Offseason Outlook: Miami Dolphins

During an offseason in which several head coaches were held responsible for organizational shortcomings while general managers retained their jobs, the Dolphins were the rare team to start fresh. Despite initially giving Mike McDaniel some input in the team's GM search, the Dolphins canned their four-year HC and will reboot around Packers staffers.

Miami brought in Green Bay exec Jon-Eric Sullivan, who hired two-year Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to succeed McDaniel. Sullivan inherits a quarterback quandary, thanks to ousted GM Chris Grier's ill-advised Tua Tagovailoa extension. The Dolphins are staring at a record-setting dead money number. Were the team to keep Tagovailoa for one more season, a 2027 breakup would be much easier. As it stands, a 2026 separation looks like where this is headed. And it will overshadow Miami's first Sullivan-Hafley offseason.

Coaching/front office:

Reporting shifted in the wake of Grier's Halloween firing. McDaniel appeared to have done enough to retain his job for a fifth season. The Dolphins won four straight games to reach 6-7 and the fringes of the wild-card race. This included an upset win over the Bills. But an ugly showing in Pittsburgh on a Monday night brought big-picture changes.

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Dolphins Could Pursue Jimmy Garoppolo

After six up-and-down years with the Dolphins, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will likely exit Miami in the near future. Releasing or trading Tagovailoa would put the Dolphins in position to add another veteran passer this offseason.

Packers backup Malik Willis is a rumored target, but the Dolphins are at a disadvantage in cap space (a projected $3.18MM, per OverTheCap) compared to other teams that may chase him. Rams reserve Jimmy Garoppolo, who should come at a much lower price than Willis, is also a name to watch for the Dolphins, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports.

The 34-year-old Garoppolo spent the past two seasons behind 2025 MVP winner Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles. After starting one game in 2024, Garoppolo didn’t attempt a pass in three appearances last season. A crack at playing time in Miami, where Garoppolo would presumably compete with 2025 seventh-rounder Quinn Ewers, may entice the 12-year veteran.

Since beginning his career as a Patriots second-rounder in 2014, Garoppolo – once considered the heir apparent to Tom Brady – has played for four teams and accumulated 64 starts. His most recent attempt as a full-time starter came with the 2023 Raiders, who erred in handing him a three-year, $67.5MM deal in free agency that March. Eight months later, after Garoppolo performed poorly over six starts, the Raiders benched him for Aidan O’Connell in November. They released Garoppolo during the ensuing offseason.

Garoppolo’s Las Vegas stint did not go according to plan, but he was in position to land his expensive contract after enjoying success with the 49ers from 2017-22. In 2019, a career year, Garoppolo completed 69.1% of passes and threw for 3,978 yards, 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The 49ers went 13-3 in the regular season and advanced to Super Bowl LIV, but they lost 31-20 to the Chiefs.

As PFR’s Sam Robinson noted in his Dolphins Offseason Outlook, new head coach Jeff Hafley and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik overlapped with Garoppolo in San Francisco. As the defensive backs coach from 2016-18, Hafley was on the other side of the ball. But Slowik worked closely with Garoppolo as an offensive assistant/pass-game specialist/pass-game coordinator from 2019-22. If the Dolphins are merely looking for an inexpensive stopgap to replace Tagovailoa, we could see Garoppolo reunite with Hafley and Slowik in 2026.

Dolphins Shopping Minkah Fitzpatrick

Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick may be part of a mass offseason exodus of high-priced veterans in Miami. The Dolphins have discussed a Fitzpatrick trade with other teams, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. It’s unclear if they have made progress in those talks.

[RELATED: Dolphins Offseason Outlook]

Fitzpatrick, a Dolphins first-round pick in 2018, is in his second stint with the franchise. His first run ended when the Dolphins traded him to the Steelers in September 2019 for a package headlined by a 2020 first-rounder. The Dolphins wound up re-acquiring Fitzpatrick in a swap involving another decorated defensive back, Jalen Ramsey, and tight end Jonnu Smith last June.

Fitzpatrick did not add to his five Pro Bowl nods and three first-team All-Pro selections in his first season back in Miami. However, the 29-year-old still put together another productive season.

