both Sides
The Dolphins rookie usage against New England offered a clear look at how thin the margins can get in a single game. With Kadyn Proctor out because of a concussion, Miami had to shuffle its options up front, while backup quarterback Kyle McCord and offensive lineman Andrew Meyer were active but never got onto the field. On offense, Caleb Douglas ended up carrying the heaviest rookie load, logging the most snaps among the first-year group as the Dolphins leaned on younger depth in key spots.
Will Kacmareks role was far more limited, and his reduced workload stood out in a game where the rookie rotation was already in flux. On the other side of the ball, four defenders played every snap, Kyle Louis returned from injury for a season-high workload, and new additions Chukwuebuka Godrick and Kaytron Allen both made their first appearances of the season in brief cameos. For Miami, the bigger question is how these pieces fit once the roster is closer to full strength. [Read more 🡒]
Larry Csonka Loved What Kept The Dolphins Alone In History
The last unbeaten team in the 2026 NFL season finally fell when the Minnesota Vikings lost to the Detroit Lions, and it sent an old piece of Miami Dolphins history back into the spotlight. For the only team to finish a season perfect, it was a reminder that the 1972 Dolphins still stand alone, and one of the men who helped make that happen was more than happy to see the record remain untouched.
Larry Csonka, the Hall of Fame fullback from that unbeaten Miami squad, celebrated the moment on social media, a fitting reaction from a player whose career and legacy are still tied to that remarkable run. The 1972 team remains one of the leagues defining benchmarks, built around key players and coach Don Shula, and every time the final undefeated contender goes down, the Dolphins place in history gets another little jolt of attention. [Read more 🡒]