The season is nearly over, this is the next to the last week of the NFL season, especially for us Miami Dolphins fans, because we won’t be participating in the playoffs this season. Yes, it was another disappointing season for us Dolphins fans. So any things remain up in the air for this franchise, but one decision was made, and whether it was permanent or temporary, I was thrilled that QB Tua Tagovailoa was benched last week. I had absolutely seen enough from Tua over his career to know with certainty that he’s not it. He can be a complementary player and if the team is built such that everything can function whether the QB plays at his best or not, and the offense doesn’t rely on the QB carrying the team, he can win in such a situation. It’s actually what I want to build here. I want a team that the roster is constructed properly and won’t rely too much on any one player. Every roster needs great players, but a great team needs a lot more solid players too, ones that can get the job done with or without a great player too.

This weekend’s game against the Bucs means nothing for us except if we win we draft a little further back and if we lose, we may move a spot or 2. I firmly believe that this team’s wins or losses should have zero effect as to whether HC Mike McDaniel stays or goes. I don’t see any reason to for him to return, and therefore interim GM Champ Kelly should also go. The plan should be to hire a GM and allow that GM to build his team as he pleases. The GM will hire a HC who will then fill out the staff of assistant coaches and then together, these 2 will talk and form a plan of how they want to build the roster, with the GM always having final say on those things. The HC will obviously have input, but in order for there to be proper accountability, you have to have one guy having final say.

Sunday will be Quinn Ewers second week of practices with the ones, and also his second start, but the visiting Buccaneers are still fighting for a playoff spot, so this won’t be an easy test for Quinn. While the Bucs defense has hardly been swashbuckling opponents, you can expect them to be a little more dialed in in their quest to remain in the NFC playoff race. 6 Playoff spots have been clinched, so 2 remain, and there are 4 teams fighting for those 2 spots, the Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs play us and the season finale is against the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Florida. In order for that game to mean anything though, the Bucs must first beat our Miami Dolphins.

I have no idea what the plan is for our Dolphins, but honestly, how could having Quinn Ewers playing against a playoff contending team like the Bucs with QB Baker Mayfield at the helm have any effect on whether Head Coach mike Mike McDaniel returns next season? That decision has to have been made by now, am I wrong? You all know I wanted Quinn Ewers to get some starts and I’m thankful he is getting 3, but I would have liked to have seen him get more. It’s not that I believe he can be a franchise QB, he might, but you have to know at the very least if he’s a capable backup QB. I don’t know who was responsible for that oversight in 2024, but ultimately, the GM should be responsible, and he was the first to go. I think we should draft a QB in 2025, but I don’t believe we have to trade up to get the best QB at #1, Fernando Mendoza, but I do think he would be an absolute great fit for the city of Miami.

I hope that this week Mike McDaniel doesn’t lean too hard on #28 RB De’Von Achane, there’s no need to burn him out and get him injured. He will be a valuable asset to the team whether he’s playing for us, or if he’s traded to move up in the draft. Let Jaylen Wright get a bunch of carries and let Ollie Gordon get some too, the “W” isn’t as important as evaluating other players. If we do decide to trade Achane, it would be nice to know if Wright can be a #1 or at least #1A. Randy was talking about every player on the roster as an asset and I agree at this time. This team is going to get rebuilt (hopefully!), and I couldn’t agree more with Randy that you have to think of these players not only now, but 3 years down the line too. Jordyn Brooks’ value may never be higher, but he’s young enough at 28 to still be a valuable part of this defense for at least 3 years, so there’s no need to move on from him. If we do indeed hire a new GM (Hallelujah!), he will have to go over every player, every unit, and plan ahead for not only the 2026 season but years beyond. Obviously, 2026 will be a struggle with the cap, so free agency will have to be guys to fill out the roster and no large expenditures because the money simply won’t be available.

Has QB Tua Tagovailoa actually played his last game here? We’ve seen other organizations absorb the cap hit and then go on a season later and become contenders like the Denver Broncos. We’ve also seen teams do it like the LV Raiders and then wallow in misery. Let’s be honest, we need to not only find the right Executive to be our new GM but most importantly, that GM needs to identify a Head Coach who is capable of winning in the NFL, not with gimmicks, but being able to use his personnel in a fashion that is sustainable against any and every opponent, andy weather situation, and any big game, and also a Head Coach that is capable of making adjustments when the opponent takes away some of the things that gave you success. That’s how the Broncos turned it around so quickly. The GM drafted very well, and as even Stephen Ross understood, Sean Payton is a darn good Head Coach. I have these pipe dreams that we can do all of these things, but I also understand as a lifelong Miami Dolphins Fan that we might actually do none of these things, and we could very well have interim GM Champ Kelly do the drafting for Head Coach Mike McDaniel and Tua could be our starting QB next season. As I’ve pointed out before, that would just be the laziest, most inexcusable path to take and if you think the fanbase is angry now, go ahead and pull that shit and see a whole lot more opposing team’s jersey in the stands next season! Let’s hope we do it right . . .

GO DOLPHINS!!