The Miami Dolphins have looked up in envying wonderment at the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills for a long time running. As if having to face Josh Allen's Bills twice a year wasn't demoralizing enough, Drake Maye shot the Pats back to the top of the AFC East last year.
In fact, some believe New England is about to start a second dynasty in the post-Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era. The Pats are the reigning conference champs after all.
But based on a variety of offseason goings-on, we could actually see the division champs take a huge step back in 2026, which only helps Miami in the midst of a massive rebuild.
Patriots' ranking among the five worst NFL offseasons bodes well for the Miami Dolphins' future trajectory
CBS Sports' Jordan Dajani recently ranked the five worst offseasons among all NFL teams, and the Pats checked in at No. 3 on that inauspicious list.
Much of the bad vibes around New England has to do with Mike Vrabel's alleged inappropriate relationship with longtime NFL reporter Dianna Russini. However, that's not the only factor Dajani is focused on as to why the Patriots may be in for a down year:
"There's a narrative that some are afraid to address the Mike Vrabel drama. [...] Vrabel would love for this story to fade away, but has his confidence taken a hit? What about the way his players view him? The reigning NFL Coach of the Year was always seen as a hard-nosed, authoritative figure capable of getting the most out of his players. How about now? [...] To make matters worse, the Patriots are the prime regression candidate in 2026. After going 14-3 last season with help from the easiest schedule since the turn of the millennium, the Patriots have the sixth-toughest schedule in 2026, including the toughest Weeks 1-4 strength of schedule by any team in 40 years."
Yes, the Pats added A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs to their wide receiver corps and subtracted Stefon Diggs. But are we sure those are going to be slam-dunk acquisitions?
Brown caused his fair share of drama with the Eagles. Even a Super Bowl victory wasn't enough to make him want to stick around Philly. Doubs also got frustrated with his role in Green Bay and seemingly couldn't get out of Titletown fast enough. You wonder if the Packers-tied Dolphins regime of Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley didn't more aggressively pursue Doubs in free agency for reasons beyond a lack of salary cap room.
That early schedule is indeed tough, as New England has three of four on the road, including a Super Bowl rematch at Seattle in Week 1. Drake Maye didn't exactly light it up the last time out versus the Seahawks, and managed only an 82.2 postseason passer rating overall.
Maye's nickname was literally "The Schedule" due to how much of a relative cakewalk the Pats' 2025 slate was. He'll be tested early and often, all the while breaking in a couple of brand-new go-to pass-catchers with a documented history of diva tendencies.
The whole Vrabel situation is bizarre enough. Although Josh McDaniels has enjoyed a ton of success as offensive coordinator in Foxborough, he's failed miserably twice as a head coach. What if things start to go sideways? What if Vrabel isn't getting through to the locker room as he usually does? McDaniels isn't the sort of calming presence who can right the ship. Quite the opposite.
This has all the makings of a combustible team. Who knows what the ripple effect could be in the coming years? Never mind the hangover from a Super Bowl loss, which again, won't be helped by the Patriots' challenging schedule.
It'll take a huge effort for the Dolphins to best the Pats in either of their two matchups this year. Still, there's a lot of new energy and fresh faces in Miami. These Dolphins will play hungry, and they have a dynamic, dual-threat QB of their own in Malik Willis, who has a much higher ceiling than his predecessor, Tua Tagovailoa.
Who knows? If the Pats are demoralized enough in Week 8's road trip to Miami, perhaps the Fins could pull an epic upset and build some much-needed confidence to get this franchise reboot rolling.
More than what happens this year, though, the Patriots could be in for a rude awakening, and as a result, let the Dolphins gain some valuable long-term ground before a probable two-offseason spending spree and potential catapult forward.
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