Offseason In Review: Miami Dolphins

In 2019, the Dolphins launched one of the most aggressive rebuilds in modern NFL history. The Chris Grier-led overhaul did eventually produce some success, with the GM’s 2022 Mike McDaniel hire leading to the franchise’s first instance of back-to-back playoff berths since the early 2000s. But the McDaniel- and Tua Tagovailoa-centered turnaround did not last. The Dolphins moved on from Grier last fall and, after some consideration was given to pairing McDaniel with a new GM, the team started fresh in 2026.

After we covered the team’s decisions to reboot around GM Jon-Eric Sullivan and HC Jeff Hafley in our Offseason Outlook series, the Dolphins’ latest rebuild came into focus. The team made two trades, one a blockbuster, and 13 draft choices. The team also identified Malik Willis as its Tagovailoa successor, but long-term questions remain. Willis also will be leading a roster carrying a record amount of dead money, thanks in large part to the team’s decision to bail on the Tagovailoa contract two years in.

Trades:

Barely a week after agreeing to terms with Willis, the Dolphins dismantled their long-running wide receiver duo. Having already cut Tyreek Hill in an expected cap-casualty move, Miami ended a five-year partnership with Waddle by sending him to Denver. Waddle, 27, brought back a quality return — one that bettered what the Eagles received for A.J. Brown — and will be expected to turbocharge a Broncos offense that has relied on Courtland Sutton as its clear No. 1 target for the past two seasons. As a Sutton-Waddle duo looks like one of the NFL’s best, the Dolphins created a gaping hole at receiver by trading the former No. 6 overall pick.

The Bills are believed to have offered first- and third-round picks for Waddle at the 2025 deadline, but interim GM Champ Kelly wanted more to send his top healthy pass catcher to a division rival. Buffalo was prepared to part with a 2027 first-round pick and a 2026 third, but Miami decisionmakers wanted a first in the ’26 draft. The Broncos, who were involved in the Waddle market at last year’s deadline, obliged and sent the Dolphins’ new regime their first-round pick.

A February report indicated the Dolphins viewed Waddle as a core player and were unlikely to move on via trade, and it is not believed the team aggressively shopped him. Talks with the Broncos after the Combine became a launch point, however, with the Sean Payton–George Paton regime huddling up with Sullivan after gauging the Kelly-led front office’s price point months earlier. A Dolphins team taking on a record-setting $99.2MM in Tagovailoa dead money decided the Broncos’ offer was sufficient for a centerpiece player drafted by the Grier regime.

Removing Waddle from the Dolphins’ receiving corps will assuredly deal a blow to Willis’ chances of putting quality work on film this season, as the new Miami QB is saddled with easily one of the NFL’s worst pass-catching crews. Willis committed to the Dolphins with Waddle still rostered, and while Sullivan confirmed the quarterback received advanced notice about the trade, the former Packers backup did not have that information when he signed as a free agent. Willis will be following Sullivan and Hafley from Green Bay, and the $45MM guarantee at signing did plenty of work to facilitate that. But this QB job looks a bit less promising after the Waddle move.

The Dolphins did trade a No. 3 overall pick for future Hall of Famer Paul Warfield in 1970, but Waddle is the highest-drafted wideout in team history. The former Alabama speedster enticed the Dolphins to trade their 2022 first-round pick (to the Eagles) to move up from No. 12 to No. 6 in 2021, and after Waddle worked as the club’s No. 1 target as a rookie, he shifted into a high-profile sidekick role alongside Hill in 2022. Waddle started his career with three 1,000-yard seasons and played a central role in the Dolphins’ early-2020s resurgence, leading to a 2024 extension.

Miami handed Waddle a three-year, $84.75MM extension that included a franchise WR record in total guarantees ($76MM). Three years remain on the deal, one that now represents $23.23MM in dead money. The Dolphins will be free of the Waddle contract after 2026. Miami’s ’26 cap sheet has seven eight-figure dead money hits. Miami’s previous trade brought one of them.

