A look at all 29 Dolphins free agents, what they achieved and where they stand
Projecting the futures of 29 Dolphins free agents is the ultimate crapshoot, because nobody has any idea what new management will think of these players.
But there are some players who are likely worth keeping no matter who’s in charge. A look at the Dolphins with expiring contracts, listed in descending order of their 2025 salaries:
Unrestricted free agents
▪ Quarterback Zach Wilson ($6 million): Was bypassed for the starting job when Tua Tagovailoa was benched and appears unlikely to return.
Wilson spent the season in something of a state of confusion. He said he was confused when Quinn Ewers supplanted him at the backup quarterback for a single game against Cleveland.
And when the Dolphins opted for Ewers instead of Wilson for the final three games, Wilson said he again was confused.
“The only thing I would like to hear is just clarity and maybe an understanding even if it is [wanting to see a draft pick in Ewers],” Wilson said late in the season. “Sometimes in this league, you’re not owed an explanation of what’s best for the team. I understand that.”
▪ Cornerback Kader Kohou ($3.3 million): He was supposed to be one of the Dolphins’ top two cornerbacks, but a torn ACL in early August sidelined him for the season.
It would make sense to bring him back on a low-money deal, considering how well he played in 2024 (76 passer rating against) and the investment the Dolphins already have made in him.
▪ Safety Ifeatu Melifonwu ($3 million): The Dolphins, who are $12 million over next year’s cap, presumably will try to upgrade. Per PFF, he allowed all but one of the 20 passes in his coverage area to be caught, for 167 yards and three touchdowns.
He simply couldn’t build on his promising play in Detroit.
▪Safety Ashtyn Davis ($2.5 million): Davis was neither very good nor abysmal. For whatever reason, the knack for turnovers that he displayed for the Jets didn’t translate in Miami — until a Week 17 interception against Tampa Bay.
Davis had a 108.8 passer rating in his coverage area this season, per PFF.
It wouldn’t be surprising if the new GM changes much of the safety room.
▪ Right tackle Larry Borom ($2.5 million): He was a decent fill-in for Austin Jackson, allowing 15 pressures and two sacks in 15 games and 11 starts. He played much better in this offensive system than previous years in Chicago, and has become a competent No. 3 tackle.
▪ Offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg ($2.25 million): After signing a one-year deal in the spring, Eichenberg never played a snap because of a knee injury. He said he will try to resume his career, but he was walking with a pronounced limp and wearing a heavy knee brace this week.
▪ Punter Jake Bailey ($2.1 million): The former Patriots punter had a strong season, finishing 12th in yards per punt average (47.7) and net average (42.6). Unless the Dolphins try to find a punter in the draft, Bailey would seem a no-brainer to re-sign.
▪ Defensive lineman Benito Jones ($2 million): His playing time decreased as the season went along, mostly due to Zeek Biggers taking many of his snaps, and then spent the final two games on injured reserve with a back ailment.
He’s competent and a good locker room presence, but the Dolphins could use a higher-quality veteran tackle to pair with Zach Sieler and their three rookies. PFF rated him 110th among 134 interior defensive linemen this season.
▪ Tight end Darren Waller ($2 million): Was an asset when he played, delivering 24 receptions for 283 yards and six touchdowns in nine games. But durability remains an issue, and Waller said he hasn’t decided if he will play next season. A return would seem unlikely.
▪ Safety Elijah Campbell ($1.9 million): A core special teams player, Campbell played just 16 snaps on defense (down from 122 and 76 the previous two seasons) and finished the season on injured reserve. The Dolphins can save some cash by using a rookie in his role.
▪ Rasul Douglas ($1.6 million): Considering the fact he was coming off a down year in Buffalo, Douglas was the team’s most pleasant surprise on defense; he permitted just a 67 passer rating in his coverage area, which ranked in the top 10 in the league. He has interest in returning.
▪ Offensive tackle Kendall Lamm ($1.4 million): Signed after Philadelphia released him in August, Lamm played only seven offensive snaps, down from 511 the previous season with Miami. Retirement is certainly an option.
▪ Long snapper Joe Cardona ($1.4 million): A reliable veteran, Cardona made no glaring errors all season and could be retained.
▪ Cornerback Artie Burns ($1.3 million): Tore his ACL during the opening days of training camp. Seems unlikely to return.
▪ Linebacker K.J. Britt ($1.3 million): Played 148 defensive snaps as Tyrel Dodson’s backup and was a regular on special teams. Could make a case to return.
