Stephen Ross believes in Chris Grier and they both believe in Mike McDaniel. That might change after the 2025 season but with a critical year for both of them, Grier's history could come back to bite him.
Ross is a businessman and it is almost a guarantee that if Grier was running one of his other companies with these results, he would have already been fired. It's a testament to the lack of Ross' football knowledge that Grier still has a job. If nothing else, Grier has convinced him that he is indispensable.
Grier was given a public nod of approval this year but his 2025 is going to be a rough one without money to spend and a team full of holes. NFL teams can pick up players to fill gaps but 24 players are set to be free agents and on position has escaped Grier for so long that it could bite him quicker than a rattle snake at a Texas chilli cook-off...don't ask me why this popped into my head.
Clearly, the Dolphin's offensive line is a brutal problem that has been left unattended to, but this is the position we are talking about. We are talking about the Dolphins secondary.
The Dolphins secondary problems will create bigger problems in other areas of need.
ProFootballFocus pointed out the Dolphins could lose Kendall Fuller in a salary cap move (which they were right about). Further, Jordan Poyer and Jevon Holland to free agency, and even impending free agent Kader Kohou may not be back either. With Jalen Ramsey still trying to fend off Father Time, who is left in the Dolphins secondary to take over the reins if they lose Fuller, Holland, Porter, and Kohou?
For starters, Kohou should return, but he is going to draw interest around the league, and while that interest won't price the Dolphins out, the length of the contract could. Miami will probably offer a one-year deal, and Kohou should get at least two in free agency.
Fuller has been banged up and that could lead to his release. Holland we know is going to be expensive and Poyer really doesn't fit well in this team. That leaves Storm Duck? Cam Smith? Elijah Campbell? Maybe just Cam Smith.
Grier never should have drafted Smith and he would need a huge turnaround in 2025 to warrant the 2nd-round pick Grier wasted on him.
There simply isn't enough money to go around in order to fill out needs at other positions with better players than Miami had last year. If we are being honest, yes, the Dolphins were banged up last season, but with needs along the offensive line, backup quarterback, defensive line, linebacker, and wide receiver, and still finding two starting safeties is a lot for any team to deal with in one offseason, let alone a team whose general manager has created the mess.
Grier's problems can be directly linked to wasted draft capital (Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb) expensive contracts that have been continually restructured and push into other years (Terron Armstead) and throwing money at veterans without adding years when it can be spent in other areas (Jalen Ramsey and Tyreek Hill).
How the Dolphins fix this problem will be interesting because there is no one on the roster ready right now to take over a starting job at corner or safety. Cam Smith should have been that guy, but he wasn't ready in his rookie season and showed no signs of growth in his second. Miami has 10 draft picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, and even those won't fill the holes Grier can't fill through free agency.