This offseason, the Miami Dolphins signed a plethora of players to minimum, one-year deals. Most of them are guys who could make the team, while some others will turn out to simply be camp bodies. Among them, though, one signing stood out in a way: Jalen Tolbert.
Tolbert was limited in his time in Dallas, but his name was one that fans knew and recognized well. And after Jaylen Waddle was shipped off to Denver, Dolphins fans immediately turned to Tolbert as Miami's potential WR1 for the upcoming season.
One outlet, though, is pulling a Lee Corso, and saying, "Not so fast, my friends." Bleacher Report presumes that not only will Tolbert not be the Dolphins' primary receiver in 2026, but that there's also a possibility he won't make the team at all.
Bleacher Report names Jalen Tolbert as Miami Dolphins' best player to potentially get cut
Recently, Bleacher Report published their list of the best players from every NFL roster who could still be cut, and for Miami, they listed Tolbert as the likely casualty. BR's Moe Moton's argument points to the Dolphins drafting three wide receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft, despite Miami's lack of depth heading into the event.
Prior to the draft, Tolbert and Tutu Atwell were arguably the top candidates to battle it out for WR1 in South Florida. Following the draft, I'm not sure much has changed on that front based on their experience with the incoming rookies. But Moton sees it differently, and his argument does hold merit.
He notes in the article that, "If third-rounders Chris Bell and Caleb Douglas impress during the offseason, they could work their way into starting roles." While true, I see little chance of that happening ahead of Week 1.
Of Miami's 13 selections this past April, Douglas was by far the most polarizing. Many considered him to be a late Day 3 pick, but the Dolphins made the former Texas Tech standout their first WR selection. There is some positivity from circles that Douglas could make an immediate impact, but there's a difference between that and being an instant starter.
As for Bell, fans and analysts were much more pleased with his selection 19 picks later. To the point that, in truth, if Bell had been selected at No. 75 overall instead and Douglas at 94, I don't think Douglas' selection would have been deemed as polarizing, if at all.
But Bell is coming off a torn ACL that he suffered in late November. Just before the draft, Bell's agent—and the doctor who performed his surgery—said that Bell is ahead of schedule, leaving open the possibility that he could get work in this offseason. And while that's great news for his development, it seems unlikely still that the Dolphins would rush him out there in a starting role.
Miami got great value with Bell at pick 94, but part of the reason they drafted him is that they can afford to wait. This season is more of a mulligan for the Dolphins' franchise, with losses expected to heavily outweigh the win column. More than anything, it's about developing the young talent, and for Bell, that's ensuring that he's physically ready and not rushing him out too soon, which could hamper him long term if they do.
So while I could see how Bell's progress "could significantly impact Jalen Tolbert's chances of making the roster," I don't think that's anything Tolbert needs to worry about right now. In fact, I think there's a better chance that Bell starts the year on short-term IR than there is of him starting in Week 1.
I get the argument that BR is making, and in fairness, the article is the best player who could be cut from each team, so it's intended to be a bit spicy, and Tolbert would qualify in that regard. Yet, I lean more on the side of insider Jordan Schultz, who listed Tolbert as part of his top 10 all-underrated team from free agency.
Tolbert is an overall solid receiver with experience playing special teams. Landing with Miami, he has a great opportunity to boost his stock in hopes of a bigger payday in 2027. Even if that doesn't happen, and others outshine Tolbert, Miami's young team would still benefit by having a veteran presence like him at their side. I'd be shocked and quite perplexed, honestly, if Tolbert somehow doesn't make the Dolphins' final 53-man roster ahead of Week 1.
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