A Long-Term Outlook

A Long-Term Outlook

Let’s not consider, even remotely, the 2026 season to be a winning one.

This is a rebuild, Dolphins fans, and one with no money to spend on free agency and a very limited roster.

The Dolphins have hardly any starters in critical positions, let alone any depth.

Cornerback, safety, edge, and wide receiver, to name the most glaring needs.

At defensive back, we have Chris Johnson heading the group as a rookie, with Storm Duck as another potential starter, as well as Ethan Bonner and Jason Marshall Jr.

We have one edge rusher in Chop Robinson, whose performance fell dramatically in 2025.

At wide receiver, we have rookie Chris Bell coming off an injury, with Malik Washington and Tutu Atwell as possible contributors.

And let’s not expect quarterback Malik Willis to be the savior.

Willis is learning alongside the rest of the team and needs the fans to give him time to develop.

Of course, we are very early in the roster-building process, but with minimal cap space, general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has little to work with.

This year will be one to build the foundation and establish the expectations required to perform at a high level.

Stephen Ross finally followed his own advice and tore the team management down to the studs, and it will take time to reconstruct.

The goal is not a short-term one, but rather to build a team that can win consistently and compete with the league’s elite teams.

With OTA’s ongoing and a mandatory minicamp, it is tempting to micromanage every play through a positive lens, but the reality is that the 2026 version of the Miami Dolphins is not expected to be very good.

Of course, most of the blame falls on the prior regime, particularly on former general manager Chris Grier, for his poor judgment in awarding ill-advised contracts.

Our current GM, Jon-Eric Sullivan, and head coach, Jeff Hafley, are simply attempting to survive with significant limitations on their potential to build the roster.

Having a long-term outlook on this team’s direction will result in a much more enjoyable 2026 season.