Miami Dolphins

With $172.8M in dead money ranking first in the entire league and only $10.3M in current cap room, Miami is financially handcuffed today, though a projected $197.8M in next-year room offers a dramatic reset.

38 contracts expiring

Madden Tools Analysis

Eleven starting spots have weak depth behind the starter.

Miami holds eight picks in the current draft class, including four first-round selections spread across three years and a three-year total of 22 picks, giving this rebuild more draft ammunition than almost any team in the league.

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

Miami's top strength is the interior offensive line anchored by a 90 overall Aaron Brewer, while its weakest spot is a receiver room that ranks dead last in both starter and depth quality leaguewide.

• CBhigh

  Miami's cornerback group is ranked dead last in both starter and depth quality leaguewide, making it the single most urgent position to address.

• FShigh

  Lonnie Johnson Jr. starts at free safety but is entering the late stage of his career, and the position ranks 30th in starter quality, so a long-term solution is critical.

• LEDGEhigh

  Chop Robinson is the starter and shows Star dev trait potential, but the position ranks 29th at the starter level and 25th in depth, demanding more proven talent around him.

• QBhigh

  Malik Willis starts at a position ranked 27th leaguewide, with Quinn Ewers and Cam Miller behind him, giving Miami one of the league's weakest quarterback rooms.

• REDGEhigh

  Joshua Uche leads a right edge group ranked 27th in starter quality, with Clelin Ferrell, who is entering the late stage of his career, as the primary backup.

• RGhigh

  Jonah Savaiinaea starts at a position ranked last in the league in starter quality, making right guard an immediate upgrade target.

• SShigh

  Dante Trader Jr. starts at strong safety, a position ranked last in starter quality and 28th in depth, with no proven veteran option behind him.

• TEhigh

  Greg Dulcich headlines a tight end group ranked dead last in both starter and depth quality, a major gap in the passing game.

• WRhigh

  Tutu Atwell leads a receiver room ranked last in both starter and depth quality leaguewide, leaving Malik Willis with almost no proven weapons outside of Achane.

• RTmedium

  Austin Jackson holds the starting right tackle spot at a position ranked 25th, with Charlie Heck as the primary backup at only 64 overall.

• LTlow

  Patrick Paul is a capable 80 overall starter at left tackle, but the position still ranks 20th leaguewide and depth behind him is thin.

• 64Charlie HeckLTCharlie Heck is a 64 overall backup right tackle who frees $1.2M against only $180K in dead money, making the savings easy to capture with Kevin Cline already on the depth chart behind him.Frees $1.2M · $180.0K dead
• 61Tanner WallFSTanner Wall sits third on the free safety depth chart at just 61 overall, and cutting him frees $1.1M with zero dead money.Frees $1.1M · $0 dead
• 66Zayne AndersonSSZayne Anderson is a 66 overall backup strong safety entering the late stage of his career, and his release frees $1.2M against only $180K in dead money.Frees $1.2M · $180.0K dead
• 63Robert Beal JrLEDGERobert Beal Jr. is a 63 overall backup left edge who frees $1.1M against only $50K in dead money, providing easy savings behind an already crowded depth chart.Frees $1.1M · $50.0K dead
• 63Carlos Washington JrHBCarlos Washington Jr. is a 63 overall third-string halfback sitting behind Achane, Wright, and Gordon, and his release frees $1.1M with no dead money.Frees $1.1M · $0 dead

Miami hands you a roster with a genuine centerpiece in De'Von Achane and a strong interior offensive line anchored by Aaron Brewer, but nearly everything around them needs work. The receiver room, tight end group, cornerback depth, and both safety spots rank at or near the bottom of the league, and Malik Willis is a below-average starting quarterback. The cap situation is the most constraining factor in the near term: $172.8M in dead money leads the entire league, current cap room sits at just $10.3M, and while next year projects $197.8M in cap room, committed salaries remain over $139M through the second and third seasons. Jordyn Brooks and Zach Sieler give the defense a credible foundation, but both are entering the later stages of their careers and will need to be planned around accordingly. Chop Robinson and Kenneth Grant are young defensive pieces with Star dev traits who could grow into cornerstones. On offense, 21-year-old Kadyn Proctor at left guard is a legitimate Star-trait prospect. The path to contention runs through roster-building in the draft, where Miami holds eight picks this year including four first-rounders spread across three years, and through the massive projected cap relief that arrives next season.

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.