Three ways for the Miami Dolphins to spend their newfound cap space for the 2026 season
The Miami Dolphins find themselves with some much needed cap space. But it won’t last long.
The arrival of June 1st is sure to spur new action for the Miami Dolphins and the rest of the NFL. As the saying goes, deadlines spur action. And the June 1st deadline brings cap savings for some teams and an urgency for players to commit to a franchise for the year ahead.
We’ve already seen movement elsewhere in the NFL, with the blockbuster Myles Garrett trade getting underway and New York Giants logging a trio of additions at wide receiver — including two former Miami Dolphins in Braxton Berrios and Odell Beckham Jr., no less. But for the Miami Dolphins’ in particular, the infusion of $20 million in new cap space isn’t quite as glamorous as it may seem. Here’s three ways the Miami Dolphins can (and must) use their newfound spending power.
Three ways for the Miami Dolphins to spend their newfound cap space for 2026
Sign their 2026 rookie draft class
The Dolphins, as of midday on Monday, June 1st, still have yet to announce a single signing among their 13 rookies. The 2026 NFL Draft class brought more than a dozen players to South Florida but the business element of finalizing contracts has yet to take center stage.
There’s not really anything to worry about here. The rookie wage scale locks in player compensation and as such, there’s not a lot of negotiating wiggle room. But several rookie signings would have cracked the top-51 of Miami’s salary cap rundown. As such, it would have been a tight fit before the June 1st reinforcements. With those now here, I’d expect we’ll see a number (or all) of these contracts tackled in short order.
Extend LB Jordyn Brooks and/or C Aaron Brewer
You could convince me that Brooks and Brewer are both deserving of new contracts averaging north of $18 million per season. That’s not small money. The good news for the Dolphins on this front is that the team is dead last in the NFL in cash spending. When I say dead last, you may think that means Miami is last by a bit. But I mean the Dolphins are dead last. They’re $47.5 million behind the team ranked 31st. And a quarter of the cash the Dolphins are spending is on a quarterback no longer on the roster.
So sure. Pay Brooks and/or Brewer. They’ve earned it. They were All-Pro players, they’re in the prime of their respective careers and they’re great leaders. Extending Brooks could save the Dolphins a few million in cap space if they convert his salary into part of a new signing bonus. Brewer’s new deal will cost the team a few million in cap space. In all, it’d be a worthy investment of their new space.
Add (responsibly) a free agent or two
The Dolphins have shown some interest in EDGE AJ Epenesa. They worked out RB Zamir White. Either sounds like a financially reasonable opportunity to invest. The Dolphins also had reported interest in wide receiver Jauan Jennings before he cashed in on a big deal in Minnesota. The Dolphins, even with the cap reinforcements, were unlikely to play in that end of the pool.
But whether it is wide receiver, EDGE defender, or running back…heck, even elsewhere! The Dolphins should see what kind of value they can find.
Miami Dolphins News