After the 2026 NFL Draft, I detailed my predicted Miami Dolphins offensive depth chart for the 2026–2027 season. Now it’s time for the other side of the ball with the Miami Dolphins defense. There are a lot more moving pieces in sub-packages, so I might be a little less detail-oriented compared to the offensive depth chart, since I will be discussing multiple players for multiple different positions. This was mainly to see where every new acquisition, whether that be free agents or rookies, will slot in on the team.
Defensive line
Defensive tackles: Zack Sieler and Kenneth Grant
Head Coach Jeff Hafley is bringing in a primarily 4-3 scheme for the Miami Dolphins defense, which will cause some changes to the front 7, specifically the defensive line. As opposed to the scheme that former defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver ran, which saw 3 defensive tackles on the field most times, Hafley will most likely stick with 2 for the most part. Fortunately, defensive tackle is in a good spot right now for Miami, especially when compared to other position groups around them in the defense.
Leading the charge is the elder statesman of the Miami Dolphins defense, Zach Sieler. The veteran is entering his 9th year in the NFL and his 6th as a core contributor to the Miami Dolphins. In those 6 seasons, Sieler has recorded an average of about 6 sacks per season, with him recording back-to-back seasons of 10+ sacks in 2023 and 2024. Last year was a bit of a step back for him as his age started to show, but he is still a very solid contributor on the defensive line who should continue to provide veteran leadership to an otherwise fairly young squad.
Next to Sieler will be last year’s first-round pick, Kenneth Grant. The former Michigan Wolverine had a rude welcome to the NFL to start last season, but he really picked it up towards the end of the season. He’s still developing, and he should be more refined with his run defense and pass-rushing moves. He began to find a formula that worked for him down the stretch, but this season will be crucial to see if his end of 2025 was a flash in the pan or not. Fortunately, he has been working a lot in the offseason with his fellow 2nd-year defensive tackles, and defensive line coach Austin Clark has sung their praises regarding their work ethic.
Defensive edge rushers: Chop Robinson and Josh Uche
This is a make-or-break year for the now third-year, first-round selection. Chop Robinson has had some moments of brilliance in his time at South Beach, but that has come in the midst of some tough stretches. He came on strong towards the end of his rookie season, but last year saw the former Penn State Nittany Lion have a massive sophomore slump. With him being the assumed edge rusher 1 for this team, Robinson will need to up his game this season to prove that he deserves to be the top edge rusher of the future for the Miami Dolphins’ defense.
After Robinson, this Miami Dolphins edge-rushing group has a whole lot of question marks. Free agent acquisition Josh Uche is expected to line up opposite Chop as the other starting defensive end. Uche was a solid rotational piece for the Philadelphia Eagles last season, and he had an 11.5 sack season for the New England Patriots in 2022, but this will be his first year where he will most likely be the starter for the entire season.
Uche has yet to have a season where he exceeded 38% of the team’s defensive snaps, so he will see a spike in his snap count this season. He and Robinson are both smaller edge rushers, so outside zone rushing will be a major concern for the Miami Dolphins’ defense. The Dolphins have been linked to former Buffalo Bills edge rusher and current free agent A.J. Epenesa, who would most likely compete for a starting spot and, at the very least, contribute as a rotational edge rusher who would especially help against the run.
Rotational defensive line: David Ojabo, Max Llewellyn, Jordan Phillips
Depth is always needed on defense, especially on the defensive line, and the Miami Dolphins have some solid pieces that can rotate in during games, though they would certainly appreciate more proven depth. David Ojabo could compete for a starting edge rusher spot, but he should still get rotational reps at the position. He hasn’t been able to develop all that well due to his injuries wiping out time for development, but he’s on a fairly low-risk 1-year contract.
Rookie 7th-round selection Max Llewellyn should also hopefully contribute. He’s not the most athletic edge rusher, which will most likely limit his production in the NFL, but he’s got good technique that should get him some snaps this season as a rotational designated pass rusher. He, at the very least, might be able to slot on the Miami Dolphins special teams unit.
