5 dream scenarios for the Miami Dolphins and Mike McDaniel this season
By Gaston Rubio
The 2024 offseason for the Miami Dolphins started out with a dud. The Dolphins lost Christian Wilkins to the Las Vegas Raiders after both sides could not come to terms on a new contract. Andrew Van Ginkle took an offer he couldn't refuse in Minnesota.
To add insult to injury, Vic Fangio bolted for Philadelphia, leaving the Dolphins to search for a new defensive coordinator. Miami regrouped and hired Anthony Weaver from the Baltimore Ravens as their new defensive coordinator.
Entering Year 3 of Mike McDaniel's offense, Miami must win a playoff game. McDaniel's high-powered offense has fizzled out in December and January every year. Will that change this season? The Dolphins are built to make plenty of noise this campaign. With that said, here are five things we'd like to see out of the AFC East side this fall and winter:
5. Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips return to Pro Bowl form
The loss of Wilkins leaves a glaring hole on the field as well as in the locker room. Add the exit of Van Ginkel to Minnesota and Miami needs to replace 18 sacks and 114 quarterback pressures. Losing Wilkins and Van Ginkel makes the return of Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips even more important. Miami signed several defensive tackles, four linebackers, and drafted Chop Robinson and Mohamed Kamara in hopes of filling the void left by Van Ginkel and Wilkins.
With Calais Campbell and Shaquil Barrett each on the plus side of 30, the return of Chubb and Phillips becomes more important. Before tearing his achilles, Phillips had recorded at least one sack in every game since Week 7. Having played only eight games in 2023,Phillips recorded seven sacks and 27 quarterback pressures.
Chubb finished his season with 13 sacks and 70 quarterback pressures through 16 games. Chubb finished tied for 10th overall in the league in sacks before tearing his ACL. Despite their injuries, both players finished in the Top 30 of pass-rushers in 2023. Phillips and Chubb were well on their way to a Pro Bowl before getting injured.
Returning to their Pro Bowl form in 2024 would be an added boost to new defensive coordinator Weaver and his scheme. His idea to use Jaelan Ramsey everywhere coupled with a Chubb and Phillips pass-rush could wreak havoc on opposing offenses.