It wasn't an easy offseason for the Miami Dolphins. It was a much harder offseason for the first-time general manager. Jon-Eric Sullivan inherited a nightmare, but the choices he made last spring seem to be working out perfectly fine.
It will be interesting to see what he can do when the money issues are removed, and his hands are no longer strapped behind him. In 2027, the Dolphins are expected to have more than $100 million in spendable cap space. This despite carrying another $40 million in Tua Tagovailoa's dead contract.
To set himself and the team up for a better future, Sullivan needed to make more than a couple of tough offseason decisions. Looking at those decisions, six weeks into 2026, the Dolphins GM looks quite good.
Former Miami Dolphins roundup: The Jaylen Waddle trade looks better by the week
Tyreek Hill - Free Agent
The star wide receiver is still working on his rehab more than a year after suffering a devastating knee injury. Hill is getting close to returning, and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, believes that he could be on a new team soon. For the Dolphins, releasing Hill was a decision that Sullivan had no choice to make. Regardless of whether he returns this year, the Dolphins made the right decision.
Tua Tagovailoa - Falcons
No other player in NFL history has given their team more of a dead cap hit than the Dolphins' former QB. Tagovailoa's season after leaving Miami is exactly what Dolphins fans expected it to be. Late in Falcons camp, the QB injured his back and missed the first three games of the season.
In Week 4, Michael Penix Jr. returned to the field, and suddenly Tagovailoa was healthy to play as well. Tua was handed the starting job in camp and still lost it. This year, the quarterback has made two throws. After Penix was taken out of Week 5 heading into overtime, Tagovailoa took over for the extra period. He completed one pass for 14 yards before throwing an interception that sealed a Ravens victory.
Minkah Fitzpatrick - Jets
The Dolphins opted to trade Fitzpatrick to the Jets. The safety returned to Miami before the 2025 season, one of Chris Grier's last trades as a GM. Fitzpatrick is playing decently this year, ranking 13th among NFL safeties per PFF grades. In his four games thus far, Fitzpatrick has had 13 tackles and one interception.
Bradley Chubb - Bills
The Dolphins opted to release their best outside linebacker shortly after the start of free agency. The Dolphins could have traded him in 2025 at the deadline, but they opted to hold on to him, leaving it to Sullivan to decide his future.
Shortly after his release, Chubb joined the Dolphins' rival Buffalo Bills. Through six games, Chubb has 17 combined tackles, 1.5 sacks, and seven hits on the quarterback. Of all the players that Sullivan released, Chubb is probably the one who would have made an impact on the roster. The Dolphins defense is not getting consistent pressure on opposing QBs.
Jaylen Waddle - Broncos
No other move made by Sullivan was more scrutinized than the trade of Waddle to the Broncos. Miami received two draft picks, including a first-round pick in 2026. Sullivan used that on CB Chris Johnson and the later pick on Trey Moore.
Waddle has been a huge disappointment in Denver. Some of the problems are his own, but the offense in Denver has struggled despite having him on the roster. Waddle has been targeted 38 times this year, but has only caught 22 passes. He has just one touchdown in 2026.
Dolphins fans know this Waddle well. He's missed a couple of series with minor nicks, hasn't consistently gotten separation, and has a problem with drops. His 228 receiving yards look nice, but he isn't making the impact that the Broncos expected.
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