Home / Sports / Dolphins' Offseason Blunders Lead to 2026 Collapse
Dolphins' Offseason Blunders Lead to 2026 Collapse
18 Feb
Summary
- Dolphins face $28M dead cap for Hill and $20.8M for Ramsey.
- Tua Tagovailoa's contract extension has backfired significantly.
- Offseason decisions in 2024 led to a roster and cap crisis.
The Miami Dolphins are grappling with a significant roster and salary cap crisis in early 2026, stemming from a series of poor decisions made during the summer of 2024. This period followed the team's most successful season in 15 years, an 11-6 record in 2023, which led management to believe they were on the cusp of greater achievements.
Key personnel, including Tyreek Hill and Jalen Ramsey, have departed, and Tua Tagovailoa is also expected to be released or traded, with significant cap implications. Hill leaves behind $28 million in dead cap, while Ramsey's departure results in $20.8 million. Tagovailoa's future contract situation could add anywhere from $45 million to $99 million in dead cap.
These moves, particularly extensions for Ramsey and Hill when not contractually necessary, and a rare early extension for coach Mike McDaniel, have backfired. The team now faces two seasons with no playoff appearances and a grim outlook, a stark contrast to their prior success. The strategy of acquiring top talent and signing big-name free agents, while yielding some success, proved unsustainable for long-term cap health.
