The Miami Dolphins appear headed for a franchise reset — but these six players should be viewed as the long-term cornerstones of the rebuild

Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle

Waddle is going to get a chance to remind the world who he is outside of Tyreek Hill's shadow over the course of the next 12 games. He was off to a good start in Week 5 against the Carolina Panthers, posting six receptions for 110 yards and a score (18 yards per catch) on nine targets. Waddle signed a contract extension ahead of the 2024 season and endured a frustrating season amid Miami's passing game struggles without Tyreek Hill. He's under lock and key contractually and has the physical ability to be a primary target.

Let's see how much he prospers without Hill in the picture the rest of the way.

Jaylen Waddle's 2025 season so far

• 3 receiving touchdowns — one more than he had in 15 games last season
• Averaging 59 yards per game through five games, on pace for 1,003 yards
• Catching 72% of his targets thus far
• Posted 110 receiving yards in first game without Tyreek Hill

Running back De'Von Achane

There's no question that Achane is one of the team's most talented players. His usage in the passing game makes him a dangerous piece of the offensive puzzle for the Dolphins every week and he's getting better with his zone run discipline to maximize his yardage opportunities. He may never be a bell-cow back but he has the ability to become an Alvin Kamara-style weapon every year.

Achane is still on his rookie contract and is extension eligible after the season — Miami will need to do some soul searching with whoever is running football operation around the decision to keep him or not. But keeping your in-house hits who have explosive play ability is usually good business.

Linebacker Jordyn Brooks

Brooks has endured a tough start to the season as he's playing behind a shaky interior defensive line through the first month of the season. It's been tough sledding to anticipate gaps with confidence as defensive tackles are getting washed out of gaps and being overwhelmed at the point of attack. Brooks is a well-respected leader who is in the prime of his career and under contract through the end of the 2026 season — which would set the stage for him to get a year of overlap with the start of Miami's next build before the team must make any decisions on his contract status.

But as a player who is tough, plays with a hot motor, can make plays in the pass game, and has embraced a leadership role? These aren't the kinds of players who are a part of the problem with what ails Miami.

Offensive tackle Patrick Paul

No player has experienced a bigger jump from 2024 to 2025 than Paul. He's been a tremendous asset for Miami and boasts wonderful impact in pass protection. He's a surreal athlete for his size and with elite traits he figures to have scheme translatability if Miami's next chapter offers a different ideology for the offense.

Paul will be 24 years old in November — he's got a long career ahead of him and things are looking up in a big, big way.

Center Aaron Brewer

Brewer is the most shaky choice of this group in part because he's a scheme-specific player and a bit of an outlier with his size. But wow, has he been a home run fit for Miami thus far since signing a three-year contract with the team in 2024. Brewer is electric on the second level, a sufficient pass blocker and has thrived since settling into center.

The Dolphins need to stabilize their entire offensive line and this has become a proven player. A new regime would need a very inspired selection to replace Brewer to justify not keeping him as a long-term building block and leaning into his quickness, intelligence, and ability to be a weapon in the run game.

EDGE defender Chop Robinson

Robinson's slow start this season is frustrating. But it should not make anyone forget how electric he was as a pass rusher in 2024 as a rookie — posting more than 50 pressures and illustrating rare bend and burst to the quarterback. Chop has been caught behind returning veterans Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb this season as the line has struggled to win at the point of attack and been caught in too many short-yardage situations.

But he's a first-round pick with rare talent and will surely see his disruption ability shine with a more complementary defense assembled. He's the only one of Miami's trio of pass rushers who checks both boxes of being in the prime of his career and being under contract after the season. But he needs to start playing to his potential in 2025.

The elephant (pun intended?) in the room

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa

It's probably fair to assume that Tagovailoa is going to be on the Dolphins' roster next season no matter what happens. If this team reels off a bunch of wins and everyone saves their jobs? Great. It's full steam ahead. If that doesn't happen and there's changes at head coach or general manager, Tagovailoa's contract extension makes it difficult to envision Miami bidding him farewell after this season. His background with concussions makes him a high-risk trade candidate, especially with more than $50 million in fully-guaranteed compensation owed his way in 2026.

That does not, however, guarantee him anything in the eyes of a new football operation. The hiring process for Miami of a new general manager and/or head coach would almost certainly come with the assurance that, when the opportunity presents itself, the new operation is free to pursue their guy at quarterback — even if that were to come in, say for example, the 2026 NFL Draft.

It sets the stage, with changes this offseason, for Tagovailoa to likely be a bridge player in Miami in 2026 — one under contract and given the chance to start at quarterback but with the understanding that he's unlikely to be a piece of the puzzle of a new football operation's long-term vision at quarterback because he wasn't their choice and they didn't commit to his lofty contract.

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