Football

Ranking the Most Important Dolphins Players 36-40: Is It Time for a Bonner Breakthrough?

By Alain Poupart Sports Illustrated

Updated June 27, 2026 10:07 AM

The Miami Dolphins will head into training camp at the end of July with a totally different roster than the one that ended the 2025 season after an offseason overhaul that saw the departure of several significant veterans and the arrival of newcomers young and old.

After their roster moves Monday, followed by the signing of former UFL tackle Gottlieb Ayedze on Wednesday, the Dolphins have 91 players on their roster with the exemption they have for England-born rookie tight end Seydou Traore, a participant of the International Player Pathway Program.

As life goes in the NFL, no every player on the roster is equal, so we decided to rank all of them in terms of their importance to the Dolphins' success in the 2026 season. The list was determined on the basis of not just ability but also expected role and significance to the overall progress of the organization as it continues the rebuilding project that began with the hiring of Jon-Eric Sullivan as GM and Jeff Hafley as head coach.

This is part of a series that will run in the lead-up to start of training camp.

RANKING PLAYERS 36-40

40. S Michael Taaffe

The rookie fifth-round pick from Texas has a wide range of possibilities in terms of his role for 2026, though it seems almost a lock he'll be on the 53. At this time, though, we have a hard time envisioning a major role on defense.

39. CB Ethan Bonner

Bonner continues to be one of the most intriguing players on the roster because his speed consistently has been praised by his teammates and yet he hasn't quite broken through to earn a big role on defense yet. There's nothing to keep it from happening this summer, but he still has to get it done.

38. TE Ben Sims

Sims was signed as a free agent before the Dolphins spent draft picks on both Will Kacmarek and Seydou Traore, which seemed to push him to the back of the line, but he showed in the spring he shouldn't be dismissed as a viable option at tight end.

37. EDGE David Ojabo

There are plenty of opportunities for edge defenders to make a push for playing time and a role on defense, and this former second-round pick looked the part in the spring.

36. S Lonnie Johnson Jr.

The former second-round pick of the Houston Texans is trying to revive his career and return to being a starter, and there is an opportunity on this team for sure if Johnson can have a strong training camp performance. But the situation is such that he's not even guaranteed a roster spot given all the newcomers got the same prove-it contracts.

THE PREVIOUS PLAYERS ON THE COUNTDOWN

90. G James Ester

89. T Kevin Cline

88. QB Mark Gronowski

87. DT Keith Cooper Jr.

86. EDGE Seth Coleman

85. RB Anthony Hankerson

84. WR Donaven McCulley

83. FB D.J. Herman

82. C Jim Bonitas

81. LS Tucker Addington

80. DT Alex Huntley

79. T Marques Cox

78. EDGE Rodney McGraw

77. TE Cole Turner

76. DT Khalil Saunders

75. CB Miles Battle

74. S Major Burns

73. RB Carlos Washington Jr.

72. EDGE Robert Beal Jr.

71. WR A.J. Henning

70. RB Donovan Edwards

69. DB Omar Brown

68. EDGE Cameron Goode

67. WR Jalen Reagor

66. EDGE Max Llewellyn

65. WR Terrace Marshall Jr.

64. CB Ethan Robinson

63. G/T Josh Priebe

62. DT Rene Konga

61. WR Tahj Washington

60. QB Cam Miller

59. CB A.J. Green III

58. EDGE Mason Reiger

57. CB Alex Austin

56. P Bradley Pinion

55. LB Jackson Woodard

54. K Zane Gonzalez

53. S Louis Moore

52. DT Matthew Butler

51. CB Marco Wilson

50. CB Darrell Baker Jr.

49. LB Ronnie Harrison Jr.

48. T Charlie Heck

47. WR Chris Bell

46. CB Storm Duck

45. WR Theo Wease Jr.

44. TE Seydou Traore

43. G DJ Campbell

42. G/C Andrew Meyer

41. K Riley Patterson

This story was originally published June 27, 2026 at 10:00 AM.