Ranking the Most Important Dolphins, No. 12: Brents' Big Potential Comes With Big If

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 is part of a series that will run in the lead-up to start of training camp.

NUMBER 12: JUJU BRENTS

How he joined the Dolphins

The Dolphins claimed Brents off waivers from the Indianapolis Colts last August. The Colts waived Brents after two seasons after he arrived as a 2023 second-round pick.

Contract status

Brents is heading into the final year of his four-year, $8.2 million rookie contract, which the Dolphins inherited (minus signing bonus already paid out) when they claimed him. Brents is scheduled to make $1.9 million in base salary in 2026, with none of it guaranteed.

His 2025 season

Brents played in seven games with two starts for the Dolphins before his season ended when he was placed on injured reserve because of a foot injury. It marked the third time in three NFL seasons he failed to reach double digits in games played. Brents didn't have a pick in 2025 and was credited with one pass defensed and one fumble recovery, but he had very impressive analytics, with Pro Football Reference giving him a 70.4 opponent passer rating when targeted. His two starts came against the Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders, and it was in the 30-13 victory against Buffalo at Hard Rock Stadium that he had his fumble recovery.

His projected role

Just like the previous player in our countdown, Austin Jackson, it's all about staying healthy with JuJu Brents. And we'd take it a step further and suggest his ceiling is higher than that of the offensive tackle. In addition to looking the part with great size and movement for the position, Brents really was impressive in his limited action for the Dolphins and he looks like a clear favorite to land one of the starting jobs at cornerback, assuming obviously that he can stay healthy. Whether that happens not only will be the key factor in what kind of role Brents plays in 2026 but whether the Dolphins will make much of an effort to keep him beyond next season.

THE PREVIOUS PLAYERS ON THE 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

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