Over 14 games (all starts), Fitzpatrick tallied 82 tackles, six passes defensed, two fumble recoveries, an interception and his first career sack. Logging a significant number of snaps in the slot, at free safety and in the box, Pro Football Focus ranked Fitzpatrick a superb fifth among 91 qualifying safeties.

Despite his strong output, the floundering Dolphins were open to trading Fitzpatrick before last season’s Nov. 4 deadline. Nothing came together then, but with a new regime of general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley, the rebuilding Dolphins are making over their roster. Fitzpatrick could soon follow wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, outside linebacker Bradley Chubb and guard James Daniels out the door. The team also figures to give quarterback Tua Tagovailoa his walking papers sometime soon.

The Dolphins were unable to trade the released group of Hill, Westbrook-Ikhine, Chubb and Daniels. Meanwhile, they’ve hit nothing but roadblocks in attempting to move Tagovailoa. Finding a taker for Fitzpatrick should be easier. He’s due a non-guaranteed base salary of $15.6MM in 2026, the last year of his contract. The Dolphins would take on approximately $13MM in dead money with a pre-June 1 trade, but they’d free up $5.83MM in cap space.

Dolphins Release WR Tyreek Hill

As expected, Tyreek Hill‘s tenure with the Dolphins is ending. The All-Pro wideout is among the veterans being let go on Monday.

Hill is being released, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This marks an end to his four-year run in Miami. As Hill continues to recover from the season-ending knee injury he suffered in Week 4, he will now become a free agent. The Dolphins have since confirmed the news.

[RELATED: Hill Plans To Play 11th NFL Season]

2026 was set to include $36MM in compensation in this case. Hill was due to collect a $5MM roster bonus as part of that figure in March, but many expected a release to take place well before that point. Miami has been busy on Monday, with the team’s list of veteran cuts including edge rusher Bradley Chubb and others. His release, along with that of Hill, will substantially alter the Dolphins’ cap situation.

Cutting Hill immediately would generate a slightly higher dead money charge ($28.25MM) than the cap savings it would create ($22.89MM). Like in Chubb’s case, a post-June 1 designation would be much more beneficial for the Dolphins. Taking that route would yield over $35MM in savings against while spreading out the dead cap charges across the next two years. In either case, Miami is well into cost-shedding season given the team’s actions today.

Hill is free to join another team, but since his injury there have been questions raised about his future. It will be interesting to see how much of a market forms in this case given the eight-time Pro Bowler’s health status. Hill is also the subject of an NFL investigation into domestic violence allegations. His history regarding other off-the-field issues represents another factor which could hinder Hill’s value.

The Dolphins received notable trade interest in Jaylen Waddle leading up to the 2025 deadline. To little surprise, Miami retained him. Waddle – who is under contract through the 2028 campaign – is now in line to handle WR1 duties moving forward. The rest of the team’s depth chart at the receiver position could see several changes this offseason.

Hill established himself as one of the league’s most productive players over the course of his Chiefs tenure. The former fifth-rounder was named a member of the 2010s All-Decade team based on his showings in Kansas City, and expectations were high upon arrival in Miami. The 2022 blockbuster deal which saw the Dolphins acquire Hill brought about five picks for the Chiefs and helped them reset their core. With the Dolphins, Hill proved to be a highly productive contributor.

In 2022, he broke the 1,700-yard threshold. Hill matched that feat the following season, leading the league in yards and touchdowns. A drop-off was suffered in 2024, a year in which the Dolphins dealt with quarterback injuries. Hill could be seen as a viable target in certain cases if suitors consider him a bounce-back candidate. Otherwise, his health status and intentions with respect to his future will be a major storyline.

The Dolphins are in position to usher in a new, young core during the opening year of the Jon-Eric Sullivan-Jeff Hafley era. Further changes can be expected, but several veteran contracts are already coming off the books in a sign of the wide berth granted by owner Stephen Ross. Inexpensive receivers will be targeted during the spring for Miami, while Hill will weigh his options.

Dolphins Release OLB Bradley Chubb

Bradley Chubb‘s time in Miami is coming to an end. The veteran edge rusher is being released by the Dolphins, as first reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Chubb’s deal had one season remaining on it. However, none of his base pay for 2026 was guaranteed, leaving the door open to a release. It comes as little surprise Miami’s new regime is moving forward with this cut prior to March 12, when Chubb was due to collect a roster bonus. The Dolphins have since confirmed the move.

