Next Season Dolphins Won’t Be Judged By Wins

The Miami Dolphins are entering this offseason with significant uncertainty because they are over the salary cap and will have to make moves to become cap-compliant. However, this off-season also marks a new beginning for the Dolphins, as they have finally decided to conduct a clean sweep of the front office and head coach. They brought in Jon Eric Sullivan as the GM and Jeff Hafley as the new HC. 

 The Dolphins are most likely going to be torn apart and start over again, but I don’t know that for sure; it’s just a guess. 

I say this because Sully comes from the Green Bay Packers after over 20 years in the organization, working his way up the ranks. The Packers are known for drafting and developing players while being selective in free agency. This is exactly how I see the Dolphins being for at least the next couple of years. 

The Dolphins have tried many areas over the years, bringing in big-name free agents and even tanking, but have gotten the same mediocre results. The Dolphins have been stuck in this for over 25 years and in that time have rarely gone outside the organization, so it was time to do something different. 

 It is exciting that the Dolphins will be doing something new, but that comes with a lot of growing pains, and I expect a lot of that in the next few years. I really think this team should gut the roster and keep a select few that can be part of this team moving forward, such as Patrick Paul and De’Von Achane. The Dolphins need new blood and talent. 

Next year I don’t expect the Dolphins to be very in the win-loss column, but the Dolphins shouldn’t be judged by that next year. They should be judged by how the team plays as the season goes on, and whether Hafley, a first-time NFL coach, can coach this team up and be the leader everyone says he is. Also, by how Sully is in his process, especially in the draft, because this is his first time as a GM making the final call on all decisions.

How is he going to build this team? How will it translate on the field? Is this team going to be different from any other regimes, or will they be stuck in mediocrity again?  

That’s how I’m going to judge the Dolphins next year. How do they play week in and week out? How will they be in the face of adversity? Will they be a more physical team against teams like the Buffalo Bills in our division?  

If you are a fan and think that with a coaching change, they will go from worst to first and possibly make the Super Bowl, like the New England Patriots with Mike Vrabel, then you’re in the wrong place, because this team is way away from competing at a high level. This is going to take some time.

Maybe next year, if Hafley coaches this team up, develops them, and establishes himself, we can look at things differently, perhaps. Teams are known for making quick turnarounds in the NFL nowadays, just look at the top seeds in the AFC this year, but the Dolphins are way away, and I’m prepared for a long season in the win-loss column. However, if this coaching staff can show their value and this team plays hard and develops week in and week out, it will be nice and make me as a fan think the team is heading in the right direction.