
Miami Dolphins Command Report

FLSportsDesk.com Briefing
The 2026 Dolphins are a stripped-down, bottom-tier rebuild under a first-time head coach and a first-time starting quarterback, and every independent projection, betting market and needs list places them at or near the league floor — the week's churn at the roster's edges deepened the hole rather than filling it.
Miami cut Tyreek Hill in February, handed Malik Willis his first full season as QB1 under Jeff Hafley, and carries five position units ranked 32nd on Mike Clay's board. De'Von Achane is the lone established difference-maker. The opener at Las Vegas — against a Raiders team that scored 14.2 points per game and allowed 64 sacks in 2025 — is the only early soft spot before San Francisco, Kansas City and Minnesota arrive. Treat the season as evaluation, not contention.
Achane anchors a genuine strength behind a run game that averaged 4.7 yards per carry in 2025.
Whether Willis shows regular-season passing efficiency and whether any of the five bottom-ranked units grade better than expected through September.
Next Game
Sun Sep 13 · 4:25 PM ET · Broadcast TBD
AFC East — Preseason
Buffalo Bills2-0-0 · 1.000
New England Patriots1-0-1 · .750
New York Jets1-1-0 · .500
Miami Dolphins0-2-0 · .000Preseason — exhibition records do not measure regular-season strength.
Cap Position
Estimated current team cap space.
Latest Intelligence
FLSportsDesk.com Briefing
The calendar front-loads the hardest tests and offers a projected last-place team almost no cushion — and this week's line losses made the early pass-rush gauntlet more dangerous without moving a single game.
Las Vegas in Week 1 is the only early breather; then San Francisco, Kansas City and Minnesota crowd the first month. November alternates Detroit and Cincinnati at home with trips to Indianapolis, Buffalo and Denver, and the close runs Lambeau, the Chargers, Buffalo at home and New England at Gillette. For a team projected between 2.5 and 4.5 wins, no stretch does the work.
The Raiders scored 14.2 points per game, rushed 3.6 a carry and allowed 64 sacks in 2025, making Week 1 the most winnable game on the sheet.
The September stretch at Las Vegas and San Francisco; competitive showings there would reopen the win-band question before the division gauntlet.

















FLSportsDesk.com Intelligence Assessment
Miami is a bottom-tier rebuild whose 2026 ceiling is player evaluation, not contention, and nothing in the current evidence clears the case for improvement — the week's injury news and roster churn made the margin slightly worse, not better.
Four independent reads — Clay's 2.5-win projection, the DraftKings 4.5 total with the under juiced, NFL.com's needs list and PFN's depth chart — all land at or near the league floor, and the daily reporting fits: Hafley said he is concerned Kenneth Grant may miss the opener, Jamaree Salyer left via injury settlement, a rookie ankle injury will cost significant time, and waiver claims patched receiver rather than upgrading it. Malik Willis is a first-time full-season starter throwing to rooms Clay ranks 32nd, behind a line that just lost another body, opening at Las Vegas, at San Francisco, then Kansas City and Minnesota — the one soft spot being a Raiders team that scored 14.2 points per game, rushed 3.6 a carry and allowed 64 sacks in 2025. The strongest legitimate countercase is PFN's offensive impact rank of 19 paired with Achane's 4.7 yards per carry and that Raiders opener, enough to picture five wins and a November with stakes. But no supplied evidence shows regular-season Willis efficiency or improvement in two weak units, so the verdict stands until games say otherwise; the 0-2 preseason record is exhibition noise and the verified $15.77 million in cap space confirms the front office can patch but not reconstruct. Grant's possible absence compounds a 32nd-ranked secondary — pressure and coverage fail together, and nine interceptions made in 2025 fit that picture — so the facts justify the rebuild frame.
PFN's offensive impact rank of 19 is a genuine single-source dissent suggesting the offense may be functional rather than league-worst.
