Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier's job isn't on the line at the end of the 2024 season despite most believing it should be. He will once again be tasked with getting this team built for the 2025 season.
As the Dolphins get ready to play their final two games of 2024, the chances of making the playoffs stand at just 10 percent heading into Week 17. Stephen Ross's actions in Week 16 after the Dolphins beat the San Francisco 49ers were a clear indication of head coach Mike McDaniel's future with Miami. Together, Grier and McDaniel must turn this team around.
With all the questions surrounding the team from the coaching staff to the players themselves, the Dolphins have to find a way to answer them and make the team better next year. If they can't do that, neither Grier nor McDaniel may have a job.
Big questions the Miami Dolphins need to answer in the 2025 offseason
1. Can the Dolphins afford to keep Danny Crossman?
No one really understands why Crossman still has a job. Miami's special teams, outside of kicker Jason Sanders, are atrocious.
Crossman has stood in front of the media and said that he doesn't get on players about mistakes during games or during film reviews, which is an indication that he isn't a coach who holds his players accountable. He expects them to hold themselves accountable instead, but that hasn't changed anything.
Crossman has been the special teams coordinator since Brian Flores was Miami's head coach, and there is no reason for him to remain, but will the Dolphins move on from him?
2. Will the Dolphins realize they finally need to fix the offensive line?
Miami got a good look at how bad their offensive line was this year with a stretch of six games that were the worst in franchise history rushing the ball. Despite the comments by Grier and McDaniel to the contrary, they should be worried about the offensive line.
When Liam Eichenberg was replaced in Week 16 by Isaiah Wynn, the run game excelled. That alone should be a clear indication they need to get this line fixed. Will they do that in 2025?
3. Is there a future for Jevon Holland in Miami?
Grier has said he loves Holland on the roster but there has been no indication from the Dolphins or Holland's camp that contract negotiations are taking place. It could be a reason for Holland's lack of production in 2025.
Holland still has the potential to be great, but his 2024 season wasn't good, and Miami needs to either pay him or replace him, and neither option is easy.
4. Will Mike McDaniel give up play calling?
McDaniel said he would give up play-calling if there was someone on the coaching staff that he felt was better at it than him. That is an egotistical comment that, quite frankly, has not given Dolphins fans a reason to believe McDaniel is growing as a coach.
At some point, Miami may ask him to give up that part of his job. The biggest problem is McDaniel has shown little growth from his first season as a head coach two years ago.
5. Will Chris Grier go all in to save his job?
Perhaps the biggest question is whether or not Grier will be fighting for his job in 2025. Grier's future may be on the shoulders of McDaniel's success next season, and to ensure he has the best chance to succeed, he may need to make moves he might not normally make.
The big question is whether or not he will restructure contracts and push them into the future or trade future draft capital to help the team this year. Those are indications that he could be feeling pressure for his job, and if those types of moves are made, the Dolphins may be in a win-now season.