Lastly, defensive tackle Jordan Phillips was a surprise piece last season, grading out to be an average defensive tackle and especially helpful against the run. He actually played just 89 fewer snaps than Grant, so he should continue to get solid playtime on the defensive line, especially since Hafley has some 3-4 bases in his multiple-defense scheme. These 3-4 looks could also help mask the two undersized edge rushers to keep them from shouldering too much of the run defense burden.
Linebackers
Middle linebacker: Jordyn Brooks
Linebacker is by far the position that inspires the most confidence on this Dolphins defense, and that starts right in the middle with Jordyn Brooks. Last year was a renaissance for the 2020 first-round pick. In his second season patrolling the middle of the Miami Dolphins defense, Brooks was awarded a first-team All-Pro selection thanks to being the NFL leader in solo tackles (99) and total tackles (183). Brooks’ already good run defense evolved into being one of the best in the NFL, and while his coverage skills will never be his claim to fame, he improved in that department as well.
The only catch for Brooks is that he’s still in the midst of contract negotiations with Miami, and that has led to plenty of trade rumors to teams in desperate need of a franchise middle linebacker to potentially anchor a contending defense. While Miami would love to have Brooks, contending they are not, so it would be foolish not to at least entertain these offers. Brooks will turn 29 in October, so a deal tacked on to his contract will see him into his 30s.
Off-ball linebacker: Jacob Rodriguez
From one former Texas Tech linebacker to another, rookie Jacob Rodriguez should find himself playing next to his fellow Red Raider alum. Rodriguez wasn’t a can’t-miss linebacker prospect, but he’s solidly athletic, has incredible instincts (being a former quarterback helps with that), and he was incredibly productive in college. He was an absolute turnover machine with 7 forced fumbles and 4 interceptions in 2025. Adding that production to a Miami Dolphins defense that finished 3rd in fumbles forced last season could lead to some major havoc for opposing offenses. He should start from day 1 as the primary box linebacker next to Jordyn Brooks.
Nickelbacker: Kyle Louis
Kyle Louis will play next season for the Miami Dolphins, but the question is where? With Hafley bringing a 4-3 scheme to Miami, Louis should win the starting job from incumbent starter Tyrel Dodson. Louis is a Swiss Army knife that should help the Miami Dolphins’ defense both on the second and third levels. Louis is a great athlete with great instincts and the college production to match, so he should be able to contribute right away. His smaller frame could lead to him being placed in a more safety-oriented role, depending on the coverage scheme, but pairing him with Brooks and Rodriguez could see this linebacker develop into a special trio.
Rotational linebackers: Tyrel Dodson, Willie Gay Jr., Trey Moore
Tyrel Dodson was a very solid starter last season, especially with improved coverage ability. Still, I would expect the two rookies to start over him, with Dodson filling the role as a great rotational backup. He could end up on the trade block due to his being a starting-caliber off-ball linebacker, as he showed last year for the Fins. Still, as long as he’s around for South Florida, the Miami Dolphins defense would be happy to have him in their linebacker room. Willi Gay Jr. also showed flashes of solid play last season and should remain a solid backup for Miami.
Trey Moore is interesting. The 2026 fourth-rounder falls into the Nolan Smith Jr./Haason Reddick archetype of being more of an edge rusher within a linebacker’s frame. Moore has about the same stature at just under 6’2″ and 243 lbs with slightly lower athletic testing scores, but he was nowhere near as productive as Smith was in the SEC, though he did dominate at UTSA before transferring. Being a tweener should help Moore find snaps on special teams, but it will probably lead to him not finding consistent playing time on the defensive side of the ball, either on the edge or as a linebacker.
Secondary
Boundary Cornerbacks: Chris Johnson, Juju Brents
The secondary room for the Miami Dolphins defense is fairly alarming. However, the Dolphins did invest their second first-round pick on San Diego State’s Chris Johnson, who is a perfect scheme fit for the Fins, so he is at least a no-brainer starter. Johnson was a zone coverage monster at San Diego State, and while the talent jump is more extreme for him, I think he should find his footing this season. He’s got excellent instincts as a zone cornerback and is a very great athlete. Jeff Hafley and defensive coordinator Sean Duggan have stated that Johnson will train as a slot and boundary cornerback during the offseason, but I expect him to stick to the outside for this season.
