The Future May be Bright for the Dolphins, If You Accept that 2025 is a Reset Year

The Future May be Bright for the Dolphins, If You Accept that 2025 is a Reset Year

The Miami Dolphins won’t admit it.

Mike McDaniel won’t admit it.

Chris Grier won’t admit it.

But if you have to be blind as a bat not to understand the 2025 season for the Dolphins is a Reset year.

Dare I say a rebuild year?

Since the end of last season, Miami has released, traded, or not re-signed many veterans, including Jalen Ramsey, Jevon Holland, Calais Campbell, Da’Shawn Hand, Raheem Mostert, Jordan Poyer, Kendall Fuller, and Jonnu Smith.

Oh, and Terron Armstead retired as well.

And who did Miami replace these guys with?

Youth…Youth…Youth.

Patrick Paul, Jonah Savaiinaea, Ollie Gordon, Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips, Jason Marshall Jr,  giving Storm Duck and Cam Smith larger roles at cornerback, and expanding Jaylen Wright‘s role at running back.

In the short term, does this help Miami win THIS year in 2025? NO!

If even half of those names develop into quality contributors, Miami is in great shape in 2026 and beyond.

But this roster wasn’t built to have big success in 2025.

Could it, sure of course. Anything is possible.

We all lived through the 2008 season and the shock of winning the AFC East.

But it’s unlikely.

And it was designed that way.

Chris Grier and the powers that be chose not to spend big money this offseason.

They could have, but they chose not to.

They could have restructured Zach Sieler‘s contract in March to have that extra money to buy GOOD players at the start of free agency. But they didn’t.

They could have restructured Tua’s contract to open up close to $20 million to improve the team and to “try and win big” this season, but they chose not to.

They could have restructured Jordyn Brooks‘ contract to open up money to sign players in March at the start of free agency, but they chose not to.

They didn’t have to trade away a draft pick in this 2025 draft (which would have helped them THIS YEAR) for a pick in 2026.

They didn’t have to trade Jonnu Smith. Yes, he wanted a raise, but it wasn’t like he was asking for big bucks. In fact, what he got from Pittsburgh was a modest pay raise at best.

The Dolphins restructured Bradley Chubb‘s contract to make it easy for them to trade him at the deadline in late October for future picks.

Releasing Mike Hilton to have the 5th round pick, rookie Jason Marshall Jr starts as the slot CB

Every move, Every Decision that the Dolphins made this offseason until yesterday, Tuesday, August 26th, was about the future.

Not about this season, and trying to win this season.

Oh sure, they WANT to win in 2025.

They are HOPING for the best.

But this is a reset year.

Or a rebuild year.

Use whatever term you want.

And if you accept that reality because all of the FACTS say that, then take the 2025 Miami Dolphins season for what it is.

And when you then accept that reality, and you look at this roster, you then can see the future may be bright if things break right.

If by the end of this 2025 season, most, if not all, of the things below are True, the Dolphins have a bright outlook.

• Chop Robinson is one of the elite pass rushers in the NFL
• Jaylen Waddle takes a leap and can be a true #1 WR in 2026 and beyond
• Kenneth Grant is Christian Wilkins 2.0
• Patrick Paul and Jonah Savaiinaea are the modern-day versions of Richmond Webb and Keith Sims and will be the left side of Miami’s offensive line for years to come.
• Jason Marshall Jr is a starting NFL CB you can depend on
• Ollie Gordon is an RB1 in this league

Then I don’t care how many games they win this season in this “reset” season, as the Dolphins have a very bright future.

But it may mean sitting through a miserable 2025 season and 17 games which start in about a week or so.