The Miami Dolphins' 2026 schedule is going to be one of the hardest in the NFL. Many believe that Miami will finish the season holding the top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. They need to pump those brakes.
Sure, the Dolphins are young and comprised of a lot of rookies. Sure, the NFL handed them one of the worst stretches in the 2026 season when they play playoff-caliber teams every week from Week 12 until the end of the year. As bad as that is, it's nothing compared to what the Arizona Cardinals could be dealing with.
The Cardinals are poised to be the worst team in the NFL this year, giving them the inside track to have their pick of quarterbacks in the 2027 draft.
Miami Dolphins schedule takes a backseat to the Arizona Cardinals
The Dolphins will get the Raiders in Week 1. A game they can potentially win, given the uncertainty at quarterback. Miami will also play the Jets twice, two more winnable games on paper, and could steal a game or two from the Colts and Bengals.
The Cardinals? Not so much. Miami might win its first game of the year, but the Cardinals may not get a chance at their first victory until week 15 when they host the Jets. They will get another shot in week 16 against the Saints and week 17 when they host the Raiders.
The rest of their schedule? It can't get any worse. They play in the toughest division in the NFL. They will get the AFC West division as well, and if that wasn't insulting enough, the NFL rotation of play will put them against the NFC East, too.
Add in a game against the Lions, and the Cardinals are in a solid position to walk out of 2026 with the worst record in the NFL.
The top, well, bottom three teams are expected to be the Dolphins, Cardinals, and Jets. All three will look to improve their quarterback rooms next season. The Jets have the draft ammunition to dictate the first round. They have three picks in round one next year.
The 2027 draft is expected to be quarterback top-heavy, so that bodes well for the Dolphins, who will more than likely be looking to grab a franchise quarterback no matter what Malik Willis does this year. But fans shouldn't expect the Dolphins to be the team that kicks off the draft next year.
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