The Miami Dolphins are in Year 1 of their rebuild under the new regime led by Jon-Eric Sullivan, aiming to turn them into an AFC contender. Over the offseason, the Dolphins have cut ties with Bradley Chubb, Tyreek Hill, and Tua Tagovailoa while also trading away Jaylen Waddle and Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Nonetheless, Miami also has intriguing young talent it scooped up in the 2026 NFL Draft, thanks to its plethora of draft picks. Moreover, the Dolphins will have a new QB, Malik Willis, to lead the charge.
Despite the changes, it’s still a rebuild, and there will be growing pains. In a May 30 video from “The Joe Rose Show,” NBC Sports NFL insider Mike Florio shared his thoughts on where the Dolphins stand in their rebuild.
“It’s going to take some time to build this back, but they have the right attitude,” Florio said. “They are completely aligned. There is no daylight between Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley. This is the kind of functionality that the Dolphins have lacked during Stephen Ross’s time as owner of the team. There is reason to be optimistic.
“That does not mean there is reason to be unrealistic about what the Dolphins will be this year, but they are in a better place because they are addressing the culture. They are bringing in the players that the general manager believes the coach wants. The coach wants the players. They are going to develop the players they think they need. It is the right attitude.”
Miami Must Fix Dysfunction in Front Office From Past Years
Moreover, Florio notes that not only is Sullivan looking to build a team that fits his vision, but he also has to fix the dysfunction that has plagued the franchise in recent years, a stark contrast with the Green Bay Packers, where the new general manager comes from.
“When you remove that dysfunction, when you take off the table the possibility that when adversity strikes, because it always does, the coach is going to point the finger at the general manager and the general manager is going to point the finger at the coach, that’s not good for anybody,” Florio added.
“There was a time in Miami when it was [Joe] Philbin and Jeff Ireland and Dawn Aponte, you got three different people pointing fingers at each other. You got Stephen Ross not there to clunk people’s heads together and work things out. You don’t want that. You want the coach and the general manager on the same page at all times. And once you have that, that sets the foundation for good things to happen.”
Darren Waller Doesn’t Hold Back on Dolphins Rebuild
One player on the Dolphins last season was veteran tight end Darren Waller, who came out of retirement. During the May 14 edition of “All the Smoke,” Waller shared his thoughts on the Miami rebuild, noting that he believed the team would have a fire sale.
“With the way they’re going, they’re kind of blowing everything up,” Waller said. “I thought for a second they were going to trade everybody. They got everybody, but they traded Waddle. I thought they were going to trade [De’Von] Achane for a minute, but I would definitely keep him. I’d build everything around him.”
Mike Florio Delivers Clear Assessment of Dolphins Rebuild State