Football

Ranking the Most Important Dolphins, No. 11: Can Dulcich Deliver?

By Alain Poupart Sports Illustrated

Updated July 15, 2026 10:37 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 11: TE GREG DULCICH

How he joined the Dolphins

The Dolphins signed Dulcich - nicknamed "Dulcich de Leche" - to their practice squad in August 2025 after he was released by the New York Giants and eventually signed him to the active roster in October.

Contract status

The Dolphins re-signed Dulcich this offseason to a one-year contract for $3.25 million that included a $1.8 million signing bonus spread out over five years. That kept his 2026 cap number at only $1.7 million. He will become an unrestricted free agent again next offseason without a new deal.

His 2025 season

Dulcich ended up playing 10 games for the Dolphins and made three starts - against the Washington Commanders in Spain in Week 11, against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16 and against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 17. His first appearance came in the Week 8 victory against the Atlanta Falcons. He finished with 26 catches for 335 yards (12.9 average) and one touchdown. His best outing came against Tampa Bay when he had five catches for 58 yards and his one touchdown.

His projected role

All of Dulcich's stats came in the second half of the season, which projects to about 50 catches over a full season. With Darren Waller and Julian Hill no longer around, Dulcich is the lone holdover from the 2025 tight end group and the contract the Dolphins gave him - when compared to the other contracts they gave out this offseason (though it still was only a one-year deal) - showed what they think of his potential. And there also was Jon-Eric Sullivan naming Dulcich when asked the one player he was looking forward to seeing make a big move in 2026. With all the uncertainty around the wide receiver corps, it would surprise no one if Dulcich became a favorite target for Malik Willis and he could become close to a full-time player if the coaching staff likes his blocking enough. At the very least, he should be a clear factor in the passing game.

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

12. CB JuJu Brents

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This story was originally published July 15, 2026 at 10:20 AM.