Assessing the Dolphins Offseason ... And Is a Reset On the Way?

The Miami Dolphins have taken a conservative approach to free agency and put themselves in position for major changes next offseason

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is all smiles as he leaves the field after an 11-6 victory over the New York Jets at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Jan. 8, 2023. / JIM RASSOL/THE PALM BEACH POST / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's probably in part because they prefer it that way, but the Miami Dolphins most definitely have been flying under the radar this offseason.

Outside of Tyreek Hill and his normal schtick, the team has generated very little national attention compared to other teams, and it's partly the result of the team's approach in free agency and the lack of headline-grabbing moves.

That approach has been similar to what the Dolphins did last year, except for the flurry of new contracts the team handed out heading into the regular season, whether it was extensions for Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle or restructures for Hill and Jalen Ramsey.

There's another very significant difference, the team is one year older.

And maybe another year removed from the apex of the rebuilding project, which was the 2023 roster, the one that produced an 11-4 record with a shot at the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs heading into the next-to-last week of the regular season before things fell apart.

The slide continued in 2024 and here we are in the 2025 offseason wondering exactly where the Dolphins stand as a team, what the organizational overview might be, and in simpler terms what the game plan is for next season and beyond.

The term "reset" has been used, first in a podcast featuring SI national writers Albert Breer and Conor Orr and again in a story in The Athletic asking NFL execs to (anonymously) evaluate each team's offseason moves.

Whether the Dolphins indeed are in "reset" mode, what is obvious at this point is the approach is much different than the all-out ways that saw the trades for Tyreek Hill, Jalen Ramsey and Bradley Chubb, the free agent signing of Terron Armstead, and the big new contracts given out like it was an episode of Oprah.

“I think the way we’ve attacked it directly relates to the lessons learned, both good and bad, from the two previous years," head coach Mike McDaniel said at the owners meetings in Palm Beach this week. "When I talk about the vision that I have for our team in 2025, that includes players that are on the upward ascension of development, players that I think that we can further develop and that can contribute to a culture of a team-first mentality that wins down the stretch of the season."

THE DOLPHINS' CONSERVATIVE APPROACH

What has stood out in the Dolphins free agent moves, besides the lack of a huge contract being given out, is the large number of one-year deals.

That was the same approach the Dolphins took last year, which gave them roster flexibility this offseason but also left a lot of holes to fill.

Of the 12 free agents the Dolphins have signed from other teams, only guard James Daniels was given a contract for more than one year. And even his deal was structured in such a way — with void years tacked on and a modest $4.8 million cap hit if released next offseason — that the Dolphins could walk away after one year.

Here's another telltale sign that the Dolphins indeed could be in reset mode sooner rather than later: There are only four players, according to overthecap.com, with guaranteed salary in 2026, and those four are Tua Tagovailoa, Jaylen Waddle, 2024 first-round pick Chop Robinson, 2024 second-round pick Patrick Paul.

This means the Dolphins could move on, with minimal or at least not egregious cap pain, from big-name players like Hill, Ramsey, Chubb and maybe others to create a good amount of cap space to make the team younger and not so reliant on 30-something players.

But this doesn't mean the Dolphins are punting on the 2025 season.

They're just going about building a roster much more modestly.

The problem, though, is there are a lot of apparent holes throughout that roster, most notably at guard, defensive tackle, cornerback and safety.

The 2025 draft, with the Dolphins having 10 picks, should provide some reinforcements and maybe the Dolphins will add more players in free agency — though we shouldn't expect big contracts being given out.

"So far, so good," McDaniel said. "We still have a lot of work. Free agency has gotten a little longer, so to speak, in my opinion. I think it gets drawn out; there’s a lot of transactions early and then people are kind of trying to find their best fit. We’re in communication with some players and we have 10 draft picks, and those guys are unique because you have the ability to have a four- to five-year contracted employee that really can influence the character and culture of your team as you progress.

"I’m really excited specifically for what we have done, who the types of players that we’ve added (are) and the scope of how we’re going to address our needs. I would love to tell you exactly what we’re doing. Vaguely, I think that would be a competitive disadvantage. It is so far, so good in lesser words.”

What kind of 2025 season the roster construction produces will be determined in the fall, and the results ultimately very well could be the deciding factor in whether the Dolphins indeed hit the full reset button.

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