Longtime Miami Dolphins writer Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald knows the team about as well as anyone. And he’s having a tough time believing that the Dolphins aren’t entering a rebuild, despite what the team says.
“How is this not a rebuild?,” Kelly writes.
“Anyone who looks at the moves the Miami Dolphins have made since Valentine’s Day, when the roster remodeling started with the release of a couple veterans, shouldn’t even question this. The Dolphins’ decision-makers run and hide at the mention of the R words — rebuild, remodel, a reset, whatever you want to call this redirection — but that’s just ignorance, or denial speaking.”
General manager Chris Grier (brother of San Jose Sharks general manager and former NHL star Mike Grier) denies that the team is blowing up the roster and starting over.
“That word has not been brought up at all,” Grier said when asked about rebuilding several weeks ago. “We have a lot of really good football players on this roster still at some places that impact games, so that word has not been used at all.
“Our goal is to win, win this year and keep winning for sustained success in the future.”
A rebuild seems likely
If the Dolphins aren’t rebuilding, then it’s a bit difficult to see what they are doing or hoping to accomplish. Tua Tagovailoa has serious concussion concerns and is no lock to play a full season. Many think his next concussion could be his last in terms of him playing football again. And, there are experts that think the Dolphins will use a relatively high pick on a quarterback in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.
Looking at other stars on the current Dolphins roster, there are major question marks there too. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill walked out on the team at the end of last year, has had off-field issues and has indicated at times that he wants out. However, Grier insists he doesn’t want to trade him.
“That is not anything that we’re pursuing,” Grier said. “Who knows? If someone wants to come and give me two first-round picks, then we consider it. But as of right now, that’s not anything we’re pursuing.”
Their other major offensive weapon, Jaylen Waddle, had a down season last year and the team has to be crossing their fingers awfully hard that he bounces back. He caught 58 balls for 744 yards and two touchdowns. That’s not No. 1 wide receiver production.
The big news on the defensive side is the status of former All Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Ramsey is a former three-time All Pro player, but his last time on that list was 2021. He’s 30-years old now and his play has been declining. He started all 17 games last season and produced two interceptions.
It’s public knowledge that the Dolphins and Ramsey have agreed to a mutually beneficial separation. Ramsey signed a 2024 extension for three years and $72,300,000. If they are going to trade him, it’s going to have to be to someone that can fit him under their cap.
Dolphins are in denial
So, the Dolphins have issues with their star receiver, their 1A receiver in Waddle had a concerning down year, their quarterback has concussion issues and their top cornerback is all but gone.
But, Grier still thinks this team needs to continue playing at a high level?
“We need to check on Grier’s definition of “sustained success,” because it has been 10 years since he has been in power and Miami has produced five winning season, and zero playoff wins,” Kelly writes. “Grier and coach Mike McDaniel need to stop lying to the fan base, and more importantly their players, because the evidence of a rebuild is all over this roster.”
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