No one will ever know why the Miami Dolphins made the decision to let one of their more versatile linebackers leave the organization, but they did. Now, he continues to showcase why it remains a mistake.
Andrew Van Ginkel was all heart and soul. Much like Jim Jensen under Don Shula, AVG could play a myriad of roles, none with absolute authority, but all of them with 100 percent effort and conviction. Van Ginkel was a standout on a defense full of holes and injuries.
When it was time to get a new deal, Chris Grier never picked up the phone to make an offer. The Minnesota Vikings and Brian Flores did, and away the talented linebacker went. It didn't take long to prove his value or his worth. His first year in Minnesota culminated in his first Pro Bowl nod — not as an alternate, mind you, like say, Jonnu Smith.
Van Ginkel's performance last season has earned him another first; he placed on the NFL Top 100 players list ahead of the 2026 season, coming in at No. 88, three spots higher than a certain Dolphins QB.
Andrew Van Ginkel lands three spots ahead of Tua Tagovailoa on the NFL Top 100 list
This is not a knock on Tua Tagovailoa, who spent six games off the field last season, but it is a virtual applause for a player who has consistently given everything he has to continue playing in the NFL.
Players like AVG rarely make it four seasons, let alone into a second contract, but he is also the type of player who has the instincts to make up for what he might lack.
There is no way around calling the loss of Van Ginkel a mistake by the Dolphins. Chris Grier blew it, and given the issues the team had at linebacker last season, AVG would have solved some of them.