The most commonly referred-to date of the NFL offseason every year is June 1.
It’s the most significant date for teams from a salary cap management perspective, and one that’s been mentioned since February when certain cuts were designated post-June 1 releases.
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After Monday, cuts and trades can have the resulting dead cap hits spread out over the coming season and next.
Around the league, the national buzz Monday revolved around executed trades involving the Philadelphia Eagles sending wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns dealing elite edge rusher Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams.
For the Miami Dolphins, they released quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in March and edge defender Bradley Chubb in February as post-June 1 cuts. Salary cap savings from these moves finally hit the Dolphins books.
Miami, which was right up against the salary cap to conclude the month of May, gains $21.098 million in cap room, mostly from the Chubb release — $20.22 million of that is tied to the Chubb move, and the Tagovailoa cut added $868,000 in cap relief.
As of Monday afternoon, OverTheCap.com has the Dolphins with $20.163 million in newfound cap space. That’s a big deal for a franchise with record-setting dead money this season of more than $179 million. That’s about 58% of the 2026 salary cap.
Now, what are they going to do with that money?
First and foremost, Miami has a massive incoming draft class of 13 players, all who need to be signed before the start of training camp in late July.
Rookies are on a wage scale with salaries assigned to the slotted value of their draft position. For the Dolphins, top selection Kadyn Proctor, the offensive lineman who was picked No. 12, carries a $4.7 million cap hit in Year 1. Cornerback Chris Johnson, chosen later in the first round, has a $3.4 million cap hit as a rookie, second-round linebacker Jacob Rodriguez’s is $2.1 million, and so on.
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All in all, it will cost Miami approximately $10 million to sign the rookie class. That figure is less than the total of the 13 players’ 2026 cap numbers because only the top 51 cap numbers count against a team’s cap space.
So, that leaves $10 million or so the Dolphins have available to do other business.
After signing running back De’Von Achane to a four-year contract extension, they may also strike deals with linebacker Jordyn Brooks and center Aaron Brewer. On the final seasons on their respective contracts, Brooks currently counts $10.86 million against the 2026 cap and Brewer $4.95 million.
Beyond that, Miami, which has only made minimum-salary or near-minimum free agency moves this offseason outside of new quarterback Malik Willis, could bring in remaining available free agents.
The Dolphins could still use an infusion of edge rusher help around Chop Robinson after they didn’t address the position until Day 3 of the draft. Joey Bosa, A.J. Epenesa, who has visited with Miami this offseason, Haason Reddick and Kyle Van Noy are among available edge defenders.
How about receivers? Deebo Samuel has played in similar offensive systems to what the Dolphins are expected to run under offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. Curtis Samuel is also without a team. Tight end Darren Waller is still available after coming out of retirement to play in Miami last season, but a return may not make the most sense for a 2026 team that will highlight its youth. Fellow former Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith is also out there.
There are a slew of cornerbacks who haven’t found a new home. Rasul Douglas, had a successful season with the Dolphins last season, is one of them. He has previous ties to both new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan and new cornerbacks coach Jahmile Addae. A safety addition could make sense, or offensive line depth.
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