Roughly one year ago, Chubb agreed to a restructure which reduced his base salary for 2025. That move increased his cap hit for next year to over $31.5MM, though. Instead of attempting to work out another restructure or an extension, a release loomed as a logical direction for Miami. This move will generate a considerable dead money charge if it is processed immediately. On the other hand, a post-June 1 designation would create $20.23MM in savings for the Dolphins, one of the teams with work to do over the coming weeks to become cap compliant.

Chubb established himself as a productive sack artist during his time with the Broncos. Upon being acquired by the Dolphins via trade in 2022, the two-time Pro Bowler inked a five-year, $110MM extension. Chubb’s first full Miami campaign was stellar, as he racked up 11 sacks and six forced fumbles. An ACL tear suffered late in the season kept him sidelined for all of 2024, though.

Upon returning to full health, Chubb managed to remain in place for all 17 games in 2025. He recorded 8.5 sacks and 22 pressures while handling a full-time starting role. The Dolphins received considerable interest leading up to the trade deadline on multiple fronts, and Chubb was among the top targets for suitors. In the end, fellow pass rusher Jaelan Phillips was dealt while Chubb was retained. Both are now on track for free agency.

Entering his age-30 season, Chubb will be among the top edge rushers on the market. Interested teams could be cautious given his injury history, but the former No. 5 pick has shown an ability to produce when healthy. A contract similar to the one he landed in 2022 should not be expected, of course. Nevertheless, a strong market could emerge prior to the start of free agency.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, will remain a team to watch over the coming weeks. The new tandem of general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley is in line to move on from a number of expensive contracts. The fate of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa remains unclear, but other veterans could soon join Chubb in being on the move.

Tyreek Hill To Keep Playing After Dolphins Release

In 2023, Tyreek Hill said that he intended to play out his contract with the Dolphins – which then ran through 2026 – and then retire. He also said he wanted to reach 10 years in the NFL.

Hill missed the first milestone by a year, but he finished a decade in the league at the conclusion of the 2025 season. He faces a long rehab process from the brutal leg injury he suffered in September and has made other hints towards retiring in the past. In recent months, those factors – as well as his expected departure from Miami – stirred speculation that Hill may have played his last down in the NFL.

But after being released by the Dolphins on Monday, Hill made it clear (via a social media post) that he has no intention of hanging up his cleats. He thanked the Dolphins and their fanbase after his four years in Miami and promised that he “will be back.” When or where that will be are still open questions.

In addition to parting ways with Hill, the Dolphins also cut outside linebacker Bradley Chubb and offensive lineman James Daniels. Hill and Daniels are not receiving post-June 1 designations, which would allow the team to push some of their dead money into 2027. Miami would not, however, receive the resulting salary cap relief until that date. Since they need the cap savings from releasing Hill and Daniels to become cap compliant in the new league year, those moves had to be made right away.

The precise financial impact of Daniels’ release is still TBD, as he has $3.5MM of his 2026 salary guaranteed for injury. He ended the season on injured reserve due to a torn pectoral; if he is still injured, the Dolphins cannot release him until the start of the new league year, according to OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald. Even then, Daniels can file a grievance for his injury guarantees if he believes he is still hurt.

Chubb will not be released at the same time as Hill and Daniels, per Fitzgerald, suggesting that the team is considering a post-June 1 move (or even a trade). Rather than absorbing his full $24MM dead cap hit this year, the Dolphins could move almost $13MM into 2027. However, the team would not see the cap savings until the summer and would need to make other moves to clear up additional cap space before free agency. Chubb has yet to be informed if his official release will happen before or after June 1, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

‘No Trade Market’ For Tua Tagovailoa

FEBRUARY 16: The Dolphins’ preference remains a trade at this time, NFL insider Jordan Schultz confirms. He adds the team does not want this situation to “drag too long,” so a decision could be coming shortly. It could very include a release in the absence of a market on the trade front.

FEBRUARY 13: As the new league year is fast approaching, the Dolphins have been working desperately to figure out a way out of the corner they’ve painted themselves into. As it’s been reported recently that Miami is nearing a decision on the future of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, it appears one option may be getting taken away from the team.

