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The Dolphins received best possible news by the NFL
The Miami Dolphins are in the middle of one of their most important offseasons in recent memory. They have already made two big decisions in the hiring of Jon-Eric Sullivan as their general manager and Jeff Hafley as their head coach. Now come the roster decisions. Despite being a team that has missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons, the Dolphins are not a particularly young roster on the rise. Instead, they are a team in desperate need of a youth movement.
That is one of the biggest reasons the Dolphins brought over Sullivan because he has a draft-and-develop philosophy, which Miami currently needs. Due to the large contracts currently on the roster, the Dolphins find themselves in a tough spot. They are currently projected to have the fourth-least cap space in the NFL.
Fortunately, for Miami, they have recently received the best news possible by the NFL.
Best News Possible for Miami Dolphins
The NFL informed clubs today it is projecting a 2026 salary cap in the range of $301.2 million to $305.7 million per club, per source.
That would represent another significant jump from this year’s $279.2 million cap number, and nearly $100M than the $208.2M cap in 2022.
NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero shared a report which said, “The NFL informed clubs today it is projecting a 2026 salary cap in the range of $301.2 million to $305.7 million per club, per source. That would represent another significant jump from this year’s $279.2 million cap number, and nearly $100 million more than the $208.2 million cap in 2022.”
Regarding the potential ramifications of the salary cap next season for the Miami Dolphins, NFL writer Kyle Crabbs said, “What does this mean for the Dolphins? The higher it goes, the more flexibility Miami will have in shaking loose from contracts such as WR Tyreek Hill, EDGE Bradley Chubb (if they want), and yes, QB Tua Tagovailoa.”
Miami also gets the opportunity to roll over any salary cap it did not use in 2025. According to the NFLPA’s final 2025 salary cap report, the Dolphins had $1.221 million in unused cap space that would be added to the final number the league settles on. That decision should be expected right around the NFL Combine at the beginning of March.”
The salary cap has increased as a direct result of the NFL generating more profits due to distinct partnerships, TV deals, fantasy sports, etc. Crabbs described the situation as “the best possible news” for the Dolphins as it will give the Dolphins a better opportunity to improve their roster this season.
Free Agency Outlook
Aside from needing to improve the roster due to poor performance, the Dolphins will also need to make substantial moves as they are currently projected to have more than 20 unrestricted free agents. Additionally, the team is likely going to part ways with Pro Bowl players Tyreek Hill, Bradley Chubb, and Tua Tagovailoa.
In the past, the Dolphins have done a good job with bargain deals in free agency.This past offseason they signed cornerback Rasul Douglas to a one-year deal worth more than $1 million, and he proved to be the best cornerback on the team this season. Some other examples include center Aaron Brewer, who signed a three-year deal before the 2024 season and turned into an All-Pro player with the Dolphins.
Aside from a strong draft, getting that level of production will be crucial if the Dolphins are hoping for a quick turnaround.
Jose Esquer Jose Esquer is a Mexican-American sportswriter and communications student based in San Diego, CA. His work spans football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. He has written for platforms like RotoWire and DolphinsTalk. You can find him on Twitter/X @JEsquer8, usually talking Dolphins, world football, or both. More about Jose Esquer
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