It's a new era in Miami, as HC Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier are out, and QB Tua Tagovailoa has potentially taken his last snap in South Beach. This was by all accounts a bad football team in 2025, even if the players deserve credit for not quitting down the stretch and winning five of their last eight games.

• 2025: 7-10 (-77 point differential, preseason win total: 7.5)
• Points per game: 20.4 (25th)
• EPA per pass: -0.02 (26th)
• EPA per rush: -0.03 (9th)
• Points per game against: 24.9 (24th)
• EPA per pass against: +0.18 (27th)
• EPA per rush against: -0.05 (19th)

Unfortunately, high-priced deals to Tua and Tyreek Hill (recently released_ leave the front office without much wiggle room ahead of the 2026 offseason: Only the Bills, Vikings and Lions have less effective cap space entering 2026. Accordingly, The Dolphins will have to do the bulk of their roster improving in late April, but at least they have plenty of ammo: The Dolphins join the Steelers as the only squads with *five* combined Day 1 and 2 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

What Do The Miami Dolphins Need To Address In The 2026 Offseason?

Need 1: Quarterback

When asked about if he'd be open to a fresh start, Tua said: "That would be dope. I would be good with it." The problem is that the Dolphins are a year away from being able to release Tagovailoa without inheriting a ridiculous level of dead money, and it's tough to see anyone going out of their way to trade for the six-year veteran considering just how badly Tua regressed last season.

• 2020: -0.11 EPA per dropback (33rd)
• 2021: +0.03 (19th)
• 2022: +0.18 (3rd)
• 2023: +0.15 (3rd)
• 2024: +0.21 (4th)
• 2025: -0.01 (30th)

It's hard to look at those numbers and not come to the conclusion that Hill has played a significant part of this passing game's success over the years. Perhaps the Dolphins try to give Tua one more chance and hope that a healthier group of receivers brings the former fifth-overall pick back to 2022-24 heights (we will know more in the coming days). Either way, adding a young QB through the draft, or signing someone like Malik Willis, is paramount after this passing offense sputtered to such a halt in 2025.

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Need 2: Pass Catcher

Speaking of Hill: The five-time All-Pro receiver just turned 32 and is coming off a brutal season-ending dislocated knee injury that included multiple torn ligaments. With his release, Jaylen Waddle profiles as the only viable starting wide receiver or tight end (Darren Waller is an unrestricted free agent) inside this once-formidable passing attack. Waddle, the sixth overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, is the last receiver this organization has taken with a top-85 overall pick since DeVante Parker all the way back in 2015—it wouldn't be surprising to see the front office throw multiple early-round darts at wide receiver and tight end come late April.

Need 3: Secondary

Only the Raiders have a cheaper cornerback room than the Dolphins in terms of 2026 dollars devoted to the position. Simply bringing back secondary pieces like Jack Jones, Rasul Douglas, Ifeatu Melifonwu, and Ashtyn Davis probably isn't enough considering this was one of just four pass defenses to allow an opposing passer rating of at least 105 last season. Hell, even the one cornerstone in Minkah Fitzpatrick is entering the last year of his deal in 2026.

Miami has spent big money and draft capital on guys like Kenneth Grant, Chop Robinson and Bradley Chubb in their front seven in recent years. It's about time the Dolphins break their four-draft streak of not using a top-50 pick on a defensive back of some shape or size.

Honorable Mention

The offensive line could have easily been the third need: RG Cole Strange and RT Larry Borom are both free agents, and this group as a whole is the fourth-cheapest unit entering 2026. PFF has ranked this o-line as the league's ninth, 15th, and most recently 25th-best group over the past three seasons. It's time to refortify the line of scrimmage for whoever winds up starting under center in 2026.

If I were GM …

I'd pray that the Bengals let Ohio State S Caleb Downs fall to the 11th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Thorpe Award winner would form an elite duo with Fitzpatrick and give Miami two Dani Rojas and Jamie Tartt-level aces in their backend—Ted Lasso references are always fun. But if not? Selecting the best available offensive talent makes sense—talented Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq would provide some much-needed versatility to this passing attack.

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