NFL: Miami Dolphins at Pittsburgh Steelers
Dec 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) leaves the field following a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
The Miami Dolphins are in a massive hole as they prepare for the 2026 season — and in more ways than one.
The Dolphins are slated to be one of the worst teams in the NFL, if not the worst team entirely.
Miami decided to blow up its roster this offseason by unloading key players, including Tua Tagovailoa (release), Tyreek Hill (release) and Jaylen Waddle (trade).
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In the process of parting ways with those guys, the Dolphins have incurred a mountain of dead money and the gap between them and the next closest team is Grand Canyon-sized.
BetMGM graphic highlights how much Dolphins dead money this season is going out to players no longer on the roster. https://t.co/n6tvanylU1 pic.twitter.com/oyZrZQwVKT
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) August 25, 2026
To give you an idea of just how much money that is, every team’s entire salary cap is $301.2 million.
Dolphins’ dead-money hits
NFL: New York Jets at Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) makes a catch against the New York Jets during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Miami has an unfathomably long list of players who help make up that massive number. To be exact, the list is 20 players long.
Here’s the full list, per Over The Cap:
Name Cap number
Tua Tagovailoa $55,400,000
Tyreek Hill $28,248,750
Jaylen Waddle $23,228,128
Jalen Ramsey $20,868,000
Minkah Fitzpatrick $12,996,000
Bradley Chubb $10,972,742
Terron Armstead $10,732,750
James Daniels $4,800,000
Zach Wilson $3,800,000
Alec Ingold $1,995,000
Jonnu Smith $1,650,000
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine $1,600,000
Matt Judon $1,360,000
Jason Sanders $663,000
Cam Smith $527,897
Jamaree Salyer $187,500
Zane Gonzalez $179,167
Mohamed Kamara $160,436
Mason Reiger $158,333
Zane Gonzalez $100,000
TOTAL $179,905,187
On the bright side
NFL: Miami Dolphins Training Camp
Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley (left) speaks to general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan (right) during practice at Baptist Health Training Complex. Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
The good news for the Dolphins is they don’t need much money right now anyway because they are going to stink for at least a few more years as they navigate a rebuild.
Financially speaking, things will start turning around in 2027, when the Dolphins are estimated to have $89.8 million in cap space, the third-most in the NFL.
In 2028, the Dolphins are slated to have $185.9 million in cap space.
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Bear in mind, those numbers will certainly change between now and then, but it just gives a good general idea of where things are headed for the down-and-out Dolphins.
When it comes to the 20-deep list of dead money hits, only two of those players will still be taking up cap space in 2027 (Tagovailoa and Bradley Chubb), and none will be in 2028.
We know, Dolphins fans, the next few years are going to be rough and feature a ton of losing.
However, at least there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.