Jeff Hafley Refuses to Buy Into Dolphins Rebuild Narrative

Many believe the Miami Dolphins are in the early stages of a rebuild.

But the players and coaches aren’t lowering expectations.

“I don’t know how you can have a conversation with a competitive player or a competitive coach and have it sit right with them where we’re just going to say, ‘We’re just going to rebuild this year,’” Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley said after Thursday’s practice. “I mean, it’s just not the mentality of any competitor who’s made it to this level or any coach that’s made it to this level. Whether it’s practice or whether it’s a drill, I think we all want to win, and our mindset is we need to get better.”

Why the expectations are so low

Oddsmakers have set the Dolphins’ win total at 4.5 games. Much of that has to do with the number of veterans they released during the offseason.

As a result, Miami will carry a dead cap charge of $179.2 million, the highest in NFL history. That includes the $54 million in guaranteed money the Dolphins still owe Tua Tagovailoa in 2026 after moving on and starting over with Malik Willis.

After purging the roster of high-priced veterans, Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and Hafley added several young, unproven players, mostly on short-term contracts. Miami also selected 13 players in the 2026 NFL draft. Many of those rookies, including cornerback Chris Johnson and left guard Kadyn Proctor, are expected to make an immediate impact.

There are also questions about whether Willis can be a franchise quarterback. Before spending the past two seasons with the Green Bay Packers, he struggled as a starter with the Tennessee Titans. Willis revived his career in Green Bay after making three starts in relief of Jordan Love over the past two seasons.

During his short time with the Dolphins, Hafley has emphasized building a culture centered on physicality and toughness. He hopes that mindset will lead to more wins than many expect.

“Everything that we do is going to be about competing to get better throughout the process, and we want to win,” Hafley said. “So I just don’t think any player or any coach is going to sit here and say, ‘We’re just going to throw in the towel and just rebuild.’ So that’s probably why no one’s hearing that. I think if you had a group of players saying that, then I think we got the wrong players.”