Before the season opener against the Raiders, Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley revealed that success this year won’t be defined by wins and losses:
“I want to win everything that we do. I’ve said that over and over. But at the same time, we need to make sure that this foundation and the process is built the right way. … There’s no shortcuts because it’s bigger than that right now.”
That’s a sensible approach to take with a roster this young. But even if wins and losses aren’t the primary measure of success – and a 35-13 drubbing by the 49ers only reinforces that idea – the 2026 season still needs to provide clarity on several key questions that will shape the franchise’s future. Here are six I feel need to be answered before the Dolphins start game planning the 2027 NFL Draft.
Is Malik Willis a true No. 1 quarterback?
First, would we even know a No. 1 quarterback if we had one? It’s been 25 years since Dan Marino’s last game (a 62-7 drubbing by Jacksonville in the 2000 AFC divisional playoffs), and we’ve had more than 20 different starting QBs in that time, including such luminaries as Ray Lucas and Tyler Thigpen.
This is the biggest question by far, because it will determine whether Miami needs to spend a top draft pick on a quarterback or has the luxury of addressing other needs early. Given the range of possible outcomes, I’ve been encouraged by what we’ve seen from Willis so far. He’s shown he can run:
which feels like more and more a necessity in today’s game, and he’s got some zip and accuracy on his passes. Still, one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown in two games is a little … underwhelming. We’ll have to see if he can continue to up his game and if he’s durable enough for a full NFL season.
Is Greg Dulcich the answer at tight end?
Brady and Gronk. Mahomes and Kelce. Even Marino and Hardy (though let’s pause for a quick shoutout to Keith Jackson).
The point is, every quarterback should have a security blanket. Can Greg Dulcich be that guy, either for Malik, Kyle McCord or a QB in next year’s draft? Dulcich flashed down the stretch last season, but he’s also been placed on injured reserve three times in his career for a recurring hamstring issue. In two games this season, he caught four passes for 35 yards and a dubious taunting penalty.
Is Miami picking up Chop Robinson’s fifth-year option?
First-round draft picks are eligible for a fifth-year option, which allows their team to extend the player’s rookie contract for an additional season before they reach free agency. Next spring, the Dolphins will need to decide whether or not to pick up Chop Robinson’s fifth-year option ahead of the 2028 season.
Robinson’s fifth-year option could cost the Dolphins somewhere in the neighborhood of $17 million. That’s a reasonable amount to pay for a quality edge rusher – especially for a team that’s been outsacked already 9-0 after two games – but only if the Dolphins get the version of Robinson they saw during the second half of 2024, not the one they’ve seen so far in 2025 and 2026. He’s reportedly looked great in camp, adding on 10 pounds of muscle and cleaning up his diet, but he was MIA against the Raiders in Week 1 and missed Week 2 with his third concussion in the past year.
How close are the Dolphins to fixing their offensive line?
It’s funny to suggest the Dolphins might have solved their offensive line problem after giving up four sacks, five tackles for loss and five quarterback hits on Sunday. But for the first time in years, the Dolphins may have credible long-term answers at nearly every position. If Miami can determine this season (1) if Jonah Savaiinaea fits as a long-term starter at right guard, and (2) if Kadyn Proctor projects better at left guard than right tackle, that will go a long way toward determining what the team’s draft needs are. I suppose we could also add Austin Jackson into this bucket, though he hasn’t played especially well thus far, and it’s hard to imagine he’ll re-sign with the team for 2027.
Which of the Dolphins’ young players can we build around?
Miami had 18 players on their roster with fewer than two years of NFL experience. Some of them flashed in Week 1 (Caleb Douglas!), most decidedly did not flash in Week 2. Figuring out what we have and who we can build around will be paramount this season.
Frankly, this is one of the best parts about a rebuilding season – seeing which players can take the leap from unproven draft pick to impact starters. There are lots of storylines to follow, from the ascendancy of Jacob Rodriguez, to the appealing potential of a shutdown corner in Chris Johnson, to the possibility that a trio of rookies in Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell and Kevin Coleman Jr (2 targets, 0 catches) can emerge and turn a position of weakness into a position of strength. One player I’m intrigued by is Michael Taaffe, a fifth-round selection who led the team in tackles in Week 2 after securing an interception in Week 1. Watching these players develop is one of the most enjoyable parts of a rebuild, and it’ll go a long way toward identifying who are building blocks are headed into next offseason.
Do we have the right coaches in place to take advantage of this rebuilding year?
One trap NFL teams often fall into is hiring offensive or defensive “gurus” as head coaches without giving enough consideration to everything else the job requires. Yes, you have gameday tasks like calling plays, challenging rulings and signaling timeouts. But do you know how to develop players? Can you maintain a culture of accountability without turning younger players off? Can you lead a locker room?
I didn’t hate the Mike McDaniel hiring, but (IMO) he proved to be in over his head pretty quickly. I’m optimistic that Jeff Hafley has the temperament and mentality to succeed in all areas of coaching, even if the defense has been lacking so far this season. But is Bobby Slowik the right coach for this stage of a rebuild? The offensive line looked like it might actually be a strength heading into the regular season, before allowing nine sacks and generating little push through two games. So is offensive line coach Matt Applebaum the right person for the job? It’s way too early to make any determinations on coaching, and those of us on the outside may not have clear insight to how well they develop players – all we really have to go on is game tape. But this is going to be a young team next year too, and presumably for a long time. It’s important our coaches know how to develop young talent into capable players.
Those are the six questions I think the Dolphins need answered this season. How are you defining success for the Dolphins in 2026? Share your thoughts in the comments.
