The Dolphins are heading into 2026 with a rebuild in motion, and that means every snap is part of a bigger evaluation. Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley are getting the reset started, and Miami’s roster is going to be judged as much on who emerges as on who wins.
That’s why Greg Dulcich stands out as a breakout name. The Athletic’s Jim Ayello pointed to two straightforward reasons the tight end could pop this season, and both start with opportunity.
First, the passing game depth chart around him is thin. As Ayello put it, "Let's start with the obvious: Who else is Malik Willis throwing to? The wide receiver cupboard is bare, and if the Dolphins are as bad as many expect, Willis will be throwing a lot late in games," Ayello writes.
That’s the reality in Miami right now. Malik Washington, Tutu Atwell, and Jalen Tolbert are projected as the top three receivers, with Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell, Kevin Coleman Jr., Theo Wease Jr., Tahj Washington, and Jalen Reagor among the names filling out the rest of the room. It’s not a group that screams target competition, which is exactly why Dulcich’s role at tight end looks so appealing.
The second reason is even more telling: the money. "The new Dolphins regime clearly likes Dulcich, as it paid him $3.25 million to stay in Miami," Ayello writes. "That keeps Dulcich tied to offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who was promoted to OC after being Miami's pass game coordinator last year."
Teams don’t hand out that kind of deal in a teardown unless they see a role worth keeping. Miami did, and with Darren Waller gone, Dulcich is set up as the tight-end-one.
Last season, Dulcich played in 10 games and caught 26 of 33 targets for 335 yards and a touchdown. Those aren’t eye-popping numbers, but they do show a player who was involved and efficient enough to matter.
The bigger picture matters too. Miami is carrying well over $100 million in dead cap hits in 2026 and 2027, and Dulcich’s $3.25 million commitment fits the kind of roster-building you’d expect from a team in the middle of a teardown. In that setup, volume can become value fast.
Ayello’s numbers for a possible step forward are modest enough to feel realistic: over 55 targets, over 33 receptions, over 411 yards, and over two touchdowns. If Dulcich stays healthy and gets featured the way this roster suggests he might, those marks would all be within reach. A line like 60 targets, 40 catches, 450 yards, and three touchdowns would look pretty normal for a starting tight end, if not a touch light.
That’s why Dulcich was tagged as Miami’s top breakout candidate. The path is right there.
In Other News...
Dolphins Could Have A Quarterback Fight Nobody Saw Coming
The Dolphins have spent the offseason talking about competition everywhere, with Jeff Hafley and Jon-Eric Sullivan making it clear that the best players will play. Quarterback has been the one obvious exception so far, but the position is starting to look less settled than it did when camp opened, especially with a young challenger pushing to make the decision harder than expected.
Malik Willis enters the summer with the job, and Quinn Ewers is the name to watch as training camp unfolds. If Ewers keeps building on the flashes he showed in OTAs and minicamp, Miami could find itself with a real conversation on its hands, one complicated by the kind of contract and expectations that make every rough stretch feel bigger than it should. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Suddenly Have Real Hope At Their Biggest Camp Concern
The Dolphins came into the spring with one of their biggest question marks sitting in the secondary, a group that looked thin on paper and easy to worry about heading toward training camp. But OTAs and minicamps have offered a different picture under defensive coordinator Sean Duggan and coach Jeff Hafley, with the young defensive backs showing enough progress to make the position feel less like a liability and more like a work in progress with real upside.
Rookie Chris Johnson has helped change the tone, and Jason Marshall has done enough to put himself in position to matter right away. Miami still appears committed to building this out from within rather than chasing outside help, which makes the next few weeks important for a unit trying to grow together before the pads come on and the depth chart gets serious. [Read more 🡒]
Why This Dolphins Rebuild Feels Different Heading Into Camp
Training camp arrives with the Dolphins in a familiar place on the calendar but a different place in spirit. This rebuild has a cleaner organizational feel, with head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan aligned on the same vision for the culture and identity they want to build. After years of turnover and mixed messages, that kind of unity matters as much as any depth chart battle when a team is trying to reset itself.
The contrast with the last reboot in 2019 is hard to miss, especially for a franchise that knows how quickly a promising plan can unravel when the people in charge are not pulling the same way. Miami is also preparing to spend the season developing young players and living with the reality that it will be an underdog in nearly every game, which makes the long view even more important. The bigger question now is whether this version of the rebuild can stay coordinated once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]