The Miami Dolphins are the youngest team in the entire NFL. They could get younger after cuts are made in early September.
Jon-Eric Sullivan is giving the Dolphins a cultural and philosophical makeover. These types of changes tend to be built more easily by younger guys who can be developed and influenced by those changes. In other words, it's easier to teach a younger dog than an older one.
Zach Sieler is one of five players with more than 8 NFL seasons under his belt. He is clearly safe and a lock to make the final 53, but the other four are far from guaranteed.
Miami Dolphins will face tough choices with their most experienced players
Bradley Pinion - Punter - 11 seasons
Pinion will enter his 12th NFL season in 2026. Over his career, he has spent 4 seasons with both the Falcons and the 49ers while spending another three with the Buccaneers. The punter stands alone in the Dolphins' locker room. Seth Vernon was waived in May, giving Pinion the inside track to the final 53.
Ronnie Harrison - 8 seasons
Harrison joined the Dolphins as a free agent this offseason. After 8 seasons in the league, Harrison is now on his fifth NFL team, but his chances of making the final 53 are starting to become cloudier. In his 94 games over those seasons, he has just 52 starts and only seven in the last three years.
Harrison is unique. He started his career as a defensive back, played strong safety, and was moved to linebacker while with the Colts. His versatility gives the Dolphins something they love, but the team drafted three linebackers this year and already has Jordyn Brooks, Tyrel Dodson, and Willie Gay, Jr. Harrison needs a good camp if he wants to spend his 9th season in South Florida.
Zane Gonzalez - Kicker - 8 seasons
Unlike Pinion, Gonzalez will be competing for a roster spot. The Dolphins re-signed Riley Patterson after a solid 2025 season, subbing for injured Jason Sanders. Gonzalez has a big leg, but the two kickers are close enough in ability and consistency that training camp will decide which one fits better with this new regime.
Lonnie Johnson, Jr. - Safety - 7 seasons
Johnson started his career way back in 2019 with the Texans. His three seasons were the longest he has spent with any single team. Since leaving Houston after the 2021 season, he has spent each year with a different team; Miami will be his 5th new team in five years.
Johnson has started only 22 games. His first five seasons were at cornerback, but the last two were at safety. Like Harrison, he has versatility, but also like Harrison, he faces an uphill climb to make the 53. The Dolphins are likely to carry only four players at the position this year. So far, the top competition is Zayne Anderson, Louis Moore, Michael Taaffe, and Dante Trader.
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