The Miami Dolphins have been in the news plenty this offseason, mostly for the wrong reasons. Even if many of the moves they made this offseason were necessary to move on from the Chris Grier-Mike McDaniel era, new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan still left Miami's roster in a rather sorry state by the time the 2026 NFL Draft rolled around.
On the total opposite end of the spectrum, two NFL powerhouses just made potentially franchise-altering moves that are being widely praised. The A.J. Brown trade between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles has a more direct impact on the Dolphins, but the Los Angeles Rams' blockbuster move to acquire Cleveland Browns edge rusher and two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett may also end up factoring into the Dolphins' future.
With Garrett now in town and Rams star pass rusher Jared Verse now in Cleveland as part of the deal, the future of 2025 breakout star Byron Young has come into question. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Rams are supposedly planning on letting multiple key starters (including Young) play out the last year of their deals this year instead of working to extend them. Could Miami pounce on Young to pair him with Chop Robinson off the edge?
The Miami Dolphins may have the chance to add Pro Bowl edge rusher Byron Young in next year's free agency
Young was productive in his first two seasons for the Rams, racking up 15.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss. His efficiency as a pass rusher wasn't anything special, however, but that changed in 2025. Not only did he rack up 12 sacks, but his pressures increased from 54 to 74, according to Pro Football Focus, despite only 53 more pass-rushing snaps compared to 2024.
Before the Garrett trade, it seemed likely that the Rams would try to keep Young and Verse together as a dynamic duo for the foreseeable future. With the future Hall of Famer now on the roster, they may look to save money by letting Young walk. As well as he has developed over his three seasons in Los Angeles, that very development could be what prices him out of the Rams' plans.
Miami may be cash-strapped at the moment, but they are projected to have nearly $133 million in cap space heading into the 2027 offseason. If this year's team shows any signs of life, Sullivan could look to spend big to elevate the roster back to competency, and Young would be a great candidate for a chunk of that money.
His size (6'2" 260 pounds) and improved run defense would be a great complement to Chop Robinson, who lacks some of the power and play strength Young has in his arsenal. It's far too early to predict if Miami will make a serious effort to sign him (or if he will even end up on the market), but I would implore the Dolphins front office to do so if he does.
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