When Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley took on the task of rebuilding the team after the failure of the Chris Grier-Mike McDaniel era, they likely knew it would mean a lot of losing initially. Hafley himself has alluded to the fact that the 2026 season won't be judged by wins and losses, but by how the team develops over the course of the year.
That was easy to say before the season started, but now that the Dolphins are 0-4 after the first month under his and Sullivan's watch, it's understandable to start making changes to their plans. That is the worst thing they could do, however.
Despite their struggles, their young talent is getting valuable reps in a season that was never going to involve much winning. Even if they made every effort possible to compete this season, it would only extend a fruitless attempt to get more out of an aging, expensive group. Now, they must avoid the temptation of adding veterans or doing anything that could keep the potential stars of the future from playing through their issues.
Jon-Eric Sullivan, Jeff Hafley must keep things rolling as they are for the Miami Dolphins
Listen, I get it if you are a fan who is frustrated by all of the rookie mistakes and general lack of experience that have kept Miami from competing in most of their first four games. Even when things started falling apart last season, the Dolphins looked much more like a competent NFL operation than they do at the moment.
The reality is that the same players who are currently limiting their chance to win could one day become the reason that they do, and that will only happen if they get the chance to learn as they play.
Sure, would it be ideal if players like Chris Johnson could focus on one position instead of playing a hybrid nickel/boundary corner role? Or if receivers Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell could spend this season learning behind veterans? Maybe, but that wasn't in the cards once the new regime realized that a hard reset was needed.
Regardless of how they may feel now that they are sitting at 0-4, that plan can't be reversed. Bradley Chubb, Jaylen Waddle, and Tyreek Hill aren't walking through the door. They made their bed, and now they have to lie in it.
For the record, I still believe the path they have chosen will ultimately be the right one. Armed with nearly $100 million in cap space next offseason and potentially a top-3 draft pick, the outlook for this team could change very quickly. By taking their lumps now and getting a real look at all of the young players they already have, it will allow them to not just add players, but add the right ones.
It may be hard to watch the rest of the way, but the pain could be well worth it in the end.
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