After a major gutting — and restocking — of the Miami Dolphins’ depth-chart this offseason by new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, the team’s roster is lacking stars in the eyes of many personalities around the league. If you put stock into what the so-called experts are saying, it could be a very tough year for the team from sunny South Florida.
While players like running back De’Von Achane, center Aaron Brewer and linebacker Jordyn Brooks have received praise recently, it was two under-the-radar names that made Bill Barnwell’s fantasy “All-Backup Team” in an article released by ESPN on Monday morning.
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Offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer and kicker Zane Gonzalez were named by Barnwell as two rotational players who could play an important role for the Dolphins during the 2026 season. Here’s what the ESPN writer had to say about both:
“Let’s get the kicker off the board! The Dolphins are one of the few teams with two veteran kickers on their roster, so Gonzalez is an easy pick for us after hitting 86.4% of his attempts last season in Atlanta. Salyer is a swing tackle who did a solid job at left tackle as a rookie in 2022 with the Chargers; having a sixth or seventh lineman with real experience on the blind side is a relative luxury.”
Kickers are… well, kickers, but Barnwell’s point about Salyer could be a salient one if anyone on Miami’s offensive line is forced to miss time due to injury or insufficient play. Right tackle Austin Jackson has a long injury history, so him missing a game or two (or more) wouldn’t surprise anyone, but there’s also Jonah Savaiinaea at the right guard spot — a player who was rated as the worst guard in the league by Pro Football Focus for his dismal play during the 2025 NFL season. If Miami is forced to play a backup along the offensive line at any point during the upcoming year, they could do a whole lot worse than Salyer as a fill-in.
