What Happened to the Dolphins Roster?

There's all sorts of takes about the Miami Dolphins among the national media these days, which means varying opinions on what's wrong with the organization.

One sentiment that's pretty unanimous, though, is the idea that their roster is lacking. Badly.

Given that the Dolphins are 2-7 and basically out of any realistic playoff aspirations, it's pretty hard to argue with that notion.

What's truly remarkable, though, is that it was only two years ago that the Dolphins fielded what arguably was their most talented roster since at least the early 2000s, if not during some prime Dan Marino years.

It was a roster littered with Pro Bowl and All-Pro players, along with a lot of former first-round picks in their prime and a really solid supporting cast.

Today, after the trade of Jaelan Phillips to the Philadelphia Eagles earlier in the week, only eight starters remain from that 2023 team, and three of those — Tyreek Hill, Austin Jackson and Kader Kohou — currently are on injured reserve.

The five starters who remain from that 2023 team that produced an 11-6 record, Miami's first 11-win season since 2008, are QB Tua Tagovailoa, FB Alec Ingold, WR Jaylen Waddle, DT Zach Sieler and OLB Bradley Chubb.

Yes, there always is a lot of turnover in the NFL, but successful organizations usually do a better job at keeping a core intact.

There always was something working against the Dolphins, though, and that's the financial commitments they made in acquiring some of those big-name players, and at some point the salary cap was going to come into play because not enough of the Dolphins' nucleus consisted on talented young players on their rookie contract.

So what happened to all that talent?

WHERE THE 2023 DOLPHINS PLAYERS WENT

Let's look at those starters gone from that 2023 team and the reason behind their departure

RB Raheem Mostert — Released in February in 2025, now with Las Vegas Raiders: After his record-setting season (21 touchdowns) of 2023, Mostert took a major step back in 2024, was overtaken by De'Von Achane as the lead back. This was not a significant loss.

TE Durham Smythe — Released in February in 2025, now with the Chicago Bears: Smythe always was a complementary player, but his performance dipped in 2024 and he was supplanted as the main blocking tight end by Julian Hill. This also was not a significant loss.

C Connor Williams — Left as a free agent in 2024, signed with the Seattle Seahawks before retiring: This was a case of bad luck for the Dolphins because Williams was playing Pro Bowl-caliber football before he sustained a really nasty knee injury in that dreadful Monday night loss against Tennessee.

G Robert Hunt — Left as a free agent in 2024, now with the Carolina Panthers: This always was a tricky one because Hunt was a really, really good player, but he got a huge contract for a guard. The argument still could be made that he should have been a priority and maybe sacrifices should have been made elsewhere.

T Terron Armstead — Retired in 2025: Yes, injuries were a constant factor with Armstead, but there is absolutely no denying he was an elite left tackle more often than not when he was in the lineup. The saving grace here is that the Dolphins look like they have a great replacement in place with Patrick Paul.

DT Christian Wilkins — Left as a free agent in 2024, now without a team: Wilkins no doubt was a core player for the Dolphins, but once no deal on an extension could be reached for him, he became too pricey for a good (maybe very good) player. But his departure did leave a hole that was filled quite well by Calais Campbell in 2024 but not so much this year.

DT Raekwon Davis — Left as a free agent in 2024, now without a team: Davis was a serviceable starter, but not an impact player that the Dolphins have missed.

LB Andrew Van Ginkel — Left as a free agent in 2024, now with the Minnesota Vikings: This one is problematic. The Dolphins left AVG leave without so much as extending him a contract offer, according to his wife, and he's continued his progression with the Vikings with a Pro Bowl season last year.

LB Jerome Baker — Released in 2024, now with the Cleveland Browns: Baker was a solid player for the Dolphins for six years, but not necessarily a difference-maker.

LB David Long Jr. — Released during the 2024 season, now without a team: Long was elected as a team captain in his second year with the team, but then was demoted and then released. Long was replaced by Tyrel Dodson, who has been every bit as good as Long was when he was playing well, if not better.

S Jevon Holland — Left as a free agent in 2025, now with the New York Giants: Holland had flashes during his time in Miami, but never quite was the player some portrayed him to be. His departure is not the reason the Dolphins have fallen on hard time.

CB Xavien Howard — Released in 2024, now retired: Howard was a great player for the Dolphins for several years and he even played some high-end football in that 2023 season when injuries weren't affecting him.

CB Jalen Ramsey — Traded in 2025, now with the Pittsburgh Steelers: The Dolphins didn't pay much in terms of assets to get Ramsey, but he did put a ding on their salary cap but renegotiating his contract not once but twice in his two years in Miami (remember that hamstring injury right before the start of the 2024 season and how quickly he recovered). The problem is that the Dolphins went from having an elite cornerback duo just two years ago to a makeshift group, a situation exacerbated by the injury to Kohou.