Dolphins 2026 Preview: Welcome to “Green Bay South” (And The Great Purge)

Matt Ryan
February 14, 2026

Let’s rip the band-aid off: The Mike McDaniel experiment is over. The “Greatest Show on Surf” officially crashed into the rocks of salary cap hell and a 7-10 finish last season.

Now, we wake up in February 2026 with a new reality. The flashy sneakers and vaporizer jokes are gone. In their place? Head Coach Jeff Hafley and GM Jon-Eric Sullivan, both arriving from Green Bay to instill discipline and—frankly—clean up the mess.

The 2025 season was a disaster. Tua Tagovailoa got benched. Tyreek Hill’s knee exploded in September. And now, the Dolphins are staring at a -$23 million hole in the salary cap.

Here is your Florida Football Insiders preview of the most pivotal offseason in Miami since 2019.

The QB Question: The End of Tua

Let’s not dance around it. Tua Tagovailoa has likely thrown his last pass in aqua and orange. Benching him late last year was the signal. The $54M guaranteed salary is a massive albatross, but Sullivan didn’t come here to inherit a quarterback he didn’t draft. Expect a designated June-1 release or a Brock Osweiler-style trade where Miami eats cash to ship him out.

So, who’s next? The clubhouse—and my sources—are pointing directly at Malik Willis. It makes too much sense. He knows Hafley’s system from Green Bay. He’s mobile, he’s cheaper (projected 3-year, $78M deal), and he fits the “toughness” ethos Hafley wants. Is he a Hall of Famer? Probably not. Is he the bridge to the next era? Absolutely.

Clubhouse Leader: Vacant

You asked for a leader. I’m telling you: There isn’t one. With Tyreek rehabbing (and likely cut), Tua exiled, and Xavien Howard long gone, this locker room is silent. Jaelan Phillips tries to be the voice, but he needs to stay on the field. This leadership void is exactly why Hafley was hired—he is the culture now until a player steps up.

The “Unsigned” & The Purge: Cap Casualties

We are about to see a bloodbath.

Tyreek Hill: I hate to say it, but the post-June 1 cut designation feels inevitable. Between the age and the knee injury, Miami can’t justify the cap hit during a rebuild.
Bradley Chubb: Another candidate for restructuring or release. Great when healthy, but “when healthy” is doing a lot of heavy lifting.

Trade Bait: The Asset Liquidation

Sullivan needs draft picks. He needs cheap rookie contracts. That means fan favorites are on the block.

De’Von Achane: He is entering the final year of his rookie deal. A team contending now (Kansas City? Baltimore?) would pay a premium for his speed. I expect him to be moved for a Day 2 pick.
Jaylen Waddle: This is the nuclear option. If Miami wants to truly reset, Waddle fetches a 1st rounder. I think they keep him as a safety blanket for the new QB, but don’t be shocked if the phone rings.

2026 Draft Outlook: The #11 Pick

Miami holds the 11th overall pick. They need trench warfare dogs.

The Dream: Rueben Bain Jr. (EDGE, Miami Hurricanes). Keeping the local product home would be a PR win and a schematic fit. He’s a monster run defender who fits Hafley’s 4-3 front perfectly.
The Realistic Pick: Jermod McCoy (CB, Tennessee). Hafley is a DBs coach at heart. He sees a secondary that got torched last year. McCoy is a plug-and-play starter.
The Reach: Francis Mauigoa (OT, Miami Hurricanes). If they cut Terron Armstead (likely), they need a tackle immediately.

Free Agency Target

Kingsley Enagbare (EDGE). Connect the dots. He played for Hafley in Green Bay. He’s a rotational pass rusher who is about to get paid like a starter. Miami needs guys who know the new language of the defense on Day 1.

The FFI Projection

This is going to hurt, Dolfans. The roster is being gutted. The schedule is brutal. We are moving from a “Win Now” window to a “Build for 2027” reality.

Projection: 5-12 Record, 4th in AFC East.
The Silver Lining: This is the year they fix the books. By 2027, they’ll have $100M in cap space and a top-5 pick (maybe for Arch Manning?).

Matt Ryan is the lead analyst for Florida Football Insiders of BookMakersReview.com. Buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.