Leadership Must Be a Priority

Leadership Must Be a Priority

The Dolphins are in the midst of a much-needed rebuild, and a bubble of uncertainty will remain around the franchise for the time being. 

If Miami wants to rally behind its new coaching and front-office hires, there must be a few players who take accountability for the team. With a new quarterback and many other major roster changes, these players stand out to me as the leaders of 2026:

Zach Sieler

A former Ferris State walk-on and seventh-round draft selection went on to produce back-to-back 10-sack seasons. Sieler has been a force for Miami ever since his arrival in the latter part of the 2019 season. 

He was named a team captain in 2024 and was a clear-cut pick to sport the ‘C’ the following season. The defense’s energy runs through Sieler, and his presence is vital for the Dolphins this year more than ever before. 

The defensive line has clear holes to fill, and the veteran tackle is arguably the only solidified piece. Outside of Sieler, everyone has plenty to prove — even the former first-round pick from Penn State.

Chop Robinson showed flashes of greatness in his rookie campaign, and I believe, under the right guidance, he can be a premier edge rusher in the coming years. But for now, he and the rest of the trenches need to rely on Sieler.  

The majority of the defensive line, as it stands right now, are less familiar with Miami. 

The starters as listed on the depth chart are Sieler, Robinson, Jordan Phillips and Josh Uche. Phillips is entering his second season after a quiet 34-tackle first year. He and rookie counterpart Kenneth Grant will have to step up this season for the pass rush to be successful.

Uche will suit up for his fourth team in seven years and hasn’t tallied more than three sacks in a season since his standout 2022 11.5-sack year with New England. 

Jordyn Brooks

Similar to Sieler, Brooks brings the juice to the linebacker core. 

The seventh-year veteran led the NFL in total tackles last season (183) and in 2021 (184). He has quietly been one of the best linebackers in the league across his tenure. 

This season’s LB quartet will be similar to last, plus the debut of Jacob Rodriguez. Brooks and Co. will be working with a new defensive coordinator in Sean Duggan and a defensive-minded head coach in Jeff Hafley. 

Brooks made his mark on the Dolphins in his first season with the team and immediately earned the captain’s patch in 2025. He has shown that he can guide a young defense and will have to continue to in 2026. 

The Dolphins signed Brooks to a three-year, $26.25 million contract in 2024, making this a vital season for the former Red Raider. Re-signing him should be atop the list of priorities for Jon-Eric Sullivan this season for both on and off the field purposes. 

Greg Dulcich

It’s only June 1, and Dulcich is already making waves in OTA’s. 

The tight end is entering his second season with the Dolphins and fifth in the league. He saw minimal production last season, but will have a much larger role in 2026. 

Dulcich’s 26 receptions across 10 games were overshadowed by Darren Waller’s shocking start to the season. The former was extremely reliable down the stretch and a safety blanket while Miami experienced immense quarterback turnover. 

This season is a fresh start for Dulcich. Malik Willis is opening his first year with a new team and will look to the 6-foot-4 tight end plenty of times. 

Willis targeted Packers tight ends nine times across four games of action in Green Bay. While he doesn’t have the flashiest of numbers across his four-year career, the quarterback should hone in on a sure-fire target in the middle of the field. 

Dulcich is also the only returning tight end to the Dolphins and one of just four returning pass catchers of the 15 listed on the depth chart. Outside of Dulcich, the only familiar faces will be Malik Washington, Tahj Washington and Theo Wease Jr. 

The tight end is the oldest of the returners and, while just 26 years old, will be key to the offense’s success.