Ranking the Most Important Dolphins, No. 24: Veteran Looks for Happy Homecoming

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.

After their roster moves Monday, followed by the signing of former UFL tackle Gottlieb Ayedze on Wednesday, 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, no 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 24: WR TUTU ATWELL

How he joined the Dolphins

Atwell signed with the Dolphins as an unrestricted free agent this offseason after spending his first five NFL seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.

Contract status

Like just about every other Dolphins free agent this year, Atwell signed a one-year deal (his for $1.4 million) that will make him an unrestricted free agent next spring — barring an extension.

His 2025 season

Atwell played 10 games with four starts, missing time when he landed on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury. He finished with only six receptions, his lowest total since his rookie year of 2021, but they were good for 192 yards and a whopping 32-yard average thanks to an 88-yard touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 4.

His projected role

In projecting Atwell's potential role and impact in 2026, we go back to the two seasons before last year when he had 39 and 42 receptions for the Rams. Atwell is a smallish wide receiver, but he's a big-play threat on an offense that will be looking for those now that Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are gone. Atwell doesn't figure to start, but he figures to be part of the rotation along with fellow newcomer Jalen Tolbert, holdover Malik Washington, and draft picks Caleb Douglas, Kevin Coleman Jr. and possibly Chris Bell (health permitting).

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

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