Several days earlier, the Dolphins capped a Fitzpatrick stint at one year for the second time. The team had traded the former first-round pick after his 2018 rookie season, as Grier gutted the roster, but had reacquired him from the Steelers as part of the Jalen Ramsey trade. As Sullivan performs similarly aggressive roster surgery, Fitzpatrick found himself traded for a third time.

Grier both traded and acquired Fitzpatrick as the Dolphins’ top decisionmaker, but the former All-Pro safety’s return did not lead to a Miami turnaround. However, Pro Football Focus ranked Fitzpatrick fifth overall among safeties last season. The team’s new regime still shopped the ninth-year veteran shortly before the 2026 league year, and it did not take much to move on.

A mid-seventh-round pick sent the 29-year-old DB to a division rival. After his trade back to Miami brought no guaranteed money added, New York authorized a three-year, $40MM extension that brought $20.5MM guaranteed at signing. Fitzpatrick counts $12.99MM in 2026 Dolphins dead money.

Extensions and restructures:

Miami’s 2019 rebuild featured two blockbuster trades of core talent, with Fitzpatrick and Laremy Tunsil moved, and Ryan Tannehill dealt for mid-round draft capital. Although the Dolphins stripped their roster of several core players via cuts and trades this year, they did make multiple holdovers priorities.

Kept out of trade talks, Achane landed a top-three running back contract. The Dolphins have the speedy back on a $16MM-per-year deal that trails only Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey in AAV.

With $27.38MM guaranteed in total, Achane secured two fully guaranteed years and will see a $3MM early guarantee (March 2027) on his 2028 salary. Another $7MM of Achane’s 2028 compensation will become guaranteed in March 2028, providing some early security. This marks a change for a Dolphins franchise that had not invested heavily in RB second contracts under recent regimes.

The Dolphins did not re-sign previous draftees Kenyan Drake, Jay Ajayi or Lamar Miller during the 2010s. Former top-five pick Ronnie Brown also left as a 2010 free agent. Miami hadn’t handed one of its RB draftees a notable extension in decades. The team had used veteran additions like Raheem Mostert, Frank Gore, Reggie Bush, Ricky Williams and Lamar Smith as starters this century. The 17-year Dan Marino era featured one 1,000-yard rushing rushing season (Karim Abdul-Jabbar‘s 1996). This franchise has next to no history reinvesting in a running back, making Achane’s deal rather significant.

Sullivan came from a Packers franchise that had both re-signed a starting RB (Aaron Jones) and added one in free agency (Josh Jacobs) since 2021. The Dolphins will change course by retaining Achane, one of the fastest running backs in NFL history and a player coming off a career-best season. The former third-round pick smashed his best single-season rushing performance by reaching 1,350 yards, and his 1,838 scrimmage yards represented a major improvement. Despite playing for a 7-10 Dolphins team navigating QB struggles and a severe Hill injury, Achane led the NFL with 5.7 yards per carry and did so on 238 totes.

He of a 10.1-second 100-meter dash while at Texas A&M, Achane gives the Dolphins one of the NFL’s most dangerous home-run threats. Miami helped his cause by signing Brewer to a three-year, $21MM deal in 2024. On a steady rise since being a 2020 Titans UDFA, Brewer made a borderline stunning leap onto the All-Pro tier. The veteran interior O-lineman earned second-team All-Pro honors last season, giving the Dolphins considerable value on their $7MM-AAV deal. Miami’s new regime rewarded the former Grier midlevel addition.

Brewer, 28, has missed just one game over the past four seasons; be it at center or guard, he has been a full-time starter in that span. The Titans placed a second-round RFA tender on the Texas State alum in 2023, moving him to center that year. That turned into a pivotal change, as Brewer put together a nice contract year — as the rare Titans O-lineman of that period to stay healthy — and built on it in Miami. Pro Football Focus ranked Brewer behind only Creed Humphrey among centers last season, identifying the ascending Dolphins snapper as the NFL’s top run blocker at the position.

