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FLSportsDesk · The Dolphins Journal

What the desk said. Dated.

Every call on the record. The words do not change after publication.
Tuesday, September 1, 2026First edition · The read holds. Confidence 88/100.

What changed

The baseline for the new regime's first season holds: veterans out, 13 draft picks in, seven waiver claims, nine players on injured reserve and zero regular-season games played.

Why it matters

Miami enters 2026 as a fully priced teardown: the youngest roster in football, five units ranked dead last, a first-time starting quarterback and the league's lowest win projection.

What to watch

Willis's passing efficiency in September, and whether any of the five last-place units shows legitimate starter-level play against real opponents.

What would change our mind

Multiple regular-season games with credible quarterback play plus improvement in at least two bottom-ranked units would force a regrade. One upset in Las Vegas creates a watch item and nothing more.

The counterevidence

Evidence on record: 51 linked sources. Content id dolphins-journal-20260901-e1.