Sitting at 0-3 was not something most Miami Dolphins fans expected. What has been worse is how they are losing these games. It doesn't take much to fall apart in the NFL, and for the Dolphins, another loss might be all it takes.
Fans don't have to look far to place the blame. Anthony Weaver's defense has been horrible (although it's not all his fault), and Mike McDaniel's offense has been as inconsistent as any we have seen since his arrival. All of that being said, the real person to point to is general manager Chris Grier.
This offseason was supposed to be a mild "reset." It's turning into a nightmare that will likely lead to a roster implosion in 2026. Grier himself doesn't have to look far; his mistakes this offseason are glaring.
Three moves that doomed the Dolphins' season before it even started
The Dolphins shouldn't have traded Jonnu Smith
The Dolphins had Jonnu Smith under contract, and they could have forced him to play. He would have. Smith sat out the offseason work, and there were threats that he would sit out camp. He couldn't afford to, given the CBA rules that would have allowed the Dolphins to fine him. The Dolphins didn't see a need to give him more money.
Instead, Miami traded Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he received a great deal. His one-year extension could earn him $12 million. He received $7.7 guaranteed. Smith likely would have taken less to stay in Miami. So far this season, he has 12 receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown, which is 12 catches more than his replacement in Miami.
The Dolphins shouldn't have traded to bring Darren Waller out of retirement
We don't need to rehash the entire history of Darren Waller's time in Miami. You can look at his Pro Football Reference page to see that his picture has not changed, and he isn't even listed as playing for the Dolphins, because he hasn't.
What has made this trade worse is having to listen to Mike McDaniel make excuses throughout camp and the start of the season. McDaniel believes that Waller will play in Week 4 against the New York Jets, but we expected to see him a long time ago. Time will tell.
The good news is the Dolphins only gave up a sixth-round pick and a conditional seventh-rounder in exchange for Waller. They are only paying him $2 million, but so far, that's easy money to stand on the sidelines.
The Dolphins didn't add enough depth along the offensive line
The Dolphins can't regret signing James Daniels in free agency, but they should regret not ensuring they had enough quality depth behind him. Daniels is out for at least a few more weeks. It's a new injury for the veteran, a pectoral problem that will keep him out until at least Week 5.
The issue here is that they didn't consider what might happen if he were to get injured again. Liam Eichenberg ended up on IR, and Miami went through the motions to add quality backups. It's biting them now.
The Dolphins' offensive line is dealing with problems the fan base is all too familiar with. Daniels was a good signing, but the lack of depth is hurting them.