Miami Dolphins

Miami carries $172.8M in dead money, the heaviest cap burden in the entire league, limiting real moves this season before a dramatic reversal opens $170.1M in projected room next year.

24 contracts expiring

Madden Tools Analysis

Nine starting spots have weak depth behind the starter.

Miami holds eight picks in the upcoming draft including three first-rounders, a rare multi-pick haul that gives the rebuild real resources to attack its many positional voids at once.

• Acquired: Round 7 from Giants, this draft
• Acquired: Round 5 from Steelers, this draft
• Traded away: Round 7 to Steelers, this draft

The roster's clearest strength is the interior offensive line anchored by Aaron Brewer at 90 overall, while the weakest spot is a receiver room that ranks last in the league at both the starter and depth levels.

• CBhigh

  The starting cornerback group ranks 30th in the league and the depth ranks 31st, with Chris Johnson (77 overall) leading a thin, below-average room.

• FBhigh

  DJ Herman (66 overall) starts at fullback and ranks 13th of 15 starters leaguewide, a clear weak link in any power-run-leaning scheme.

• FShigh

  Michael Taaffe (72 overall) is the starter but the position ranks dead last among all 32 teams at starter quality, making free safety a top priority.

• LEDGEhigh

  Chop Robinson (76 overall) leads the group but the starter ranks 28th and depth ranks 27th, leaving the left edge thin behind him.

• QBhigh

  Malik Willis (72 overall) is the starter and ranks 32nd among all starting quarterbacks, the single most urgent roster hole on the team.

• REDGEhigh

  Joshua Uche (76 overall) starts but the position ranks 25th at starter and 29th in depth, with little reliable pass-rush depth behind him.

• RGhigh

  Christian Haynes (71 overall) starts at right guard and the position ranks last among all 32 starters, compounding an already inconsistent offensive line.

• SShigh

  Kyle Louis (71 overall) starts at strong safety but the position ranks dead last leaguewide at starter quality, leaving the secondary dangerously exposed.

• TEhigh

  Greg Dulcich (72 overall) starts but the tight end room ranks 31st among starters and 28th in depth, offering almost nothing as a receiving threat.

• WRhigh

  The wide receiver group ranks 32nd at both starter and depth levels leaguewide, with Malik Washington (73 overall) leading a unit that is the worst in the league.

• MIKEmedium

  Jacob Rodriguez (80 overall) starts and is a legitimate asset, but the depth behind him ranks 29th and any injury would expose a severe drop-off.

• RTmedium

  Austin Jackson (73 overall) starts at right tackle and ranks 24th leaguewide, a manageable but real weakness opposite the stronger left side.

• 66Zayne AndersonFSZayne Anderson is a 66 overall aging free safety who sits third on the FS depth chart behind Taaffe and Trader Jr, and releasing him frees $1.2M against only $180K in dead money.Frees $1.2M · $180.0K dead
• 60Shaka HeywardMIKEShaka Heyward is a 60 overall third-string MIKE linebacker with no dead-money penalty, and cutting him frees $900K while clearing a roster spot for higher-upside competition.Frees $900.0K · $0 dead
• 63Robert Beal JrREDGERobert Beal Jr is a 63 overall third-string right edge rusher whose release frees $1.1M against just $50K in dead money, making him an easy roster trim at a position already needing an upgrade.Frees $1.1M · $50.0K dead
• 63Malik HerringLEDGEMalik Herring is a 63 overall third-string left edge rusher with zero dead money on his release, and cutting him frees $1.1M while opening a spot to develop younger pass rushers.Frees $1.1M · $0 dead
• 62Andrew MeyerCAndrew Meyer is a 62 overall backup center backing up the 90 overall Brewer with no dead-money consequence, and his release frees $1.0M that is better directed toward premium positional needs.Frees $1.0M · $0 dead

Miami hands the franchise player a roster built around a handful of genuine pieces, headlined by De'Von Achane's Superstar-trait explosiveness at running back and Aaron Brewer's elite center play, but the gaps surrounding those players are severe and plentiful. Malik Willis starts at quarterback ranked last among all 32 starters, the wide receiver room is the weakest in the league top to bottom, and both safety spots rank dead last in starter quality. The pass rush is inconsistent outside of Zach Sieler inside, and the cornerback depth is nearly as thin as the receiver corps. Compounding every roster problem is a cap sheet carrying $172.8M in dead money, the most in the entire league, which limits meaningful free-agent spending this season. Next year's projected cap room of $170.1M, ranked first leaguewide, offers a dramatic financial turnaround, but only after surviving a difficult first season under the current constraints. Jordyn Brooks and Jacob Rodriguez give the linebacker corps real quality, and young pieces like Kenneth Grant, Chop Robinson, and Kadyn Proctor offer developmental upside, but the holes at the game's most premium positions, quarterback foremost among them, make this a genuine multi-year rebuild rather than a quick fix.

The Dolphins were founded in 1965 as an AFL expansion team by Joe Robbie and Danny Thomas, beginning play in 1966 under head coach George Wilson; on their very first play, Joe Auer returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown against Oakland. Miami joined the NFL in the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, and the hiring of Don Shula from the Baltimore Colts that year transformed the franchise. Shula lost Super Bowl VI to Dallas, then authored the greatest season in NFL history, the 1972 Dolphins went 14-0 in the regular season and 17-0 overall, capped by a 14-7 win over Washington in Super Bowl VII, still the only perfect season in league annals. Miami repeated in Super Bowl VIII, beating Minnesota 24-7 with fullback Larry Csonka named MVP, powered by Csonka and Mercury Morris, the 'No-Name Defense' led by Nick Buoniconti, and Hall of Fame QB Bob Griese. The Dan Marino era (1983-1999) redefined the passing game, Marino set single-season records with 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns in his 1984 MVP season and reached Super Bowl XIX, but never won a title despite ten playoff appearances. After Marino, Miami leaned on the Jason Taylor-Zach Thomas defense before sliding into a decades-long wilderness; its last playoff win came after the 2000 season and its last AFC East title in 2008. The Mike McDaniel-Tua Tagovailoa era brought back-to-back playoff berths (2022, 2023) and the NFL's top offense in 2023, but road and cold-weather failures, injuries, and a 2024-2025 collapse ended it. McDaniel was fired in January 2026, launching a rebuild under first-time NFL head coach Jeff Hafley.