The Dolphins have not seen much center continuity since Mike Pouncey‘s seven-year tenure wrapped in 2018. A team without much in the way of financial commitments — after this offseason’s wave of veteran departures — will count on Brewer helping out a mostly young O-line. Brewer had been seeking a raise, and the Sullivan-Hafley duo accommodated him.

Jackson, 28 next month, is the only other non-rookie-deal projected starter up front. The Dolphins had the former first-round pick on a three-year, $36MM extension but saw injuries intervene during that contract’s life. Jackson, who missed 15 games in 2022 before a well-timed 2023 breakout earned him a raise, has been active in just 14 games over the past two seasons. A toe injury in Week 1 moved Jackson to IR for nearly three months last season, which came after a knee injury derailed his 2024 slate. Another well-timed healthy season could alter Jackson’s career arc, but as it stands, he looks like a stopgap for a new regime’s rebuild.

Free agency additions:

• Malik Willis, QB. Three years, $67.5MM ($45MM guaranteed)
• Darrell Baker Jr., CB. One year, $1.4MM ($1.26MM guaranteed)
• Jalen Tolbert, WR. One year, $1.4MM ($1.26MM guaranteed)
• Joshua Uche, DE. One year, $1.4MM ($1.26MM guaranteed)
• Tutu Atwell, WR. One year, $1.4MM ($1.08MM guaranteed)
• Zayne Anderson, S. One year, $1.4MM ($753K guaranteed)
• Willie Gay, ILB. One year, $1.4MM ($688K guaranteed)
• Lonnie Johnson Jr., S. One year, $1.49MM ($188K guaranteed)
• Jamaree Salyer, OL. One year, $1.49MM ($188K guaranteed)
• Charlie Heck, T. One year, $1.4MM ($188K guaranteed)
• Ben Sims, TE. One year, $1.33MM ($188K guaranteed)
• Zane Gonzalez, K. One year, $1.49MM ($100K guaranteed)
• Ronnie Harrison, LB/S. One year, $1.4MM
• David Ojabo, DE. One year, $1.4MM
• Marco Wilson, CB. One year, $1.32MM
• Alex Austin, CB. One year, $1.22MM
• Jalen Reagor, WR. One year, $1.22MM

When the Broncos cut Russell Wilson and shattered the then-single-player dead money record, they drafted Bo Nix and have kept costs low at QB since. The Falcons held the previous QB dead cap record when they traded Matt Ryan to the Colts in 2022; they responded by signing Marcus Mariota that year and trimming costs further by going with Desmond Ridder at the wheel in 2023. The Cardinals are carrying a $46.57MM Kyler Murray dead cap hit this year; they are keeping costs low at QB and setting up a 2027 runway. While the Dolphins may have the same approach with the ’27 QB class, they are zagging in terms of immediate costs at the position following a seismic dead money decision.

Willis’ $45MM guarantee at signing betters what Sam Darnold received in 2025 by more than $10MM. Despite Darnold having collected an original-ballot Pro Bowl invite in 2024, he accepted a pay-as-you-go Seahawks offer. Willis did not receive top-tier QB money by any stretch, but he secured a strong guarantee given his checkered resume. He of six career starts — three with Tennessee, three in Green Bay — Willis clearly drew considerable interest to drive his market to the place it reached.

Although Sullivan said finances would be tricky for the Dolphins at quarterback, he and Hafley reunited with Willis anyway. Willis, 27, had been linked to the Browns and Cardinals in free agency. Both those teams have cost issues at QB as well, complicating this derby.

Willis’ draft-weekend freefall in 2022 did as well, but he collected a big payday to join a team without contender aspirations in 2026. While Sullivan said Willis is not necessarily a bridge QB, the Dolphins have not set him up well in terms of weaponry. A reality in which they draft a signal-caller in next year’s first round is certainly a scenario to monitor.

