The 14 Newest Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins have (technically) already started their hunt for new talent. The team has signed 14 players to futures contracts. A reserve/future contract is like a regular free agent signing, but may occur right after the season, up until March 10. These are for players who were on practice squads or already unsigned players.

AJ Henning spent his college career in the Big 10, playing for Michigan and Northwestern. The receiver had a nice preseason for Miami in 2025 and was quickly signed to the practice squad after being part of the final roster cuts. After a suspension for performance-enhancing drugs, he seems to be ready to compete for a roster spot again.

Another similar situation is defensive tackle Alex Huntley. The South Carolina product, Huntley, spent the 2025 preseason with the Dolphins. He then spent the rest of the regular season on the practice squad. Huntley is a strong defensive tackle. Hopefully, he can help one of Miami’s poorer position groups.

Derrick McLendon was a fan favourite after a strong preseason with the team. He spent all of the regular season on the practice squad, appearing in the season finale against the New England Patriots. McLendon played just under 20 snaps in that game. A solid rusher with upside, McLendon is locked in for another season of competing for a roster spot.

Another defensive futures contract, KC Ossai, is locked in for 2026. He spent his collegiate days at Louisiana as an off-ball linebacker. He was a decent tackler with good size. His brother Joseph has been playing for the Bengals and is a pending free agent.

In the opposite direction from AJ Henning, Miami signed offensive guard Josh Priebe to a futures contract. He started at Northwestern and finished his career at Michigan. He was a decent collegiate player with upside in run blocking outside zone schemes.

Kion Smith is a name all fans should know. He has been with the team for 3 years and is expected to be with the team for 2026. He was active for 14 games in 2025 and played 18% of the team’s offensive snaps. He has been a decent swing tackle for the team, with the versatility to kick to guard in a pinch.

Defensive lineman Keith Cooper spent 2025 bouncing between practice squads and eventually playing in a game for the Cleveland Browns. He recorded 14 collegiate sacks and was a very quick interior player. His upside is worth noting for the future. An early name to watch before training camp.

Braeden Daniels is a former 4th-round pick by the Washington Commanders. The former Utah offensive tackle had been signed by Miami since the last free agency period. He was expected to make the roster, but was beat out by other talent and released before the season. He’ll get another shot at making the roster in camp.

The Dolphins signed former Nevada standout tight end Cole Turner to a future deal. In college, he recorded over 1300 receiving yards and scored 20 touchdowns. He was selected by the Commanders in the 5th round of the 2022 NFL Draft. This is a big one. Though Turner never found his footing in the league, he’s still got his size and athleticism. Another name that will make waves once camp begins.

Carter Warren is a Miami Dolphin. Though it may not seem great at first, given his horrible tenure with the rival Jets, Warren still has a viable NFL skill set. The former 4th-round pick will compete for the swing tackle position.

Former Nebraska box safety Omar Brown is signed to a future deal with the Dolphins. He had come into the league with the Packers as an undrafted free agent who made his way through special teams. Brown is a fun prospect who has the potential to earn that special teams role that players like Elijah Campbell and Jordan Colbert have in years past.

Florida native and former Illinois linebacker Seth Coleman is going to attempt to make an active NFL roster through the Dolphins in 2026. He spent most of the 2025 season without a team. Coleman was most recently drafted into the United Football League. If it doesn’t work out in Miami, he can fallback and become a Houston Gambler.

Terrace Marshall is a big one. An elite deep threat in his collegiate days at LSU, Marshall earned his draft selection. He was a 2nd round pick by the Carolina Panthers in 2021. With some good film out there, he has earned opportunities with the Raiders and, most recently, the Eagles. Miami sees enough in the player to sign him to a futures deal. He can compete to be an X receiver in this revamped offense.

Most recently, the team signed Zack Kuntz to a future deal. The 6’8” monster tight end was given a 10.00 RAS (relative athletic score) coming out of Old Dominion. The super athlete hasn’t been able to catch a pass in his career, but isn’t shy to get his hands dirty in the blocking game. An intriguing body for this tight end room.

Futures contracts never usually pan out. They weren’t on a team for a reason. It never hurts to give NFL players a chance, especially in camp when everything is in flux. I am intrigued by a few names on this list, and it is the only “free agency” we can be excited for until March 11.

By Julian of @draftlives_here