Ranking the Nine Latest Dolphins Newcomers in Terms of Impact

The Miami Dolphins' 2026 roster heading into their season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders has undergone massive changes since the spring all the way through the days after the cuts to the 53-player limit.

That group of 53 includes nine players who didn't join the team until the weekend after the preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons, right before roster cutdown day and in the days following.

The newcomers, as many of the 2026 additions before them, are under-the-radar players with whom only the diehard fans of their former team might be familiar.

But the reality of this 2026 season for the Dolphins is that some, maybe most, of those nine newcomers could be called upon to contribute at some point.

RANKING THE NINE LATEST NEWCOMERS IN TERMS OF LIKELIHOOD OF MAKING AN IMPACT

But who figures to make the biggest impact?

Is it the rookie tight end? How about the first-year quarterback?

A lot will depend, of course, what happens with the players in front of them on the depth chart, but here's our early forecast.

1. EDGE MALIK HERRING

Herring replaced rookie seventh-round pick Max Llewellyn on the 53-man roster a couple of days after the cuts and brought some much-needed size and run-stopping ability to the edge position. As one of only four edge defenders on the 53, Herring figures to get bit of playing time as part of the rotation with Chop Robinson, Josh Uche and Robert Beal Jr.

2. CB MARCELLAS DIAL JR.

Dial was a sixth-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2024 who's coming off a season spent on IR after he played 17 games in his rookie season. Those 17 games remarkably ranks as the second-highest total among the five cornerbacks on the roster behind only JuJu Brents' 18.

3. QB KYLE McCORD

In an ideal world, McCord wouldn't play one significant down in 2026 because that would mean that Malik Willis stayed healthy for all 17 games. But that's not how the NFL often works and quarterback is the most important position on the field.

4. TE JUSTIN JOLY

The book on Joly heading into the 2026 NFL draft was he was a quality receiving tight end with sub-par blocking skills. If he develops quickly within the Dolphins scheme, his pass-catching ability could be put to use because Miami doesn't have a lot of proven depth at tight end.

5. G/T JARRETT KINGSTON

Kingston's familiarity with new offensive line coach Zach Yisner from their days together in Houston, plus his versatility and ability to play both guard and tackle, could get him some snaps in the event of injuries up front.

6. S JULIUS WOOD

The Dolphins had only three safeties, not including college linebacker Kyle Louis, before they claimed Wood, who doesn't have a lot of experience but should contribute on special teams early.

7. CB REESE TAYLOR

The hope is that Taylor learned well from the talented Denver defensive backs over the past two years, and he could come in handy as a nickel corner if the Dolphins eventually decide they're prefer keeping rookie first-round pick Chris Johnson outside.

8. T CHUKWUEBUKA GODRICK

The native of Nigeria played four games with three starts for the Chiefs in 2025, but the feeling here is he's a developmental player who would stand behind Kingston and Caedan Wallace among backup tackles.

9. QB BRADY COOK

Claimed off waivers from the New York Jets, Cook looks like a project the Dolphins brought in as a developmental player more than a third option in case something happens to both Willis and McCord in 2026.

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