The Miami Dolphins’ offseason has drawn plenty of reaction, and not all of it has been kind. But ESPN’s Seth Walder saw enough to hand the team an A-minus and rank its work third in the league, behind only the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Chargers.
That kind of grade makes one thing clear: Miami’s front office has made a choice, even if it never says it out loud. Under new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley, the Dolphins tore into their roster and moved on from several big-name, big-money veterans, including Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Bradley Chubb and Minkah Fitzpatrick. The result was a thinner roster and a record amount of dead cap space, with money still tied to players who are no longer there.
In plain terms, the Dolphins have accepted a step back in 2026 in exchange for a chance to move forward quickly after that, maybe as soon as 2027. This is a rebuild, whether anyone in the building wants to use that word or not. After years of coming up short of the real goal - or even the smaller one of winning a playoff game - Miami decided the old approach wasn’t enough.
Walder’s one real concern centered on the receiver room, especially after the team traded Waddle following Hill’s release. That left new quarterback Malik Willis without much proven help on the outside. Miami’s current top six at wide receiver includes two veteran newcomers in Tutu Atwell and Jalen Tolbert, three rookie draft picks in Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell and Kevin Coleman Jr., plus Malik Washington, who led the returning group with a 6.9-yard receiving average.
That lack of established talent will make Willis’ job harder in 2026. But it also shouldn’t stop Sullivan and Hafley from learning what they need to know about him. If Willis isn’t the answer, the Dolphins can still pivot, whether that means going after another quarterback or looking toward the top of the 2027 draft.
Walder put it this way: "Considering the Dolphins rank third in 2027 cap space, per OverTheCap.com, could they have added a middle-class free agent at wide receiver, edge rusher, tight end, cornerback or safety to raise the floor? Sure. But it's hard to knock them too much considering how intentional they've been about their rebuild."
That intentionality has shown up in the way Miami has handled its roster all offseason. Outside of Willis, the Dolphins have mostly targeted players on one-year, prove-it deals, usually at or near the veteran minimum. He’s the only newcomer whose 2026 cap hit will even get to $2 million.
Atwell is a good example. He made $10 million with the Los Angeles Rams in 2025, then signed with Miami for one year and $1.3 million.
So when the usual offseason chatter starts linking the Dolphins to names like Stefon Diggs, Trevon Diggs, DeAndre Hopkins, Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk, the fit just doesn’t line up with what Miami has actually done. The Dolphins keep getting mentioned, but their spending pattern says something different.
Their only notable spending has come through the extensions for De'Von Achane and Aaron Brewer, with Jordyn Brooks possibly next, along with the signing of Willis. And if more additions come later, there’s every reason to expect the same kind of low-cost, short-term approach.
Miami has stayed true to its blueprint. The rebuild is the plan, and the Dolphins don’t appear ready to deviate from it.
In Other News...
Raiders Week 1 Quarterback Picture Just Got More Interesting For Dolphins Fans
The Raiders quarterback room suddenly looks a lot more settled than it did when they drafted Fernando Mendoza first overall in the 2026 NFL draft. Las Vegas also brought in Kirk Cousins during the offseason, and while training camp will sort out the depth chart, the setup gives the Raiders a veteran option while they ease their rookie into the long view as their future franchise passer.
For Miami, the intrigue is obvious because the Week 1 opponent may be preparing with Cousins in mind rather than a first-year quarterback. Mendoza has reportedly earned praise for his work ethic and leadership, but he has also gone through the usual rookie growing pains in practice, and the Raiders do not appear to be in a rush to force the issue with him while Cousins is available. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Draft Class Is Already Fueling A Rebuild Debate
Miamis 2026 draft haul is already inviting a familiar kind of debate, the one that starts the moment a front office leans into a rebuild and begins betting on traits, upside and development timelines. The Dolphins used their first three picks on offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor, cornerback Chris Johnson and linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, and all three were good enough to land inside NFL draft analyst Justin Melos top 50 prospects, a sign that the class has plenty of believers even before a snap is played.
Melos rankings only sharpen the conversation around how Miami is approaching the class. Johnson checked in at No. 23 and Rodriguez at No. 28, while Proctor came in at No. 31, which makes the tackle selection feel like the most polarizing piece of the group. The Dolphins are planning to start Proctor at guard before eventually shifting him outside, and whether that looks like a smart long-term development plan or a costly early reach is the kind of question that will follow this class well beyond draft weekend. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Face A Tough Receiver Decision That Could Shape Malik Willis
The Dolphins have spent the offseason reworking their receiver room, moving on from Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and trying to patch the depth chart with Tutu Atwell, Jalen Tolbert and three rookies from the 2026 draft. It is the kind of reset that can make sense on paper, but it also leaves a young group with plenty to learn and not much proven help around it.
Jon-Eric Sullivan still has time to decide whether that room needs a veteran stabilizer, and the options would not be short on name value. Stefon Diggs, Deebo Samuel and Keenan Allen all fit the sort of mentorship role Miami could be weighing, but the front office has not yet tipped its hand as the offseason continues to unfold. [Read more 🡒]