I threw a buyer-beware disclaimer when assessing Willis for PFR’s top 50 free agent list. Him being this year’s Justin Fields is not hard to envision, especially given Miami’s pass-catching cadre. Deemed unplayable by Mike Vrabel in Tennessee, Willis sat behind Will Levis in 2023 before being traded for a seventh-round pick. He compiled a 6:0 TD-INT ratio in Green Bay, having completed 70 of 89 attempts at a college-y 12.1 yards per pass. Willis also averaged 6.2 yards per rush (29/261/3). PFR’s seventh-ranked free agent did not need to accept a “prove it” deal despite his small Packers sample size.

New OC Bobby Slowik‘s offense will resemble Matt LaFleur‘s, as a sizable chunk of the NFL runs versions of the Shanahan/McVay scheme, but Willis does not look set up for success. Him failing to live up to this contract could, of course, benefit the Dolphins in a lottery-less NFL — which is potentially set to have a few franchise-QB options in the 2027 draft class.

Logging out of their auction draft for a while after the Willis payday, the Dolphins acknowledged their financial limitations with the rest of their FA class. They took a host of fliers on borderline starters/seat-filler types.

Tolbert and Atwell have experience as tertiary targets, and they may be auditioning for longer-term roles. That duo may be needed to start, despite inconsistent runs (as their contracts illustrate) with their original teams.

A former second-round pick, the diminutive Atwell went from a $10MM Rams guarantee in 2025 to barely $1MM with the Dolphins. Sporting one season with more than 275 receiving yards — a 610-yard 2024 showing — Tolbert looks to have placed himself in good position to start in Miami. That could be an illustration of a grim Dolphins WR setup. The Dolphins looked into Jauan Jennings but did not match the Vikings’ offer — a one-year, $8MM proposal.

The Dolphins hosted A.J. Epenesa on a visit but ended up with Uche and Ojabo as EDGE options. Neither former second-round pick has shown much consistency, but it is quite possible one will need to start opposite Chop Robinson. Uche at least has an 11.5-sack season on his resume (2022), though the ex-Patriot has not surpassed three in a season during a six-year career.

Known mostly for a pre-draft Achilles tear that hurt his stock, Ojabo did not stand out in Baltimore. He played just five games over his first two seasons and, with 4.5 career sacks and 10 QB hits, topped out as a rotational performer with the Ravens.

A 40-game starter as a Charger, Salyer saw extensive time as a guard or Rashawn Slater left tackle fill-in. Patrick Paul is entrenched as Miami’s LT, with Salyer set to compete at guard. Unless first-rounder Kadyn Proctor is deemed unready at left guard, Salyer is competing primarily with 2025 second-rounder Jonah Savaiinaea at RG. Salyer also stands to give the Dolphins a decent option at swing tackle.

PFF ranked Savaiinaea last among qualified guards in 2025, with an abysmal pass-blocking assessment standing out, and he is changing positions (from left to right guard). A rather important training camp nears for a player Grier and Co. chose 37th overall.

Re-signings:

Besieged by hamstring injuries in Denver, Dulcich also made little noise in New York. The Dolphins, however, gave him a chance — as Darren Waller yet again battled injuries — and saw some promise. The former third-round pick averaged 12.9 yards per catch and outgained Waller (335-317) despite making just three starts.

Sullivan labeled Dulcich an offseason priority, and he was the only non-Malik Willis free agent to receive more than $2MM guaranteed from a cap-strapped team. With a thin receiver setup, the fifth-year tight end has a runway to make a be a regular target and possibly create a real market for himself in 2027.