Grant's status for the Las Vegas opener, Willis's Week 1 pass protection and efficiency, and whether the Joey Porter Jr. trade chatter gains a second source.
Dolphins Wire
- Who Will Be QB2? Dolphins Backup Quarterback Battle Heats Up
Who Will Be QB2? Dolphins Backup Quarterback Battle Heats Up The Miami Dolphins have locked in their quarterback 1, Malik Willis. The former third-round pick spent two years rebuilding his career with the Green Bay Packe
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- Dolphins Claim Ryan Miller Off Waivers, Waive Tahj Washington
Dolphins Claim Ryan Miller Off Waivers, Waive Tahj Washington The Miami Dolphins announced the waiving of former 7th-round pick Tahj Washington. In a corresponding move, the team claimed former New York Giants wideout Ry
- Miami Dolphins news: Living up to Miami’s defensive tackle history
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More reporting (5)
- Practice 16: 2026 Miami Dolphins Training Camp Notebook - Miami Dolphins
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- Miami Dolphins Discussion: Who Must Shine Edition
As our Miami Dolphins continue to progress through the final days of training camp, following two joint sessions, and two preseason games, the front office has all but finalized the 53-man roster for the 2026-2027 NFL se
- Dolphins Claim WR Ryan Miller, Waive Tahj Washington
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- What to Know About the Dolphins' Latest Waiver Wire Pick-Up - Sports Illustrated
What to Know About the Dolphins' Latest Waiver Wire Pick-Up Sports Illustrated
- Dolphins add a WR. And Slowik’s views, Marlins’ McCullough on Hafley meeting - Miami Herald
Dolphins add a WR. And Slowik’s views, Marlins’ McCullough on Hafley meeting Miami Herald
FLSportsDesk.com Briefing
Roughly $15.8 million in verified space is enough for August triage and nowhere near enough to fix five last-place units, and the spending pattern still says patchwork rebuild.
OverTheCap shows $15,773,236 in active space, resolving the prior verification gap. The observable moves — claiming wideout Ryan Miller off waivers, releasing Tahj Washington, settling Jamaree Salyer's injury — are minimum-cost churn at the roster's fringes, not investment at receiver, corner or edge. The Porter Jr. trade chatter is single-source reporting and cannot be read as a spending plan.
OverTheCap figures are estimates that shift with every transaction, so the precise number carries softness.
Whether the Porter Jr. talk becomes a corroborated trade, and whether any deadline move consumes most of the room.
Salary Cap
Estimated current team cap space.
Free Agency
- Open-market watch: monitor credible Dolphins links, visits and signings.
- Internal decisions: extensions, restructures, releases and practice-squad movement.
- Verification: transactions remain REPORTED until confirmed by the club or NFL transaction wire.
Free Agency Wire
- Dolphins Linked to Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. in Potential Trade
Dolphins Linked to Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. in Potential Trade The tea leaves point to Joey Porter’s stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers being all but over at this juncture. The star corner is in line for a contract ex
- Dolphins Claim Ryan Miller Off Waivers, Waive Tahj Washington
Dolphins Claim Ryan Miller Off Waivers, Waive Tahj Washington The Miami Dolphins announced the waiving of former 7th-round pick Tahj Washington. In a corresponding move, the team claimed former New York Giants wideout Ry
- Dolphins make roster moves - Miami Dolphins
Dolphins make roster moves Miami Dolphins
- Dolphins Claim WR Ryan Miller, Waive Tahj Washington
Dolphins Claim WR Ryan Miller, Waive Tahj Washington The Miami Dolphins continue to reshape their roster as they approach the final cutdown to 53 players. Miami announced Tuesday that it has claimed wide receiver Ryan Mi
Contract Watch
- Track extensions and guarantees.
- Separate cash savings from cap savings.
- Show current-year and future dead-money effects when verified.
