The Miami Dolphins have a rare mid-season start to finding their next general manager, but many believe Champ Kelly is the de facto first choice. That would be a mistake for a lot of reasons. If owner Stephen Ross truly wants to change the direction of his franchise, he has to make decisions he has never made before.
Wayne Huizenga was a good owner who knew how to stay out of the way. It didn't always work, and he never earned a Super Bowl ring, but the late owner at least made decisions that you could understand from the outside. Ross, on the other hand, has not.
This year, he will attempt to find another general manager. His fourth since taking over the franchise in 2009. If he doesn't get this one right, he may as well hand over the team to his daughters.
Miami Dolphins' future is in the hands of the one man who has yet to prove he can make the right choices
The most important thing Ross can do is go outside of the team, and these five candidates could be the recipe for turning around a franchise that is stuck in the mud. Miami needs aggressive candidates if they are going to rebuild an almost universally depleted roster.
Baltimore Ravens VP of Player Personnel - George Kokinis
The Ravens may not be playing as well in 2025, but they have been one of the most consistent winners in the league for a decade. One of those reasons is due to draft success and strong management. Kokinis has been with the Ravens since 2010, so he has learned quite a bit from Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta. It's a common theme with this list: if you want to win, interview and hire a candidate from a winning organization.
Pittsburgh Steelers Assistant GM - Andy Weidl
Dolphins fans would kill for the consistency of the Steelers. No, they haven't won a Super Bowl in a very long time, but they are always competing and earning a spot in the postseason. Strong management has led to this consistency. Weidl has a lot of experience in scouting, and let's face it, the Steelers can run circles around the Dolphins' draft classes.
Philadelphia Eagles Assistant GM - Alec Halaby
This has to be the year for Halaby to get his own team. The Eagles are coming off a Super Bowl victory and have one GM, Howie Roseman, who is considered to be one of, if not the best, in the league. Working with Roseman gives Halaby a huge advantage, but he can stand on his own resume as well. The Eagles are the only team he has ever worked for, which could be a detriment.
He has been with them since 2007, when he was an intern that season, and again in 2009 before being hired full-time. He has been the team's assistant GM since 2022, helping Roseman oversee the building of an elite NFL team.
Detroit Lions Assistant GM - Ray Agnew
Agnew has been an NFL executive since 2017. A former player who relates to players but has also built the Detroit Lions into a powerhouse. Many believe Agnew is the best candidate for a GM opening this offseason. He might just be the perfect guy for Stephen Ross, who can rely on someone a bit older to handle the job. Agnew is 57.
L.A. Rams Assistant GM - John McKay
The Rams may not win every year, but they are well-coached and manage their roster well. This is something the Dolphins do not do well. Unlike Miami, which throws money at players, the Rams are more diligent with how they spend their cap space and are quick to cut bait when it goes south. Something the Dolphins haven't figured out yet.
McKay has 10 years with the Rams, so he has been through a lot of the process and should have no problems transitioning to a bigger role to undertake a rebuild.
Why Champ Kelly is the wrong candidate for the job
Kelly is well-respected around the NFL. Despite being interviewed the last few years for a GM opening, he hasn't been hired yet. His last dance was with the Raiders, and frankly, the Raiders are not a good football team.
Kelly is almost a foregone conclusion, however. Many believe he was hired and was being groomed to take over for Grier. Keeping Kelly will keep the same mindset in Miami. He doesn't have a long resume of success, which includes stops in Denver and Chicago as well.
The Dolphins need someone new, from the outside. And while Kelly hasn't been with the team for very long, he still represents an internal structure that is known to be a failure.
Kelly isn't a horrible choice. Given the regard he is held in puts him at the top of a lot of teams' short lists, but he also isn't the glowing candidate that Miami needs to consider. For Miami, if Kelly is going to be the choice, Ross has to interview others first. If not, it's not a search at all, and that will be a problem for many fans.
Ross needs to find a GM and let him do his thing. He can't press Mike McDaniel upon them and should tell them immediately that the quarterback position is also theirs to decide, but with the caveat that Tua Tagovailoa's contract termination shouldn't come until after the 2026 season.