The Miami Dolphins have discussed finding an identity and changing their culture but have failed to achieve it for three years.
According to Mike McDaniel, this offseason has been about team building, finding that missing identity, and working to change a culture that he allowed to spiral out of control. After several minicamp practices and OTAs, the Dolphins are talking a big game, but until it shows up on the field, no one is buying into it outside of the facility.
Fans are done hearing the annual rhetoric about bonding over positional unit events designed to bring the players closer together. They are tired of the yearly "we are going to change our culture" conversation. The Dolphins haven't changed their culture in over 15 years.
If the Dolphins truly want to change the internal culture, they need to make moves to reflect that.
While the Jalen Ramsey saga continues to play out, the Dolphins could make a smaller but nearly as effective move by trading Jonnu Smith.
A Jonnu Smith trade would send the right message to the rest of the Dolphins' players
Smith wants a new contract, or he wants to be traded. Ideally, he wants to stay. He trains in Miami, he lives in Miami, and he likes it in Miami. The Dolphins don't need to pay him more after one career season and an age that crosses 30. Trading him lets the players know the Dolphins are no longer handing out free money like they did to Tyreek Hill and Ramsey.
At the same time, Chris Grier can make a bolder statement. He can trade Smith and extend Zach Sieler, thus showing that putting the team first is what gets rewarded. Sieler was at the final OTAs. Smith was not. Both want new deals.
If the Dolphins cave and give Smith more money and leave Sieler sitting on his current deal, a deal he has consistently outplayed, it will send a message that absolutely nothing has changed in Miami. If Smith wants more money or a trade, he doesn't want to be in Miami. He proved that by skipping the mandatory sessions that ended last week.
The Dolphins want a culture change, and McDaniel wants that change. It starts internally with the executives. It starts with how the Dolphins operate, and until we see that, they can't expect the mentality of the players to change.