Football

Ranking the Most Important Dolphins, No. 18: What Exactly Will Be the Marshall Plan?

By Alain Poupart Sports Illustrated

Updated July 8, 2026 4:11 PM

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, no 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 18: CB JASON MARSHALL JR.

How he joined the Dolphins

The Dolphins selected Marshall in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft with the 150th overall pick. Marshall was chosen with Miami's own pick in that round as the middle of three fifth-round selections between DT Jordan Phillips and S Dante Trader Jr.

Contract status

Marshall is heading into the second year of his four-year, $4.5 million rookie contract that included a $425,000 signing bonus. He's under contract through the 2028 season.

His 2025 season

Marshall appeared in 12 games in his rookie season, which was interrupted by a stint on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury. Marshall, who lined up primarily in the slot, made his first NFL start in the Week 16 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals and recorded his first NFL interception the next week in the victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had a 104.6 opponent passer rating when targeted, according to Pro Football Reference, with his best outings coming in Week 11 against the Washington Commanders (39.6) and in that Tampa Bay game (29.2).

His projected role

For the second consecutive year, the Dolphins will have new starters at outside cornerback after veterans Jack Jones and Rasul Douglas weren't re-signed as a free agents and landed with NFC teams (San Francisco and Washington, respectively). Rookie first-round pick Chris Johnson should be in the starting lineup somewhere, but he's expected to get a lot of snaps in the slot when the Dolphins use a five-DB look. There should be a free-for-all for the outside cornerback spots, and that's where new head coach Jeff Hafley has said Marshall will be playing in 2025. While JuJu Brents looks like the front-runner for one of the starting jobs, Marshall clearly is in the mix based on the potential he flashed last year. Regardless, Marshall should get his share of snaps at one point or another.

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

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This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 4:00 PM.