At the NFL Combine, Coach Mike McDaniel said all the right things.
At his presser, McDaniel stressed the top priority through free agency and the draft is to shore up the trenches, especially the offensive line. He also said that finding a reliable backup quarterback is a huge priority.
Terron Armstead‘s move to reduce his salary to the minimum frees up approximately 14 million in cap space.
Suppose General Manager Chris Grier can successfully restructure other contracts, such as with Bradley Chubb, Zach Sieler, Austin Jackson, and possibly others.
In that case, the Miami Dolphins should be in a favorable cap situation, allowing them to make some noise in the free-agent market.
It would have been more reassuring had Chris Grier decided to face the press and answer questions about these same issues, but unfortunately, Grier chose to remain quiet.
The silence begs the question of who makes the final decisions regarding personnel management and if Grier is all-in with McDaniel.
Coach McDaniel wants to strengthen the offensive line and bring in a capable backup quarterback.
Is 2025 the first year that Coach McDaniel has expressed these concerns, or has he been ignored or overruled in his first two years?
The lack of a strong and physical running game is not a new issue in 2025. The Miami Dolphins’ reputation as being “soft” is not new, and Tua Tagovailoa‘s injury history is not new.
Has Coach McDaniel finally woken up to reality, or has General Manager Chris Grier had different priorities to satisfy owner Stephen Ross and keep Grier employed?
I do not know the answer to those questions or whether Chris Grier is feeling the heat of the team’s need to be successful in 2025 by finally winning a playoff game.
With the free agency period opening in March and the draft in April, we will soon find out if Coach McDaniel’s wishes come to fruition and whether Chris Grier gets on the same page.
The next couple of months will be critical for the future of this franchise.
2025 Round 1 DolphinsTalk Mock Draft
