The Miami Dolphins’ 2026 season is being treated like a reset, and the front office is moving like it knows exactly what that means. With the salary cap getting back in order and the roster shifting away from older veterans in win-now mode, Miami is leaning into younger players who can help build the team into a steady AFC threat.
That approach has been deliberate under first-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, who has put a premium on draft picks and younger talent. The veterans added along the way have largely been short-term, prove-it types, part of a rebuild that looks different from the club’s past attempts.
Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post called this version of the Dolphins’ rebuild “smarter” than the ones that came before.
So far, first-year Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has worked out splendidly.
It’s been Sully Strike after Sully Strike after Sully Strike…
And this is where you tell me Sullivan chose quarterback Malik Willis in free agency and it has not gone well, through five games. And you have a point.
And this is where I tell you that 0-5 surprises nobody and all that matters is that Miami learns it has added some quality young pieces.
And this is where I tell you that Miami has the rest of the season to make a more complete determination on what Willis is or is not. And I will also tell you that Miami is not overly-leveraged on Willis.
There are also injury developments worth watching coming out of the bye week. Rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas was limited in his return to practice on Monday after dealing with an ankle injury.
David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel noted that Malik Willis appears to be fine after the bye week, after he wasn’t seen throwing at a practice last week.
On the Dolphins’ beat, the bye week was framed as a chance to reset, and it also came with optimism around Douglas’ potential return. C. Isaiah Smalls II reported that Douglas could be back at practice in Week 7, while Marek Brave wrote that head coach Jeff Hafley is optimistic the rookie pass catcher could return this weekend.
The wider conversation around Miami also includes trade speculation and a few familiar names. One report raised the question of whether Zach Sieler wants to be traded away from Miami, though he said, “I want to win here as a Dolphin.”
There’s also a look ahead to the trade deadline, with Austin Jackson and Brian Thomas Jr. among the players drawing speculation, and the Week 7 matchup with the Jets is already seeing the opening odds get a little tighter.
For now, though, the biggest picture around Miami remains the same: a franchise trying to build the right way, with younger pieces, shorter commitments, and enough patience to find out what this version of the Dolphins can become.
In Other News...
Dolphins Free Agents Are Already Creating A Tough Roster Decision
The Dolphins are already staring at an early roster squeeze, with 22 players set to hit some form of free agency in 2026. That group includes 12 unrestricted free agents, five restricted free agents and five exclusive rights free agents, which means the front office is going to have to start sorting out which pieces are worth keeping long before the 2027 picture comes into focus.
Some of the names in that mix are obvious candidates to draw attention because of their performance and the teams needs, while others may not even make it to the finish line of the current season. Miami has several decisions coming at once, and the challenge is not just identifying who fits, but figuring out which contracts, roles and priorities make the most sense when the next round of roster building begins. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Deadline Approach Puts Even Zach Sieler In Play
As the NFL trade deadline draws closer, Miamis rebuild has put just about everyone on the roster under a different kind of scrutiny, and Zach Sieler has not been exempt. The veteran defensive tackle acknowledged the rumors swirling around him, even as the Dolphins continue to weigh whether moving established players now can help restock the draft capital they need for the long haul.
General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan is said to be open to listening on trade possibilities, a sign that Miami is looking at the bigger picture rather than clinging to short-term comfort. For Sieler, that leaves a familiar tension around a veteran on a team in transition: a productive player wants clarity, the front office wants flexibility, and the deadline can force both sides into a decision neither can fully control. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Could Revisit A Dolphins Trade Idea Fans Know Well
Jerry Jones is already talking like the Cowboys can still climb back into the NFC East race, and with Dallas sitting at 2-4, the trade deadline looks like a real pivot point. The owner and general manager has said the team could be active, while coach Brian Schottenheimer has voiced confidence that a turnaround is still in play. With draft picks to work with and a need to upgrade the pass rush, Dallas is being linked to a few possible fixes as the speculation starts to heat up.
One of the names that keeps surfacing will feel familiar to Dolphins fans, and not in a casual way. Miamis defense has already made a strong investment at linebacker, so any renewed Dallas interest would come with plenty of context from earlier in the year and a reminder that the Cowboys have been poking around this fit for a while. Whether the deadline brings a real push or just more smoke, it is another sign that the market around Miamis roster could stay active. [Read more 🡒]