3 sneaky good NFL free agents the Dolphins must sign in the 2026 offseason

The Miami Dolphins a disastrous year is coming. When the season began, it appeared that head coach Mike McDaniel had a team on his hands that could challenge the Buffalo Bills for the AFC East title and make a run at the Super Bowl.

All they needed was a little fall from the Kansas City Chiefs and maybe the Baltimore Ravens. The Dolphins managed to make both of these events happen, but none of it mattered. Instead of pushing the bills, the Dolphins fell flat on their faces.

Miami lost its first three games of the season, got blown out in the opener by the Indianapolis Colts and lost to the New England Patriots and top-seeded Bills. After beating the Jets in Week 4, the Dolphins lost 3 more games in a row. At 1-6, their season was over and it was only a matter of time before owner Stephen Ross got rid of McDaniel. The Dolphins finished the year 7-10 and in 3rd place in the AFC East.

One of the key questions for the Dolphins was the quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The former Alabama quarterback struggled with concussions throughout his six-year career. His performance is therefore reduced. Tagovailoa finished his worst season with the Dolphins in 2025.

He completed 260 of 384 passes for 2,660 yards with just 20 TD passes and a career-worst 15 interceptions. Tagovailoa struggled to escape the pass rush and was sacked 30 times.

In addition to getting rid of McDaniel, the Dolphins went on a complete makeover. Tagovailoa is almost certain to be with a new team next season as his expiration date with the Dolphins has expired. Looks like it’s only a matter of time before they release him.

The Dolphins are changing their lead

The Dolphins will have a new look and a new philosophy under new leadership.

The Dolphins hired John Eric Sullivan as their new general manager and Jeff Hafley as their next coach. Hafley was the defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers. The Dolphins will give this duo the power to remake the franchise in their own image and that almost certainly means finding a new KB1.

They should be looking at a quarterback in the NFL draft, as well as a veteran free agent who can take the reins from the get-go.

Although Hafley has not been a head coach in the NFL, insiders say he treats his players exceptionally well and would walk through a wall for him. The Dolphins will need to make several key free agent deals. In this installment, we look at three who can help turn things around in South Florida.

Pickens may be much more than a sneaky good free agent signing, but as the Dolphins look to overhaul their team under new leadership, they need to make at least one big signing.

Pickens may be the best offensive free agent available after a brilliant season with the Cowboys. He had 93 catches for 1,429 yards and 9 touchdowns. His 4-year, $6.75 million rookie contract the end has come and he will get a full bag.

Of course, the Cowboys have the option to hit him with the franchise tag, but that didn’t work out well for Jerry Jones. He ended up having to trade Micah Parsons to the Packers after he created animosity with his best player and the Cowboys never recovered.

The Dolphins should be able to land Pickens with a dynamic offer and make him the centerpiece of the receiving corps. They released Tyreek Hill and need a new player who can stretch the defense and make multiple big plays.

CB Alontae Taylor, New Orleans Saints

Alontae Tailor can give the Dolphins a boost in the secondary. He was a second-round pick out of Tennessee in 2022 and is coming off a solid season in which he had a career-best 93 tackles, 2 interceptions, 11 passes defensed, 7 tackles for loss and 3 quarterback hits.

At 6-0 and 199 pounds, Taylor has the size to cover bigger receivers and is also a solid tackler. He’s very reliable, playing in all 17 games over the last 3 seasons and starting 16 games last year. Hafley should be able to get the most out of him if he signs with the Dolphins.

RB Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers

A defensive-minded coach like Hafley will want to control the ball and control the clock. Nothing will help a team achieve those goals like a competent running game.

Dovdle is coming off a couple of 1,000-yard seasons. Last year he carried the ball 235 times for 1,076 yards and 6 touchdowns. Dowdle also had 39 receptions for 297 yards and 1 TD. He was one of the main reasons the Panthers made the playoffs last year and could be a great pickup for the Dolphins.