According to SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora, there is “no trade market” for Tagovailoa. All conversation from both the Dolphins and Tagovailoa concerning the future has revolved around the idea of a trade. At season’s end, Tagovailoa made it known that he would welcome a fresh start elsewhere, while the team made it known their hope was to trade him.

Our most recent update before this indicated that the Dolphins were still focused on the trade route for Tagovailoa’s exit, and they expressed a willingness to eat some of money owed to the quarterback in order to make it happen.

Just before the 2024 NFL season, Miami made the move to sign Tagovailoa to an extension following a season in which he led the NFL in passing yards while starting every game of the season for the first (and only) time in his career. In the wake of several other record-breaking contracts at the position, the Dolphins agreed to a four-year, $212.4MM deal with over $167.17MM in guaranteed money. Since then, Tagovailoa has missed a combined nine games in two seasons and, after averaging over 260 yards per game in three straight seasons, saw his average yards per game plummet to 190 this year.

We knew that Tagovailoa’s benching this year, combined with his huge contract and injury history, made a trade difficult, forcing the Dolphins to offer up the possibility of throwing in some offsetting cash. Per La Canfora, though, Tagovailoa isn’t a difficult trade piece; he’s a non-starter. Backed by input from several top NFL executives, La Canfora seems to indicate that teams in the league are already so turned off by Tagovailoa’s poor play and frequent concussions that they’re not even willing to take him on at a reduced rate.

La Canfora included a series of quotes from said executives, with several not limiting themselves to the language of polite society. One general manager simply told La Canfora, “They’re (screwed).” He went on to call the contract untradeable, saying that, even with Miami “willing to eat a (boat)load of” Tagovailoa’s contract, they “just don’t see a market for him.”

Another top exec relayed to La Canfora a “four-pronged” list of reasons Tagovailoa and the Dolphins were stuck with each other. It started with Tagovailoa’s inability to effectively push the ball down the field and make plays consistently anymore. It then moved to perceived leadership issues with concerns that he couldn’t move a locker room and comes off as ingenuine. The third prong called his concussion history alone “a no-go for a lot of teams,” and the fourth ended by calling his deal a “terrible…contract that nobody wants to touch.”

If Miami is unable to trade Tagovailoa, they will then be forced with the new decision of whether to cut him or keep him. In keeping him, the Dolphins would be retaining perhaps the most expensive backup quarterback in the NFL. As they attempt to obtain a new, young option at the position this offseason with which to move forward, Tagovailoa’s continued presence could also create uncertainty and doubt in the locker room. Cutting the 27-year-old, though, would shoulder the Dolphins with $99.2MM in dead money without providing any cap savings. Cutting him now would lock that money in for the 2026 season alone, whereas the best-case scenario would see the team designate him as a post-June 1 cut, allowing them to split that $99.2MM over two seasons — still a dire result.

Essentially, though the Dolphins seem to believe they’re making a decision between three options, the rest of the league appears to have limited them to two. Miami will need to figure out how best to work around the massive contract obligations that remain tied to Tagovailoa as they attempt to move on to a new era of quarterback.

Dolphins Release G James Daniels, WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine

Monday is shaping up to be an important day for the Dolphins with respect to veteran cutsJames Daniels is also on the way out.

The veteran guard is being released, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. Daniels was under contract for the next two seasons, but it comes as little surprise he is being cut given the way 2025 played out. Daniels suffered a pectoral injury in Week 1, and he wound up missing the remainder of the season. The news is now official, per a team announcement.

Instead of Miami’s new regime keeping the 28-year-old in place and hoping for a healthy bounce-back season, a release will take place. The Dolphins will be hit with a dead money charge of $4.8MM by cutting Daniels right away. If a post-June 1 designation is used, Miami will generate $2.42MM in savings against $1.2MM in dead cap. Teams can use the post-June 1 option when processing releases on up to two players per year.

The Dolphins are in position to move on from several veterans this offseason. New general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley will have a number of key decisions to make ahead of the new league year opening in March. Miami was one of several NFL teams which entered Monday projected to be over the cap. In addition to necessary cost-shedding moves, a rebuild will be sought out this spring.

Daniels is a veteran of 91 games and 85 starts in the NFL. The former Bear and Steeler signed a three-year, $24MM pact last offseason to join Miami. That move was set to give the Dolphins a guard starter for 2025 and beyond, but things did not go according to plan due to the injury. A tepid free agent market is likely in store.

