MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — For the primary time in 1 / 4 century, Chris Grier is now not a member of the Miami Dolphins.
Group proprietor Stephen Ross announced the decision Friday to mutually part ways with the longtime normal supervisor halfway by his tenth season within the function — roughly 12 hours after the Dolphins’ 28-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens at Exhausting Rock Stadium dropped their report to 2-7.
Simply two years in the past, at the exact same stadium, the Dolphins seemed just like the NFL’s subsequent energy once they hung 70 factors on the Denver Broncos. However a collection of accidents, asset mismanagement and embarrassing on-field outcomes adopted.
4 days out from the NFL commerce deadline, Miami is at a essential juncture in what may very well be one other rebuild in South Florida. Will the group hold on to its core gamers in hopes that the roster is just some tweaks away from returning to its 2023 type? Or will interim normal supervisor Champ Kelly, who joined the group in March and has no earlier attachment to many of the roster, begin accumulating draft capital and clearing wage cap area?
Additionally, what does this imply for coach Mike McDaniel, who has answered questions on his job safety for the higher a part of the previous month-and-a-half? And is the top close to for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa?
ESPN NFL Nation Dolphins reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques, senior NFL insiders Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler, and senior NFL draft analyst Matt Miller weigh in on what lies forward for this Miami group:
Why not McDaniel? May he be gone on the finish of the season?
For a pair causes, the primary of which being Ross’s realization that the Dolphins’ most prevalent situation was their roster development, not their teaching. Grier oversaw two huge tasks beginning in 2019, which noticed the Dolphins strip their roster down and stockpile draft picks. He in the end used a few of these picks to accumulate high-end veteran gamers akin to wideout Tyreek Hill, defensive again Jalen Ramsey and defensive finish Bradley Chubb. Miami additionally handed out a number of huge contracts over the previous three years at the price of dropping some homegrown expertise akin to security Jevon Holland, linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel and defensive deal with Christian Wilkins; not solely does the franchise not have a playoff victory to indicate for it, however now it seems to be in the identical place as when the rebuild started.
The group has not give up on McDaniel, nonetheless, and Ross nonetheless believes within the coach he employed in 2022 and prolonged final yr. He values collaboration and communication inside his group, so it isn’t outdoors the realm of risk for any new normal supervisor to be requested to work with McDaniel — however in the end whoever is employed cannot be blamed in the event that they wish to rent their very own coach. — Louis-Jacques
Why half methods with Grier now?
Past the group’s report, Ross simply witnessed his Dolphins lose a recreation at dwelling by three scores during which the visiting group’s followers had been such a big presence that Tagovailoa blamed them for a false begin penalty early within the first quarter. Add that to Miami’s blowout loss to the Browns two weeks in the past and one thing needed to change.
The timing of Ross’ choice cannot be ignored although, with 4 days till the NFL’s commerce deadline on Nov. 4. Grier was unwilling to commerce a few of Miami’s extra enticing commerce targets, however as Ross stated within the assertion he launched Friday morning, he needed to get the ball rolling to enhance the group ASAP. In the end, it was Grier’s duty to place a successful group collectively. And after what he described as a monetary reset this previous offseason, there merely is not sufficient expertise and depth on this roster to compete. Grier leaves because the longest-tenured GM to not have a playoff win.
With the commerce deadline looming, typical knowledge suggests the Dolphins are able to punt on this season and get began on one more rebuild. — Louis-Jacques
What are the Dolphins seeking to see from McDaniel for the rest of the season, and what’s Tua’s future in Miami?
Sources have instructed ESPN that Ross is a affected person proprietor who believes in course of over outcomes — to an extent. If the Dolphins proceed to indicate struggle all through the season and Ross sees a constant effort to enhance, McDaniel ought to be protected.
