The Miami Dolphins are in the throes of traveling several steps backwards to (hopefully) take massive leaps forward in the coming years. Unfortunately, it will likely mean a whole lot of losing in 2026 for the new regime of head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan.
But there is reason for serious hope going forward. Sullivan inherited a ton of pending free agents and opted to part ways with many of Miami's core players, headlined by the likes of Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle, among others.
Moving off Tua in particular meant eating historic amounts of dead money. That hamstrung Sullivan's bid to upgrade the roster via free agency. It's a self-inflicted flaw to some degree that puts a cap on the Dolphins' potential to be competitive this year.
Thankfully for Miami fans, that will not be a problem in the slightest in 2027 and 2028.
Miami Dolphins' nightmarish cap situation will see a dramatic reversal for the next two years
CBS Sports' recent reveal of the NFL offseason spending rankings had the Dolphins ranking 24th out of 32 teams, which is honestly better than one would expect.
Been an expensive off-season for some 👀 pic.twitter.com/NnRCOitUzO
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) June 17, 2026
While this coming season may be a soft tank job, OverTheCap.com has the Dolphins with around $108 million in 2027 cap room and a whopping $222.8 million the following year.
As of this writing, that data takes into account De'Von Achane's contract extension, but not the payday Aaron Brewer just got. Nevertheless, it can be argued that the Fins have zero must-keep free agents heading into next offseason.
Right tackle Austin Jackson is a past first-round pick. He struggles to stay healthy and should be keen on a fresh start elsewhere. Linebacker Tyrel Dodson could be re-signed — if he isn't traded. The same goes for reigning first-team All-Pro Jordyn Brooks at the position.
Miami drafted Jacob Rodriguez in the second round to be the presumptive No. 1 linebacker of the future, so paying a premium for Brooks wouldn't make a lot of sense given the roster's myriad other holes.
Now that we know Achane and Brewer are staying put, they'll be around for that 2028 renaissance, when Sullivan can spend to his heart's content. Owner Stephen Ross isn't getting any younger, so starting in 2027, he'll be eager to see a hyper-aggressive approach to spark this ambitious rebuild.
New starting quarterback Malik Willis will be under contract throughout this whole time period, too. If Willis can live up to the promise he showed in Green Bay, he'll be among the biggest bargain QB contracts in the sport.
At this rate, by the time 2028 rolls around, left tackle Patrick Paul could very well secure his second contract, and Chop Robinson's trajectory suggests he'll play under his fifth-year option at best.
Suffice it to say, the Dolphins are primed for an all-out spending spree that will dwarf their 2026 offseason — and perhaps mark the watershed moment where this franchise, at long last, gets moving in the right direction toward building a consistent winner.
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