2025 is going to be an interesting season for the Miami Dolphins. Questions about Mike McDaniel's future will surface, Chris Grier's future will be a hot topic, and we can't rule out more speculation about Tua Tagoailoa's future.
Is it a "make-or-break" season for the Dolphins? Not really, but the expectations for a return to 2023 and a reversal of last season will be high. Those expectations, especially if by Stephen Ross, will determine what happens next offseason.
Of course, none of that will matter if the Dolphins win. Unfortunately, there are reasons they may collapse instead.
Mike McDaniel's lack of control could doom the Dolphins
It hasn't been discussed nearly as much as it should, but the decision to create an in-house leadership group made up of players was a mistake. The Dolphins lack discipline and accountability, and that starts at the top with McDaniel. He admitted openly that the discipline tactics he was using didn't work. Using fines against players for being late to meetings and practices didn't have the desired effect.
This has been his way of doing things since he got to Miami three seasons ago, it is going to be extremely hard to change it in one offseason without crippling your command of the team in the process. If the Dolphins don't win early in the season, he isn't going to reel them back in.
Chris Grier's decision regarding the offensive line will not allow Miami to move forward
There are several ways the Dolphins can fix the offensive line. Invest draft capital early and use cap space to sign proven players in free agency. There is also the Grier factor. Yes, Grier admitted the line needs to be better and fixed, but fans should not take that as a declaration of real investment. Recognizing the problem and having a solution are two different things, and while Grier may see a need to improve the unit, he still has to mentally focus on actually allocating resources to doing so, and that isn't typically how he works in regards to the positions. More likely, Grier is going to shop further down the list of free agents for players that might have a couple of years left in the tank, will not cost much, and, at least on paper, give the appearance of being better. Working in his favor is the fact the offensive line has been so inconsistently bad he doesn't have to do much to improve it.
Salary cap concerns could stymie the Dolphins' attempt to fill holes
The NFL salary cap isn't real. We hear this every single year but when you don't have a lot of spending space, it becomes quite real. The Dolphins will have to shave some contracts to get working capital but the bigger issue for Miami is they consistently move contracts into further seasons by restructuring deals that eventually cost them cap space or at least delay cap relief until June. Miami has a lot of holes entering the offseason and it isn't going to be easy to build the roster with quality players at higher contracts because there is not a lot of wiggle room. Making it all worse is the fact Miami has 24 impending free agents and almost all of them won't be a priority to re-sign.
Tua Tagovailoa's health is what will carry or sink the team in 2025
The elephant in the room, of course, is Tua's health. Miami can't afford to buy a solid backup who can lead the team effortlessly should Tua go down again. Despite putting up incredible numbers in 2023 and staying healthy all year, Tua is not a guy who has been consistently healthy. Another concussion will cost him at least another four games, and now his hip could be a problem. Worse, defenses are going to start realizing that Tua is not a threat out of the pocket, especially if he plays more sensible with putting himself in harm's way. If that happens, he becomes a one-dimensional pocket passer behind a line that can't keep him protected.
The Dolphins play a tough schedule in 2025
Miami doesn't have a great history of playing international games, and this year, they will head to Spain for the first game played in the country. They have two games against the Bills, and while they have come close to winning, they haven't yet figured out how to close the deal. The Patriots are going to be better coached, and the Jets might actually settle down from the train wreck they tend to be. Miami will play five playoff teams at home next season, but only two playoff teams from 2024 are on the road.
While not playoff teams, the Bengals will be a tough home game, and the Colts beat Miami last year. Overall, the Dolphins have to beat the teams they are supposed to beat, unlike last season, and they also must learn how to beat good teams and the Bills.