The Argument Against Adding Big-Name Veterans After June 1

The Miami Dolphins are now a week away from having some $20 million of cap space added to their ledger, but new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan already has indicated not to expected any "splash signings."

That means we likely should forget about the idea of adding high-profile veterans still available on the market, such as Deebo Samuel, Stefon Diggs, L'Jarius Sneed, Joey Bosa or former Dolphins starters Christian Wilkins and Rasul Douglas.

And here's the thing: Sullivan is absolutely right to adopt that stance.

STICKING WITH THE PROGRAM

Sullivan or new head coach Jeff Hafley will not use the word "rebuilding," nor will we hear it from those players who are on the current roster, and that's perfectly fine because the competitior in all of them is going to have preparing and competing as though they should have the same goals as any other team.

But actions speak louder than words, and Sullivan's actions since he got on the job pretty much all have been done with the future in mind, and not so much the 2026 season.

Did trading Jaylen Waddle make the Dolphins a better team in 2026?

Did releasing Tua Tagovailoa and eating $99 million of cap space over the next two years make the Dolphins better in 2026?

Did trading Minkah Fitzpatrick to a measly seventh-round pick make the Dolphins better in 2026?

Did releasing James Daniels at the cost of almost $5 million of cap space make the Dolphins better in 2026?

No, no, no and no.

All those moves were done to help the franchise reset to start building toward what everyone involves hopes will be perennail contender status.

The moves meant sacrificing some of the on-field results of 2026 for a better 2027 and beyond.

See, it's not the won-loss record that will, or should, matter most to the Dolphins next season, but rather establishing a foundation for future success with a fresh roster and a different way of doing things.

For most of the past several years, the Dolphins basically have operated like a contender needing just a piece here, a piece there.

That got them nowhere.

Hence the new approach.

BE WARY OF PROGRESS STOPPERS

Would the Dolphins be a better team if they had Rasul Douglas starting at cornerback than, say, JuJu Brents or Storm Duck? Probably.

How about having Wilkins at defensive tackle instead of, say, Kenneth Grant or Jordan Phillips, assuming Wilkins is healthy enough to look like the old Christian Wilkins? Again probably.

But what exactly would those two additions do for the Dolphins' won-loss record in 2026?

Would the Dolphins really be contenders with one or two, maybe even three big-name additions after the Bradley Chubb money goes back on the Dolphins cap?

And we haven't even gotten into the issue of how much those players would command. While they'll be flush with cap space next offseason, it's not like the Dolphins are going to be in a hurry to give out big long-term contracts to players in their 30s or getting there - especially since they already have two such decisions to make with Jordyn Brooks and Aaron Brewer.

Do we really think Douglas or Wilkins would come to Miami on a cheap one-year deal when they likely would have other options (assuming Wilkins is healthy again)?

It doesn't make sense from either side.

What Sullivan has built so far is a cost-effective (some would say cheap) roster with a lot of unproven young players or others looking to get their career back on track and next season will be about evaluating who needs to be kept for the foreseeable future.

And the Dolphins can't make those evaluations if players aren't getting the snaps.

Douglas' return, as good as he was in 2025, would take away playing time from a young cornerback.

Wilkins would take away snaps from Grant or Phillips or Zeek Biggers.

Bringing back Jonnu Smith, as another example, would take away snaps from Greg Dulcich, who eventually could become just as good a tight end but just hasn't proven it yet.

No, Sullivan has established a blueprint for his first year on the job, he says he's not chasing big-name players, and he absolutely shouldn't.

This would be falling into the same trap that got the Dolphins in trouble in the first place.

Yes, the Dolphins might be a better team next season with a big-name veteran added in June, but it probably would hurt them in the long run.

And that's the focus now.

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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 12:00 PM.