ESPN’s latest offseason exercise credits two Miami Dolphins — but the bigger story is who wasn’t recognized
The Miami Dolphins had two backup players recognized by ESPN but the bigger story was the position group that WASN’T mentioned.
There are plenty of positions across the Miami Dolphins’ roster in 2026 that offer questions. The ceilings and floors of a number of starters are fair to question — as this team is young and largely unproven.
But that doesn’t mean Miami’s collection of players doesn’t have their own set of strengths. And a new exercise by ESPN’s Bill Barnwell underscores exactly that. Barnwell assembled an all-backup roster for the 2026 NFL season, and the Miami Dolphins landed two names on the list. But even with the nod of respect on the offensive line, the more notable takeaway isn’t who made the cut. It’s who didn’t.
Miami Dolphins’ Jamaree Salyer, Zane Gonzalez selected to ESPN’s All-Backup Team
Barnwell’s rules for the exercise required at least one player from every NFL team to make the cut. So there were some natural restrictions. The Dolphins, regardless, got two names on — in part thanks to Miami’s wide open kicking competition. The list of teams with multiple veteran kickers on the roster right now is short. Gonzalez getting tabbed is in part a technicality.
Salyer’s inclusion is a great nod of respect to his abilities as a player. And let’s not forget the Miami Dolphins secured him on a minimum contract. It’s the definition of value, from that standpoint.
But even amid the respect given to Salyer, the fact that the Miami Dolphins’ linebacker room doesn’t get a nod is puzzling, because that group is arguably the deepest position room on the entire roster. The Dolphins will have either Jacob Rodriguez or Tyrel Dodson sitting behind the starters, depending on how the battle in training camp shakes out. On top of that, Miami added fourth-round draft choice Kyle Louis in April, too. The collection of talent off-ball stacks up well against any backup linebacker group in the league. I get Rodriguez doesn’t have any proven reps. But Barnell went as far as to confirm that rookies were on the table.
Rookies were fair game, which makes the Dolphins’ LB snub worse
Barnwell selected two rookie tight ends, Joe Royer and Eli Stowers, to go along with QB Fernando Mendoza on the exercise as the marquee rookies. But instead of nodding to either Rodriguez or Dodson, the selection process landed five other linebackers:
- Los Angeles Chargers’ Junior Colson
- San Francisco’s Luke Gifford
- Minnesota’s Ivan Pace
- Washington’s Leo Chenal
- Houston’s Aiden Fisher
Aiden FIsher? The seventh-round rookie out of Indiana by way of James Madison? And offensive tackle Trent Brown was also selected as a Houston Texan — so it’s not like Fisher needed to be tabbed to keep Houston involved in the exercise, either.
Salyer and Gonzalez earning recognition is a nice callout. Salyer fills an essential important depth role for the Dolphins heading into 2026. But the real story here is the missed opportunity to highlight what Miami has built at linebacker. The Dolphins’ front office invested significant draft capital into that room and it projects as a backbone of the defensive roster this season. That deserved recognition in a project list this one.
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