The plan was laid out to us a few years ago. Mike Tannenbaum was fired, Chris Grier was given total control, and we were told this rebuild would be different.

It would be done the right way to have sustained success and turn around this organization.

The Dolphins traded away any player of value they had and stockpiled draft picks. Yes, there were hiccups along the way, like hiring Brian Flores, which was an unmitigated disaster. There were some busts with the signing of free agents (Jordan Howard, for example) and in the draft (Noah Igbinoghene, for example), but overall, there was more good than bad.

Then Grier went to work and put together a much better team than we have seen in recent years. No division titles were won, and no postseason success was achieved, but the team is (or should I now say was) going in the right direction.

As we enter the 2024 season, the Dolphins are at a crossroads.

Bradley Chubb will probably miss most, if not all, of the 2024 season.

Jaelan Phillips will probably miss at least half (if not more) of the 2024 season.

With the latest news that Miami will not use the franchise tag on Christian Wilkins, it appears that he has played his last game for Miami as of this writing.

Key players may also be leaving this offseason, as Raekwon Davis’s and Robert Hunt’s rookie deals expire, and they are free agents. A key contributor, Andrew Van Ginkel, is also an unrestricted free agent.

Xavien Howard is gone, and the Dolphins must replace a key starter in the secondary.

Also, factor in that Mike McDaniel is on his third defensive coordinator in three seasons, and an entirely new scheme will now be installed—again, prior to the season.

So, with all that said, can we expect Miami to compete for a division title or Super Bowl in 2024? Or is this a year when the Dolphins take a step back, evaluate what this roster is, get healthy, and aim to make a run at a Super Bowl in 2025?

In 2025, here is what we will know for sure

  • Bradley Chubb will be 100%
  • Jaelan Phillips will be 100%
  • Anthony Weaver will have his defense in place for a second season and his core players on that side of the ball comfortable with it.
  • We will know if Cam Smith is a true starting cornerback in this league or if Miami has an issue at cornerback.
  • Miami should be able to move on from Terron Armstead and his contract and find more stability at left tackle in someone who can play more than just a handful of games.
  • The Dolphins should be in a better overall salary cap situation.

I know the Miami Dolphins have gone 24 years without a playoff win, the longest drought in the NFL, and preaching patience to a fan of this team is tough. But if Wilkins walks and Robert Hunt is right behind him, the Dolphins are going to be in a difficult situation to not only replace them but also fill the other various holes this roster has.

I just don’t see 2024 as a season where Miami can lose a few key players, replace them, and still be competitive for a Super Bowl. It may be a situation where Miami takes two steps forwards and this is the one step back.

Where Miami hits the reset button, evaluate some of the younger talent in house, don’t go on a crazy spending spree this offseason, try to hit on the few draft picks they have, and look to attack the 2025 offseason from a strong position than they are in now.

I know people say the salary cap isn’t real; well, it kinda is. And Miami is in a challenging situation at the moment. A rookie quarterback who is on the verge of a mega-deal that will cripple the cap for years to come, key contributors who are going to walk out that door because they have priced themselves out of Miami, and sometimes before you can take that giant leap forward, you need to take a step back.

I think the Dolphins may take a step back this upcoming season in 2024. We will see.