Day-2 pick identified as Dolphins most-important second-year player

The Miami Dolphins moved on from several players this offseason, releasing some veterans, trading a few away and letting the rest walk or remain unsigned in free agency over the last few months.

With those changes, the Dolphins will rely heavily on younger players in 2026, and while they have nine players on their roster who are entering their second season in the NFL, Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon recently identified offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea as the most important of the group.

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"While the pressure is certainly on first-round pick Kenneth Grant to take a step forward, I believe he's on the right track," Gagnon wrote. "It's actually even more critical that Savaiinaea get his act together with a move back to his more familiar right guard spot in what might be a make-or-break year in front of Malik Willis and De'Von Achane."

Savaiinaea, 22, mostly played right guard at Arizona from 2022-24 before the Dolphins took him in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft and put him on the left side between Patrick Paul and Aaron Brewer.

The former Wildcat struggled mightily in his rookie year, ranking dead last among 81 qualified guards by Pro Football Focus. Everyone seems confident that moving him back to the right side will fix the issue, but we won't know until the team is playing actual games.

Savaiinaea's success is more important than Grant's right now because if Savaiinaea struggles in 2026, he'll be out of a job, while Grant will likely still play a role in 2027, even if he doesn't live up to the expectations of a first-round pick.

This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Jonah Savaiinaea tabbed as Dolphins most-important second-year player