The Miami Dolphins are entering a new era after hiring a new general manager and head coach in January. Both Jon-Eric Sullivan (GM) and Jeff Hafley (HC) were brought in from the Green Bay Packers, and so already have a strong understanding of one another.
That should help the Dolphins move smoothly this offseason, which will be important given so many issues to address. In this article, I’ll put together my blueprint for Miami’s offseason, including potential incomings, outgoings, and draft picks, to help turn around the troubled AFC East franchise.
Before the Dolphins can make any real progress, they need to decide who to move on from this offseason. Here are two players who stand out among the many who could be moved on in the coming weeks.
Trade Away/Cut Candidates for the Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa
Miami is in an unenviable situation regarding Tua Tagovailoa. The quarterback is on massive money, though it’s clear the team no longer views him as the long-term answer at the position.
The team played its hand by benching the veteran for the final few games of last season, and now his biggest ally, Mike McDaniel, is in Los Angeles. No team will be willing to take on Tagovailoa’s contract, meaning the Dolphins will likely absorb an enormous dead-money hit ($99.2 million) by cutting him.
Minkah Fitzpatrick
Minkah Fitzpatrick continued to play at a high level in 2025, after being traded to Miami from the Pittsburgh Steelers. The veteran safety is one year removed from three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances and should pique the interest of several contending teams.
With only one year remaining on his current deal and no guaranteed salary remaining, Miami could cut Fitzpatrick and save $15.6 million in 2026. The veteran doesn’t turn 30 until November, though, and could realistically still attract a multi-year deal with a contender, making him one to watch in the trade market.
With the clock reset for Miami, identifying some long-term starters in free agency will be key to the team’s rebuild. Here are three players who could add value to the Dolphins’ depth chart in both the near and more distant future.
Free Agent Targets
Alohi Gilman, S, Baltimore Ravens
Alohi Gilman recorded a career-high in tackles last season (90) while registering the second-most pass breakups of his career (9). With Fitzpatrick on the way out in this blueprint, Gilman can step in as a more cost-effective starter with multiple years of NFL production to offer.
Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, New York Jets
The 14th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Alijah Vera-Tucker, has struggled with injuries in three of his five years in the league. After seeing limited action in 2022 and 2023, Vera-Tucker missed the entire 2025 season with a torn triceps injury.
That was after logging 15 starts in 2024, though, suggesting his prior injury troubles were behind him. The talented guard’s market would be tough to predict if he were to hit free agency, but a strong multi-year deal with minimal guarantees past 2026 could be the answer.
Greg Newsome II, CB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Another former first-round pick, Greg Newsome II, is slated for free agency after the expiration of his rookie deal. After ranking 22nd among all cornerbacks in the PFSN CB Impact metric in 2023, two less impressive years have made the defender far more attainable.
With Miami desperately needing cornerbacks, Newsome could step into a CB1 role on a long-term basis for Miami and become an immediate pillar of Hafley’s new defense.
3-Round Dolphins Mock Draft
For a more detailed take on this segment of the article, refer to my recent Three-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft.
Round 1, Pick 11) Carnell Tate, Ohio State | WR
Hafley will be keen to get to work on his new defense, but Miami’s offense needs to do a better job of staying on the field and scoring points. This could prove too late for Carnell Tate, the consensus top receiver in this year’s draft, though, and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson occupied this spot in my previous mock.
If the Dolphins added one of this year’s free agent receivers, like Romeo Doubs or Wan’Dale Robinson, they could go elsewhere here in Round 1. Either way, they need more weapons beyond De’Von Achane and Jaylen Waddle.
Round 2, Pick 43) Keionte Scott, Miami (FL) | CB
The Dolphins need a whole new cornerback room this offseason, with multiple assets likely leaving in free agency. Keionte Scott is at his best in the slot and can lock down that spot from Day 1 in Miami. With Gilman and Newsome added in free agency in this scenario, Hafley’s secondary is beginning to take shape.
Round 2, Pick 61) D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana | CB
That continues later in Round 2, with Miami sending Pick 90 and their 2027 third-rounder to the Los Angeles Rams to take D’Angelo Ponds at Pick 61. Despite being undersized, Ponds put up impressive numbers for the 2025 National Champions, Indiana.
With two outside corners, a nickel, and a safety secured, Miami’s revamped secondary is 80% complete.
