Financials
The salary-cap picture behind the rebuild: where the 2026 money goes, what the roster reset cost, and the contracts that define the Hafley–Sullivan era. Data as of July 9, 2026 (per OverTheCap and league reporting).
The cost of the reset
54% of 2026 liabilities is dead moneyMiami is carrying roughly $179.2M in dead money in 2026 — the bill for moving on from the previous core in one offseason. The trade-off: a nearly clean cap sheet from 2027 onward, a rookie-scale foundation from a league-high 13-pick draft, and cap flexibility timed to the roster's growth curve.
Top 10 cap hits, 2026
Active contracts only — per OverTheCap
Dead money by player, 2026
Cap charges for players no longer on the roster
Top 2026 cap hits
| Malik Willis | QB | Offense | $25,957,000 |
| Zach Sieler | DT | Defense | $20,784,000 |
| Aaron Brewer | C | Offense | $18,562,000 |
| De'Von Achane | RB | Offense | $13,771,000 |
| Kenneth Grant | DT | Defense | $5,988,085 |
| Kadyn Proctor | OT | Offense | $5,936,390 |
| Chop Robinson | EDGE | Defense | $4,765,164 |
| Chris Johnson | CB | Defense | $4,327,379 |
| Jonah Savaiinaea | G | Offense | $3,087,947 |
| Jacob Rodriguez | LB | Defense | $2,637,920 |
Top-20 cap dollars by side of ball
Sum of the 20 largest 2026 cap hits
Dead money ledger
| Why | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tua Tagovailoa | $55,400,000 | Released March 2026; signed with Atlanta |
| Tyreek Hill | $28,248,750 | Released March 2026 (avoided a ~$51M cap hit) |
| Jaylen Waddle | $23,228,128 | Traded to Denver for 1st/3rd/4th-round picks |
| Jalen Ramsey | $20,868,000 | 2025 trade to Pittsburgh — residual proration |
| Minkah Fitzpatrick | $12,996,000 | Traded to the Jets for a 2026 7th-round pick |
| Bradley Chubb | $10,972,742 | Departed in the 2026 roster reset |
| Terron Armstead | $10,732,750 | Retirement — residual proration |
Key contracts
| Context | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malik Willis | QB | 3 yrs · $67.5M | $45.0M | 2028 | Signed in free agency from Green Bay as the new QB1 — reuniting with the Hafley/Sullivan regime. |
| De'Von Achane | RB | 4 yrs · $64.0M ext. | $32.0M | 2030 | $16M/yr — 3rd among RBs. Extended after a 2025 Pro Bowl season: NFL-best 5.7 YPC, 1,838 scrimmage yards. |
| Zach Sieler | DT | Veteran extension | — | 2028 | The defense's anchor and highest 2026 cap number on that side of the ball. |
| Aaron Brewer | C | Veteran deal | — | 2027 | Third-highest 2026 cap hit; the line's returning veteran presence next to rookie Kadyn Proctor. |
| Kadyn Proctor | OT | 4 yrs (rookie scale) + 5th-yr option | Fully gtd. | 2029 | No. 12 overall pick — the left tackle of the rebuild. |
| Chris Johnson | CB | 4 yrs (rookie scale) + 5th-yr option | Fully gtd. | 2029 | No. 27 overall pick, acquired with the capital from the Waddle trade tree. |
Cap figures per OverTheCap as of July 9, 2026; contract terms per league reporting. Rookie-scale values estimated where final signings were not itemized.
Who signs the checks? →
The full ownership structure — Stephen Ross, Ares Management, Joe Tsai, the celebrity limited partners — and the business-side executive team.