The Miami Dolphins are making waves in the NFL once again, but this time it’s not because of a playoff push or a high-octane offense. Instead, the franchise has embarked on one of the boldest rebuilds in recent league memory, signaling a dramatic shift from the previous regime’s approach. With new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley at the helm, Miami is tearing down the foundation laid by Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel, opting instead to focus on young talent, future draft capital, and a fresh identity under center.
The Dolphins’ offseason moves have been nothing short of seismic. Gone are the familiar faces that once defined Miami’s attack: Tyreek Hill, Tua Tagovailoa, Bradley Chubb, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Jaylen Waddle have all departed, either released or traded as part of the team’s new vision. For fans, it’s a bittersweet pill to swallow—watching stars leave is never easy—but there’s a palpable sense of hope that the pain of today will yield the promise of tomorrow.
Perhaps the most headline-grabbing move came on March 26, 2026, when Miami inked former Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis to a three-year, $67 million contract, $45 million of which is guaranteed. The signing was a clear statement: the Dolphins are betting big on potential, not past accolades. Willis, who had just six career NFL starts entering free agency, was the top quarterback available and is now the 17th-highest paid player at his position. That’s a hefty investment for a signal-caller who has spent much of his career waiting for his chance behind Jordan Love in Green Bay.
Not everyone is convinced this gamble will pay off. Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano was blunt in his assessment, awarding Miami an “F” for its free agency strategy. “Clearly, the Dolphins are in rebuild mode and have their eyes on 2027,” Manzano wrote. “The team needed a fresh start, and there was no need to add Willis, who now has to play for a team that said goodbye to wide receivers Waddle and Tyreek Hill this offseason. It would have been better if this team had fully committed to the rebuild and taken its lumps with a veteran quarterback who would have commanded a lot less money than Willis.”
But not all analysts are so pessimistic. Pro Football Focus’ Zoltán Buday called the Willis signing his favorite move of the offseason—by any team—labeling it a “perfect signing.” Buday explained, “On a limited number of snaps, he earned a 92.3 PFF overall grade during the 2025 season. Miami made him the 17th-highest paid quarterback and has three seasons to figure out if he is a long-term solution at the position. The Dolphins signed the top free-agent quarterback on the market. Although Willis did not play much behind Jordan Love in Green Bay, the Liberty alumnus always took advantage of his opportunities when Love was not available.”
Statistically, Willis has shown flashes that justify the excitement. In the 2025 season, he completed 30 of 35 passes for 422 yards and three touchdowns in just four games, adding 123 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. The year before, he went 40-for-54 for 550 yards and three touchdowns as a passer, with another 138 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Perhaps most impressive: Willis hasn’t thrown an interception since Christmas Eve 2022, tallying nine total passing touchdowns over the last two seasons. That kind of efficiency, albeit in limited action, has Miami fans and observers alike eager to see what he can do with the keys to the offense.
Of course, the supporting cast around Willis looks very different from the one that surrounded Tagovailoa. With Hill and Waddle gone, the new quarterback will rely on Tutu Atwell, Jalen Tolbert, and Greg Dulcich as his primary receiving threats. That’s a far cry from the explosive duo of recent years, and it remains to be seen whether this group can provide enough firepower to keep defenses honest. Still, there’s a sense of cautious optimism, bolstered by the presence of former Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who joins Miami’s staff after receiving head coaching interviews thanks to his work with C.J. Stroud in Houston.
Willis’ mobility could be a game-changer for the Dolphins, especially against divisional foes like the New England Patriots. The Patriots, who reclaimed the AFC East crown in 2025 after a five-year drought, have struggled to contain scrambling quarterbacks in recent seasons. Miami’s new quarterback could pose a unique challenge, as New England’s defense has had trouble keeping the likes of Justin Fields, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen in check. “Willis could make some waves if New England doesn’t fix that issue,” one analyst noted, pointing to the Patriots’ roster turnover at linebacker and the potential need to draft an elite sideline-to-sideline defender.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins’ roster overhaul has set them up for the future in more ways than one. Miami now owns seven picks in the top 100 of the 2026 NFL Draft and is projected to have nearly $150 million in cap space for 2027. The team’s dead cap situation is currently daunting—almost $180 million—but the front office is clearly playing the long game, prioritizing flexibility and youth over short-term competitiveness. “Considering the direction of the Dolphins’ franchise, the front office unsurprisingly did not make any big investments, outside of Willis, this offseason,” Buday observed.
For Tua Tagovailoa, the end of his Miami tenure was both abrupt and, in some ways, inevitable. After six uneven years highlighted by a league-leading passing yardage season in 2023 but marred by injuries and inconsistency, Tagovailoa was released as a post-June 1st cut to spread out his dead cap hit. In his introductory press conference with the Atlanta Falcons, Tagovailoa reflected on his Miami years, saying, “The game of football will always entail physicality, so you can never foreshadow what the future’s gonna look like of your health, whether it’s your ankle, a hand injury, a concussion, a hip injury, whatever that may be. In terms of health, (I) went through all the protocols of what I needed to do for the Falcons. Everything came out good. Some things are looking way better than the guys might’ve thought. So you either love it or you don’t, that’s what I would say.”
Tagovailoa’s playstyle shifted dramatically in his final seasons with the Dolphins. Once capable of picking up first downs with his legs—he had 36 rushing first downs in his first four seasons—he managed just six in his last two years, including a single first down in 14 starts during the 2025 season. The change was likely a product of injuries and a newfound hesitancy to take hits, which ultimately limited his effectiveness and contributed to the Dolphins’ decision to move on, despite the potential cap savings of keeping him on the roster.
As the 2026 NFL season approaches, the Dolphins stand at a crossroads. The franchise has embraced a rebuild, stockpiling draft picks and betting on Malik Willis to develop into a franchise quarterback under the guidance of a new coaching staff. While critics question the wisdom of investing so heavily in an unproven player, the front office’s commitment to a long-term vision is undeniable. For Miami fans, the coming months promise to be a test of patience, but also a source of excitement as a new era dawns in South Florida.
With the AFC East more competitive than ever, all eyes will be on Willis and the Dolphins to see whether this bold new direction can deliver results—or at least lay the groundwork for future success. The rebuild is on, and the rest of the league is watching closely.