Round 3, Pick 75) Romello Height, Texas Tech | EDGE
I debated listing veteran linebacker Bradley Chubb as one of Miami’s cut/trade candidates, given his nearly $40 million in non-guaranteed salary over the next two years. I decided to keep Miami’s linebacker room intact, though, as it will likely be the foundation of any short-term success the team has.
Regardless, Texas Tech’s Romello Height is a solid add for the Dolphins here. He would likely slot in as a rotational piece on the edge, but has proven ability to get to the quarterback and could earn a larger role down the line.
Round 3, Pick 87) Garrett Nussmeier, LSU | QB
After Fernando Mendoza, Alabama’s Ty Simpson is likely to be the only quarterback taken in the first round of April’s draft. The 11th overall pick is a little high, though, so unless Miami can move around the board, they’ll need to look elsewhere.
Garrett Nussmeier in the third round is a reasonable compromise, giving the Dolphins some potential upside without sacrificing too much capital. I’ll explain the thought process behind this pick in the next segment.
Miami’s Huge Decision at Quarterback
With Tagovailoa likely departing, and seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers not inspiring much confidence in his late-season cameo, the Dolphins need to figure something out. Drafting a rookie quarterback in the middle rounds would give the team a low-cost, high-upside swing at the game’s most important position.
That also goes for 2025 rookies like Dillon Gabriel and Jalen Milroe, who could both be available for late-round picks after their respective rookie seasons.
If it works, Miami has stolen a new franchise quarterback at a huge value; if it doesn’t, the team will have a top pick in the QB-heavy 2027 NFL Draft. The Dolphins aren’t winning a Super Bowl next year, and rushing to find “the guy” as soon as possible makes little sense if there are likely to be better options in the near future.
Patience is rare in the NFL, though, and Miami continues to be linked to some high-profile free agents. Malik Willis is the favorite to land in the Southeast due to his Packers connections with Hafley and Sullivan.
Despite impressing as a backup in Green Bay, though, Willis has started just three games in three years and would be a huge gamble. If the Dolphins were to make a lucrative, multi-year commitment to a new quarterback this offseason, Mac Jones represents a far safer option.
Jones impressed as a rookie, and despite things not working out with the New England Patriots, he appears to have turned a corner since. After getting the best out of Brian Thomas Jr. with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024, Jones led an injury-hit San Francisco 49ers to five wins from eight starts last season.
Jones still has a year left on his backup deal with the 49ers, which would help the Dolphins offset the first year of Tagovailoa’s dead-money hit. He also has far more NFL experience than Willis and showed the kind of toughness Miami has been accused of lacking in recent years, playing through injury in 2025.
The 49ers’ backup would cost the Dolphins some draft capital in a trade, but it would likely be somewhere around the third-round pick that secured Nussmeier in my mock. Either way, committing multiple years of starting quarterback money to Willis this offseason would not be my first choice for a team still reeling from their last big QB payday.
One thing the Dolphins can’t do, though, is move for a veteran bridge quarterback. That would include Kyler Murray, who could be available at the veteran minimum in 2026. Not only would that provide no long-term solution, but in the short term, it could play them out of a top pick next year and their hopes of drafting a franchise QB.
The New-Look Dolphins in 2026
In this scenario, Hafley and Sullivan almost entirely revamp the team’s defensive backfield by the end of Day 2 of the draft. Newsome and Gilman step straight into starting roles and offer extensive NFL experience to guide a talented but youthful cornerback room.
At the second level, Miami’s stellar linebacker room remains, including Jordyn Brooks, who led the NFL in combined tackles (183) and solo tackles (99) in 2025. Brooks also ranked first among all NFL linebackers in the PFSN NFL LB Impact metric last season.
On the other side of the ball, the team opts for a one-year, low-risk quarterback competition between two young upside shots, with one eye on 2027. Alternatively, they commit to Jones as their new QB1 moving forward, but don’t have to pay him big money until 2027.
Whoever starts at quarterback will have two top receivers to throw to, with Tate or Tyson joining Waddle out wide. Achane, another potential trade candidate, remains in Miami to offer his trademark explosiveness out of the backfield. Vera-Tucker firms up the offensive line, providing a long-term replacement for the departed James Daniels at guard.
The Dolphins face a tough task to compete with the Patriots and the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East, and it will likely take two or three impactful offseasons to turn the team into a realistic contender. All in all, though, this would be a strong start to the new era.
