Miami Dolphins fans have seen the rebuild script before, but the 2026 projection is harsher: the team is being pegged for the league's second-worst record. The case against that outlook starts with Devon Achane, who just got himself paid and has kept improving as a runner and pass catcher since entering the league.
That matters because the offense is not built around one type of production. Malik Willis gives the backfield dynamic legs, and the article points to a Bobby Slowik offense that can lean on that movement rather than ask the same play to win every down.
Achane and Willis shape Miami
Achane is the clearest reason the offense can look better than the projection suggests. His growth as both a runner and a pass catcher gives Miami a piece that can stay on the field in more situations, which changes how defenses have to line up.
Willis adds a different kind of stress. Miami has not had much film on a Bobby Slowik offense led by a dynamic run game and a dual-threat quarterback, and that lack of familiarity gives the unit a chance to be less predictable than the record forecast assumes.
Miami Dolphins line gets support
The offensive line was not left untouched. Miami added a starting left guard through the draft this offseason, brought in Jamaree Salyer as a versatile swing tackle/guard, and extended Aaron Brewer.
That group is not finished, though. Patrick Paul and Jonah Savaiinaiea are both part of the line's development picture, and the hope is that they can give the front enough stability to keep the offense functional even if the overall roster still looks thin on paper.
Brooks, Dodson, and the cleanup crew
The defense offers a second path away from the bottom of the league. The linebacker corps is probably the deepest and most talented group on the Miami Dolphins roster, with Jacob Rodriguez and Kyle Louis added through the draft and Ronnie Harrison joining in the offseason.
Jordyn Brooks is coming off an All-Pro year and 183 tackles, while Tyrel Dodson was a great complement in pass coverage in 2025. The article also notes that Harrison popped off during the team's minicamp, and that the front 4 might not stop the run, but the linebackers are expected to play cleanup.
That combination is why the second-worst projection does not fully match the roster case being made here. The 2017 team got 6 wins in 14 starts from a 34-year-old Jay Cutler, the 2019 Tank for Tua roster carried over 60% undrafted or day 3 selections, and the 2020 group dealt with a tug of war for power in the coaching staff and inconsistent quarterback play. The 2026 Dolphins come in after a 7-win season, with more offensive pieces and a linebacker group built to cover for what the front may not handle.
Whether the Miami Dolphins prove that projection wrong will come down to how quickly the new line pieces settle in and whether Achane and Willis can turn the offense into something harder to defend than the record forecast suggests.
