Three free agents who probably don’t make sense for the Miami Dolphins in 2026 — but would be fun additions at a (major) discount
There’s some compelling names still on the free agent market but not all of them make sense for the Miami Dolphins.
The Miami Dolphins could certainly use some more competition and reinforcements on their roster headed into the 2026 season.
But any players the Dolphins end up targeting are going to need to have some conditions met. Miami is not in a stipulation free situation this season. The budget is still tight. The objectives are to build for the long haul. From the player side of things, Miami is not an optimal spot to sign and compete for a championship in 2026. That’s just a reality of nearly 60% of the team’s salary cap being tied up in dead money. Here are three names who probably don’t make sense for the Miami Dolphins in 2026 as we reach the end of June — but would be fun additions at the right discount.
Three free agents still on the market who probably don’t make sense for the Miami Dolphins in 2026
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t compelled by the possibility of Deebo Samuel, especially as the Dolphins negotiate their circumstances with rookie wide receiver Chris Bell. Bell is similarly sized but coming off of a major injury last fall — who knows what his recovery timeline looks like. And Miami could certainly use the extra support for QB Malik Willis as they try to assess his profile as a starting quarterback.
But the dollars here are tough. Samuel, who is 30 years old, caught the second-most passes in a season of his career last season. The yardage was fourth-highest and the touchdowns were third-highest. He’s played in at least 15 games in each of the last three seasons, too! Things are fairly stable for his recent production.
So are the cap-conscious Miami Dolphins going to hack up a good chunk of change for a 30-year old wide receiver to serve as a short-term bridge? I can’t say definitely not, as they had reported interest in Jauan Jennings earlier this offseason. But it feels like a tough spot unless Samuel finds his order in the wide receiver free agency ranks to be lower than he hoped.
Cornerback Rasul Douglas
It hurts to write it out. Because Douglas was a terrific player for the Dolphins in 2025. He helped the cornerback position, which was tabbed by some as one of the worst position rooms in recent memory by some, into a stable group. Douglas was a good tackler, an effective coverage player, and a steady veteran presence.
But Douglas will be 31 years old in August. He wasn’t expensive for Miami last season — but he certainly should have a better market this year as compared to least season. Douglas does have overlap with Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, too. But the team traded him to Buffalo at the 2023 trade deadline, halfway through Jeff Hafley’s first season as the defensive coordinator.
The final verdict here? Miami has said they want to become younger, and they need to get cheaper. I’m not sure Douglas checks either box for them after how well he played for Miami in 2025. But if he’s a league-minimum guy once again in 2026…it’d be fun. Not necessarily realistic. But fun.
EDGE defender Leonard Floyd
Look, I’d have loved to find you a safety for this exercise but…have you seen the safety market? So instead, I’ll go with another long, twitchy pass rusher to go with Miami’s current collection of Chop Robinson and Joshua Uche. Floyd had a down year in production for the Falcons in 2025. But he also played the fewest snaps in a season of his NFL career.
He’s been on the ‘Jadeveon Clowney Mercenary Plan’ for the past three seasons. He’s played for the Bills, 49ers, and Falcons in the last three years, respectively. Each deal has been for handsome amounts of money, too. That reality makes him a long-shot for the kind of price range that would get the Miami Dolphins on the phone in the first place. But if you’re going to lean into twitchy speed off the edge, a (highly) discounted Leonard Floyd would be a fun veteran addition to consider.
Just don’t hold your breath.
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