Miami Dolphins

Miami is the most dead-money-laden team in the league at $172.8M, but a projected $197.8M in cap room next year turns this financial crisis into a one-year problem.

38 contracts expiring

Madden Tools Analysis

Twelve starting spots have weak depth behind the starter.

Miami's top strength is its offensive line anchor in Aaron Brewer at 90 overall, while the roster's weakest spot is the quarterback room, where no player exceeds 74 overall.

• LShigh
• SSmedium

  Dante Trader Jr starts at safety but grades out at just 67 overall, and cutting Zayne Anderson would deepen an already thin position.

• RGmedium

  Jonah Savaiinaea starts at 68 overall, and neither backup clears 67, leaving right guard as a meaningful interior line weakness.

• RTmedium

  Austin Jackson holds the starting RT spot at 74 overall, but cut candidate Charlie Heck is the primary backup, so depth is precarious.

• TEmedium

  Greg Dulcich starts at just 70 overall, and neither Will Kacmarek nor Seydou Traore pushes him, making tight end one of the thinnest positions on offense.

• QBmedium

  Malik Willis leads the room at 74 overall with Quinn Ewers and Cam Miller behind him, giving Miami limited upside under center at every depth slot.

• WRlow

  Tutu Atwell leads a receiving corps that tops out at 75 overall, with the next two starters, Jalen Tolbert and Malik Washington, both sitting at 74 and 73.

• CBlow

  Chris Johnson is a promising 21-year-old starter, but depth drops quickly behind him with JuJu Brents at 72 and several backups in the high 60s.

• FSlow

  Lonnie Johnson Jr starts at free safety but is entering the late stage of his career, and backups Michael Taaffe and Louis Moore check in at 70 and 64.

• Run & ShootoffensivePassable

  De'Von Achane's Superstar status as a receiving threat out of the backfield, combined with a spread of serviceable wide receivers, gives the Run and Shoot a natural lead weapon to exploit space.

• [EA] 3-4 StormdefensivePassable

  Zach Sieler and Kenneth Grant provide a legitimate interior foundation for a 3-4 front, and edge rushers Chop Robinson and Joshua Uche can fill the rush linebacker roles that make the Storm's pressure packages function.

• 64Charlie HeckLTCharlie Heck is a 64-overall backup right tackle behind Austin Jackson, and releasing him frees $1.2M against only $180K in dead money, making him an easy cap trim.Frees $1.2M · $180.0K dead
• 61Tanner WallFSTanner Wall sits third on the free safety depth chart at 61 overall, and cutting him frees $1.1M with zero dead money, offering a clean no-cost roster spot.Frees $1.1M · $0 dead
• 66Zayne AndersonSSZayne Anderson is the second-string strong safety at 66 overall and is entering the late stage of his career, and his release frees $1.2M against $180K in dead money.Frees $1.2M · $180.0K dead
• 63Robert Beal JrLEDGERobert Beal Jr grades out at 63 overall and sits behind Chop Robinson and Trey Moore at left edge, so freeing $1.1M against just $50K in dead money is straightforward value.Frees $1.1M · $50.0K dead
• 63Carlos Washington JrHBCarlos Washington Jr is the fourth halfback on a depth chart topped by Achane, Wright, and Gordon, so releasing him frees $1.1M with no dead money at all.Frees $1.1M · $0 dead

The Dolphins are a roster caught between two realities: a handful of high-end contributors and a cap sheet that is the most burdened in the league at $172.8M in dead money. De'Von Achane gives the offense a true playmaker to build around, and Aaron Brewer provides a rare 90-overall anchor up front. Jordyn Brooks leads the defense competently, though he is entering a phase of his career where succession planning becomes important. Zach Sieler is a quality starter inside, but he too is in a similar career window. The good news is that $197.8M in projected cap room next year offers a dramatic financial reset, and young pieces like Kadyn Proctor, Chris Johnson, Kenneth Grant, and Chop Robinson give the team a legitimate developmental core to surround the stars. Patrick Paul at left tackle is only 24 and adds another building block at a premium position. The next one to two seasons will require patience and prioritization, but Miami has the ingredients to accelerate into contention as the cap frees up.

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.