That reset included parting ways with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, as well as star receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and linebacker/defensive playmakers such as Bradley Chubb and Minkah Fitzpatrick, among others. With those departures, the depth chart is thinner, underscoring the team’s emphasis on long-term viability.
The quarterback question sits front and center, with Malik Willis signed to a three-year, $67 million deal to take over as the likely starter and replace Tagovailoa. Willis’ development will be watched closely as the Dolphins aim to establish a new era at the position.
Jalen Tolbert, a new face at wide receiver on a one-year contract, publicly spoke about Willis on Good Morning Football. Tolbert called Willis one of the hardest-working players in the building, praising his arm talent and noting that he’s grown steadily while embracing the opportunity ahead.
Tolbert’s addition comes after a down season with the Cowboys, totaling 203 receiving yards in 2025 after a 610-yard year in 2024. He sits in the top half of Miami’s wide receiver depth chart, but the team is expected to add more help through the 2026 NFL Draft, with seven selections inside the first 100 picks and a goal of pairing Willis with multiple new weapons.
That draft plan is underlined by coach Jeff Hafley, who highlighted the seven first-round picks and the expectation to add receivers for Willis. Miami intends to give Willis a surrounding cast that supports steady growth as the rebuild progresses.
Overall, the 2026 season will test whether the Dolphins can translate a structural rebuild into long-term stability, with Willis at the helm and a young, upgrade-focused receiving corps around him.
