As we sit here in January, the Miami Dolphins are at one of the most uncertain crossroads the organization has faced in years.
The decision to move on from Mike McDaniel signals more than just dissatisfaction with wins and losses. It reflects a franchise recalibrating its identity, its leadership structure, and ultimately its long-term plan. And when coaching turnover meets a roster that is expensive, uneven, and still incomplete, the most important question becomes simple but uncomfortable: who actually matters moving forward?
For Miami, identifying true core pieces is not a long list exercise. It is a filtering process.
There are players who can help you win games now, players who can survive roster churn, and players who are simply placeholders until the next vision is fully formed.
That distinction is critical as the Dolphins begin a new chapter without the offensive architect who once defined them.
Miami Dolphins' potential building blocks to watch moving forward
Offense
On offense, the most stable building block may not be the quarterback or the wide receiver room that once drew national attention. Instead, the clearest long-term foundation exists in the backfield. with De’Von Achane, one of the most explosive players in football, regardless of position.
Drafted in the third round in 2023, Achane’s speed changes defensive math every time he touches the ball. He forces safeties to widen, linebackers to hesitate, and play callers to account for space rather than personnel. He isn't just a runner; he is a structural piece that alters how defenses align.
Alongside him, Jaylen Wright has quietly grown into a complementary weapon with real utility. A fourth-round pick in 2024 out of Tennessee, Wright brings burst and decisiveness as an RB2 who can punish defenses already stretched horizontally by Achane.
Then there's Ollie Gordon, a sixth-rounder last April, who adds a different body type and tempo entirely. Gordon is a downhill presence, comfortable living between the tackles and absorbing contact, and together as a trio, the three young backs give Miami optionality and sustainability at a position where many teams struggle to find even one reliable contributor.
Outside of the run game, however, the offensive picture becomes murkier. Jaylen Waddle remains on the roster and remains immensely talented, but his long-term future is no longer assumed. Trade deadline discussions told a larger story about cap management, philosophical direction, and whether Miami still views him as a pillar rather than a luxury.
Then there's Malik Washington, a day three pick out of Virginia in 2024, who has earned trust through production and versatility, but he profiles more as a complementary piece than a focal point in any offense, let alone Miami's.
Up front, a major positive stands tall in the form of Patrick Paul, who emerged as a genuine success story in 2025. A second-round pick out of Houston two years ago, Paul has stabilized the left tackle spot and quickly become one of the better young players at the position in football.
Next to him, however, Jonah Savaiinaea development is one of the most important swing factors on the roster. The second-round pick out of Arizona endured a difficult first season as a starter this past fall, surrendering pressure consistently and struggling with technique and balance.
Eight sacks allowed and 45 pressures are numbers that can't be ignored, but neither can the reality that offensive linemen often make their biggest leap between years one and two. His growth may determine whether Miami’s front can ever be more than a patchwork group with new faces and new places arriving every year.
At quarterback, the Dolphins remain in limbo. Tua Tagovailoa’s future remains away from South Beach. Zach Wilson is a backup. Quinn Ewers, a seventh-round pick out of Texas who saw spot duty late in the year, has tools, but not a projection as a franchise answer.
Miami doesn't currently have its quarterback of the future on the roster, and that reality overshadows every offensive evaluation.
Defense
On the opposite side of the ball, Miami has clearly attempted to get younger. The centerpiece of that effort is Kenneth Grant, a first-round pick in 2025 out of Michigan who has been tasked with filling the void left by Christian Wilkins. Grant has the size, strength, and versatility to anchor the interior.
He can align as a one-tech or slide into a three-tech role, holding up against double teams, and collapsing the pocket on passing downs (totaled multiple pressures in each of his final five starts). His best football is ahead of him, and he profiles as a long-term foundational defender.
Jordan Phillips, a fifth-round pick out of Maryland, has been one of the more pleasant surprises of the rookie class. He plays with urgency and violence, earning snaps as a rotational interior defender who brings energy and physicality.
Chop Robinson, heading into year three in 2026, remains one of the most important young pieces on the edge. With Jalen Phillips now gone, Robinson’s role has only grown, and his explosiveness and pass-rush upside suggest a player who can still become a consistent difference-maker if his development continues.
The secondary reflects Miami’s transitional phase.
Minkah Fitzpatrick is still the headliner, but his timeline no longer aligns cleanly with a full rebuild. Jack Jones offers flexibility, but projects more as a rotational chess piece than a cornerstone. Dante Trader and Jason Marshall, both fifth-round picks, represent developmental bets. Of the two, Marshall carries the highest ceiling. A former highly recruited prospect out of Florida, he flashes the traits Miami hoped to unlock when they selected him.
Ultimately, the Dolphins’ core is smaller than many would expect. Achane, Paul, Grant, and Robinson form the clearest foundation pieces. Everything else is fluid.
With a new head coach coming in and a quarterback decision looming, Miami is less a team retooling and more a franchise redefining what it wants to be.