How over is the Miami Dolphins season after losing to the Houston Texans in Week 15? They have a 4% chance of making the playoffs. That's how bad their situation is and how much the loss highlights everything that went wrong with a season full of promise.
The Dolphins will try to beat the San Francisco 49ers next week and hope to knock off the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets in the final two games of the season. However, so many things must happen to sneak into the playoffs. Fans are better off looking ahead to the NFL Draft.
The Dolphins currently hold the 11th pick in the draft, and there is room to move up and down the board. Right now, winning is almost meaningless, but you don't play the game to tank. If Chris Grier is still the general manager after the season, he will make the draft picks, and that is a scary thought. Here is what they should do if it all falls into place.
The Dolphins have four draft picks in the first three rounds, with both third-round selections in the compensatory add-ons. They traded their own third-round pick last year to move up to draft Jaylen Wright. With so many needs, the chances of drafting a quarterback are pretty slim.
Round 1 (11): Mykel Williams, DE, Georgia
The Dolphins have little option but to draft a defensive end. Jaelan Phillips will be a question mark to start the season, but worse, there is no guarantee that he won't get hurt again and miss next year.
Bradley Chubb may or may not be back in 2025, and the Dolphins only have Chop Robinson on the roster. Williams is an exceptional edge-rusher and would give the Dolphins a solid 1-2 punch from both sides. If Phillips and Chubb do come back, it will be a fantastic rotation. Sadly, this is far more about need than anything else.
Round 2 (47): Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky
If this were a perfect world, the Dolphins would go offensive guard, but they can't enter the 2025 season without more help on the defensive front.
Walker is a good football player with ideal size and instincts. Giving Zach Sieler a top tackle prospect to play next to him will help his production in the same way Calais Campbell did. Miami is going to need DTs because, again, Grier didn't have the foresight to improve the line beyond one year.
Round 3 (98): Rod Moore, S, Michigan
Jevon Holland isn't working out, and the Dolphins passed on Malaki Starks in Round 1. They need to address the position in the draft, as free agency isn't going to solve the issues.
Moore is a good prospect but he has work to do and will need to be coached up. He has the size and physicality to grow into an NFL starter, but the Dolphins will need him to do so quickly.
Round 3 (99): Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
The Dolphins need a guard, but Miller is too good to pass on in late Round 3. There is a lot to like about the kid, who has been starting since his freshman season. With the Dolphins, he would provide depth behind Austin Jackson, and if Butch Barry is still around, he might be able to slide inside to play guard and get more experience. It would be a win for the Dolphins if they landed him.