You might have read this article’s title and already been turned off. “What do you mean?” “Is this team not already complete?” “Why do we have to wait until next off-season?” All of those questions are valid as a fan. As a fan, I believe in this team and they can get the job done and hold up the Lombardi in February. I hope for it. By any means, this article isn’t suggesting that fans should give up hope if they expect a Super Bowl from this team this year. But from an objective point of view, I’d expect progress from this team and not going straight to the promised land.

I don’t think it’s a Championship or bust for this team. The Miami Dolphins haven’t won a playoff game since 2000, when I was born. As expected, this team expects to be still playing football in February, but winning a playoff game or two would be a victory for this team. As Mike McDaniel always says, it’s about the team’s progression. It’s hard to construct a Super Bowl-winning roster; while I think the Dolphins are close, the team isn’t yet complete.

I’m no NFL GM, but what would make this team complete, you ask? I thought you’d never ask; here are some moves I believe would make this Miami Dolphins team complete and make them Super Bowl contenders.

Sacrifices have to be made.

It’s no secret that it could be the end of the road for players Xavien Howard, Jerome Baker, and Emmanuel Ogbah in Miami Dolphins uniforms. Jerome Baker and Emmanuel Ogbah are overpaid, and their production doesn’t justify their contracts. Xavien Howard isn’t necessarily washed as many fans think, but he’s no longer in his prime and has been plagued with a lingering groin injury that could get worse over the next few years. If I were the Miami Dolphins, I’d try to get as much value out of these players as possible. Miami took the same approach as the Los Angeles Rams in their Super Bowl run in the 2022 season, selling a good chunk of their picks in exchange for Superstar players Tyreek Hill, Bradley Chubb, and Jalen Ramsey.

There’s no argument that the value of the latter three players outweighs the former. To bring balance back to this team, Miami must do their due diligence in the 2024 draft to couple their Superstar players with homegrown talent. They will undoubtedly get the most out of Xavien Howard if he’s traded. Even if all you get for Emmanuel Ogbah or Jerome Baker are 6th or 7th round picks, it’s more than what Miami currently has with only five draft picks available in the 2024 draft. Mike McDaniel has yet to have the privilege of having a first-round pick, and I’m sure Fangio would like to dip his hand in the cookie jar and acquire more of the “Fangio kind of guys.” Mike McDaniel has a knack for developing young talent, and I think it would bring a balance to a team that’s been top-heavy. Complete teams win championships, not just talented teams.

Someone has to walk the plank.

There are fans who may not like this next bit, so I’ll get right to it. I don’t think we should re-sign Christian Wilkins and Connor Williams. There, I said it. Holding in or holding out on a team that is obviously in win-now mode doesn’t sit well with me. I do understand that the NFL is a business and the players have to take care of themselves, but most of the time, it’s better to let those players walk. Wilkins’s numbers have certainly gone up, which realistically doesn’t bode well for Miami when negotiating a price. Unless Wilkins comes down on his asking price, he will not likely return to Miami.

Connor Williams has been elite as a blocker, but there have been too many blunders snapping the ball for comfort to give him a new deal, especially if his asking price is out of Miami’s budget. I know these are two important pieces on this team, and I’m not suggesting that they’re easily replaceable. Still, the money that Miami would use for Wilkins and Williams could be used to address other areas and cover re-signing other valuable players on this team. Both positions can be addressed in the draft, or someone on the roster may step up. Once again, this allows Miami to fill this team with depth and quality starters in free agency to have a more complete team.

Who to bring back on board

Instead of giving you a long explanation of why I’d bring these players, I’m just going to list them, and hopefully, the reasons are obvious; some may be more obvious than others. A few of these I’m going to address in my next article discussing personnel moves that could shake up this roster. If you feel I’m leaving anyone out, I only include starters and potential starters.

Andrew Van Ginkel

Rob Hunt

Austin Jackson

Deshon Elliot

Chase Claypool

Kendall Lamm

 

Positions to be addressed in the draft

 

I spoke before about Miami replenishing this roster and them needing to do some serious work in the draft. The positions I list are with the expectation that Miami will do its due diligence to acquire more draft capital. I won’t say where these positions should be addressed in the draft because I’m sure Miami will take the best available player whenever they pick, so it’s hard to predict who they’ll pick or who they’ll pick. My hope is just that they’ll address these specific positions.

Let’s start with the offensive line. I think Miami should pick at least three offensive linemen, specifically at Left Tackle, Left Guard, and Center. While Terron Armstead is still playing at a high level, he’s injury-prone, and his body is breaking down. Miami should start developing his replacement now to get ahead of the curve. At worst, this pick will be an insurance policy when Armstead’s availability is in question. The other two should be obvious, but we need a pure center or at least a player who can play guard and center if they’d like a two-for-one special. This might be the most surprising position on the list, but Miami should take a Wide Receiver.

I’m sure this will probably be a BPA pick. Still, with uncertainty surrounding Miami’s 2022 4th-round pick, Erik Ezukanma, and the amount of injuries to the position, I think it’s time to add another premier talent to the unit. Preferably a bigger-bodied receiver with good hands and, of course, SPEED. The first two attributes are things Miami has lacked in the Wide Receiver position. Miami needs to add some physicality to the unit that relies on finesse more than anything. Drafting an Inside Linebacker is a no-brainer, at least it should be, especially considering Baker is on his way out. Regardless, apart from David Long Jr. recently, Inside Linebacker has been the weakest link on the defense. Another position on defense Miami should target is Interior Defensive lineman. Whether Christian Wilkins returns or not, Miami should draft at this position. It could be depth at the position, a replacement for Wilkins, or someone to fill in for Raekwon Davis if he doesn’t return.

Two positions that don’t seem like significant needs, but I’d still look to add talent to, are the defensive and running back positions. Adding someone with versatility who could play both safety and the nickel position would benefit the defense. The Running Back doesn’t seem like a position that needs to be addressed, but Jeff Wilson and Salvon Ahmed may not return, and if I’m Miami, I will target a running back with return capabilities. If you haven’t noticed, I think versatility should be targeted in next year’s draft.

No matter how this season ends, whether it’s with Miami hoisting a Lombardi trophy or not, I think Miami should construct this roster for both the future and to win now, while that may seem impossible if you look at teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, they’ve mastered getting the big whales in free agency and via trade but also doing a lot of work in the draft which is why they’ve been so successful in the last couple of years. A perfect blend of premier veteran players and young talent is what I believe is a championship recipe.