To say it’s been an eventful offseason for the Miami Dolphins would be a massive understatement. But the question now becomes: how will all of it translate once the season kicks off in two months?
The Dolphins already had roster concerns well before their recent blockbuster trades reshaped the team. They shipped off Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith to the Steelers in exchange for three-time All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick, and they also acquired veteran tight end Darren Waller from the Giants.
MORE: Jonnu Smith’s trade to Steelers resulted from Dolphins’ inability to offer contract extension
Despite the star power involved, the moves haven’t convinced everyone Miami is headed in the right direction.
“Dolphins the very definition of uncertainty going into 2025,” ESPN’s Louis Riddick said. “Have zero idea what this team will look like, play like, come together like chemistry wise. Zero. Fascinating to me.”
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton took it even further, projecting a full collapse for Miami in 2025—one that ends with a last-place finish in the AFC East.
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“Even though the New England Patriots and New York Jets have new coaching staffs, which always brings a level of uncertainty, the Miami Dolphins have glaring question marks that could become flaws in a bottom-out year,” Moton wrote.
Among those concerns: the secondary.
“Miami acquired three-time All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Pittsburgh Steelers in the blockbuster trade that involved cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith. Fitzpatrick can play both safety positions and slot cornerback, but the secondary is vulnerable on the boundaries without clear-cut starters on the perimeter.”
Injuries up front don’t help either.
“Edge-rushers Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb are working their way back from significant injuries. The former partially tore his ACL last September, and the latter missed the 2024 season because of a torn ACL, meniscus and patellar tendon,” Moton continued. “Defensive lineman Zach Sieler has recorded 10 sacks in back-to-back campaigns. As he’s made a name for himself in the pass rush, though, opposing offensive linemen may double-team him until Chop Robinson consistently wins one-on-one matchups on the outside.”
That’s just the defense. The offense has its own major issue: the health of Tua Tagovailoa.
His ability to stay on the field could determine the Dolphins’ fate. If he can’t, the job falls to free-agent signing and former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson, whose career has been defined by inaccuracy and inconsistency.
“His availability could be the difference between a 10-win season and a team that finishes with a sub-.500 record in back-to-back years,” Moton wrote. “Based on Tagovailoa’s injury history, backup Zach Wilson could start in multiple games, and his poor accuracy (57 percent career completion rate) would hinder the Dolphins’ aerial attack.”
Moton’s prediction: Miami finishes with just seven or eight wins, and Mike McDaniel’s job security is in serious jeopardy.
The Dolphins have finished second in the AFC East all three years under McDaniel. They haven’t finished last in the division since 2019.
There’s no question McDaniel enters the 2025 season on the hot seat. Whether he can cool it down may depend on how quickly the Dolphins find answers to some of the league’s most glaring questions—starting in Week 1.
