The 2025 NFL season began in mid-March when free agency officially began. To say the least, the Miami Dolphins have been quiet, even by their own standards. That might be about to change.
There are not many Dolphins fans who like or support general manager Chris Grier, but the only one who needs to is Miami owner Stephen Ross, and Grier unconditionally has that support. It's hard to believe the Dolphins are gearing up for a draft that will determine how well they compete during the 2025 season with so many holes.
Miami made a few moves, none of them bold, this offseason. They tweaked but did not improve their roster considerably. The Dolphins are banking on the 2024 season being a fluke and nothing more, but there is something in the air that isn't sitting right, something that doesn't make much sense, and Zach Wilson's contract could be a clue.
Before we jump into the Wilson contract details that might be offering some insight into what is going on, we have to acknowledge that Grier, despite the fan bases frustration, is not a dumb man.
- The Dolphins' defensive tackle position is worse than bad. Zach Sieler is the only real option, and Benito Jones is a rotational depth player. To put it simply, Miam's season will be over before it starts if they can't fix the defensive line. Sieler is not a one-man show.
- Cornerback is also a problem. Miami can think Storm Duck and Cam Smith can compete to start opposite Jalen Ramsey, but let's be honest: The rest of the AFC East hopes that will be the case.
- Safety, as we have said before, is held together by cheap bandaids and that too is a problem.
- Finally, we all know the interior of the offensive line is still a big mess. Liam Eichenberg is back, James Daniels is coming off a season-ending injury, and Larry Borom hasn't reached "serviceable" status yet despite being able to play multiple positions.
No one should think for a second the Dolphins are going to fill all of those needs in the draft, and not a single person should believe Grier intends to try. If Grier's job isn't on the line, then he has to at least know that Mike McDaniel's is, and as the guy who chose McDaniel, he needs him to succeed.
Zach Wilson's contract details could point to a bigger upcoming move for the Miami Dolphins
The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson, who has to be the hardest-working local beat writer in South Florida, recently posted Wilson's contract details, and as he and our friends at Dolphinstalk.com pointed out, something isn't adding up.
Wilson's contract is set up so that only $2.2 million of his $6 million deal is on the cap this year. That means in 2026, Wilson, who isn't under contract beyond 2025, will count $3.8 million next year, and he won't be on the roster. Jackson ended his post with, "We will see what Grier has up his sleeve."
This could be nothing more than Grier finding a way to push money into 2026 because he expects to have a lot more money to work with. Indeed, if Tyreek Hill is moved, and Terron Armstead comes off the books, Bradley Chubb is gone, the Dolphins will clear a lot of cap space, so pushing a salary into 2026 makes sense, but this still doesn't make sense.
Miami has enough cap room to get their draft class signed, and they have enough to fill some of their holes with cheap free agent options after the draft, when players no longer count against the compensatory formula. Wilson, however, will not be a lost player that will qualify because technically, his contract will still be on the books next year despite a one-year deal this season.
So what is going on? That is the biggest question. Mike Oliva of Dolphinstalk.com decided to offer his opinion on the subject. Could they be getting ready to trade for, say, Trey Hendrickson or George Kittle? Maybe Jaire Alexander, as he laid out?
Oliva makes a good argument, but outside of Hendrickson, I can't see the Dolphins giving up a lot to acquire the player. That being said, it does seem, given the Wilson deal, that Grier is trying to clear some room to make a move that Dolphins fans don't see coming.
It's hard to imagine Grier and the Dolphins going into the draft with a roster full of holes that need to be addressed, especially if they have realistic thoughts of making the playoffs in 2025. Something is definitely not adding up in Miami.