Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley said last week that the team’s success for the 2026 season will not be measured by its place in the standings because “this year is a lot about developing who we are as a football team” as they move into the future. The team’s initial 53-man roster reflects that approach. As Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post points out, the Dolphins have the youngest roster in the NFL after Sunday’s cutback day. Miami’s average player is 25.3 years old and the Browns are the only other team in the league with an average age under 26 years old. Schad also points out that 47 percent of the players on the initial roster are between 22 and 24 years old. All that youth could mean a tough road for Hafley in his first season on the job, but the hope in Miami is that the short-term pain will result in a long-term foundation for success that can be measured more tangibly than what they’re releasing this season.
