There are two apparent methods to rebuild any sports activities staff.
The primary means is to do it’s steadily, over plenty of seasons — ostensibly, this lets you keep aggressive whereas pruning elements of the roster that need assistance whereas ridding your self of overpaid and underperforming gamers.
The second means is to blow the entire damned factor up from the studs in a single season, make it clear that you’ll not be aggressive for some time, and simply take your medication abruptly.
Everyone knows which path the 2026 Miami Dolphins have chosen.
With a useless cap bounce of almost $180 million for this league yr, and the contractual jettisoning of Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jalen Ramsey, Jaylen Waddle, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Bradley Chubb, and Terron Armstead amongst others, the Dolphins are making it abundantly clear that the errors of previous administrations are apparent to all, and it’s time to begin from scratch.
Whereas this leaves the present staff with fairly presumably the least spectacular roster within the NFL, it does give the brand new regime, led by normal supervisor Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley, some leeway in terms of short-term success. The one main addition the Dolphins made this offseason was the three-year, $67.5 million contract with $45 million assured given to quarterback Malik Willis. Willis ought to be positive in Bobby Sowik’s offense, as a result of as a Kyle Shanahan acolyte, Slowik depends extra on the offensive line than the quarterback in terms of calling protections.
The brand new Dolphins additionally had what appears to be like like a very good draft, with eight picks who may all be important contributors of their rookie seasons. That’s partially as a consequence of expertise and scheme match, and partially as a result of *waves palms in all places* alternative rises up in all places in nuclear rebuilds like this.
So, which hidden gems have to step up in all this deconstruction to re-construct? Now we have three names who may exceed expectations, as a result of there ain’t nowhere to go however up.
Underrated veteran: OT Patrick Paul
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 26: Patrick Paul #52 of the Miami Dolphins blocks in opposition to James Pearce Jr. #27 of the Atlanta Falcons through the second quarter of the sport between the Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 26, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photograph by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Photos) Getty Photos
One attention-grabbing factor in regards to the new Dolphins is that there isn’t a longer a left-handed beginning quarterback on the roster as Tagovailoa was, which flips to some extent the tasks for left and proper tackles. Third-year left sort out Patrick Paul might be defending Willis’ blind facet versus Tua’s entrance facet, which Paul did fairly properly for a man enjoying on that facet of the road on a full-time foundation for the primary time since 2023, his ultimate season with the Houston Cougars earlier than Miami took him with the fifty fifth total decide within the second spherical of the 2024 draft.
Paul had simply 248 left sort out snaps in his rookie yr versus 975 final season, and he acquitted himself fairly properly for probably the most half, which proved to be a continuation of his attributes as a draft prospect.
In 2025, Paul allowed 4 sacks, two quarterback hits, and 19 quarterback hurries in 578 pass-blocking reps, and he additionally proved to be an asset as a run-blocker. Like numerous younger tackles, Paul will get overwhelmed every so often when he’s late in his move units and he can’t catch up laterally to both facet of his physique (inside counters have been a particular drawback), however the jumps in approach final season have been spectacular sufficient, and continued enchancment mixed along with his athletic potential may have Paul on a Professional Bowl observe ahead of later.
Mix that with the truth that Miami has the also-underrated Aaron Brewer at heart, and first-round decide Kadyn Proctor kicking inside to left guard (Word: All 2,408 of Proctor’s Alabama snaps had him enjoying left sort out, however he has a reasonably good guard profile, and he’s insanely athletic for his measurement), and it may properly be that the left facet of the Dolphins’ offensive line may very well be the prime agent round which you’ll be able to rebuild the remainder of the factor.
Underrated free agent: WR Jalen Tolbert
Jul 26, 2025; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys receiver Jalen Tolbert (1) catches the ball at coaching camp on the River Ridge Fields. Obligatory Credit score: Kirby Lee-Imagn Photos Kirby Lee-Imagn Photos
After sending Tyreek Hill away at the beginning of the league yr, and buying and selling Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos on March 18, the Dolphins’ receiver corps is now led by…
Effectively, “led” is doing numerous work when your main guys are Malik Washington, Tutu Atwell, Terrace Marshall Jr., Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell, Kevin Coleman Jr., Jalen Reagor, and Theo Wease Jr.
With all due respect, woof.
