Kelly: Handing out the Dolphins’ 2026 offseason superlatives
The foundation of yet another rebuild for South Florida’s NFL franchise is being laid, and we’ll soon learn how reliable it is.
The Miami Dolphins wrapped up the offseason program this week and are inching closer to the start of the 2026 season, where the franchise will be unveiling a new offensive scheme that’s led by a first-year starting quarterback and a new defense that features four returning starters.
Here’s a look at some of this summer’s top performers, biggest surprises, and other things the offseason program revealed.
Top Performer: Dante Trader Jr.
If Trader, a 2025 fifth-round pick, hadn’t gotten hurt during training camp last year he likely would have become the season-pening starter. The former University of Maryland football and lacrosse player started three games and played 419 defensive snaps. While his play was uneven, the banked reps seem to be paying off this camp because he has seemingly locked down one of the two starting safety spots and has showcased the ability to become a defensive playmaker in Jeff Hafley’s safety-led defense.
Biggest Addition: Jalen Tolbert
It would be easy to name quarterback Malik Willis as the biggest addition, but I would have been more comfortable doing so if he put some distance between himself and Quinn Ewers this offseason. That wasn’t the case. The player who did put some distance between himself and his peers is Tolbert, who seems ready to handle the split end, possession receiver role for the Dolphins if the former Cowboy, who enters his fifth season with 91 career receptions and 10 touchdowns scored, can stay healthy and remain productive.
Most Improved Player: JuJu Brents
Brents, a former 2023 second-round pick whom the Dolphins claimed off the waiver wire last September, has a unique set of skills that hint he could be an NFL starter. The 6-foot-3, 198 pound cornerback has size, speed, good feet and reliable hands. What he doesn’t have is a history of staying healthy, which led to his exit in Indianapolis. Brents needs to find a way to keep himself healthy and available this season. If he does that he’ll likely be Miami’s top boundary cornerback.
Most Impressive Rookie: Chris Johnson
Kadyn Proctor already holds the starting left guard spot heading into training camp, but the fact we haven’t seen the 2026 first-round pick practice in pads, engaging in full contact periods, keeps me from saying there are no concerns. Johnson on the other hand has showcased the speed and athleticism needed to man the nickel cornerback spot in Miami’s base defense. Whether Johnson works on the outside too depends on how quickly the other 2026 first-round pick learns, and masters Miami’s defense as a rookie.
Area of Concern: Receiver
This unit doesn’t have a single player who would start for another NFL team, and while some of the youngsters have the talent to blossom into top-shelf receivers, the on-field production wasn’t there during the offseason program. Either Miami’s cornerbacks are elite, or the Dolphins receivers are mediocre. Maybe it’s a little bit of both. But this unit needs to spend the next three months developing chemistry with Miami’s quarterbacks. If the passing game continues to sputter during training camp the Dolphins must consider adding more proven veteran receivers.
Area of Strength: Tight end
Greg Dulcich gave the Dolphins a sampling of what he brought late last season, contributing 26 catches, which he turned into 335 yards and one touchdown in the 10 games he played last season as an injury replacement. That’s why Miami’s new regime re-signed him to a one-year, $3.1 million deal. But it’s not just Dulcich making plays for the offense. Ben Sims, who spent his first three seasons with the Green Bay Packers, has been a pleasant surprise, and Will Kacmarek, the Ohio State blocking specialist Miami drafted in the third round this spring, has proven he has reliable hands. All we need to discover is how well the trio can block.
Biggest Surprise: Dolphins signed two of three cornerstone players
Despite Miami’s tight budget this offseason, which is a byproduct of the team choosing to carry $179 million in dead cap by releasing or trading away a number of veteran players the past two years, the Dolphins managed to lock up Pro Bowl tailback De’Von Achane and center Aaron Brewer to multiyear deals that will keep them around for at least the next two seasons. Jordyn Brooks, who led the NFL in tackles last season, remains the only impending free agent worth extending. He’s making just less than $8.4 million for this season, and is likely pursuing a contract that provides him something in the neighborhood of the $37 million in guaranteed money Miami gave Brewer this week on a three-year extension that’s supposedly worth $52.5 million.
Pushing for Playing Time: Zayne Anderson
Anderson, a core special teamer who is entering his sixth NFL season, made quite a favorable impression on Hafley in their time together in Green Bay. It seems as if he has become an extension of the coaching staff, teaching his teammates about Hafley’s defense. But the 6-foot-2, 206 pound safety needs to make plays during training camp to hold off Lonnie Johnson Jr., Omar Brown, and rookies Michael Taaffe and Louis Moore for the safety spot opposite Trader. This might be his best opportunity to prove he’s more than a special teams contributor.
Needs the Most Work: Willis
In fairness to Willis, who has a reputation for being an athletic quarterback, I haven’t seen him take off and run once in all the practices the media has watched. That’s probably not a coincidence since his focus has been on developing as a pocket passer. His offseason work makes it clear Miami needs to find a way to improve his processing speed, making him operate a half a second faster reading defenses. Willis also needs to spend the next month developing better chemistry with his weaponry. If not we can expect Miami’s passing game to get off to a slow start.
Biggest Mystery: Defensive edge-setting
Chop Robinson and Josh Uche have showcased themselves as pass-rushing specialists in the NFL, but they will each need to prove they can be edge-setters for this defense, keeping running plays from going outside the tackles. A defense that can’t stop the run, or has to blitz to defense the run, will be a bottom-dweller. Miami’s infantile offense can’t afford to carry this team. If Robinson and Uche, who have each gained weight to set the edge, struggle defending the run the Dolphins will need David Ojabo, Robert Beal Jr., or rookies Max Llewellyn and Mason Reiger to become reliable contributors.