FLSportsDesk.com Briefing
Headcount is ordinary construction but the distribution of proven starters sits at the bottom of the league, and this week's settlement, waiver swap and Grant injury question piled more strain onto the thinnest rooms.
Ninety-one players across offense, defense and specialists is normal; the shortage is starter-caliber quality. Achane is the one established difference-maker; Robinson, Proctor, Brewer and rookie Chris Johnson are building blocks, and nearly everything else is projection. The week trimmed the edges: Salyer left via injury settlement, Washington was waived for the Miller claim, and Hafley said Grant may miss the opener. Rookie receiver Chris Bell, coming off an ACL tear, plays the preseason finale — development news, not team-quality news.
Achane, Brewer, Proctor, Johnson and Robinson give the rebuild genuine anchors at five spots.
Grant's Week 1 availability, Bell's recovery arc after the preseason finale, and any external veteran addition at receiver or cornerback — including whether the Porter Jr. chatter becomes real.
offense
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specialTeam
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FLSportsDesk.com Briefing
Miami projects to the bottom of the AFC East and near the bottom of the league, with the market pricing a realistic ceiling of four to five wins and nothing in the preseason changing that.
No regular-season standings exist; the 0-2 preseason mark is exhibition noise. The range comes from markets and models: Clay says 2.5 wins, DraftKings says 4.5 with the under favored, and the league-fewest-wins prop pays +350. Buffalo remains the division's class, and Miami's realistic race is escaping fourth place — a race this week's injuries did not help. The futures prices are a month stale and should be treated as such.
The 4.5 win total prices a better floor than Clay's 2.5, so the market range is not literally the league minimum.
September results against Las Vegas and San Francisco — a competitive opening month would reopen the 4.5-win band question.
AFC East — Preseason
Buffalo Bills2-0-0 · 1.000
New England Patriots1-0-1 · .750
New York Jets1-1-0 · .500
Miami Dolphins0-2-0 · .000Preseason — exhibition records do not measure regular-season strength.
Season Context
The competitive standings and playoff desk activate after regular-season games begin. Preseason wins and losses are excluded.
FLSportsDesk.com Briefing
Miami's 2025 profile — efficient rushing chained to a stalling passing game and a takeaway-poor defense — explains the teardown, and none of it predicts 2026 results.
The 2025 identity was a run-first offense dragging a bottom-tier passing game: 4.7 yards per rush but 195.4 passing yards per game, a 34.9 percent third-down conversion rate and 18 interceptions thrown against a minus-4 turnover ratio. The defense made 39 sacks but picked off only nine passes. These verified ESPN numbers describe a roster since gutted — they explain the rebuild, not the coming season, and 2026 game data activates only after completed regular-season games.
A 67.2 completion rate and 4.7 yards per rush show real competence in the run game and short passing.
Third-down and red-zone efficiency in the first two or three completed 2026 games as the first real identity test.
NFL Performance Lenses
How we read the Dolphins: We start with whether Miami can sustain drives, protect the quarterback, finish in the red zone and prevent explosive plays. Then we check third down, turnovers and opponent quality to see whether the result travels. Only verified regular-season games count, and a single Sunday does not trigger a trend without a season baseline and a second supporting window.
The desk stays quiet until verified regular-season data gives it something honest to say.
