Miami Dolphins tight end Greg Dulcich was named the top surprise from spring football.
There is a lot of expectations that the Miami Dolphins will be a team that has a rough season in 2026. With a torn-down roster and new coaching staff, it is understandable why this is a shared consensus. However, there are still players who could surprise.
One such player is tight end Greg Dulcich, who was one of the bigger surprises in 2025 and has now carried over that talent to 2026. During OTAs and minicamp, Dulcich once again made a name for himself and was labeled the bigger surprise from spring football.
"Dolphins fans might remember Dulcich's late-season contributions, but he has emerged this spring as one of the primary targets in Miami's passing game. Quarterback Malik Willis has an entirely new group of skill players to build chemistry with, but during team drills, there was clear trust in Dulcich, who was one of the best tight ends in the league last season at making plays after the catch. He returned from injured reserve in Week 8 and finished the season averaging the second-most yards after catch per reception (7.6) in that span," ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques wrote.
A reason for Dulcich emerging as a surprise goes back to his time with the Dolphins in 2025. After being added to the active roster in October, he began to showcase his talents.
In 10 games, the tight end brought in 335 yards and one touchdown, and a 12.9 yards per reception average. From being on the practice squad to jumping in well into the regular season, Dulcich made the most of his chances.
The ability to make plays and the 7.6 yards after the catch, as Louis-Jacques put it, Dulcich was awarded a one-year, $3.25 million deal. Now, he has emerged as the top target for Malik Willis.
It makes perfect sense that Willis is relying heavily on Dulcich, simply due to the lack of chemistry that he currently has with the receiver room on the roster. It is completely new to Miami and Willis.
Also, Willis is a new quarterback in his own right, having only started six games in the NFL thus far. Inexperienced signal callers often rely on their tight ends when they are first starting out.
Willis may have been in the league since 2022, but he remains a de facto rookie based on his experience under center. That, and Dulcich has proven to be as reliable as any tight end in the NFL.
If he can continue making defenses pay in the middle of the field and with his yards after the catch abilities, Dulcich may emerge as one of the top players at his position in 2026.
