Lingering Dolphins Offseason Questions

We’ve entered a dead zone of the offseason; the initial rush of free agent signings is over, the combine is too, and the draft remains three weeks away. With nothing happening regarding signings or trades, I figured it would be a good time to take a look at some of the lingering questions surrounding the team. I’ll also give my thoughts on the likely outcomes of said questions so that we can all come back and look at this blog in a couple of weeks and have a laugh at how off-base I ended up being. 

Is Mike McDaniel on the Hot Seat? 

A late addition to this blog that I feel the need to address only because he was asked about it during the league meetings. Also, to be fair, I have implied that I believe both McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier are on, if not hot seats, warm ones heading into 2025. When asked if he felt he was on the hot seat himself, the fourth-year head coach said that he wishes that if he was on the hot seat, it would be a similar kind of hot seat that Nick Sirianni was on. “I want to be on that hot seat he was on last year,” he said before continuing on with “You’re not entitled to this position and ultimately if it’s deemed that, the organization would be best served with someone else, like I’m more on board with that than people realize,” 

I believe this is a fair assessment and a more honest response than we usually get to these types of questions. McDaniel has a record of 28-23 in his three seasons, making the playoffs twice. If not for injuries to starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa last season, he would likely have gone 3 for 3 in making the postseason.

However, he still hasn’t won a playoff game, and as the Dolphins have the longest playoff win drought in the league, until that happens, there will be questions surrounding his effectiveness. 

So, I do believe that if the Dolphins fail to win a playoff game or even make the playoffs, his time in Miami is likely done. It may not be fair given the circumstances outside of his control, i.e., injuries, but that is the way the NFL is, harsh and brutal as Dolphins fans know well. 

Will the Dolphins trade Tyreek Hill? 

This has been the question on everyone’s mind since Hill removed himself from the final game of the season against the New York Jets. Hill has been nothing short of a revelation at the wide receiver position, putting up 319 receptions, 4,468 yards, and 26 touchdowns in his 3 seasons in aqua and orange. Unfortunately he has also failed to show up in big moments against premier competition. He’s also most effective when playing alongside Tua, but when he’s been injured, Hill hasn’t looked like the type of player worthy of $30 million a year. 

Factor in the bad attitude on display at the end of last season and his apparent need to troll fans on Twitter by alluding to potential trades, and patience with the superstar has run thin. Ultimately, I believe that the price the Dolphins paid for the receiver, coupled with his pricey contract, makes it unlikely for Miami to find a trade partner. So, he will be on the roster when the season starts, but if the season begins slowly or Hill continues to cause issues, he could be gone by the trade deadline of next season. 

Will Terron Armstead and/or Calais Campbell return to the team? 

Both Armstead and Campbell have been huge contributors not only on the field but in creating a positive culture for the Dolphins. Unfortunately, it seems that the team may lose one or both of these players during this off-season. Armstead restructured his contract to allow the Dolphins more flexibility as he makes his decision.

McDaniel said that a decision should be coming soon during the league meetings. “We have had an unbelievable amount of conversations about his body and how he feels. I think, tied into that, where he’s at relative to other years and how we can realistically forecast that, I think that’s going to really shape the answer to that question.” Ultimately, I believe that Armstead will return for one last ride with the team. 

Calais Campbell, on the other hand, I’m not as confident about. Not many players play until they’re 38, and even fewer do when you narrow it down to defensive linemen. Campbell proved that he still had something left in the tank last season, registering 52 combined tackles and five sacks.

However, Father Time is undefeated, as they say, and while the Dolphins have offered him a contract, I don’t think that if he returns, it will be with Miami. Campbell wants to win a Super Bowl before it is all over, and that looks unlikely to happen in Miami. Perhaps they can win a playoff game but with the moves they have made this offseason a title feels like a pipe dream. 

For his part, McDaniel joked about Campbell being in his 45th season when asked about him returning before continuing with. “He’s assessing those options, and he was a very important player to the team last year. I see him having the opportunity to be a very important player on the team this year.” As much as I hope that he will be an important player for the Dolphins in 2025, it just feels like the end of his short time with the team, though in that short time, he really won over the fanbase and became a favorite, which could positively influence his decision. 

So, what are your thoughts on these questions? Do you agree with my assumptions? Let me know in the comments, and we can have a conversation. 

Otherwise, for more sports opinions, you can follow me on Youtube @WickedGoodSports and X @TheFakeBMarr