The first step to a successful offseason for the Miami Dolphins is going to be rooted in changing up the budget in 2026. Miami has, since 2020, been among the NFL’s top-12 teams in cash spending each and every year. With that kind of aggressive spending, there’s an inevitability that cycling back down is required.

That’s where we find ourselves now with this football team. That process has already begun, too. Miami’s spending peaked in 2024, when they ranked 5th highest in the league. This year, the Dolphins are 9th. For 2026, cash commitments rank 10th — with plenty of names set to come off the books. That will, starting in 2026 and into 2027, offer the Dolphins a significantly healthier cap situation. But before the Dolphins start to trim, it will be helpful to know who the heavyweights are on the roster in terms of cash owed to them in 2026. That will serve as the starting point of a list of possible purges in South Florida as we enter into a new regime.

Here are the Miami Dolphins’ leaders in cash owed (not salary cap charges) in 2026.

Miami Dolphins players with the most cash owed to them in 2026

1. QB Tua Tagovailoa – $55 million

$54 million of this compensation package is fully guaranteed. That’s not great considering that Tagovailoa is not starting the final three games of Miami’s season and rumored to be on the outs in 2026. Miami finding a taker for his contract with these terms is going to be nearly impossible — although the Dolphins could, in theory, eat a portion of this salary and find some savings via trade.

To be safe, it’s probably worth assuming the Dolphins end up paying Tagovailoa the full sum; either by keeping him on the roster or cutting him and taking their medicine to move on (which should be considered the most likely outcome at this stage). There’s no way around the hurdles of this situation.

Amount guaranteed: $54,000,000
Prediction: Tagovailoa is released with a Post-June 1 designation

2. WR Tyreek Hill – $36 million

Hill is coming off of a major injury from Week 4 against the New York Jets. He’s owed a $5 million roster bonus on the third day of the league year in March and $11 million of his salary in 2026 guarantees on the same day. The bad news for Hill, despite these big numbers, is that none of this money is guaranteed, fully or for injury.

The Dolphins are going to cut Tyreek Hill before that date and, in the process, strip down $36 million off of their 2026 commitments. If that number feels large, it is because it is — it’s more than 10% of Miami’s entire cash budget in 2025 ($315 million).

Amount guaranteed: $0 ($16,000,000 guarantees on the third day of 2026 league year in March)
Prediction: Hill is released in March

3. EDGE Bradley Chubb – $20.23 million

Chubb’s play this year has been the best among their edge rushers. He also negotiated an adjusted contract this past offseason to stay in Miami — cutting his salary significantly while pushing his earnings into incentives. Chubb’s cash schedule balloons back up from $11 million (plus incentives) in 2025 to over $20 million in 2026. That means another contract adjustment may be in the works or else Chubb may be out, too. None of his $20.23 million is guaranteed.

Amount guaranteed: $0
Prediction: Chubb either re-works his deal again or is released in March

4. WR Jaylen Waddle – $17.241 million

Waddle is entering into what will technically be the first year of his 2024 extension — he had two years remaining on his rookie contract when he signed a three-year, $84.75 million extension in the spring of 2024. More than $16 million of this money became fully guaranteed in March of 2025, meaning he’s firmly on the books. He should be, barring a Godfather offer in a trade scenario, considered the first true lock to return for Miami in 2026. He’s in the prime of his career, he’s economically sturdy and producing on the field, and he’s got his salary guaranteed.

Amount guaranteed: $16,631,000
Prediction: Waddle is the Dolphins’ WR1 in 2026

5. DT Zach Sieler – $16.025 million

Sieler will assuredly be back barring an unexpected trade situation, too. The Dolphins just extended him on a contract extension this summer. It took a while for Sieler to feel like the Sieler of years past due in part to a youth movement around him in the defensive tackle room, but he’s come on to end the season and there should be plenty of optimism for 2026. Sieler’s salary is fully guaranteed thanks to the immediate proximity to his new extension.

Amount guaranteed: $16,025,000
Prediction: Sieler is back in Miami and headlines the DT room in 2026

6. SAF Minkah Fitzpatrick – $15.6 million

This one could go either way. Fitzpatrick has been excellent this season for the Dolphins after settling into the nickel position. He was a late addition to Miami’s roster after a July trade to send out maligned DB Jalen Ramsey. Fitzpatrick pin-balled around the secondary but individually is still playing at a high level. The Dolphins gave him a cash boost for 2025, pulling $3 million from his 2026 compensation forward to this current season. He’ll need something done with this deal either way.

The Dolphins don’t have any guarantees left for Fitzpatrick. They could trade or release him at any point with no stipulations lingering on his $15.6 million base salary and save the whole thing. Or it could serve as the foundation of the signing bonus of a new extension to stay in South Florida.

Amount guaranteed: $0
Prediction: Fitzpatrick is either traded or signs a short-term extension in Miami

7. OT Austin Jackson – $11.5 million

The play on the field is good. The durability is not. Jackson has missed half of each of the last two seasons for lower body injuries and now enters into the final year of his three-year extension with the Dolphins. His cash owed is a fair price for a good starting tackle, which Jackson is. But can the Dolphins go into another season with the uncertainty of his availability and $11.5 million riding on it?

This one isn’t easy because surrendering starting linemen isn’t something that’s usually on the agenda for NFL franchises. But the circumstances surrounding Jackson’s health and Miami’s need to trim salary could push a move here.

Amount guaranteed: $0 ($1,000,000 roster bonus due third day of league year in March)
Prediction: Jackson returns to the Dolphins in 2026

8. LB Jordyn Brooks – $8.375 million

One of, if not the, best player on the roster this season. Brooks has been sensational. He’s also entering into the last year of his current deal in Miami and is well deserving of an extension. As is, he’s underpaid. None of Brooks’ remaining cash is guaranteed, not that they’d consider cutting him.

Amount guaranteed: $0
Prediction: Brooks claims a contract extension that makes him one of the top-five highest paid off-ball linebackers in football ($15M+ AAV)

9. OG James Daniels – $7.87 million

The James Daniels experience has been a disappointing one for Miami. He’s played three snaps this season and spent the rest of the year on injured reserve. Will the Dolphins choose to bring him back and bet on him to stay healthy after playing in just five games over the last two years between Pittsburgh and Miami? Daniels has an option bonus of over $5 million in 2026 to help with cap purposes but none of his 2026 salary guarantees until the third day of the league year in March. The Dolphins could chalk this up as sunk cost and move on in 2026 with no additional cash due.

Amount guaranteed: $0 ($3,480,000 guarantees on the third day of 2026 league year in March)
Prediction: Daniels is released in March

10. C Aaron Brewer – $7 million

Underpaid! Brewer is the other standout in Miami who is far outperforming his pay grade. He, like Brooks, is entering into the last year of his contract with the Dolphins in 2026. There’s no way you cut him. There is, however, a very easy conversation to be had about an extension. The Dolphins should do it.

Amount guaranteed: $0
Prediction: Brewer claims a contract extension to become one of the top-five highest paid centers in football this offseason ($12M+ AAV)

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