The Dolphins’ Secret Weapon

The Dolphins’ Secret Weapon

In most cases, a secret weapon is expected to be an offensive player with versatility who may be buried on a depth chart or a late-round pick. In this case, Miami is rolling with a group of secret weapons, old and new. The Miami Dolphins are not expected to do great in the upcoming NFL season.

The media is not hiding their feelings regarding this roster, but there is a part of the team’s roster that may be unmatched by any other NFL club heading into 2026. The linebacker corps for Miami is truly incredible on paper and has also been producing as a group in limited playing time during mini-camps and offseason practices.

The addition of Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez and Pittsburgh’s Kyle Louis through the draft was enough to make members of the media claim they were the steals of the draft or the best fit for a player to a team. Add on the fact that Miami currently has Jordyn Brooks, a 1st team All-Pro from last season, and Tyrel Dodson, a 16-game starter with 5 sacks for the team, this linebacker group is one of the most feared in the entire league. They also signed veteran Ronnie Harrison, a former safety-turned-linebacker. He already recorded an interception in the Dolphins minicamp.

The team also re-signed Willie Gay, a 2 time Super Bowl champion with 57 career starts under his belt.

Why, if the team is “bad”, would a good linebacker corps matter? Well, for starters, this is a versatile bunch. Kyle Louis is a mainly nickel / overhang defender, meaning he is not a primary box player. The same goes for Ronnie Harrison. I have not even mentioned Trey Moore, another April draft pick who was announced as a linebacker but will play predominantly on the edge.

The zone and man coverage that this group of players can handle opens up a whole part of a defensive playbook that many teams struggle to maintain.

If Miami is playing against a run-heavy team, they now have the personnel and talent to roll out fronts with 3 linebackers and 4 defensive linemen. Jacob Rodriguez, the 2025 Big 12 defensive player of the year, will have a big part in stopping the run, as he forced 7 fumbles as a box defender in 2025.

When they are countered by the pass, they can rely on players like Kyle Louis, who recorded 6 interceptions in his last 2 collegiate campaigns. Jacob Rodriguez is also an impactful player against the pass, and his 4 interceptions and 6 pass deflections from last season reaffirm that.

This isn’t going to be Miami’s Super Bowl-winning season. Making the playoffs is not even expected for the team, let alone winning more than 5 games. But I believe that this linebacking corps, along with the addition of coach Jeff Hafley, Miami’s defense will create more turnovers and defensive stops than many other teams in the AFC.

Creating turnovers builds momentum and gives the offense ideal field position. Miami will lean heavily on its front 7 in 2026, and I believe its linebackers are the secret weapon.