Football

Ranking the Most Important Dolphins, No. 12: Brents' Big Potential Comes With Big If

By Alain Poupart Sports Illustrated

Updated July 14, 2026 8:03 AM

The Miami Dolphins will head into training camp at the end of July with a totally different roster than the one that ended the 2025 season after an offseason overhaul that saw the departure of several significant veterans and the arrival of newcomers young and old.

The Dolphins have 91 players on their roster with the exemption they have for England-born rookie tight end Seydou Traore, a participant of the International Player Pathway Program.

As life goes in the NFL, not every player on the roster is equal, so we decided to rank all of them in terms of their importance to the Dolphins' success in the 2026 season. The list was determined on the basis of not just ability but also expected role and significance to the overall progress of the organization as it continues the rebuilding project that began with the hiring of Jon-Eric Sullivan as GM and Jeff Hafley as head coach.

This is part of a series that will run in the lead-up to start of training camp.

NUMBER 12: JUJU BRENTS

How he joined the Dolphins

The Dolphins claimed Brents off waivers from the Indianapolis Colts last August. The Colts waived Brents after two seasons after he arrived as a 2023 second-round pick.

Contract status

Brents is heading into the final year of his four-year, $8.2 million rookie contract, which the Dolphins inherited (minus signing bonus already paid out) when they claimed him. Brents is scheduled to make $1.9 million in base salary in 2026, with none of it guaranteed.

His 2025 season

Brents played in seven games with two starts for the Dolphins before his season ended when he was placed on injured reserve because of a foot injury. It marked the third time in three NFL seasons he failed to reach double digits in games played. Brents didn't have a pick in 2025 and was credited with one pass defensed and one fumble recovery, but he had very impressive analytics, with Pro Football Reference giving him a 70.4 opponent passer rating when targeted. His two starts came against the Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders, and it was in the 30-13 victory against Buffalo at Hard Rock Stadium that he had his fumble recovery.

His projected role

Just like the previous player in our countdown, Austin Jackson, it's all about staying healthy with JuJu Brents. And we'd take it a step further and suggest his ceiling is higher than that of the offensive tackle. In addition to looking the part with great size and movement for the position, Brents really was impressive in his limited action for the Dolphins and he looks like a clear favorite to land one of the starting jobs at cornerback, assuming obviously that he can stay healthy. Whether that happens not only will be the key factor in what kind of role Brents plays in 2026 but whether the Dolphins will make much of an effort to keep him beyond next season.

THE PREVIOUS PLAYERS ON THE COUNTDOWN

90. G James Ester

89. T Kevin Cline

88. QB Mark Gronowski

87. DT Keith Cooper Jr.

86. EDGE Seth Coleman

85. RB Anthony Hankerson

84. WR Donaven McCulley

83. FB D.J. Herman

82. C Jim Bonitas

81. LS Tucker Addington

80. DT Alex Huntley

79. T Marques Cox

78. EDGE Rodney McGraw

77. TE Cole Turner

76. DT Khalil Saunders

75. CB Miles Battle

74. S Major Burns

73. RB Carlos Washington Jr.

72. EDGE Robert Beal Jr.

71. WR A.J. Henning

70. RB Donovan Edwards

69. DB Omar Brown

68. EDGE Cameron Goode

67. WR Jalen Reagor

66. EDGE Max Llewellyn

65. WR Terrace Marshall Jr.

64. CB Ethan Robinson

63. G/T Josh Priebe

62. DT Rene Konga

61. WR Tahj Washington

60. QB Cam Miller

59. CB A.J. Green III

58. EDGE Mason Reiger

57. CB Alex Austin

56. P Bradley Pinion

55. LB Jackson Woodard

54. K Zane Gonzalez

53. S Louis Moore

52. DT Matthew Butler

51. CB Marco Wilson

50. CB Darrell Baker Jr.

49. LB Ronnie Harrison Jr.

48. T Charlie Heck

47. WR Chris Bell

46. CB Storm Duck

45. WR Theo Wease Jr.

44. TE Seydou Traore

43. G DJ Campbell

42. G/C Andrew Meyer

41. K Riley Patterson

40. S Michael Taaffe

39. CB Ethan Bonner

38. TE Ben Sims

37. EDGE David Ojabo

36. S Lonnie Johnson Jr.

35. Zayne Anderson

34. EDGE Josh Uche

33. WR Jalen Tolbert

32. EDGE/LB Trey Moore

31. LB Willie Gay Jr.

30. RB Jaylen Wright

29. WR Kevin Coleman Jr.

28. G Jonah Savaiinaea

27. DT Zeek Biggers

26. LB Kyle Louis

25. RB Ollie Gordon II

24. WR Tutu Atwell

23. G/T Jamaree Salyer

22. WR Malik Washington

21. DT Jordan Phillips

20. WR Caleb Douglas

19. LB Jacob Rodriguez

18. CB Jason Marshall Jr.

17. S Dante Trader Jr.

16. TE Will Kacmarek

15. QB Quinn Ewers

14. LB Tyrel Dodson

13. T Austin Jackson

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This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 7:57 AM.