Inside the Dolphins’ newfound flexibility to do what they want with the roster
By beginning a youth movement and taking much of their cap medicine this season, the Dolphins not only put themselves in a very good position for 2027, but also put themselves in a fortuitous position for 2028, which could be the time they’re ready to contend if a lot goes right during this rebuild.
The Dolphins’ 2027 cap space — among the highest totals in the league — now stands at $99 million after the Aaron Brewer extension, with the ability to create plenty more.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins are projected to have $203 million in 2028 cap space, per overthecap.com. While most teams have ample cap space that year, the 49ers — as perspective — are barely below the cap that season.
That’s the upshot of purging most expensive veterans and investing in draft picks, as the Dolphins have.
For 2028, the Dolphins have 39 players under contract, and only three have large cap hits: $23.5 million for Zach Sieler (would drop to $7.8 million if he’s cut before June 1, $4.6 million if cut after), $20 million for Brewer (would drop to $9.9 million if he’s cut); $17.2 million for De’Von Achane; and $27 million for Malik Willis (would drop to $13.3 million if cut before June 1, $4.4 million after).
The Dolphins don’t intend to build the roster heavily through free agency, but general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said he’s open to adding true difference-makers and legitimate impact players in free agency. Miami will have plenty of money to do that next offseason and the following one.
Extensions for left tackle Patrick Paul — and possibly linebacker Jordyn Brooks — would eat into that cap space, but the bottom line is that Miami will have more than enough space to do anything it wants during the next few years.
Players aren’t going to need to be cut for cap reasons for years to come. And that’s a refreshing change.
▪ Couple other cap things: Miami has $11.5 million in cap space currently and could carry over much of that money to 2027 if it decides not to add more veterans to deals above the minimum. There’s value in holding onto much of that money in case the team is beset by injuries at a particular position during this upcoming season....
As many of you know, the Dolphins this season are carrying an NFL record $179 money in dead money (cap hits for players no longer on the team); 16 players have dead money hits and seven of them have hits of at least $10 million....
For 2027, the Dolphins’ dead money hits — at the moment — will be $43.8 million for Tua Tagovailoa and $12.9 million for Bradley Chubb. It would have been nearly impossible for Miami to wipe Tagovailoa’s and Chubb’s dead money hits completely off the books this season. For 2028, there’s no dead money on Miami’s books at the moment.
Jeremiah Smith vs. QB
▪ One of many reasons the Dolphins’ decision to sign Willis made sense was the possibility that the team could use a high draft pick on Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith (from Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna) if it picks in the top three. That hinges, of course, on Willis playing very well this season and giving Miami a reason not to draft a quarterback with its first round pick next April.
With Smith — who has been routinely linked to the Dolphins in mock drafts — Pro Football Focus has gone as far as to say this:
“If he takes another step forward in 2026, the conversation may shift from elite prospect to the greatest wide receiver prospect in NFL history.”
Why?
“He wins in every way imaginable. His 6-foot-3, 223-pound frame overwhelms even the biggest cornerbacks, yet he still possesses the speed to run by almost anyone vertically. He is dominant at the catch point and routinely makes spectacular grabs, but he is just as dangerous after the catch.”
PFF went on to say that “through two collegiate seasons alone, the tape has already done more than enough to establish his status as a generational prospect.
“Most notably, his hands have been remarkably reliable. Smith has dropped just three of his 166 catchable targets at Ohio State. His drop rate (1.8%) is less than half that of any other top-10 wide receiver prospect over the past decade and roughly four times lower than the rates posted by Ja’Marr Chase and Malik Nabors.
“Smith appears to catch virtually everything thrown his way. Quarterbacks have completed 80.3% of their passes when targeting him, a figure topped only by Alabama’s Jaylen Waddle among elite receiver prospects over the past decade.”
TV update
CBS 4 will have exclusive local TV rights to the Dolphins three preseason games. One of the three also will be televised lived nationally (by NFL Network): at 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22 at home against the Giants.
This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 11:27 AM.
