The Miami Dolphins underwent a lot of change over the last two months, starting with the hiring of general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan in early January.
Dolphins fans won't fault Stephen Ross for making this change, regardless of whether it works out or not. After nine years of Chris Grier, they needed a change. Sullivan's hire came one day after the Dolphins fired Mike McDaniel, another big change to the coaching staff.
From there, it all began to implode. Tua Tagovailoa, Bradley Chubb, James Daniels, and Tyreek Hill would all be released in some fashion. Miami would incur more dead-cap money than any other team in NFL history, and again, not a single fan complained.
With all the changes made this offseason, some stand out as potentially brilliant moves that could just easily turn into nightmares.
Miami Dolphins are banking on these five offseason moves to turn the franchise around
Hiring Jeff Hafley as the HC
Unlike some of the other head coaching prospects, the Dolphins are leaning on a coach with previous head coaching experience, sort of. Hafley was the HC at Boston College, so this career step won't come with complete surprises. As an NFL HC, he is once again another in a long line of Stephen Ross' first-time HC hires.
Hafley and Sullivan are locked in together. They share the same conceptual ideas about what the team should look like and the same vision for identifying players who can change the culture and philosophy in Miami, but as Hafley could succeed, he could just as easily fail.
Hafley will get a pass for two years, but Ross won't be patient forever. The question is, if Hafley fails to turn the team around on the field, will Sullivan carry the weight of that failure as well? Hiring Hafley could be the best move the Dolphins have made in twenty years, or just another in a long line of failures.
Retaininig Bobby Slowik to run the offense
The Dolphins' offense had the personnel to be great. McDaniel's system was quick off the snap and explosive downfield. Slowik represented continuity, but this roster isn't the same as it was the last two seasons. Slowik's retention has more to do with his familiarity with the Kyle Shanahan offense than with McDaniel's. While similar in style, the Dolphins will transition to a more balanced offensive attack.
Slowik's previous OC experience will help, and he will get the chance to mold new offensive weapons that fit more within the scheme they will run, but there are risks. Slowik has to evolve as well, and given the roster he has, he is going to find it hard to move the team forward on that side of the ball.
The biggest question is whether or not Hafley will give him two years to run the offense, should a more experienced option come along after the season. On the other hand, Slowik could prove to be the right guy to shape his offensive system to the strengths of the team.
Trading Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos
Waddle for Chris Johnson, Chris Bell, and Trey Moore looks absurdly lopsided in the Dolphins' favor. Miami sent its top receiver and swapped fourth-round picks with the Broncos. The trade made sense for both teams, but will the Dolphins regret it? Or will the Broncos?
Miami shouldn't complain about this deal regardless of how it plays out down the road. Losing Waddle could sting, and if the Dolphins can't replace him in the next two seasons, they will look like a team that made a big mistake. The caveat here is that the Dolphins don't need to hit on all three of the Broncos' picks they received.
If Johnson excels at cornerback, the Dolphins will look "brilliant." If Trey Moore breaks into the starting lineup as an edge-rushing linebacker, victory! Then there is Chris Bell. Bell has the ability to be a number-one receiver in the league. A first-round talent who dropped to round three because of a knee injury could be the biggest draft pick of the Dolphins in 2026. If he works out, the Waddle trade will go down in Dolphins history as one of their best.
Drafting Kadyn Proctor over Caleb Downs
There is a lot to like about Proctor, but there are just as many concerns that have taken up residence in fans' minds. Forget his early college weight issues, Proctor's size is misleading when you look at the athleticism you see on tape versus the actual play on the field.
Miami took a big risk, perhaps because they wanted an offensive lineman more than anything in round one. With Spencer Fano and Francis Mauigoa off the board, it seems they reached, but the real comparison will come later.
Caleb Downs was by far the best safety in this year's draft. The Dolphins needed someone at that position, but they opted to let the Cowboys take one of the best on-field leaders in this year's class. Downs would have made an immediate impact on Miami's roster, and it's hard not to imagine him and Johnson in the secondary. Proctor won't be compared to the tackles Miami passed on, but Downs could make this pick look utterly brutal.
Signing Malik Willis to replace Tua Tagovailoa
Watching Tagovailoa leave the Dolphins was one of those moments many fans had been waiting for. Very few shed a tear when he was released. Willis made sense for Sullivan and Hafley. He was the familiar face they needed to help change the internal mindset of the players.
The problem? The Dolphins are paying Willis a lot of money based on a three-game stretch as a Packers starter and on how he was in the locker room. The Dolphins are hoping he can be a franchise quarterback, but they won't know for sure until after they see what he can deliver on the field this year and next.
Miami wasted no time getting Willis under contract when free agency opened, but will he be a bust, or will he turn into the franchise QB Miami desperately needs? Regardless, the move was smart for Sullivan and Hafley, but will they look at Willis and see stars next year when they are faced with the decision to draft a top QB prospect in round one or pass on one for Willis?
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