The one receiver who may elevate himself above the fray is Jalen Tolbert, the fifth-year receiver out of South Alabama whom the Dallas Cowboys chosen within the third spherical of the 2022 draft. The Dolphins signed Tolbert to a one-year, veteran minimal deal at $1.402,500 with $1.262,500 assured. The cash tells you that the Dolphins aren’t anticipating an excessive amount of out of Tolbert, but when they’ll get what the Cowboys acquired out of him in 2024, when he caught 49 passes on 79 targets for 610 yards and 7 touchdowns, that will be perfect. 2024 marked the third straight season during which Tolbert noticed statistical upticks, so the thought was that he would preserve ascending.
That breakout 2025 didn’t occur. The Cowboys traded for Pittsburgh Steelers receiver George Pickens in Might, and Pickens was going to take many of the targets CeeDee Lamb didn’t. Tolbert’s output decreased correspondingly — 18 catches on 34 targets for 203 yards and a landing — and it was time to search out one other house.
Tolbert could have been a No. 2 or No. 3 receiver on different rosters, however who’s to say he can’t elevate past that in a spot the place, to be trustworthy, the bar is VERY low?
“Obviously, all we ever can ask for is opportunity, and so I knew that I had a greater chance at cracking that here,” Tolbert mentioned after his signing. “I know what I’m capable of, I know what I can do. Obviously I just came from a squad [where] we were pretty stacked on the offensive side of the ball, so it was hard trying to get all the touches that you work for and you want. Just the opportunity to get back to that, and get back to the guy that I was coming out of South Alabama, that was one of my main priorities as I was looking into free agency.
“I felt like this was the best opportunity, and I’m excited about it.”
Underrated draft decide: LB/DB Kyle Louis
PITTSBURGH, PA – SEPTEMBER 06: Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Kyle Louis (9) recovers a fumble through the fourth quarter of the faculty soccer recreation between the Central Michigan Chippewas and Pittsburgh Panthers on September 6, 2025, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photograph by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos) Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos
Particularly on protection, the Dolphins’ roster as is provides beginning alternatives to simply about any draft decide, and the brand new shot-callers acquired some good prospects on that facet of the ball. I’m a giant fan of Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez (acquired to observe tape with him in April), and San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson was my CB2 on this class behind solely LSU’s Mansoor Delane,
However I’m particularly involved in how Jeff Hafley, because the de facto defensive mastermind, makes use of the distinctive skills of Pitt’s Kyle Louis, who the Dolphins took within the 138th total decide within the fourth spherical. Each staff is now on the lookout for its personal do-it-all “safetybacker” in the event that they don’t have already got that man, and the Dolphins truly took two swings at this within the fourth spherical — in addition they chosen Texas’ Trey Moore a hundred and thirtieth total — however Louis’ tape simply had me in its thrall from Day 1.
Final season, the 6’0, 220-pound Louis had three sacks, 18 whole pressures, 60 solo tackles, 30 stops, seven tackles for loss, one pressured fumble, and in protection, he allowed 47 catches on 60 targets for 429 yards, 391 yards after the catch, three touchdowns, two interceptions, three move breakups, and an opponent passer ranking of 99.2. Because the metrics would point out, Louis in all probability isn’t a man you need dropping into the deep third to remove seam routes, however he can do all the things you need from the field to the slot to the road of scrimmage.
Hafley, who used Javon Bullard as a field/slot enforcer final season when he was the Inexperienced Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator, would have a straightforward transition with Louis’ assist. One factor’s for positive — as Hafley remarked on the finish of the draft, his defensive gamers had higher get used to exhibiting their versatility.
“It excites me,” Hafley mentioned. “I think anytime you can draft a player who can do multiple things, it’s our job as coaches to have a vision for him and figure out where to play him or play him in multiple spots. What’s the down-and-distance? What’s he going to do on early downs? Is he going to be a stacked ‘backer on early downs? Is he going to be a sub rusher on second-and-7-plus, third down? Is he a guy that can line up as a spinner and pick guards and rush?
“The great part about our conversations is if you find a really good football player, and I mean smart guy, tough guy, a productive player that jumps out on tape, I think it’s our job as coaches to have a vision for him. Then, I think it’s our job schematically to figure out how to make it work for him.” That’s enjoyable for me and these are actually good gamers that combined in with the gamers that we’ve got, now it’s our job to go to work and undergo the OTAs and undergo coaching camp and by preseason, we’ll see what we are able to do with them.”
Effectively, Hafley now has a severe Swiss Military knife so as to add to that philosophy.
