Ranking the Most Important Dolphins, No. 1: Let the Willis Watch Begin

Going over every player on the roster and examining their projected role for the 2026 season

Miami Dolphins QB Malik Willis during his introductory press conference | Photo courtesy of Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins will head into training camp at the end of July with a totally different roster than the one that ended the 2025 season after an offseason overhaul that saw the departure of several significant veterans and the arrival of newcomers young and old.

The Dolphins have 91 players on their roster with the exemption they have for England-born rookie tight end Seydou Traore, a participant of the International Player Pathway Program.

As life goes in the NFL, not every player on the roster is equal, so we decided to rank all of them in terms of their importance to the Dolphins' success in the 2026 season. The list was determined on the basis of not just ability but also expected role and significance to the overall progress of the organization as it continues the rebuilding project that began with the hiring of Jon-Eric Sullivan as GM and Jeff Hafley as head coach.

This edition wraps up our series leading up to the start of training camp next week.

NUMBER 1: QB MALIK WILLIS

How he joined the Dolphins

The Dolphins signed Willis as an unrestricted free agent after he completed his fourth NFL season with the Green Bay Packers.

Contract status

Willis signed a three-year contract worth up to $67 million that included $45 million guaranteed over the next two seasons. Willis is under contract through the 2028 season and scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2029. Willis' cap number for 2026 is a very modest $5.7 million, but it jumps up to $26 million in 2027. The cap hit will be $27 million in 2028, but the Dolphins could move on from Willis without too much cap pain if they so choose. Willis has two void years on the contract to spread out his signing bonus over five years instead of three.

His 2025 season

Willis didn't get many opportunities as the backup to Jordan Love in Green Bay, but he sure did shine when he got some action. Willis appeared in only four games and made one start, in a December Saturday night game against the Baltimore Ravens at Lambeau Field. Fields completed 30 of his 35 passes on the season, good for 422 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and a dazzling 145.5 passer rating. He also rushed for 123 yards with two touchdowns. In that one start against Baltimore, Willis was 18-for-21 for 288 yards with a touchdown along with 60 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

His projected role

Willis' role is pretty simple, and it's not the typical just lead the offense stuff. It's showing the Dolphins they have the right guy to lead the franchise over the next several years and they don't need to worry about taking a quarterback early in the 2027 draft. Willis will be asked to make plays with his running ability, while also trying to avoid exposing himself to big hits unnecessarily. Willis also figures to play a clear leadership role and more likely than not will be a team captain.

THE COMPLETE COUNTDOWN

90. G James Ester
89. T Kevin Cline
88. QB Mark Gronowski
87. DT Keith Cooper Jr.
86. EDGE Seth Coleman
85. RB Anthony Hankerson
84. WR Donaven McCulley
83. FB D.J. Herman
82. C Jim Bonitas
81. LS Tucker Addington
80. DT Alex Huntley
79. T Marques Cox
78. EDGE Rodney McGraw
77. TE Cole Turner
76. DT Khalil Saunders
75. CB Miles Battle
74. S Major Burns
73. RB Carlos Washington Jr.
72. EDGE Robert Beal Jr.
71. WR A.J. Henning
70. RB Donovan Edwards
69. DB Omar Brown
68. EDGE Cameron Goode
67. WR Jalen Reagor
66. EDGE Max Llewellyn
65. WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
64. CB Ethan Robinson
63. G/T Josh Priebe
62. DT Rene Konga
61. WR Tahj Washington
60. QB Cam Miller
59. CB A.J. Green III
58. EDGE Mason Reiger
57. CB Alex Austin
56. P Bradley Pinion
55. LB Jackson Woodard
54. K Zane Gonzalez
53. S Louis Moore
52. DT Matthew Butler
51. CB Marco Wilson
50. CB Darrell Baker Jr.
49. LB Ronnie Harrison Jr.
48. T Charlie Heck
47. WR Chris Bell
46. CB Storm Duck
45. WR Theo Wease Jr.
44. TE Seydou Traore
43. G DJ Campbell
42. G/C Andrew Meyer
41. K Riley Patterson
40. S Michael Taaffe
39. CB Ethan Bonner
38. TE Ben Sims
37. EDGE David Ojabo
36. S Lonnie Johnson Jr.
35. Zayne Anderson
34. EDGE Josh Uche
33. WR Jalen Tolbert
32. EDGE/LB Trey Moore
31. LB Willie Gay Jr.
30. RB Jaylen Wright
29. WR Kevin Coleman Jr.
28. G Jonah Savaiinaea
27. DT Zeek Biggers
26. LB Kyle Louis
25. RB Ollie Gordon II
24. WR Tutu Atwell
23. G/T Jamaree Salyer
22. WR Malik Washington
21. DT Jordan Phillips
20. WR Caleb Douglas
19. LB Jacob Rodriguez
18. CB Jason Marshall Jr.
17. S Dante Trader Jr.
16. TE Will Kacmarek
15. QB Quinn Ewers
14. LB Tyrel Dodson
13. T Austin Jackson
12. CB JuJu Brents
11. TE Greg Dulcich
10. DT Zach Sieler
9. T Patrick Paul
8. DT Kenneth Grant
7. LB Jordyn Brooks
6. C Aaron Brewer
5. CB Chris Johnson
4. EDGE Chop Robinson
3. OL Kadyn Proctor
2. RB De'Von Achane
1. QB Malik Willis