The Miami Dolphins may not be a Super Bowl team in 2026, but they have been given a surprising outlook for the 2026 season.
The Miami Dolphins came into the 2026 offseason with a heap of cap issues. New general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has done his best to navigate the pitfalls of bad contracts, putting the team in a solid spot.
According to Spotrac, the Dolphins sit at around $10 million in available cap space, but they also have a staggering third-worst $89 million in dead cap. That said, the team has been given a surprising outlook for the upcoming season, despite the low-cost free agency moves.
Sullivan's main job was to ensure the Dolphins shed their most troublesome contracts, which occurred in droves. Wide receivers Tyreek Hill, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and offensive linemen James Daniels, Liam Eichenberg, and more were released.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and linebacker Bradley Chubb were also designated post-June 1 cuts, with Tagovailoa triggering a record $99.2 million dead cap spread out over the next two seasons.
Even with the amount of money lost, it was just simply better for the Dolphins to cut their losses and move on.
With the weight of these contracts now a thing of the past, Miami can look towards the future with some better signings. Quarterback Malik Willis is the new man under center, and the team still has wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, running back De'Von Achane, tackle Patrick Paul, and center Aaron Brewer to build on.
It is these players that make The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue believe the Dolphins may be a bit more competitive than expected.
"The Dolphins currently incur the third-most dead money in 2026 and a reported $55.4 million off of Tagovailoa’s contract alone, with another $43.8 million in 2027. They have weight-bearing walls in Jaylen Waddle, De’Von Achane and Aaron Brewer, and their new and promising quarterback, Malik Willis, is on a friendly contract. The offense may keep this team legitimately competitive. The defense needs an overhaul and that’ll come via the draft; they have nine picks and five are in the top 100. This is a sprint-rebuild blueprint similar to one used by the Rams and 49ers in recent seasons," Rodrigue wrote.
What's interesting about Rodrigue's assessment has to do with the "sprint rebuild" tag she has given the Dolphins. Instead of putting the team as a full rebuild squad, such as the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders, Miami is a step ahead.
It is more than likely due to the building blocks that the team has in the players listed, which is something Sullivan echoed when he arrived. He not only mentioned Paul, Brewer, Achane, and Waddle as the team's foundational players, but he also stuck to his word by not trading any of them.
Considering the talent on offense with the potential that Willis can be a game-changer, this Dolphins team may just be more competitive than expected.
Most odds place the team around the 4.5-5 win column, which is a fair number to predict. However, if the Dolphins can add some day-one starters on defense through the draft, this team could be a bit more surprising in 2026.