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When Jon-Eric Sullivan was introduced as the Miami Dolphins’ new general manager in January, he explained a core philosophy he brings from his two-plus decades with the Green Bay Packers.
It is to draft, develop and retain your own homegrown talent.
He probably won’t go the way of ex-GM Chris Grier, in building a few draft classes from 2019 through 2021 and then pivoting sharply to a slew of high-priced outside talent, which played a role in letting his own players fall by the wayside.
“When you raise your own, people are vested, they’re bought in,” Sullivan said on Jan. 22 when he, along with new coach Jeff Hafley were introduced. “There’s a financial component to it with rookie contracts — it keeps you in a healthy cap situation — but the most important thing is the culture piece of it.
“The most important thing that I want everybody to take away today is we will bring in the right kind of people.”
So, who is the right kind of person for this new age of Dolphins football?
Player acquisition this offseason started with the free agency class, but for the sake of the foundation being built, let’s start with the draft class.
After all, rookies are bound to start their NFL careers on four-year contracts with the Dolphins. Most of the free agents, given Miami’s limited salary-cap space and upward of $179 million in dead money from the roster overhaul of Chris Grier’s tenure, are minimum or near-minimum contract, one-year players who will have a chance to prove they’re worth returning for more in 2027 with their play in 2026.
Sullivan addressed what his kind of draft prospects look like back at the NFL scouting combine in February.
“I think guys that are resilient, mentally tough, guys who prioritize winning over individual goals,” Sullivan said. “Guys who are smart football players, elevate those around them.
“I want a bunch of guys who love football, who are passionate about football and who prioritize winning and will do what they need to do for the team versus ‘I’ mentality.”
Those traits can certainly be found in the Dolphins’ draft class.
Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez is a “flag-bearer,” as assistant GM Kyle Smith called him following the second-round selection, as the leader he can be. The Dolphins didn’t need linebackers, but they felt it was important to get a player like Rodriguez, maybe still on the board because his position isn’t so highly valued across the league, in part because he will establish this new culture.
Dolphins first-round pick, cornerback Chris Johnson, certainly seems to have a good head on his shoulders. Late-round picks such as safety Michael Taaffe and tight end Seydou Traore had to overcome challenges. Taaffe started off as a walkon at Texas and Traore had a journey to come from London in order to play professional football.
The biggest criticism of top draft pick, offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor, came from one of his former head coaches in Nick Saban, who said Proctor was susceptible to losing motivation when away from the facility and had to watch his weight. The Dolphins seem to have vetted any such concerns, and Proctor appears to be motivated to prove doubters wrong.
Miami also seemed to make some picks off measurables. Proctor’s size and athleticism made him a rare find in Sullivan’s eyes. Wide receivers Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell, drafted in the third round, have size to them on the outside. Linebacker Kyle Louis, who is undersized as a converted safety, may have dropped based on that tangible flaw — the same way Bell did for his torn ACL last college season — but there was value in picking up the highly motivated prospect in the fourth round.
Free agency is difficult to get a full grasp on with Sullivan until we see his actions in the 2027 class.
We know he believes in quarterback Malik Willis from their two years together in Green Bay. He locked him in within the first hour of free agency in March.
Aside from Willis, the Dolphins had to go bargain hunting in 2026. They can maybe draw contributions from the return of tight end Greg Dulcich, new wide receivers Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell, edge defender Josh Uche, cornerback Darrell Baker and several others.
Both with the players brought in this year and in future offseasons, culture comes up again.
“Free agency, we will be very intentional and deliberate how we move about that,” Sullivan said back at his introductory press conference. “We will definitely utilize it when we get into a healthy cap situation and we can. But we’ll be disciplined, we’ll be intentional, and we will chase difference-makers that add value to the field immediately but also add value to our locker room in terms of the kind of culture that we want to build.”
It hasn’t all been about cleaning house for Sullivan as he took over Grier’s old roster. He clearly thinks highly of running back De’Von Achane and center Aaron Brewer, locking them into contract extensions this offseason. The same may be said for linebacker Jordyn Brooks, a strong leader in the locker room, by the time training camp starts in a month. Left tackle Patrick Paul could be in line for a new deal when he’s eligible next offseason.
As Sullivan pieces those holdovers from the previous regime together with his first full free agency class in 2027 and a second draft class, the roster could really start to come together in another year.
