For many NFL teams, the offseason is an exciting time. It’s during these spring and summer months that franchises can go from a non-playoff team to a potential Super Bowl contender through the moves they make.
However, for the Miami Dolphins and their fans, there hasn’t been much to be excited about lately in terms of player signings. Instead, it feels like the franchise has adopted the role of the league’s biggest seller.
The Dolphins’ Deflating Recent Moves
It began when the Fins released their top wide receiver, Tyreek Hill, on Feb. 16, who failed his physical after a season-ending injury last September.
But that was just the beginning. Miami continued to clear house when it dealt safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the New York Jets in exchange for only a 2026 seventh-round pick before releasing starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa the following day, a move that forced the Dolphins to stomach an NFL-record $99.2 million in dead cap.
The cherry on top came on Mar 18, when Miami traded star receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a litany of draft picks. Veteran tight end Darren Waller has also yet to be re-signed by the Dolphins.
The main addition the Dolphins made amid these transactions came in their quarterback room, as they inked longtime backup Malik Willis to a three-year, $67.5 million deal. Given the NFL’s recent inflation in quarterback salaries, this deal is very team-friendly for Miami.
Willis feels he’s ready to take over under center, but he’s in serious need of some weapons to throw the ball to. At tight end, the Dolphins may have a quick fix to that problem in the draft.
What Max Klare Would Bring to the Dolphins’ Offense
If Miami decides not to bring back Waller for the 2026 campaign, they shouldn’t have a problem finding a suitable replacement in the upcoming draft, according to PFSN’s Jacob Infante.
Infante predicts the Dolphins will select Max Klare from Ohio State with the 94th overall pick that they acquired from the Broncos. Infante described him as “an athletic and fluid tight end with a high ceiling on passing downs.”
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“His numbers dropped a little with his move to Ohio State, but his tape remained strong, keeping him firmly in Day 2 conversations as one of the top tight ends in this year’s class,” Infante wrote in his assessment of Klare.
Spending his college career largely at Purdue and then Ohio State, Klare racked up 116 receptions, 1,329 yards, and 6 touchdowns through 33 games. According to PFSN’s CFB TE Impact Metric, he finished last season as the 26th-ranked tight end with an impact score of 80. PFSN also ranked Klare at No. 2 among all tight ends in his draft class.
According to PFSN’s scouting report on the Ohio State product, “Klare is an instinctive receiving threat with the burst, quickness, flexibility, and spatial IQ to separate independently.”
“He has smooth body control as a catcher, and is an aggressive RAC threat who uses overwhelming leg churn and lower-body action to drive through would-be tackles,” the report noted. “Klare’s pass-catching profile is extremely appealing, and his immediate blocking versatility and utility upside further magnifies that appeal.”
The Dolphins have plenty of offensive talent to choose from in this year’s draft, and their biggest offensive needs aren’t limited to just the tight end position. Still, selecting Klare could prove to be an important first step toward rebuilding their offense to the level it once was.
