In a series of moves designed to clear cap space off the books for 2026, the Miami Dolphins have released several prominent players from their roster on Monday. Headlining the group is wide receiver Tyreek Hill along with veteran pass rusher Bradley Chubb.
Also on the move will be offensive lineman James Daniels and wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. While all four players have been informed of their pending release, the club has not yet confirmed whether they will be designate the moves to take place immediately, or as post June 1st transactions.
Depending on how the team structures the releases, they stand to save somewhere in the neighbourhood of $23-30M off their cap. All of that is before the team makes a decision on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
As it currently stands, Tagovailoa is scheduled to count for $56M against the team’s cap in 2026, with $54M of his contract guaranteed. The former 1st round pick was benched down the stretch last season in favour of rookie Quinn Ewers.
According to reports, the team is weighing all options including releasing Tagovailoa, or keeping him on their roster. However rumours of out Miami indicate that the team’s preferred option is to find a suitable trade partner for the 27 year old.
The flurry of moves comes as the first major transactions under new General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan who was hired in January following a front office overhaul. He, along with new head coach Jeff Hafley, will look to turn around a team that’s struggled to find on field consistency over the last several seasons.
Miami finished 7-10 in 2025, and will select 11th overall in the upcoming NFL Draft this spring. What direction the team opts to prioritize with their top pick likely hinges on what the front office ultimately decides to do with their quarterback room heading into the new league year.
Photo: Elbert Hampton. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.