Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley is walking into a season loaded with uncertainty, and the questions hanging over him are as much about survival as they are about progress. With general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan having cleared out most of the veteran core in favor of a major youth movement, the Dolphins are asking a lot from a reshaped roster right away.
That makes training camp a critical checkpoint. Before Week 1 arrives, Hafley needs to show there’s a plan for how this team can function, who can handle the pressure spots, and what a realistic first-year win total even looks like.
One of the biggest decisions centers on rookie first-round pick Chris Johnson. The Dolphins are comfortable giving him a lot to handle, but that doesn’t answer the bigger question: can he actually thrive while bouncing between boundary corner and nickelback duties?
Johnson has been cross-training on the perimeter and in the slot, though that feels more like a necessity than proof he can handle the job. Miami doesn’t have a deep cornerback room, and if you set aside the oft-injured JuJu Brents, the options get thin fast.
In theory, Johnson is already the CB1 because of where he was drafted. The problem is slot corner remains a major question mark.
Minkah Fitzpatrick is gone, Jason Marshall Jr. is moving outside, and Johnson could end up getting pushed into nickel work by default while Hafley leans on Brents and Marshall on the boundary. That would be a risky place to start for a rookie, and if Johnson struggles inside, Hafley is going to hear about it immediately.
The other issue that could define the season is the offensive line and how well it protects Malik Willis. There’s reason to believe the Dolphins can still move the ball on the ground.
De'Von Achane and Willis could both rack up yards, and the line is built to help there. But the passing game is where the concern kicks in, especially if Miami spends plenty of time trailing and is forced into obvious passing situations.
The personnel changes along the line haven’t exactly erased the worry. Jonah Savaiinaea is shifting from left guard to right guard, where he played more often at Arizona, but last season he was the worst guard in the sport.
First-round pick Kadyn Proctor played left tackle at Alabama, and Patrick Paul is moving inside to left guard. Paul should help in the run game, but his pass-protection issues are still there.
Willis can create some chaos with his legs and extend plays, but the Dolphins’ receiving group doesn’t feature many difference-makers, and the line has already shown problems in pass protection during the Mike McDaniel era.
That leaves Hafley with one obvious path: make the defense good enough to let Miami lean into its run game and control the ball. That may be the team’s best shot at a workable formula in 2026.
Then there’s the broadest question of all: what would a successful first season even be? If Hafley doesn’t improve on last year’s 7-10 record, that’s going to be viewed as a letdown.
Bill Parcells’ line still applies: "You are what your record says you are." And if Hafley is truly an upgrade, there’s no easy way around the idea that the Dolphins should at least be able to stay within shouting distance of .500.
The reality, though, is less flattering. Given how tough the schedule looks and how often Miami figures to be the underdog, a successful year may simply mean a small step back rather than a collapse. A 6-11 finish would count as an achievement in that context.
In Other News...
ESPN Just Backed The Dolphins Reset In A Way Fans Wont Expect
The Dolphins spent the 2026 offseason acting like a team that was willing to take a hard look at its own timeline and start over. Miami reshaped the roster in a major way, added Malik Willis at quarterback, and turned to the draft to help rebuild the receiver room with Chris Bell, Caleb Douglas and Kevin Coleman Jr. all brought in as part of the effort to add depth and flexibility on offense.
ESPNs offseason review reflected that direction, giving Miami an A- and framing the operation as a full reset rather than a quick patch job. The encouraging part for Dolphins fans is that the plan does not stop with the moves already made, since the organization appears to be setting itself up to keep improving from here, with more room to maneuver down the road than many teams in this situation usually have. [Read more 🡒]
Tyreek Hills Next Chapter Is Already Taking Shape Without Miami
Tyreek Hills next move is still taking shape, but it is no longer tied to Miami. After the Dolphins moved on from the veteran receiver, the focus has shifted to his recovery and what his market might look like once he is ready to play again. At 32, Hill has been documenting the rehabilitation process from the knee injury that ended his previous season, keeping his name in the conversation even without a team attached.
A mini-documentary has offered a glimpse into that comeback, including a doctor check-up and a message that his progress is going in the right direction. If Hill does hit the open market for his next NFL chapter, several clubs have already been floated as possible fits, with Baltimore, Washington and Atlanta among the teams mentioned. For now, though, the only certainty is that Hills return to the field will draw plenty of attention wherever it lands. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Suddenly Have A Tight End Problem They Thought Was Solved
The Dolphins brought in Ben Sims to compete for a roster spot, adding another body to a tight end room that still needs sorting as camp approaches. Sims, who has spent time with the Packers and Vikings, is viewed mostly as a blocking tight end, and Miami is betting that his familiarity with the job can at least give the group a steady in-line option.
So far, though, Sims has not made a strong enough early impression during offseason work to lock anything down. Miami is still hopeful he can take a step once training camp starts, but if that doesn't happen, the team may not just stand pat and wait for the answer to arrive on its own. [Read more 🡒]