A WING AND A PRAYER

The Miami Dolphins are not easing into the 2026 season. They are stepping into it with a new coach, a new quarterback, a reshaped roster and the unmistakable feeling of a franchise turning the page.

After a disappointing 7–10 season in 2025, Miami has shifted direction under first-year head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. The familiar offensive core that once defined the Dolphins under Mike McDaniels is gone, and the organisation is now counting on youth and physicality rather than star power.

The biggest question sits under centre since the release of Tua Tagovailoa. Malik Willis arrives as the player Miami hopes can steady the offence while also giving it a different dimension. His mobility and arm strength are an upgrade over Tua and should make the Dolphins harder to defend on the move, but this season will test whether he can consistently manage the game, protect the ball and deliver accurate throws when the easy reads are taken away. There is no getting away from the fact he has only started a handful of games, the spotlight will be shining on him as Dolphin fans get restless very quickly.

If Miami is going to be competitive while its passing game develops, De’Von Achane will have to be more than a spark. He will have to be the engine. Few backs in the league can match his acceleration in open space, and the Dolphins are likely to build much of their attack around getting him touches as a runner and receiver. He must stay healthy throughout the season for the team to have any type of success. Backing him up are Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II, both have flashed at times, but they don’t possess Achane’s speed and illusiveness.

The Dolphins’ rookie class will not have the luxury of watching from the sideline. Offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor is expected to help bring size and stability up front, while cornerback Chris Johnson gives the secondary a young building block. But perhaps the rookie carrying the biggest defensive spotlight may be Jacob Rodriguez, the second-round linebacker from Texas Tech who has quickly pushed himself into a major role. So much so that the brain trust decided to release Tyrel Dodson, a seasoned veteran coming off a career year with 129 total tackles.

Wide receivers Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell and Kevin Coleman Jr. will be given an opportunity to carve out meaningful roles in a room searching for reliable targets. Currently Douglas, Jalen Tolbert and Malik Washington are listed as the week one starters but don’t expect it to stay that way because Chris Bell will be looking to snatch the starting role away from Tolbert sooner rather than later.

Hafley’s reputation was built on defence, and that side of the ball may determine how respectable Miami can be in year one of the rebuild. Zach Sieler and Jordyn Brooks provide leadership, but the rest of the defense is young and relatively inexperienced. There is concern on the ends, the question is how much pressure Hafley’s scheme can generate. Chop Robinson is in his third year and needs to step up, he may struggle though if Josh Uche or Robert Beal can’t make an impact on the other side.

The secondary is very young, between the five starters, Chris Johnson and Michael Taaffe are rookies and Jason Marshall Jr., Dante Trader and JuJu Brents have fifteen starts between them. It will be a baptism of fire as opposing teams will test them out early, especially as the run defense was rounding into form at the tail end of 2025, and should continue ascending as Jordan Phillips, Kenneth Grant and Zeek Biggers along with Sieler return.  If the defence can keep games close, Willis and Achane will have a chance to steal wins. If not, Miami could spend too many Sundays chasing from behind.

This Dolphins season is unlikely to be judged only by the standings. A playoff push would be a surprise; progress would not. Miami needs to leave 2026 knowing whether Willis can be part of the long-term answer, whether Achane can carry a larger workload, and whether its young draft class can form the foundation of the next competitive Dolphins team. A five-to-seven-win finish feels realistic, but the real story is whether Miami can see the beginning of something better by December.