Notable losses:

• Jake Bailey, P
• Quinton Bell, OLB
• Larry Borom, T
• K.J. Britt, ILB
• Daniel Brunskill, G
• Artie Burns, CB
• Yodny Cajuste, T
• Elijah Campbell, DB
• Joe Cardona, LS
• Bradley Chubb, OLB (post-June 1 cut)
• James Daniels, G (released)
• Ashtyn Davis, S
• Rasul Douglas, CB
• Liam Eichenberg, OL (released)
• Dee Eskridge, WR
• Julian Hill, TE
• Tyreek Hill, WR (released)
• Germain Ifedi, OL
• Alec Ingold, FB (released)
• Caleb Johnson, ILB
• Benito Jones, DL
• Jack Jones, CB
• Kader Kohou, CB
• Kendall Lamm, T
• Alexander Mattison, RB
• Ifeatu Melifonwu, S
• Jason Sanders, K (released)
• Kendall Sheffield, CB
• Cole Strange, G
• Tua Tagovailoa, QB (post-June 1 cut)
• Darren Waller, TE
• Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, WR (released)
• Cedrick Wilson Jr., WR
• Zach Wilson, QB

Cap casualties are not as common now as they were in previous eras since the cap’s 1994 implementation, but the Dolphins cleaned house during an offseason headlined by a quarterback transition.

Tagovailoa went from a coveted prospect — albeit one with a concerning injury that affected his draft stock — and ascending talent to a player who turned into a contractual cautionary tale. Teams have continued to pay non-top-tier quarterbacks the going rate, but it is worth wondering if Miami’s Tagovailoa miss will cause hesitancy from clubs in similar positions. The new Dolphins front office attempted to pay down some of Tagovailoa’s salary and attach draft picks in a trade to convince a team to take on the contract. Unsurprisingly, no takers emerged.

The Dolphins gave Tagovailoa a four-year, $212.4MM extension that came with $93.17MM fully guaranteed. A $54MM 2026 option bonus shifted from being guaranteed for injury to fully guaranteed in March 2025, and rather than the team picking up another $13MM guarantee for 2027 on March 13, the release decision left the Dolphins on the hook for an albatross payment and entrance into a new wing of salary cap hell.

The $99.2MM dead cap hit eclipsed the Broncos’ record-setting Russell Wilson sum by nearly $15MM. While the post-June 1 designation — effectively a must due to the whopping number — will spread the money over two years, but with $55.4MM and $43.8MM dead money blows hitting the 2026 and ’27 cap sheets, Miami’s rebuild must navigate a high hurdle early. The Broncos moved past their Wilson dead cap reality with 10- and 14-win seasons, but their roster was in much better shape — to go with a Super Bowl-winning HC — than where the Dolphins’ sits in Year 1 of a record-setting cap penalty.

Tagovailoa, who joined Murray in signing for a veteran-minimum deal in the NFC (Atlanta), started 76 games since being the No. 5 overall pick in 2020. After two sluggish seasons, Tagovailoa showed considerable progress upon Mike McDaniel and Tyreek Hill‘s arrivals.

The southpaw QB led the league in passer rating and yards per attempt in 2022, passing yards in 2023 and completion percentage in 2024. Unfortunately, concussions were a key issue for the Alabama product. Three diagnosed head injuries, and one other 2022 malady that caused the NFL to make significant tweaks to its concussion protocol, plagued Tua in Miami. His play also declined over the past two seasons, to the point McDaniel benched him for Quinn Ewers.

Grier made a few contract mistakes during his time in Miami, the bulk of those coming from caving to player demands with significant term length left on contracts. While the ill-fated appeasements for Hill, Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey affected recent Dolphins payrolls, the Tagovailoa deal sunk the veteran GM.

The Dolphins waited until Year 5 to extend the quarterback, but it turned out they still misevaluated him. As Tagovailoa attempts to rebuild his stock for a 2027 free agency bid — or a Falcons extension — the Dolphins will navigate a historic dead cap mess.

Miami’s $179MM-plus in dead money leads the NFL by more than $60MM. The Dolphins are the only team with more dead money than active contracts on a 2026 payroll (no one else is close). Four of the NFL’s top 13 dead cap hits are on Miami’s payroll. Beyond Tagovailoa’s $55.4MM, Sullivan’s first cap sheet includes Hill ($28.25MM), Waddle ($23.24MM) and Ramsey ($20.87MM).