Continue reading...
It is to draft, develop and retain your own homegrown talent.
He probably won’t go the way of ex-GM Chris Grier, in building a few draft classes from 2019 through 2021 and then pivoting sharply to a slew of high-priced outside talent, which played a role in letting his own players fall by the wayside.
“When you raise your own, people are vested, they’re bought in,” Sullivan said on Jan. 22 when he, along with new coach Jeff Hafley were introduced. “There’s a financial component to it with rookie contracts — it keeps you in a healthy cap situation — but the most important thing is the culture piece of it.
“The most important thing that I want everybody to take away today is we will bring in the right kind of people.”
So, who is the right kind of person for this new age of Dolphins football?
Player acquisition this offseason started with the free agency class, but for the sake of the foundation being built, let’s start with the draft class.
After all, rookies are bound to start their NFL careers on four-year contracts with the Dolphins. Most of the free agents, given Miami’s limited salary-cap space and upward of $179 million in dead money from the roster overhaul of Chris Grier’s tenure, are minimum or near-minimum contract, one-year players who will have a chance to prove they’re worth returning for more in 2027 with their play in 2026.
Sullivan addressed what his kind of draft prospects look like back at the NFL scouting combine in February.
“I think guys that are resilient, mentally tough, guys who prioritize winning over individual goals,” Sullivan said. “Guys who are smart football players, elevate those around them.
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“I want a bunch of guys who love football, who are passionate about football and who prioritize winning and will do what they need to do for the team versus ‘I’ mentality.”
Those traits can certainly be found in the Dolphins’ draft class.
Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez is a “flag-bearer,” as assistant GM Kyle Smith called him following the second-round selection, as the leader he can be. The Dolphins didn’t need linebackers, but they felt it was important to get a player like Rodriguez, maybe still on the board because his position isn’t so highly valued across the league, in part because he will establish this new culture.
Dolphins first-round pick, cornerback Chris Johnson, certainly seems to have a good head on his shoulders. Late-round picks such as safety Michael Taaffe and tight end Seydou Traore had to overcome challenges. Taaffe started off as a walkon at Texas and Traore had a journey to come from London in order to play professional football.
The biggest criticism of top draft pick, offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor, came from one of his former head coaches in Nick Saban, who said Proctor was susceptible to losing motivation when away from the facility and had to watch his weight. The Dolphins seem to have vetted any such concerns, and Proctor appears to be motivated to prove doubters wrong.
Miami also seemed to make some picks off measurables. Proctor’s size and athleticism made him a rare find in Sullivan’s eyes. Wide receivers Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell, drafted in the third round, have size to them on the outside. Linebacker Kyle Louis, who is undersized as a converted safety, may have dropped based on that tangible flaw — the same way Bell did for his torn ACL last college season — but there was value in picking up the highly motivated prospect in the fourth round.
Free agency is difficult to get a full grasp on with Sullivan until we see his actions in the 2027 class.
We know he believes in quarterback Malik Willis from their two years together in Green Bay. He locked him in within the first hour of free agency in March.
Aside from Willis, the Dolphins had to go bargain hunting in 2026. They can maybe draw contributions from the return of tight end Greg Dulcich, new wide receivers Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell, edge defender Josh Uche, cornerback Darrell Baker and several others.
Both with the players brought in this year and in future offseasons, culture comes up again.
“Free agency, we will be very intentional and deliberate how we move about that,” Sullivan said back at his introductory press conference. “We will definitely utilize it when we get into a healthy cap situation and we can. But we’ll be disciplined, we’ll be intentional, and we will chase difference-makers that add value to the field immediately but also add value to our locker room in terms of the kind of culture that we want to build.”
It hasn’t all been about cleaning house for Sullivan as he took over Grier’s old roster. He clearly thinks highly of running back De’Von Achane and center Aaron Brewer, locking them into contract extensions this offseason. The same may be said for linebacker Jordyn Brooks, a strong leader in the locker room, by the time training camp starts in a month. Left tackle Patrick Paul could be in line for a new deal when he’s eligible next offseason.
As Sullivan pieces those holdovers from the previous regime together with his first full free agency class in 2027 and a second draft class, the roster could really start to come together in another year.
Continue reading...
