The Miami Dolphins head into 2026 with the kind of outlook that keeps the spotlight on the schedule as much as the roster. A new regime is in place, the team has been gutted, and expectations are low. There’s work to do before anyone starts talking about a return to winning ways.
Even so, a couple of games stand out right away. In December, Miami goes to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers, which also means a meeting with Jeff Hafley’s old team. The very next week brings another notable matchup, this one against the Los Angeles Chargers and an offense run by Mike McDaniel.
That’s the kind of stretch that gives the Dolphins’ 2026 slate a little extra intrigue, even in a season built around transition.
Elsewhere around the team, the quarterback conversation continues to center on Malik Willis. History suggests the Dolphins are aiming in the right direction as they build around him, because many of the successful quarterbacks who have looked like Willis in recent years share a few traits with what Miami is doing now.
On the roster side, one of the bigger questions is which rookie will end up playing the most. The answer could be straightforward, but it is also tied up in a few moving parts that no single player can fully control.
There’s also fresh attention on Jeff Hafley after his first year, while ESPN handed the Dolphins an A- in its annual offseason grades. And in a separate move away from the field, owner Stephen Ross donated $100,000 to Venezuelan relief efforts.
For now, though, the bigger picture is simple: Miami is entering another season under a new regime, with major roster turnover and plenty of uncertainty hanging over the team.
In Other News...
Dolphins May Finally Have A True WR1 Path In 2027
Miamis wide receiver room has taken a real hit since Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle moved on, and the long-term answer at the position is still very much a work in progress. For a team that has leaned on speed and separation for so long, the idea of finally landing a true No. 1 receiver in 2027 is starting to look less like wishful thinking and more like a plan worth tracking.
The free-agent market that year could offer the Dolphins a chance to reset the room with a proven centerpiece, especially if the right names actually make it to market. Puka Nacua, George Pickens, Chris Olave and Michael Wilson are all on the radar as potential options, but each comes with its own set of variables that could shape whether Miami can realistically make a run at one of them. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Already Have An Early QB Problem They Cannot Ignore
Quarterback uncertainty is already part of the conversation in Miami, where Malik Willis has been mentioned as one of the more vulnerable starters heading into 2026. The appeal is easy to see from a roster-building standpoint, but the concerns are just as obvious: Willis still has very little NFL experience, and the Dolphins also have Quinn Ewers sitting there as a younger alternative if the season starts to tilt the wrong way.
Arizonas situation is similar in shape, even if the names are different, which is why these kinds of offseason rankings tend to linger. Jacoby Brissett has long been viewed as a steady hand, but after starting 12 games in 2025 and finishing with a 1-11 record, the margin for patience can shrink quickly. For Miami, the bigger question is whether Willis gets a real runway or becomes the next quarterback whose leash is shorter than the team would prefer. [Read more 🡒]
Former Cowboys Ballhawk Suddenly Floated As Cheap Reunion Bet Elsewhere
As Miami keeps chipping away at its roster rebuild, cornerback remains one of the spots worth watching. The Dolphins have been linked in speculation to a familiar name in the secondary, a player with enough past ball production to make him intriguing if the price is right, and enough uncertainty to keep the discussion in the bargain-bin range rather than the splashy one.
Moe Motons note on the possibility fits the kind of low-risk, high-upside thinking that often follows a team trying to patch depth without tying up much cap space. For Miami, the appeal is obvious: a veteran who could come in on a short prove-it deal and push for a role in the cornerback rotation, but the report stops short of saying whether the Dolphins are actually moving in that direction. [Read more 🡒]