While Chubb landed with the Bills quickly after being released, Hill is uncertain to play this season after his severe knee injury. Both the Hill and Waddle contracts will be off the books by 2027, while Chubb counts $12.89MM on next year’s Dolphins payroll. The Dolphins did not discuss keeping Hill via a pay-cut agreement.

Strange followed McDaniel to Los Angeles, where the former first-rounder is expected to start, while neither Brunskill nor Daniels has found a team. A fellow Grier-years stopgap, Douglas just signed with the Commanders.

Zach Wilson’s NFL freefall continued with a $1.4MM Saints deal ($598K guaranteed). He has gone from No. 2 overall pick to a player who has been deemed a third-stringer by three teams. Waller’s unretirement preceded two extended injury absences, though the aging tight end did manage six TD receptions despite missing eight games. Waller, 33, is not expected back.

Fitzpatrick made 14 Dolphins starts last season, while Davis made 12. Melifonwu logged eight. The Dolphins are retooling at safety, with two starting jobs up for grabs in Hafley and Sean Duggan‘s defense. Dante Trader Jr., a 2025 fifth-round pick who logged a 39% snap share as a rookie, is a frontrunner to commandeer one of those gigs.

Backup/special-teamer types Lonnie Johnson Jr. and Zayne Anderson may actually be in play for the other post, though the Dolphins used a fifth-round pick on another safety (Texas’ Michael Taaffe) as well. Like wide receiver, the Dolphins do not look to have a promising outlook here.

Sanders served as the Dolphins’ kicker for seven seasons, but a hip injury sidetracked his tenure in Year 8. The Dolphins used one of their two August IR-return designations on Sanders last year but never activated him. He signed with the Giants in March but was released, leading him to the Jets. The Dolphins will have 2025 Sanders fill-in Riley Patterson compete against Zane Gonzalez in a lower-cost kicker situation. Sanders was tied to a five-year, $22MM contract.

Draft:

• Round 1, No. 12 (from Cowboys): Kadyn Proctor (T, Alabama) (signed)
• Round 1, No. 27 (from 49ers): Chris Johnson (CB, San Diego State) (signed)
• Round 2, No. 43: Jacob Rodriguez (LB, Texas Tech) (signed)
• Round 3, No. 75: Caleb Douglas (WR, Texas Tech) (signed)
• Round 3, No. 87 (from Eagles): Will Kacmarek (TE, Ohio State) (signed)
• Round 3, No. 94 (from Broncos): Chris Bell (WR, Louisville) (signed)
• Round 4, No. 130 (from Broncos): Trey Moore (EDGE, Texas) (signed)
• Round 4, No. 138: Kyle Louis (LB, Pitt) (signed)
• Round 5, No. 158 (from Vikings): Michael Taaffe (S, Texas) (signed)
• Round 5, No. 177 (from Cowboys): Kevin Coleman Jr. (WR, Missouri) (signed)
• Round 5, No. 180 (from Cowboys): Seydou Traore (TE, Mississippi State) (signed)
• Round 6, No. 200 (from Panthers): DJ Campbell (G, Texas) (signed)
• Round 7, No. 238 (from Chargers via Titans and Jets): Max Llewellyn (EDGE, Iowa) (signed)

Facing the important task of finding cost-controlled starters to fill out a roster the new staff gutted this offseason, the Dolphins stockpiled draft capital. Their 13-pick draft featured four extra players provided by the Waddle trade and a one-spot move down the board in Round 1. The Cowboys and Dolphins beat the first-round buzzer by agreeing to a deal. After Miami declined Dallas’ first offer — which only sent one fifth-round pick — the AFC East team soon accepted a proposal that tossed in a second fifth. While the Cowboys landed Caleb Downs, the Dolphins added a hopeful O-line building block in Proctor.

The Alabama product took a “30” visit with the Dolphins and generated pre-draft buzz due in part for his experience at left tackle. This draft’s top two tackles — Spencer Fano, Francis Mauigoa — primarily played right tackle in college, while Proctor logged 40 LT starts. A consensus first-team All-American last season, Proctor has dealt with weight issues but checked in at 352 pounds at the Combine. Viewed as a high-ceiling talent, Proctor will begin his career like Laremy Tunsil did — at left guard.