The second cornerback spot is much more open-ended as of now. I opted to bank on Juju Brents staying healthy, which has been a big ask for him in his 3-year career with the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins. In his very limited amount of work last year (just over 100 snaps), Brents did well, posting a PFF grade of 74.5. The question comes back to health, however. He’s played in only 18 games in 3 years, and his solid 2026 start was dashed by a season-ending foot injury in November. Still, he should be ready for this season, and if he stays on the field, he should help cover larger receivers with his size and coverage abilities.
Slot Cornerback: Jason Marshall Jr.
Again, the cornerback room is scarce, so Miami might as well keep Jason Marshall Jr. in his spot from late last season. The former Gator turned 5th-round selection stepped in after injuries decimated the Miami Dolphins’ defense. Now that the cornerback room is depleted, Marshall should keep his spot as the starting slot corner. He didn’t light the world on fire last season, but he did improve his coverage ability down the stretch. Another offseason of work should help him improve to maintain his starting spot.
There are a few corners that can compete for this spot as well: Storm Duck is rehabbing from his injury last season, and the Miami Dolphins brought in Marco Wilson, Alex Austin, and Darrel Baker Jr. in free agency to be cornerback depth. The cornerback room is certainly still a work in progress.
Free Safety: Zayne Anderson
At the moment, most websites have free agent signing Lonnie Johnson Jr. as the starting safety for the Miami Dolphins. However, with how poor this entire secondary is, why not throw your younger players out there and see what they can do? Zayne Anderson was stuck in a loaded safety room in Green Bay and was primarily a special teamer, but the former Green Bay staff seems to have brought him over to potentially contribute defensively. Plus, the other options aren’t fantastic. Might as well take a swing.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see 5th-round rookie Michael Taafe get quality snaps at free safety for the Dolphins defense despite his smaller frame and tackling concerns. He is a good scheme fit for the 2-safety-high look that Hafley primarily runs. At the very least, he should be able to rotate in on obvious passing downs thanks to his coverage ability. Obviously, it was a different staff last year, but trial by fire for rookie Day 3 safeties is not uncommon for the Miami Dolphins.
Strong Safety: Dante Trader Jr.
Last year’s 5th-round selection found himself with a surprising amount of playing time amid an injury-depleted Dolphins defense. Now, with every player ahead of him gone through trade or free agency, Trader will need to take a big step. He knows the game well: his main issues last season were his athletic shortcomings and mental errors in coverage and tackling. Trader Jr. was pretty poor as a coverage safety, but he now has a year of experience under his belt, and that issue will be masked fairly often thanks to coach Hafley’s defensive scheme.
In the two years with Hafley as defensive coordinator, the Green Bay Packers had a Cover 3 rate of 36.1% in 2024 and 37.7% in 2025. This means that, typically, the strong safety moves down into the box, the corners get the deep thirds on the boundary, and the free safety turns into a centerfielder. This may also indicate that Kyle Louis can get some playing time at strong safety, since the position should function as a box safety/smaller linebacker in about 40% of snaps. However, this would help Trader get more time on the field without his cover skills being a major concern.
Final Thoughts
It should not be a surprise that this unit really needs some work. Like the offense, the Miami Dolphins’ defense has plenty of questions regarding talent in the short term and the younger players’ potential in the long term. The bright side of being a completely rebuilding team is the true lack of expectations or pressure to compete this season. The primary benefit of this is that Jeff Hafley can give the younger defenders playtime to at least see what they can do. Late-round picks litter this defense, and there may be one that surprises and cements himself as a bona fide starter for the future. It can truly only go up from here.
But who knows? The last time the Miami Dolphins were expected to be one of, if not the, worst teams in the NFL, a new, defensive-minded coach helped the team to multiple wins, including beating Tom Brady in his final regular season start in New England. The NFL is unpredictable like that, and the team assembled may not be the most talented, but it sounds like the players and coaches are bought in to crafting an identity for the new-look Dolphins.
