MIAMI GARDENS, FL — The Miami Dolphins needed a pulse on the edge. After shipping Jaelan Phillips to Philadelphia at the 2025 trade deadline and releasing Pro Bowler Bradley Chubb last month to escape a massive cap hit, Miami’s pass rush looked completely toothless. General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan finally stopped the bleeding on Friday. The Miami Dolphins signed free-agent linebacker David Ojabo, taking a low-risk, high-reward flier on the former highly-touted prospect to anchor their 2026 defensive front.
You can almost feel the desperation in the South Florida air. The Dolphins are tearing down and rebuilding a defense that collapsed down the stretch last season. Ojabo arrives in Miami carrying a massive chip on his shoulder. The 25-year-old was an absolute terror at Michigan, racking up 11 sacks and earning All-American honors in 2021 before a devastating Achilles tear at his Pro Day tanked his draft stock.
The Baltimore Ravens drafted him 45th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, but the injury bug never quite left him alone. He lost most of his rookie season to that Achilles recovery. Just three games into his sophomore campaign, a torn ACL and MCL ended his year. Over his four-year stint in Baltimore, Ojabo scraped together 32 total tackles, 10 quarterback hits, 4.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles across 32 games. He stayed relatively healthy over the last two seasons, suiting up for 27 games, but never cracked the starting rotation permanently in Baltimore’s crowded linebacker room.
Now, he gets a clean slate. Ojabo doesn’t just rush the passer; he hunts quarterbacks using raw, explosive athleticism. If head coach Jeff Hafley can tap into that 2021 college tape, Miami might have secured the steal of free agency.
“Life happens, and things are going to happen. But at the end of the day, it’s all about your perspective on it. How you deal with the adversity is really what separates the average from the great.”— David Ojabo, Miami Dolphins Linebacker (reflecting on his professional journey)
Miami is entirely overhauling its identity. Chubb just signed a three-year deal with the division-rival Buffalo Bills, meaning the Dolphins have to block their former star twice a year. Meanwhile, Phillips just inked a massive $120 million contract with the Carolina Panthers this week. The old guard is officially gone.
Ojabo steps into a linebacker room screaming for an alpha. Chop Robinson returns for his third year needing a massive breakout after battling inconsistency. To insulate the edges, Sullivan spent the first wave of 2026 free agency adding bodies, bringing in Joshua Uche, Robert Beal, Cameron Goode, Seth Coleman, and Derrick McLendon. Uche, Ojabo’s former teammate at Michigan, provides an instant layer of familiarity and comfort.
This signing won’t instantly make Miami a Super Bowl contender, but it raises the ceiling of a defense that desperately needed juice. If Ojabo stays out of the medical tent, he has a clear path to starting snaps and double-digit sacks. If he struggles, the Dolphins will be forced to hunt for premium edge rushers in next month’s NFL Draft.
