It’s no lie the 2024 Miami Dolphins were quite disappointing in every which way possible. There were so many opportunities for success, and they squandered all of them. From the Arizona game in which they were in control, to the slightest of losses in Buffalo on a magical Tyler Bass kick, or to another season riddled by Tua Tagovailoa injuries, nothing could go right for the Fins from South Florida. In this article, I’ll introduce the three ways the Dolphins can bounce back in 2025.
3 Things the Miami Dolphins Must Do This Offseason
Get Secondary Help
The Dolphins’ secondary is one that could’ve been top-heavy but stayed quite bottom-heavy during 2024. Kendall Fuller struggled to stay on the field, Jevon Holland regressed, and the lack of another safety next to him (such as past SS DeShon Elliott) really showed as the Dolphins struggled with passing quite a bit, even if the stats don’t completely tell the whole picture.
Luckily for the Dolphins, they’re in luck. With the 13th pick, it should be enough to snag S Malaki Starks from Georgia, or with a very heavy free-agent class, S Talanoa Hufanga or even star CB DJ Reed, should the Dolphins decide to put all their eggs into one basket. Not only that, but other stars they could trade for include LB Pete Werner, who is quite versatile and could play that middle gap between CB and S.
Solidify the O-Line
The Dolphins, though having an improved O-Line in comparison to prior years, still have a lot of struggles in protecting the QB. In terms of players, OL Terron Armstead is aging and is in the final part of his career, while Kendall Lamm has called it a career. Not only that, but Isaiah Wynn struggled with a quadriceps injury and Austin Jackson reverted from a career year in 2023 to being back on IR in 2024. The Dolphins could draft OT Kelvin Banks from UT or OT Will Campbell from LSU, or even Trey Smith and Will Fries (both G) could put the pieces together between star C Aaron Brewer, Wynn, and Jackson.
Take Away Playcalling from McDaniel
This is probably the most fan-requested take I’ve seen that seems to be the least controversial. Mike McDaniel is known as a whizz, as he graduated from Yale and seems to eat, sleep, and breathe football. He’s been calling the plays since he got to Miami, and that has led to a lot of chaos and confusion.
This means we need a true OC, whether it be the current Frank Smith, or someone else, to call the plays. Too many times, the Dolphins abandoned the run for the pass, and it was embarrassing to see constant passes on obvious short-yardage situations. It speaks to that McDaniel needs to remain as an HC and let an OC do what an OC has done before.
In conclusion, the Dolphins aren’t doomed just yet. While things have been going quite rough for the teal and orange, there’s always time to rebound. With the capital and resources they have in the draft, they’ll have to be perfect in every step, or they can kiss their window goodbye.
Main Image: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
