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The NFL calendar has advanced past the franchise tag deadline for 2026 with the Miami Dolphins not placing a franchise tag or transition tag on any player. The team did, however, announce two moves that impact their list of soon-to-be free agents, with the team placing a tender on exclusive rights free agent cornerback Ethan Bonner and re-signing linebacker Cameron Goode. Those moves bring Miami’s list of players with expiring contracts down to 33 this offseason.
As we do every year, we are currently reviewing the list of players scheduled to hit free agency for Miami, breaking down what the team should do with each player. Since the franchise tag is no longer an option, this is really down to just walk or re-sign, though we will keep the naming convention of “Walk, tag, re-sign” to remain standard over the series.
We have looked at several players on both sides of the ball already this year, but we have not looked at a true special-teams player. We change that today with a look at Jake Bailey. Should Miami bring back their punter next year, or will they be in the market for a replacement?
I have included an embed from X, giving you a chance to vote on what you think the Dolphins should do. Feel free to also head into the comments to discuss Miami’s options with Bailey.
Age (when season begins): 26
Draft: 2019 5th Round (New England Patriots)
Pro Bowl, All-Pro, Awards: First-Team All-Pro (2020), Pro Bowl (2020)
Bailey finished his third season with Miami with his best average punt length since his All-Pro season in 2020. At 47.7 yards per punt, Bailey’s 2025 season is fourth all-time for the Dolphins for a season, trailing Brandon Fields top three seasons. His three-year average of 46.9 yards per punt pushes him ahead of Fields for the top spot in team history for a career. Fields’46.8 yards per punt came over an eight-year period, compared to Bailey’s three, but it is still a very impressive stat. Bailey’s 47.7 yards per kick this year was the 12th-best average in the league. He had 21 kicks pin opponents within their own 20-yard line.
As a punter, Bailey’s role is already set, no matter where he plays in 2026. He obviously would fill a need for the Dolphins when the season begins, and he has a leg that can switch the field position when needed. Special teams are such an important part of the game, even if it is not the sexiest aspect to the game, and Bailey is really good at what he does.
Franchise tag deadline passed.
Walk. Obviously, Miami has to have a punter. By letting Bailey walk, the Dolphins open a hole on the roster, but there is a strong likelihood Miami just cannot afford to put the money into Bailey’s contract that he can get elsewhere. If he is willing to take a discount to remain in Florida, re-sign him. But, he was 14th in average salary on his expiring contract at $2.1 million per year. The top punters are around $4 million. If he comes in between $2.1 million and $2.5 million, maybe it leads to a re-signing. But Miami could look to an undrafted free agent or a late-round pick to fill the need with a cheaper player this year.
What do you think Miami should do? Vote here and head to the comments to discuss:
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