Finsmob Unleashed

I like to check the depth chart on Ourlads.com to give myself an idea of what others think our depth chart might look like. By no means is this an “official” Depth Chart, it’s just some knowledgeable guesswork. The current Depth Chart on Ourlads which was updated as of 5/5/26 has the following starters at LB. They show a base 4-3 alignment but show only 2 LB’s, ILB Jordyn Brooks and WLB Tyrel Dodson and then DB Jason Marshall at Nickel Back. I like Tyrel Dodson, he’s been better than expected for sure, but his jersey may as well say Del Rio on the back, because he’s going to end up in a very similar situation that occurred 30 years ago. In 1996, Jimmy Johnson signed MLB Jack Del Rio to a 1 year contract. In the 1996 NFL Draft, Jimmy Johnson took LB Zach Thomas from Texas Tech in the 5th RD, Pick #154 overall. Zach Thomas came in here on fire and Jimmy Johnson fell in love, rightfully so. Jack Del Rio never played for the Dolphins, he was cut and the Zach Thomas era began. In the 2026 NFL Draft, Jon-Eric Sullivan selected LB Jacob Rodriguez from Texas Tech in RD 2, #43 overall. Two important details, Jack Del Rio was 33 YO in 1996, and Jacob Rodriguez isn’t Zach Thomas. Despite that, I’m telling you there is no way a healthy Jacob Rodriguez isn’t starting for the 2026 Miami Dolphins. That doesn’t mean Tyrel Dodson gets cut, but he might get traded. Rodriguez is the type of player that will bring some next level excitement to this team, and they will want him on the field ASAP!

Newly drafted 1st RD Pick (#27) CB Chris Johnson is listed as the starting LCB on Ourlads. I agree with that, the first round pick will be given every opportunity in the world to win that starting job and he should be able to take it. Opposite him is currently CB JuJu Brents at RCB, but that’s far less certain. Brents suffered a season ending foot injury in which he had surgery on following the Week 11 game against the Washington Commanders in Spain. He should be ready physically to play as long as there are no setbacks. The competition should be heavy at CB and former starter Storm Duck will probably want his starting position back. Storm Duck is also coming back from an injury, Duck injured his knee in Week 8 against Atlanta and had surgery on his knee following that game. He should also be ready by season’s start, but Duck had two injuries last year, an early ankle injury and then the season ending knee injury. I count 10 CB’s on the roster at the moment, and there’s always the possibility of picking up an inexpensive CB after roster cutdowns as well. Brents has good size and length at 6’3 198, and he has definitely flashed some signs that he could play.

EDGE and OLB should be interesting competition as well. Right now the competition at EDGE should be some of the heaviest because it’s really wide open. There’s third year player Chop Robinson who hasn’t shown any signs that he’s a starting DE or OLB. His play and playing time regressed and diminished last season compared to his rookie campaign. Although we didn’t invest a lot of draft capital into the EDGE position, we did draft LB/EDGE Trey Moore from Texas, kind of an undersized pass rusher in RD 4, #130 overall. We doubled down in RD 7 with EDGE rusher Max Llewellyn from Iowa, #238 overall. We also picked up a couple more EDGE rushers as UDFA’s in Mason Reiger from Wisconsin and EDGE rusher Rodney NcGraw from Western Michigan. In addition, in FA we signed Josh Uche from the Eagles and David Ojabo from the Ravens, and Robert Beal who we picked up from the Niners, as well as Dolphins who was drafted by us in 2023.

For the O-line, a constant source of Dolphins fan angst, Sully announced that the Dolphins will begin training camp with our first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft at #12, OT/OG Kadyn Proctor at LG next to LT Patrick Paul. That’s quite the sizable left side, with somewhere close to 700 lbs with Paul 330 and Proctor somewhere between 330 and 350. Last year’s 2nd RD pick, OG Jonah Savaiinaea will move to RG. It’s expected that RT will go to incumbent (when healthy) RT Austin jackson, but no doubt in my mind that Jackson is just keeping the spot warm for Kadyn Proctor if/when he either departs by end of contract or injury, whichever occurs first. Big Jonah better play well or he better watch 6th RD pick, #200 overall DJ Campbell from Texas (where else???) who will be closer than he appears in his side view mirror!

You guys were practically foaming from the mouth when we picked WR Caleb Douglas from Texas Tech (where else???) in RD 3, #75 overall. You just hated the pick but I think the kid is going to make an impact this season. He’s working hard, doing all the right things, and compared to the diminutive WR’s we’ve had here, this guy has the size and the attitude we want, he wants that damn ball and will fight to get it. At 6’3 1/2 205, he gives the QB a bigger target and will go and get the ball, and fights tough for yards after the catch as well. I don’t know if WR Chris Bell will see action early on, he may start the season on the PUP list or even IR, but our other 3rd RD WR draftee, #94 overall, will also eventually make an impact on this offense. My guess is that will come later than sooner, but that’s not especially important. I look forward to eventually seeing Douglas and Bell together, but we may have to be patient with that. We have veterans Jalen Tolbert from the Cowboys and Tutu Atwell from the Rams and of course Malik Washington as well. We also have Theo Wease who flashed a bit last season and we drafted a slot type WR Kevin Coleman in RD 5, #177 overall. Malik Washington and Coleman will no doubt be battling for the starting slot position, although Washington should be safe for return duties.

There will literally be competition at every position except for QB. Malik Willis will be starting, but I suppose Ewers may have to fight off Cam Miller and Mark Gronowski for the backup spot. I knw we drafted 13 guys, and be mindful that Sully and Haf took guys they really like, so those guys might just have a leg up on the guys that were already here, fair or unfair, that’s kind the way it is. They want to change the culture here, the team demeanor, and the best weay to do it is with a bunch of guys that buy into what you’re doing and just want to go out and be the best they can be for the coaches, the team, their teammates and themselves. I feel like in 2025, we had very little of that, with a few exceptions of course. I feel like we had a lot of “Me” players, and not nearly enough “We” players. That’s gonna change big time! That doesn’t necessarily mean we’re going to win more than we did last season, we lost a lot of talent, but I do think this team will be more fun to watch this season as they grow, and maybe towards the end of the season, if WR Chris Bell is fully healthy, we’ll see the offense make some big strides and give us a nice glimmer of what might be in 2027.

GO DOLPHINS!!!