The Miami Dolphins host the Las Vegas Raiders later today, kicking off the 2026 season for both teams. This season marks a massive change for the Dolphins, who have completely reshaped the team from the president down to the roster. They have taken a massive hit against their salary cap to shed ballooned contracts in an effort to become fiscally responsible again and build a team that will be able to consistently compete in the postseason.
This morning, we open The Phinsider Mailbag and answer your
questions about the Dolphins. You primarily wanted to look at the team as a whole, rather than specifically focus on this week’s game against the Raiders. Unfortunately, we could not get the roundtable-style discussion scheduled for this week, so you will have to settle for my answers to your questions.
Defense, roster changes, and 2026 expectations
Phoenix sliding three questions into one. Given my five questions with Silver and Black Pride this week included 11 questions, I like it.
I can answer the first question pretty succinctly – if Hafley cannot establish a defensive identity, he should not be a head coach. Other than his four years as the head coach at Boston College, Hafley has been coaching on the defensive side of the ball for almost 25 years. The defense is what he knows and it is what we should see become the strength of the team.
That said, I do not know that it shows itself immediately. The secondary is the team’s biggest concern heading into the season because they are relying on younger or unproven players to man the group. Maybe they step up and magic happens. Maybe they struggle as they get used to the new coach and scheme. I think the defense eventually steps up, but it might take some time to grow into its potential.
I do think we will see a big change immediately. The Dolphins have transitioned to a 4-3 base defense, with four defensive linemen and three linebackers, rather than the 3-4 system they used under the last couple of coaching staffs. That is not even the extent of the change, though. I think the Dolphins will actually use a 4-2-5 look more often than not, taking out a linebacker and adding a third safety to give them flexibility in what they do – using a safety in coverage or in run support without having to make defensive substitutions. The “big nickel” look may become Miami’s base defensive system.
As for moving on from players like quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, yes, it was the right decision. The Dolphins have finally decided it is time to stop putting band aids on the team and hoping to win. They will probably suffer through a year of growth, but the other option was to keep trying the same thing and hoping for a different result. As much as I am not looking forward to yet another rebuild, it had to happen. Owner Stephen Ross finally decided to do a complete rebuild, changing everything about the franchise, because the changing of pieces over the past several years had failed.
Yes, it means the Dolphins have to rely on younger players this year, but were they going anywhere different this year with Tagovailoa, Hill, and Waddle than they did last year with Tagovailoa, Hill, and Waddle? Or the year before that?
Finally, I think the idea of not judging this year on wins and losses is an appropriate one. I am hopeful that they can pull off some wins and surprise some people, but realistically, if this team lands the first overall pick and are the worst team in the league or if they pull off several wins and are in the middle of the pack, it does not matter. What matters is that the team is improving and looks better and more competitive late in the season than it did early this year.
Another multiple question question. I like it.
I assume by conservative, you mean that the team will rely on the run and short passing to get the ball out of quarterback Malik Willis’ hands quickly. Wow, that sounds like a Tagovailoa-based offense.
I do not think that will be the case, but I do think they will use the running game a lot. Willis can push the ball downfield, and he is mobile, so I expect him to look deep and then use his legs if it is not there. But this offense is not going to be built around Willis’ arm, but rather around running back De’Von Achane’s legs.
Achane is the best player on the Dolphins’ offense and getting him the ball early, often, and repeatedly will be what makes Miami’s offense work in 2026. That can include using him as a receiving threat. Whatever the case, expect Achane to get the ball much more than anyone else.
Again, I do not think that is being conservative rather than attacking with your best weapon.
There will be deeper throws, especially as the season goes along and Miami’s rookie receivers, Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell, and Kevin Coleman, Jr., become more comfortable with the speed of the NFL. But, this will be a run-first team that then looks to use play-action to create space in the passing game.
As for tackle Patrick Paul and Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby, what I like the most bout that is Paul feeling comfortable enough in himself and his game to start talking. He is growing into the left tackle role, including being named a captain of the team this season, and if he starts to have a little swagger about his game, that is a good thing.
Paul said of facing Crosby, “I think with him, he’s a dynamic player. So with him, just beating him to a spot, getting your hands on him, getting him off his game. He likes to play with a lot of swagger. So just getting him displaced off his game, getting him off his spots, putting your hands on him, being aggressive and just getting him out of his game.”
He then added when added if trash talk falls into getting Crosby off his game, “I feel like he’s a hothead, so a lot of those things you could get into his game with that but he’s a great player. You just got to stay on it all four quarters really with him.”
Do I think that means getting Crosby to do something that leads to a penalty? Not necessarily. I think Paul is trying to frustrate Crosby, making him press and take chances that open things up for Miami’s defense. Crosby just does not have a history of getting penalized or taking cheap shots. I do not see that changing today.
I think you will see plenty of running backs Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II this week and during the year. Achane will still be the dominant back, but I think the coaching staff knows they have to keep him fresh all season. If, like I said earlier, the goal is to be better at the end of the season than at the start of the year, you need to have your best players still available late in the season. Achane has to still be effective in Week 18 and the only way to do that is to let Wright and Gordon take some of the snaps and touches.
Wright is closer to a true replacement for Achane, while Gordon is the power back who can create a different challenge for defenses. I do not think there are major concerns about either – they just are not Achane, and expecting them to come in and have the same success as Achane is probably unfair to them.
I do think we will see times where Gordon or Wright are in the backfield, and Achane is out wide as a receiver. That gives defenses different looks and complexities to consider. You have a talent who can do multiple things, so let him do those things.
Finally, I do not think a “tank” season will ever be on the table for the team. You cannot expect a coach or players who make their living on winning to do things that do not lead to wins. Yes, the Dolphins may have a rough year, but it is not a “tank”; it is a rebuild or reset. If they lose a lot of games, it is not because the coaches and players are tanking. Making a choice to lose this year because you are looking toward 2027 is not something professional coaches or professional players are going to do.
