After missing the postseason for a second consecutive year, the Miami Dolphins underwent major changes in the 2026 offseason.
Miami hired a new head coach and general manager, who would then oversee a roster overhaul. The team parted ways with most of its veterans as it looked to undergo a youth movement, prioritizing players under rookie contracts.
While the Dolphins did create future cap flexibility and ended up with 13 draft selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, they also created a roster filled with inexperience and with very few proven starters. Now, ESPN has released a ranking of all 32 NFL teams projected starting lineups, and it does not fare favorably for the Dolphins.
Miami Dolphins’ Secondary Called Out
ESPN’s Mike Clay, Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder ranked the 32 NFL rosters, and detailed the strengths, weaknesses, X-Factor and nonstarter that fans should know about. Unfortunately for Miami fans hoping for an improvement over their 2025 campaign, the team was ranked last in the NFL.
In particular, Mike Clay called out Miami’s secondary, headlined by first-round rookie selection Chris Johnson, as he deemed it to be the Dolphins’ biggest weakness.
Clay wrote: “Secondary. The Dolphins are in full rebuild mode and have several units that rank among the league’s worst. That makes it hard to pick for this exercise, but we’ll go secondary. On paper, this is a worse group than the one that allowed a 58.3 QBR last season (fifth worst). First-round rookie Chris Johnson figures to immediately become an every-down starter, with Storm Duck, slot Jason Marshall Jr., Darrell Baker Jr., JuJu Brents and Alex Austin battling for substantial roles. With Minkah Fitzpatrick and Ashtyn Davis gone, 2025 fifth-rounder Dante Trader Jr. and journeyman Lonnie Johnson Jr. are strong candidates to start on the back end.”
This offseason, the Dolphins lost their top two cornerbacks in free agency. Rasul Douglas, who impressed during the 2025 season and was ranked as a top-20 cornerback by Pro Football Focus, recently signed a one-year contract with the Washington Commanders, as Miami did not make him an offer. Additionally, Jack Jones Jr., who started all 17 games for Miami last season, signed with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency.
Miami Dolphins Bright Spots
While the immediate future appears bleak for the Dolphins, they do have the biggest strength on the team under contract long-term. Mike Clay named Miami’s running back its biggest strength, and that group is headlined by Pro Bowl running back De’Von Achane, who signed a four-year extension earlier this offseason.
Regarding Miami’s running back room, Clay wrote: “The recently extended De’Von Achane is the star of Miami’s offense, and it’s not close. The 2023 third-rounder has scored either 11 or 12 touchdowns in each of his three NFL seasons and gained a career-high 1,838 scrimmage yards in 2025. Achane’s elite receiving production is nothing new (he has finished in the top five among backs in targets and receiving yards in each of the past two seasons), but he made another leap forward as a rusher in 2025, finishing fifth in rushing yards. His 5.62 yards per carry is best among qualified backs since he entered the league. Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II add depth.”
Dolphins Players Called Out Before Training Camp: ‘League’s Worst’