Source Health
- ESPN schedule: active
- ESPN roster: active
- ESPN standings: active
- OverTheCap: active
- Local/RSS + podcasts: active
- Firecrawl/SearXNG: active
- FLSportsDesk.com intelligence: active
Local Coverage + RSS
- Who Will Be QB2? Dolphins Backup Quarterback Battle Heats Up
Who Will Be QB2? Dolphins Backup Quarterback Battle Heats Up The Miami Dolphins have locked in their quarterback 1, Malik Willis. The former third-round pick spent two years rebuilding his career with the Green Bay Packe
- Dolphins Linked to Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. in Potential Trade
Dolphins Linked to Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. in Potential Trade The tea leaves point to Joey Porter’s stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers being all but over at this juncture. The star corner is in line for a contract ex
- Dolphins Claim Ryan Miller Off Waivers, Waive Tahj Washington
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- Miami Dolphins news: Living up to Miami’s defensive tackle history
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- Dolphins make roster moves - Miami Dolphins
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More reporting (19)
- Practice 16: 2026 Miami Dolphins Training Camp Notebook - Miami Dolphins
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- Miami Dolphins Discussion: Who Must Shine Edition
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- Dolphins Claim WR Ryan Miller, Waive Tahj Washington
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- What to Know About the Dolphins' Latest Waiver Wire Pick-Up - Sports Illustrated
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- Dolphins add a WR. And Slowik’s views, Marlins’ McCullough on Hafley meeting - Miami Herald
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- Nothing to Hyde: That Was UGLY! Dolphins’ Preseason Disaster vs. Giants
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- Dolphins releasing Jamaree Salyer with injury settlement - The Phinsider
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- Miami Dolphins Training Camp Practice 15 Observations: Rough Day on Offense, Woodard Shines Again - Sports Illustrated
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- What happened at Tuesday’s Dolphins practice: Who’s out, who looked good - Miami Herald
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- Patience, Patience, and More Patience for Miami Dolphins Fans
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- Jeff Hafley ‘concerned’ that Kenneth Grant may miss Dolphins opener
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- What to Make of the Trey Moore Update, Plus Other Injury Updates - Sports Illustrated
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- Dolphins plan for rookie receiver Chris Bell to play in preseason finale - The Phinsider
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- Dolphins plan for rookie receiver Chris Bell to play in preseason finale
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- Moore to have surgery; Dolphins’ Hafley updates many injuries, discusses Haslem - Miami Herald
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- Miami Dolphins news: Depth continues as major concern ahead of Preseason Game 3
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Podcast Desk
- Drive Time: August 25 Training Camp Report
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- Drive Time: August 24 Training Camp Report
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More reporting (4)
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- 3YPC-Camp Report 8-25-26
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- 3YPC-(Camp Talk-WK4) Episode 9.567
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Deep Web Pull
- Miami Dolphins 2026 Roster Transactions - ESPN
Latest roster transactions for the 2026 Miami Dolphins on ESPN. Find all transactions, including the latest signed, traded and waived Dolphins players.
- Miami Dolphins 2026 Roster Transactions - ESPN (UK)
Latest roster transactions for the 2026 Miami Dolphins on ESPN (UK). Find all transactions, including the latest signed, traded and waived Dolphins players.
- Dolphins news: Depth concerns, injury updates, roster moves
The Miami Dolphins lost a key rookie to a serious ankle injury on Saturday which will cost him significant time during the 2026 season. Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley revealed that ...
- Miami Dolphins Transactions - Yahoo Sports
Get the latest news and information for the Miami Dolphins. 2026 season schedule, scores, stats, and highlights.
- Miami Dolphins Injury Status - ESPN
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More reporting (5)
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- Dolphins Transactions | Miami Dolphins - dolphins.com
Signed quarterback Mark Gronowski and inside linebacker Cam Riley; also placed guard/tackle Jamaree Salyer on the injured reserve list and waived/injured cornerback Ethan Robinson. 08/10 Agreed to terms on a trade with New England to acquire tackle Caedan Wallace and a 2029 seventh-round pick in ...
- The Miami Dolphins 2026 Roster Reset: New Team, New Era, New Hope
The Miami Dolphins are armed with a new general manager (GM), new head coach (HC), and 54 new faces. They seek to end the NFL's longest active winless postseason streak of 25 years without a playoff victory. This won't happen overnight for GM Jon‑Eric Sullivan and HC Jeff Hafley, but they are laying a younger foundation. Miami Dolphins Roster Reset The Dolphins started their rebuild with ...
- Dolphins News Today - Latest Miami Dolphins Updates & Rumors
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Collector Diagnostics
- No core collector errors.