Who Are the Miami Dolphins Building Blocks for the Future?
Once again, the Miami Dolphins are in rebuild mode. New general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan did not hesitate to cut off most remnants of the Mike McDaniel era, releasing QB Tua Tagovailoa, WR Tyreek Hill, and DE Bradley Chubb, alongside trading WR Jaylen Waddle. With most of the talent acquired over the past five years now gone, who could Miami build around for the future? While some picks will be obvious, others won't be.
Clear-Cut Candidates to Build Around for the Future
It’s not very easy to find established high-end talent on this roster, but there are a few clear pieces that Miami wants to build around for the future. So much so that Sullivan outright said it. De’Von Achane is the main target in all of this, coming off his first Pro Bowl and finishing top five in rushing yards for 2025. The 24-year-old third-round draft pick exploded onto the scene for Miami and hasn’t looked back, inking a four-year, $64 million contract this offseason. Alongside him, offensive linemen Patrick Paul and Aaron Brewer are the main players with proven production at the NFL level for Miami’s offense. Paul finished his first full season as a starter and had moments of elite play throughout the season, and at just 24 years old, the former Houston Cougar looks to have a bright future ahead. Brewer, on the other hand, is 28 years old, four years older than both Achane and Paul. He also has the only All-Pro bid out of the three players mentioned, earning it this past season as the league’s top center.
Rookies of the Future
It only makes sense to feature players from this year’s rookie class as well. While they may not have the production that Achane, Brewer, and Paul have, they do have the talent and draft capital invested into them to garner the next few years, or more, to become significant pieces of this roster. It’s not a coincidence that all three guys I’m going to mention are the first three guys taken by Sullivan in the 2026 NFL Draft: OL Kadyn Proctor, DB Chris Johnson, and LB Jacob Rodriguez. With Proctor and Johnson, it makes perfect sense; both guys play key positions alongside being first-round picks. The former Alabama star has one of the highest upside out of all offensive linemen in the draft, and the San Diego State product was one of the highest floor players taken. Rodriguez, on the other hand, was the most unique pick of the three, being transported to one of the better linebacker rooms in the league. Even with that, the former Red Raider might be the highest floor player in this entire draft class for the Dolphins after a borderline Heisman-caliber season from the linebacker. All three of these guys are key pieces from a selection standpoint, but more importantly, from a draft class standpoint as well. This is the first offseason for the Dolphins' new general manager, and if these picks grow to their potential, the Dolphins will be better set up for the future than at any point during the entire Chris Grier era.