Tunsil played one season at guard in 2016, with left tackle Branden Albert finishing his Miami tenure that year, before moving to the blind side in Year 2. Proctor does not look to have that roadmap, with the Dolphins seeing promising signs from Terron Armstead successor Patrick Paul last season. Paul spent three seasons as the Houston Cougars’ starting LT and started every Dolphins game there in 2025.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein tabbed Proctor as a potential RT option, and if/when Austin Jackson‘s tenure ends after this season, that move could materialize. Then again, Miami may deem him too valuable at guard — as it did Robert Hunt early in his career. Sullivan said Proctor could fit at any O-line spot but center, giving the Dolphins interesting options.

A foggy positional outlook also may be present for the other Dolphins first-round pick. Johnson played primarily on the outside at San Diego State but has been mentioned as an option for the Dolphins in the slot or on the boundary. The decks are essentially cleared for Miami at corner, opening the door for Johnson to be a foundational piece. He is coming off a breakout Aztecs season, intercepting four passes and producing 146 return yards and two TDs.

Beyond Johnson, Miami’s cornerback group does not generate much optimism. Storm Duck is coming off a season-ending injury, and Rasul Douglas joined Jack Jones in departing. Duck will compete with fellow former UDFA Ethan Bonner and injury-prone ex-second-rounder JuJu Brents. Johnson playing outside would be more sensible given his experience, with Jason Marshall Jr. gaining slot experience as a rookie. Marco Wilson has 37 starts on his resume, but none have come since 2023, and Darrell Baker Jr. logged 19 Titans starts over the past two seasons.

Although Tyrel Dodson remains rostered, Rodriguez should have an avenue to a starting job. It will be interesting to see if the Dolphins turn to the second-round pick as a full-timer alongside Jordyn Brooks this season. Drafted 36 spots after Sonny Styles, Rodriguez is coming off a dominant final Texas Tech season.

He won the Bednarik award, given to the nation’s top defensive player, to go with the Butkus award (the top Division I-FBS linebacker). Rodriguez registered 255 tackles (21.5 for loss) over the past two years. He recorded five sacks in 2024 and four interceptions last year. En route to a fifth-place Heisman finish — the highest by a pure defensive player since Aidan Hutchinson‘s second-place status in 2020 — Rodriguez forced an FBS-high seven fumbles in 2025.

Dodson is due no guaranteed money in 2026. It would surprise if Rodriguez, on a team committed to rebuilding, did not finish the season as Brooks’ full-time sidekick. This Dolphins season figures to be used for evaluation, and Rodriguez will be one of the top projects.

The Dolphins hosted Makai Lemon on a visit and were believed to be high on the USC prospect, but the team tabled its receiver need until Round 3. Rodriguez Red Raiders teammate Douglas graded 126th on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board. The 6-foot-3 target may have been a backup plan, with a report indicating the team sought Notre Dame’s Malachi Fields. The Giants traded up 31 spots to nab Fields at No. 74, one spot ahead of Douglas.

Douglas did eclipse 800 receiving yards in 2024 and ’25, combining for 13 touchdowns, and the decks are mostly clear for Miami at receiver. Bell profiles as the higher-ceiling talent, seeing a November ACL tear hurt his draft stock. Jeremiah’s No. 68-ranked prospect, Bell came in 47th on Dane Brugler’s The Athletic big board. Bell posted 917 yards and six TDs in 11 games last season, displaying consistent explosiveness before the injury.

Although Bell’s uncertain timeline may not align with aiding Malik Willis, the 222-pound wideout could grow into a regular starter should he return to full strength at some point this season. Miami’s next QB figures to benefit more from the third-rounder, with the Dolphins in a good spot to bet on a rehabbing talent.

