The Miami Dolphins — like all other NFL teams — will be forced to make some tough cuts entering the 2026 season.
Teams will be forced to trim their roster from 90 players during the preseason and training camp to 53 players by the time the regular season rolls around with a deadline on August 30.
That means veterans who have lengthy resumes will be cut in addition to the number of young players who have never appeared in NFL games.
As Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton writes in his column of “1 Player Each NFL Team Should Cut” entering the 2026 season, the name mentioned for the Dolphins is none other than veteran linebacker Willie Gay Jr.
The 28-year-old previously won two Super Bowls as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs after he was selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Gay started 28 games during the 2022 and 2023 seasons when the Chiefs won their Super Bowls and had a career best season during the 2022 campaign when he posted 88 tackles.
However, he was a non factor for the Dolphins during the 2025 season after inking a one-year deal, posting just 20 tackles in 17 games and two starts.
“Last season with the Dolphins, Gay only played 12 percent of the defensive snaps and 29 percent on special teams,” writes Moton. “He’s three years removed from being a full-time starting linebacker with the Kansas City Chiefs and hasn’t been able to find his way in a backup role. The 28-year-old will probably need to look for work elsewhere after final cuts.”
Dolphins Have Added Number of Linebackers This Offseason
The Dolphins are obviously under a new regime with first-year head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. The roster looks completely different from last season and Miami is expected to be one of the worst teams in the NFL this season after years of being a contender.
As Moton notes, Miami has made a number of moves at the linebacker position this offseason, including adding the likes of Jacob Rodriguez Jr., Kyle Louis and Tyrel Dodson.
“The Miami Dolphins drafted linebackers Jacob Rodriguez and Kyle Louis in the second and fourth rounds, respectively,” said Moton. “They also signed All-Pro linebacker Jordyn Brooks to a three-year, $51.3 million extension. All three are roster locks. In 2025, Tyrel Dodson had his most productive pro season, recording 129 tackles (10 for loss), five sacks, 10 pressures, three pass breakups and an interception. He should be a starter alongside Brooks, unless new defensive-minded head coach Jeff Hafley sees him as a poor fit for his system.”
Willie Gay Jr.’s Timeline Doesn’t Align With Dolphins’ Path
The mixture of rookie linebackers and veteran linebackers who already have cemented and worthwhile roles on the team means that the Dolphins have no use for Gay. Considering Gay is on a one-year, $1.4 million deal — less than $700K is guaranteed — that makes him an easy cut for the Dolphins leading into the season.
When also factoring in that the 28-year-old Gay’s — who has Super Bowl experience and has started 57 games in his career — timeline doesn’t match up with the Dolphins’ timeline of rebuilding, it almost makes too much sense for Miami to move on from him.
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