The Dolphins are also cutting wideout Nick Westbrook-Ikhineper Pelissero. He was also added on the open market last year. The former Titan proved to be an effective secondary contributor on offense earlier in his career, but he posted just 11 receptions with Miami in 2025. Instead of remaining in place for the final year of his deal, Westbrook-Ikhine will also turn his attention to the open market.

Miami’s roster reset is well underway in advance of free agency. Other veteran cuts will remain something to watch for over the coming days.

2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

The 2026 head coaching carousel has now seen 10 jobs open since the start of the offseason, as the Bills have fired Sean McDermott. HC firings generally lead to coordinator changes, and several other teams have proceeded with OC or DC moves to start their offseasons. Here are the current OC and DC searches transpiring. As the remaining HC searches conclude, more coordinator searches will be added to this list.

Updated 2-18-26 (10:39am CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: Drew Petzing)

  • Nathaniel Hackett, quarterbacks coach (Dolphins): Hired

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Zac Robinson)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Todd Monken)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Joe Brady)

  • Pete Carmichael Jr., senior offensive assistant (Broncos): Hire expected

Chicago Bears (Out: Declan Doyle)

Cleveland Browns (Out: Tommy Rees)

Denver Broncos (Out: Joe Lombardi)

  • Ronald Curry, quarterbacks coach (Bills): Interviewed
  • Brian Johnson, pass-game coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed
  • Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Promoted

Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

  • Eric Bieniemy, running backs coach (Bears): Rehired

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Greg Olson)

  • Andrew Janocko, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): Hired
  • Frisman Jackson, wide receivers coach (Seahawks): To interview

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Mike LaFleur)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Frank Smith)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

New York Jets (Out: Tanner Engstrand)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Arthur Smith)

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Klint Kubiak)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Zach Orr)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Bobby Babich)

  • Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Hired

Cleveland Browns (Out: Jim Schwartz)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Patrick Graham)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Anthony Weaver)

  • Sean Duggan, former linebackers coach (Packers): Hired
  • Clint Hurtt, defensive line coach (Eagles): Interviewed

New England Patriots (Out: Terrell Williams)

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Teryl Austin)

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Robert Saleh)

  • Gus Bradley, assistant head coach (49ers): Interviewed
  • Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): Hired
  • Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Rumored candidate
  • Joe Woods, defensive backs coach (Raiders): Interviewed

Tennessee Titans (Out: Dennard Wilson)

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

Dolphins Hire Bush Hamdan As QBs Coach

The Dolphins thought they took care of their vacant quarterbacks coach position when they agreed to hire Nathaniel Hackett on Jan. 29. Those plans fell through when Hackett became the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator a week later.

With Hackett out of the picture, the Dolphins requested an interview with Lions offensive assistant Bruce Gradkowski. Detroit denied Miami on Thursday, though, and the Dolphins will now dip into the college ranks for a QBs coach. They’re hiring Mississippi State associate head coach Bush Hamdan, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reports. A league source has confirmed the move, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

A former Boise State quarterback, Hamdan has almost exclusively coached at the college level since his career began in 2009. A one-year stint as the Falcons’ QBs coach in 2017 has been the lone exception. That was the Falcons’ most recent playoff campaign, but starting signal-caller Matt Ryan‘s production dropped off considerably from an MVP- and NFC-winning 2016.

After a year working with Ryan, Hamdan returned to college for a two-season run as Washington’s offensive coordinator/QBs coach. Current Bengals backup Jake Browning was the Huskies’ QB in 2018, Hamdan’s first season with the team.

Since leaving Washington, Hamdan has held high-level offensive roles with Missouri, Boise State and Kentucky. He coached Brady Cook, now a Jets backup, for a portion of his tenure at Missouri. Hamdan agreed to join Mississippi State’s staff in early December, but he’ll instead return to the pros in 2026. It’ll be his first time on the same staff as new Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley.

Hamdan will walk into an unsettled QB situation in Miami, which is nearing a decision on Tua Tagovailoa‘s future. Even if the Dolphins retain Tagovailoa and Quinn Ewers, a seventh-round pick last year, rookie general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan will bring in competition this offseason. While it’s unknown what the Dolphins’ QB room will look like in 2026, they’ll count on Hamdan to bring out the best in the group.

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