Florida’s three NFL teams head into the 2026 season with three different blueprints, and that’s what makes the state such a fascinating watch. The Dolphins are leaning into speed.
The Buccaneers are banking on execution and pressure. The Jaguars are trying to keep their AFC South momentum rolling after last season’s division title.
For Miami, the identity starts with how fast the offense can go and how many ways it can stress a defense. The Dolphins want explosive plays from all over the formation, and that means the margins matter: staying on schedule, keeping possession, and avoiding the kind of stalled drives that can bog down a game against strong divisional fronts.
De’Von Achane is a key piece in that plan. His burst makes him dangerous on the edge, and his work as a receiver gives Miami another way to create problems for linebackers and defensive backs.
Jaylen Wright adds depth in the backfield and gives the Dolphins a different running style to mix in.
The passing game gives Miami more layers to work with. Malik Washington can help in the intermediate areas and underneath, while Jalen Tolbert offers another option who can stretch coverage. The Dolphins’ offense is going to be judged on how well those pieces connect - protecting the ball, sustaining drives, and turning third downs into first downs.
Tampa Bay’s attack is built a little differently. The Buccaneers come into the year with Baker Mayfield at quarterback and a skill group that blends experience with youth.
That combination gives Tampa Bay a chance to attack defenses in multiple ways, but it still starts up front. Strong offensive line play will be a major factor as Mayfield works through NFC South opponents.
Chris Godwin Jr. brings a steady veteran presence to the receiving corps, and Emeka Egbuka adds another wrinkle to the passing game. Godwin’s route-running fits naturally on shorter and intermediate throws, while Egbuka gives the Buccaneers a player who can challenge defenses deeper downfield. That mix gives Mayfield different answers depending on what the coverage looks like.
The other side of the ball matters just as much in Tampa Bay’s case. The Buccaneers are built to create pressure, with Calijah Kancey and Yaya Diaby among the players who can get after the quarterback.
If that pressure shows up consistently, it can shorten the clock for opposing passers and help the secondary. Tampa Bay also has to hold up against the run.
Forcing longer third downs would put the pass rush in position to do more damage, and that’s a key area to watch through the division schedule.
Jacksonville enters the season with a different kind of confidence after winning the AFC South last year, and Liam Coen now leads the team into 2026. Trevor Lawrence remains the centerpiece of the offense, and the Jaguars are aiming for consistency through the passing game while keeping turnovers down. Red-zone efficiency could matter a lot in the tight games that tend to shape a division race.
Brian Thomas Jr. gives Lawrence a downfield threat who can create plays beyond the short game, while Jakobi Meyers offers a reliable target when Jacksonville needs to keep the chains moving. The two receivers bring different strengths, and that gives Lawrence options when defenses start changing looks.
On defense, Jacksonville is counting on its edge rush to set the tone. Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker headline that group, and both can pressure quarterbacks from the outside. That kind of pressure affects how offenses build protection and how they try to develop passing plays.
The challenge for the Jaguars is getting that rush without leaving the back end exposed. If Jacksonville can generate pressure with the front four, it can let the secondary stay focused on receivers and tight ends. That balance will be a major part of how the Jaguars navigate another tough AFC South slate.
Three teams, three directions. Miami is chasing offensive speed and versatility.
Tampa Bay is built around veteran quarterback play, young playmakers, and a defense that wants to bring heat. Jacksonville is trying to carry last season’s division success into another year with Lawrence and a group that can impact games on both sides of the ball.
In Other News...
Dolphins Blowout Loss Put One Rookie At The Center Of A Bigger Question
The Dolphins 35-13 loss to the 49ers was rough in plenty of places, but it also put a spotlight on one of the few bright spots from a rookie who has already started to carve out a role. Jacob Rodriguez followed up his Week 1 showing with 8 combined tackles against San Francisco, another active day for a first-year linebacker trying to find his footing while Miami searches for answers elsewhere on defense.
Rodriguezs early production matters because the Dolphins need young players to keep growing if they want the roster to take shape the way they hope. In a game where the final margin told the bigger story, his workload and tackle total stood out as a reminder that Miamis future may depend as much on rookie development as on fixing what went wrong in the present. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Could Turn Useful Depth Into Something Bigger At The Deadline
The Dolphins have enough roster depth to at least start listening as the NFL trade deadline approaches, and that makes a few familiar names worth watching. Austin Jacksons contract status gives Miami a natural lever if it wants to reshape the offensive line picture, while younger pieces such as Chop Robinson, Kenneth Grant and Jaylen Wright could draw interest because they still carry upside and team control.
Miamis situation is the kind that can create real deadline movement: useful players, a front office willing to think in draft picks, and other teams always searching for help before the stretch run. The question is not whether those names make sense on paper, but whether the Dolphins are willing to turn depth into something bigger when the offers get serious. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Have One Bigger Problem Than Their 0-2 Start
Through two weeks of the 2026 season, the AFC East already has a clear front-runner and a clear team trying to dig out of an early hole. The Bills sit atop the division at 2-0, backed by strong play from Josh Allen and a defense that has set the tone, while the Jets and Patriots have landed in the middle at 1-1 and at least shown signs they can stay in the race. Miami, meanwhile, is stuck at the bottom after an 0-2 start and an offense that has yet to find much traction.
The record is the easy part to see, but the bigger concern for the Dolphins is the way the start has looked. In a division where the margins already feel tight, Miami is not just chasing wins, it is chasing a version of itself that can keep pace with the teams around it. The early rankings make that gap obvious, and they leave the Dolphins needing a fast answer before the season starts to harden around them. [Read more 🡒]