Chris Perkins: Dolphins' new regime continues housecleaning from old regime with Waddle trade

Chris Perkins, South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Mar 18, 2026

Published in Football

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Another one bites the dust.

The Miami Dolphins continued methodically and purposefully cutting ties with members of the overhyped 2023 offense and the “win-now” era by trading wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos on Tuesday. New Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan sent Waddle to the Mile High City in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick (No. 30), a 2026 third-round pick, and a swap of 2026 fourth-round picks.

So many guys from Miami’s 2023 squad have departed that this reminds of that scene in the movie “Goodfellas” where folks started disappearing after the Lufthansa heist.

Consider how many major figures from Miami’s down-punching 2023 offense, the one that finished No. 1 in the league despite being smoked by playoff-caliber teams (1-6 record, beaten by average score of 32-16), are now gone:

— Coach Mike McDaniel. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Waddle (all four of whom received contract extensions after that 2023 season). Fullback Alec Ingold. Running back Raheem Mostert. Left tackle Terron Armstead. Left guard Liam Eichenberg. Right guard Robert Hunt. Tight end Durham Smythe. Offensive coordinator Frank Smith. Offensive line coach Butch Barry. Running backs coach Eric Studesville. Tight ends coach Jon Embree. Wide receivers coach Wes Welker.

Heck, the only significant ones remaining are right tackle Austin Jackson and running back De’Von Achane, and both could be in their final season with the Dolphins.

Make no mistake, Miami’s 2026 season under Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley is about setting a tone and building a culture. And one of the strongest statements they’re making is that this team won’t be anything close to the previous few Dolphins teams when it comes to personnel, strategy or mentality.

Are Achane and Jackson safe?

I wouldn’t count on it.

Clearly, the Dolphins, as Sullivan has stated, are willing to listen to trade offers. They listened for Tua trade offers but nothing happened. Why wouldn’t they listen for Achane or Jackson if some team calls?

For the record, I like this Waddle trade.

Sullivan netted first- and third-round picks, meaning Miami now has seven picks in the first three rounds in April — two first rounders (Nos. 11 and 30), one second-rounder and four third-rounders.

Here’s hoping the Dolphins fare better in this draft than they did in 2020, when they had three first-rounders (Tua, Jackson and cornerback Noah Igbinoghene), two second-rounders (Hunt and defensive tackle Raekwon Davis) and a third-rounder (safety Brandon Jones).

One thing that this trade highlights is that Sullivan and Hafley are making good on their pledge to build through the draft. They’re stockpiling picks and showing they’re doing things in the opposite way of the previous regime, which, in a strategy that I supported and still support, opted for a “win-now” path to success.

The fact that the 2023 team didn’t win isn’t the fault of the players. They didn’t win because they had a bad philosophy (emphasizing speed and deep passes instead of run game, defense and physicality).

The thing to pay attention to here is that the current Dolphins won’t look anything like the previous Dolphins while under construction or while on the field.

That’s great news if you’re a Dolphins fan.

How different is this team than previous Miami teams?

For the first time in a long time, Dolphins management is giving its quarterback the fundamental, foundational best chance to succeed.

The Dolphins are building up their offensive line instead of trying to cut corners with under-developed lines and overrated quarterback whisperers. This is refreshing.

Granted, Miami’s offensive line remains a work in progress. But look at the work that’s been done so far.

The Dolphins restructured Jackson’s contract, meaning, for now, they intend to keep him around. And they’ve signed offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer, who seems to be a candidate to start at the open right guard position.

Add those two to the returning starting offensive line trio of center Aaron Brewer, left guard Jonah Savaiinaea and left tackle Patrick Paul and things are showing promise up front.

The offensive line is the strongest unit on the team right now. It has four starters intact and a candidate for the fifth starting position in-house (Salyer).

They even have a head-start on their depth with center Andrew Meyer and guard-tackle Kion Smith, neither of whom have much experience but both were with the team the past two seasons, and newly-acquired tackle Charlie Heck, a 2020 fourth-round pick by Houston who started six games for Tampa Bay last season.

Whether these guys can play effectively is a storyline for training camp, when pads are on and the hitting is real. All we can do for the next few months is watch the rebuild plan come to fruition.

And be glad that it’s not 2023 any longer.