▪ Linebacker Willie Gay ($1.3 million): Was impactful throughout training camp, but played sparingly during the season (131 defensive snaps) because he was stuck behind NFL leading tackler Jordyn Brooks and because the Dolphins did not want to give him substantial snaps at another position. He likely can find more playing time elsewhere.
▪ Running back Alexander Mattison ($1.3 million): Signed in part because of his short-yardage skills and physical running style, Mattison was lost for the season because of a fractured neck sustained in the preseason opener at Chicago. Mattison said he’s optimistic about being able to resume his career.
▪Receiver D’Wayne Eskridge ($1.2 million): Played only 88 offensive snaps, and his 25.9 average on kickoff returns ranked 35th in the league. Malik Washington was 19th in kickoff return average at 26.8 and figures to have that role next season.
▪ Kicker Riley Patterson ($1.2 million): Did exemplary work all season after Jason Sanders’ August hip injury, connecting on 27 of 29 field goals, the best conversion rate ever by a Dolphins kicker.
The Dolphins face a tough decision in the months ahead — whether to keep Patterson and save $3.9 million in cap space by cutting Sanders or going back to Sanders, who was one of the league’s best kickers in 2024.
▪ Receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. ($1.2 million): Supplanted Nick Westbrook-Ikhine as the team’s veteran rotation receiver late in the season. Had five catches for 44 yards in 10 games.
▪ Guard Daniel Brunskill ($1.2 million): If coach Mike McDaniel returns, there’s strong reason to retain Brunskill, who did excellent work as a sixth lineman/pseudo tight end during the stretch of five wins in six games. He played less during the final month, closing the season with 176 offensive snaps.
▪ Guard Cole Strange ($1.1 million): One of Chris Grier’s best 2025 pickups as general manager before his dismissal, Strange seized the right guard job from Kion Smith, following James Daniels’ Week 1 injury, and generally performed capably. PFF ranked him 51st among 81 guards.
The Dolphins must decide whether to try to re-sign Strange on a team-friendly deal and have him compete with Jonah Savaiinaea or replace Daniels, who’s under contract next season.
▪ Cornerback Jack Jones ($1.1 million): Had one of the season’s biggest defensive plays (the overtime interception against Washington in Madrid) but he permitted six touchdown receptions and had a poor 112.7 passer rating in his coverage area, per PFF.
▪ Linebacker Quinton Bell ($1.1 million): After remaining on the active roster for all of 2024, Bell wasn’t permanently promoted from the practice squad until the final four games this season. He eight tackles in 114 defensive snaps.
▪ Cornerback AJ Green ($1.1 million): Poached off the Rams’ practice squad in mid-November, he played just eight defensive snaps.
▪ Tight end Greg Dulcich ($1 million): Was something of a revelation, becoming a reliable target for Quinn Ewers late in the season and finishing with 26 catches for 335 yards in 10 games.
▪ Three who finished the season on injured reserve: linebacker Caleb Johnson, offensive linemen Yodny Cajuste and Germain Ifedi, who missed the entire season after August injuries and are long shots to return.
Restricted free agents
▪ Cornerback Ethan Bonner ($972,500): He was positioned to be a rotation player — if not a starter — to begin the season before an August hamstring injury sidelined him.
Results were mixed when he returned in Week 3, and the Dolphins opted to stick with Jones as the starter — instead of Bonner — late in the season. In 90 defensive snaps, he permitted four of eight targets to be caught for 82 yards and a touchdown.
▪ Tight end Julian Hill ($902,500): At his best, Hill can be a dominating blocker in the run game and a sneaky, physical option in the passing game. He will almost assuredly be tendered, because he has created a niche as a reliable component in the run game.
▪ Linebacker Cameron Goode ($832,500): A core special teams player, Goode had a chance to play after Matthew Judon’s release but mustered no sacks and two pressures in 52 pass-rushing chances. If he returns, he will need to hold off young players to keep a back-end roster spot.
▪ Defensive tackle Matthew Butler: After playing between 12 and 29 snaps in each of the first 10 games, Butler wasn’t used the next five games before returning for the final two games, when Jones went on injured reserve.
PFF ranked him 119th of 134 interior defenders this season.
Here’s my Tuesday morning update on the Dolphins’ general manager search.
This story was originally published January 6, 2026 at 4:16 PM.
