Despite last season ending on a sour note for the New England Patriots, there were several positive takeaways from the 2025 campaign. One of which was that the Patriots dominated their division, finishing the year 5-1 against their AFC East rivals.Â
Two of those wins came against the Miami Dolphins, who had practically owned New England in recent years. Before last season, the Dolphins won eight of their 10 meetings, including five straight home victories against the Patriots.Â
Now, with Miami’s new regime in place, the franchise has entered a full-on rebuild, parting ways with several key playmakers on the offensive side. This transition has been a joy for Patriots fans, especially with the free agency period wrapping up, and Miami having yet to address these voids.Â
Dolphins Have Yet to Replace Their Playmakers
In former head coach Mike McDaniel’s pass-happy offense, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, along with wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, used to feast against the Patriots’ defense. From 2022 to 2024, the Dolphins averaged 24.2 points against the Patriots, posting a 5-1 record in this stretch.Â
Now, none of those names will be with Miami in 2026, leaving a huge void in the offense. While this is expected in a transition period, the Dolphins, however, have shown little urgency in replacing that production through free agencyÂ
They signed quarterback Malik Willis, but have done little to surround him with a quality supporting cast. Of their 23 free agent signings, only two were wide receivers, Tutu Atwell and Jalen Tolbert.Â
Besides Atwell and Tolbert, the Dolphins currently have Malik Washington, Tahj Washington, Theo Wease Jr., Terrace Marshall Jr., and A.J. Henning at receiver. Of their seven receivers, only Malik Washington has shown any promise, while Miami will rely on the rest to step up and fill the voids of Hill and Waddle.Â
Although this iteration of the receiving corps is an eye-sore for Dolphins fans, the shift presents a clear advantage for the Patriots. Before now, New England's defense had to worry about Hill and Waddle’s elite speed, which forced them to use different combinations of two-high safety looks to defend against the deep passes, which were commonplace in McDaniels's system.Â
No team wants to get beaten over the top, so the Patriots forced Miami to settle for intermediate plays. However, with the secondary backed up, it opened running opportunities for the Dolphins, which they excelled at with running backs Raheem Mostert and DeVon Achane.Â
With no perennial threat on the outside, the Patriots don’t have to worry about preventing the deep pass and can instead focus on containing the run. Last year, New England was one of the best teams against the run, ranking sixth in rushing yards allowed per game (101.7).Â
Despite lacking clear playmakers on the outside, Miami still has time to address its receiver needs. The Dolphins currently have 11 picks in the 2026 draft, including seven in the top 94 picks. Additionally, Miami has already had top-30 visits with several projected first-round selections, such as Makai Lemon and K.C. Concepcion.Â
Considering that this year’s draft class is loaded with depth at receiver, Patriots fans should expect the Dolphins to use their abundance of picks to bolster their receiving corps. But even if they bring in several receivers, they likely won’t instill the same fear in the Patriots’ defense that Hill and Waddle once did.Â
Regardless of how they address their offensive needs, New England should look forward to facing the new-look Dolphins. Their less-explosive offense should give the defense fewer headaches and a better chance of sweeping the season series.