No NFL team has ever gone winless since the league introduced the 17-game season in 2021. The last team to end the year without a single win was the 0-16 Cleveland Browns in 2017. The Miami Dolphins could be next, however, and make the wrong kind of history this season.
The Dolphins' problems are multi-layered, from paying players who aren't on the team, to the makeup of their roster and their lack of star power or experience. And while it doesn't count, going winless in the preseason doesn't help their case either. They begin their regular season on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, perhaps their best chance to avoid a winless season.
They will then face the San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals to close out their first five games. The Dolphins look like they're tanking, despite their new head coach Jeff Hafley saying they aren't. CBS Sports predicts the Dolphins will finish last in the AFC East.
CBS Sports also predicted the 'Fins to go 0-17 as a "bold prediction," calling the team a "dumpster fire" with a "JV roster." Here's a look at what makes this Dolphins team stand out for the wrong reasons: The salary cap is one of the more shocking elements of this Dolphins team. They have an NFL-record dead salary cap hit of $183 million this season, meaning they're paying that much for players not on their roster. The dead cap space is more than they are paying for players who actually made the 53-man roster ($104 million).
You don't need an economics degree to know that's not the best business model. Over 60% of their 2026 salary cap is tied up in dead money, which is unheard of. According to Spotrac, dating to the beginning of this stat tracked in 2011, no team has ever gone over 45% of its roster in dead money.
It's another example of the Dolphins breaking records no team wants to break. The dead money comes from Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Jalen Ramsey, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Bradley Chubb and Terron Armstead. Those releases and trades cost them.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
