The Miami Dolphins may have little choice but to make a major splash in 2027 free agency, but Locked On Dolphins host Kyle Crabbs argued that a spending surge would not contradict the club’s stated draft-first approach. Crabbs’ point: Miami enters the next cash-spending cycle with relatively few commitments, creating pressure to add substantial salary rather than wait until later in the cycle.
Crabbs said the Dolphins have roughly $114 million committed for 2027 across 38 players, a figure he contrasted with a projected salary cap in the $320 million-to-$325 million range. He estimated that simply reaching 82% of a $325 million cap would require about $151.8 million in new cash spending, before accounting for roster departures.
The NFL’s collective bargaining agreement sets a minimum team cash-spending requirement of 90% of the combined salary caps over the 2027-30 league years. A team that falls short must distribute the difference to players who were on its roster during that period, which makes postponing spending less attractive than directing it toward the active roster. Crabbs said Miami should avoid alternating between low-spending years and rushed, inefficient splurges.
Miami offensive tackle Patrick Paul could be among the in-house players who receive more money before the club shops externally. Crabbs used a hypothetical $25 million raise for Paul, plus a $50 million rookie class, to show that extensions and draft spending alone would still leave a large portion of the projected cash gap unresolved.
That math led Crabbs to forecast two or three sizable contracts in the 2027 market. He stressed that the Dolphins can still build their core through annual draft capital while using free agency to fill needs that the current roster and rookie pipeline cannot cover.
Crabbs highlighted Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu as a potential pass-rush fit, while also pointing to Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta and Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Moro Ojomo as examples of the type of younger, established players Miami could consider.
The next 12 games will shape how aggressively Miami needs to address each position, but the larger roster-building question is already taking form.
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