The Miami Dolphins spent the offseason tearing things down and rebuilding fast.
By the time they got to 2026, the front office had a new leader in Jon-Eric Sullivan, Jeff Hafley was in charge of the coaching staff, and Malik Willis - a former third-round pick - was set to open the year at quarterback. It was a sweeping reset, one that touched the roster, the sideline and the direction of the franchise all at once.
Not everyone is buying in yet. NFL.com’s Matt Okada handed Miami a C in his offseason report card, and his assessment centered on how aggressive - and how uneven - the overhaul looked.
"The Dolphins’ 2026 offseason was one of the starkest examples of “eyes on the future” we’ve ever seen," Okada wrote. "They released or traded nearly a dozen players, including former staples like Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Waddle, Bradley Chubb and Minkah Fitzpatrick.
They hired Jeff Hafley to replace Mike McDaniel at head coach and signed unproven Packers backup QB Willis to lead Bobby Slowik's offense. They also made a league-high 13 picks in the draft, including OT Kadyn Proctor and CB Chris Johnson in the first round.
"Even in the context of a rebuild, Miami’s moves felt a little disjointed: signing Willis to a three-year deal instead of tapping an inexpensive bridge QB; extending Achane for four years while shipping Waddle to Denver; and trading down in the first round, ultimately passing on a potential defensive game-changer like Caleb Downs. We won’t see the whole structure for another couple of years, but so far, I'm not convinced by the foundation."
Miami clearly chose youth and draft capital over keeping the old core intact. That kind of reset can buy a team time, but it can also make the immediate future look rough. The Dolphins may not stack up many wins in 2026, but if the goal is to identify who belongs in the long-term plan, that alone would make this offseason matter.
In Other News...
Former Dolphins Draft Bust Found An Unexpected Second Act In Football
Michael Egnews NFL run with Miami never came close to matching the expectations that came with a third-round pick in 2012. The former tight end managed only seven catches over two seasons before his time with the Dolphins ended, a quick and disappointing chapter that could have been the whole story.
Instead, Egnew found a second act in coaching, and it has taken root in Columbia, Missouri, where he has helped build Father Tolton High School into a far more competitive program. Since taking over in 2019, the team has climbed from a 1-9 season in 2020 to an 11-1 finish in 2023, capped by a conference championship, with Egnew stressing hard work and a winning standard along the way. [Read more 🡒]
Former Steelers Tight End Suddenly Draws New AFC Buzz
Jonnu Smiths name is back in the AFC conversation after a strong run with Miami reminded teams what he can still bring to an offense. The former Dolphins Pro Bowler was one of the more productive tight ends in the league during his 2024 season in South Florida, a sharp contrast to the quieter year he had the season before, when his role and production dipped after leaving Miami.
For the Dolphins, Smiths market matters because it reinforces how valuable that Miami stretch was in reshaping his reputation around the league. A recent CBS Sports link to Denver reflects the kind of attention he can still draw when teams are looking for help at tight end, and it also says plenty about how his name now sits in the AFC mix as clubs search for a reliable answer at a position that has not produced enough. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Payton Reportedly Had A Petty Dolphins Revenge Scheme
Sean Payton was apparently willing to get creative in his long-running football rivalry with the Dolphins, according to an ESPN report by Seth Wickersham. The piece says Payton once mulled a convoluted plan involving the Broncos that would have opened the door for Bill Belichick to make a run at one of Don Shulas most cherished markers, a reminder of how much history still hangs over Miamis place in the NFL record book.
The scheme never got off the ground because it was judged too complicated, and Belichick ended up taking the college route at North Carolina instead of returning to the league. Even so, the report adds another layer to the old Shula shadow that still follows the Dolphins, with Paytons reported thinking showing just how far some around the game will go when that record comes into view. [Read more 🡒]