Two Ohio State tight ends went on Day 2, with Kacmarek following Max Klare (No. 61, Rams) off the board. Klare brought the better receiving resume to the pros; Kacmarek profiles as a better blocking option, having been regularly used as an in-line tight end. With the Dolphins not having a surefire TE option, Kacmarek could see early time complementing Dulcich’s receiving-based skillset.

Coaching/front office:

This is Robinson’s first NFL gig since the Titans ended his six-plus-year GM tenure in December 2022. The Titans made four playoff berths during Robinson’s years, and they have gone through numerous staff changes since his ouster. Robinson, 50, and Sullivan have never worked together previously. Notably, two of Robinson’s former Titans acquisitions — Willis and Brewer — received big paydays in the weeks after his Miami arrival.

This will be Herock’s 38th year as an NFL staffer. The second-generation evaluator spent nearly 20 years in Green Bay, overlapping with Sullivan from 2004-11. He spent 10 years as the Packers’ assistant college scouting director and later served as Raiders assistant GM post-Reggie McKenzie (2018). Herock spent last season with the Browns.

Shore played a key role in the Dolphins’ GM search, and a late-season report indicated the Dolphins would likely consider a setup in which both Shore and the next GM reported to ownership. Months later, the Dolphins made their 16-year staffer’s ascent official. He will join Sullivan and Hafley in reporting directly to Stephen Ross, SI.com’s Albert Breer noted last month. A few teams have this type of structure. Post-Grier, the Dolphins will give considerable power to Shore, a South Florida native who spent the past five years as the team’s senior VP of football and business administration.

Other:

The Dolphins exited free agency’s first week with just two players — Willis and Zach Sieler — earning more than $9MM per year. That number doubled to four after the Achane and Brewer extensions. Brooks has been mentioned as a candidate to join the running back and center in receiving a raise, though it is not certain one is coming for the former first-round pick.

Jeremy Fowler’s annual ESPN.com survey ranked Brooks as the NFL’s seventh-best off-ball linebacker. He currently sits as the league’s 24th-highest-paid player at the position; unsurprisingly, the seventh-year vet is seeking a raise. Though, the former Seahawks Bobby Wagner wingman is not sure a new deal is coming. Brooks’ age-28 season brought a first-team All-Pro nod, as he notched an NFL-most 183 tackles (13 for loss).

The Dolphins signed off on top-three wages (at their respective positions) for Achane and Brewer, and Brooks has made a case for such a contract. The Cowboys showed trade interest in Brooks but ended up sending a fifth-round pick to the 49ers for a far less accomplished option (Dee Winters). Brooks’ three-year, $26.25MM deal expires after the season. While the ILB market has stagnated, Brooks would stand to cash in as a second-time free agent if the Dolphins do not re-sign him by March.

Top 10 cap charges for 2026:

1. Zach Sieler, DT: $11.42MM
2. Jordyn Brooks, LB: $10.86MM
3. Austin Jackson, RT: $6.9MM
4. Malik Willis, QB: $5.67MM
5. Aaron Brewer, C: $5.64MM
6. Kenneth Grant, DT: $4.99MM
7. Kadyn Proctor, G: $4.75MM
8. Chop Robinson, DE: $4.08MM
9. Tyrel Dodson, LB: $3.68MM
10. Chris Johnson, CB: $3.46MM

While it seems rather unlikely a high-profile tanking scandal comes out of this rebuild, this Dolphins roster resembles the 2019 team’s skeleton crew. With Achane, Brooks and Brewer in place, better pieces appear on Miami’s current roster than the one Brian Flores coached seven years ago. But a playoff journey is likely not in this regime’s plans for 2026.

With the Packers primarily using a draft-and-extend blueprint for much of Sullivan’s time in Green Bay, multiple draft classes will shape Miami’s latest rebuild. Willis may end up a placeholder, albeit a well-compensated one, with Dolphins connections to the 2027 QB class undoubtedly coming. In the meantime, they will join the Jets as AFC East squads with a host of young talent to evaluate while forming a big-picture plan.