Tagovailoa’s future with the Dolphins is unsure, even after signing a four-year $212.1 million extension final offseason. His lifeless cap hit basically makes him untradable till 2027. His play has fallen behind the higher tier of AFC quarterbacks, and maybe most damning of all, the Dolphins are trending towards a prime decide within the 2026 NFL draft (No. 6 general, in keeping with FPI).
If Miami is in place to take a prime quarterback within the draft, a brand new normal supervisor once more cannot be faulted for doing precisely that.
There are issues Tagovailoa does at a excessive stage; he is an correct passer and there are few quarterbacks higher than him when he is capable of make fast choices with the ball. However within the fashionable NFL, quarterbacks are anticipated to make performs with their arm and legs, and contemplating his harm historical past, Tagovailoa isn’t a cell risk. — Louis-Jacques
What can we learn about Kelly? Is there an apparent substitute for Grier proper now, and the way enticing is the job to potential GMs?
Kelly has labored in NFL entrance workplaces for almost twenty years, beginning as a university scout with Denver in 2007. He hasn’t been in Miami lengthy — Grier employed him this offseason after Kelly and the Raiders parted methods. Kelly was Las Vegas’ interim normal supervisor in 2023, so he brings expertise to a singular state of affairs.
An apparent substitute for Grier solely turns into obvious when the Dolphins resolve on the way forward for McDaniel, who will end out the 2025 season. If the Dolphins resolve to retain McDaniel — which should not be completely off the desk given his shut ties to Tagovailoa, who’s owed $54 million in ensures in 2026 — then Miami can take a broad have a look at the soccer operation however should rent with McDaniel and Tagovailoa in thoughts. However that is an enormous if. In reality, individuals I’ve talked to across the league — together with some in Miami — had been at the least mildly stunned McDaniel wasn’t the one to go Friday. However both method, Miami could be good to establish a system that fosters long-term stability, and loads of blueprints across the league match, from Kansas Metropolis to Philadelphia and several other in between.
The job is mildly enticing. The South Florida location is a plus, each due to the life-style and the benefit with which a GM can recruit free brokers. Miami is an NFL hotbed. The roster has intriguing components, however most of these gamers are on offense. The protection appears in want of a full-scale rebuild. It is a group that went all-in financially and has zero playoff wins to indicate for it, prompting a roster reset in 2025 that merely hasn’t labored. — Fowler
What does this imply for the upcoming commerce deadline?
That’s the query proper now. Firing your GM 4 days earlier than the commerce deadline positively indicators one thing, and the most effective idea I’ve heard so removed from the fast, around-the-league reactions I am getting, is that Dolphins possession needs to deal away gamers and can provide the interim GM a mandate to try this (since he is not the one who drafted or traded for them, and many others.) That might imply it is extra probably that a few of the Dolphins gamers who’ve been talked about in commerce deadline chatter — akin to Chubb, fellow edge rushers Jaelan Phillips and Matt Judon, operating again Jaylen Wright, and linebacker Jordyn Brooks — get moved for the picks the Dolphins will wish to use to jump-start their rebuild subsequent offseason.
The Thursday night time recreation in Week 9 offers the Dolphins a little bit little bit of a head begin on Tuesday’s deadline, and groups are going to be calling lots within the subsequent couple of days to gauge whether or not this transfer means the Dolphins usually tend to be open for enterprise than Grier may need needed them to be right now. — Graziano
What’s going to the brand new GM must prioritize within the 2026 draft, and who could be the most effective slot in Spherical 1?
The primary precedence for the Dolphins, who FPI tasks to have the No. 6 general decide, is determining their quarterback of the long run. Tagovailoa has not performed as much as the extent of his contract or his draft standing as a 2020 top-five decide. The subsequent normal supervisor must consider the 2026 draft class and decide if gamers akin to Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza or probably Oregon’s Dante Moore are higher suits for the group long run.
After QB, it is a group that also has to determine loads. Regardless of spending huge in earlier drafts and free company on the place, the group’s entrance 4 on protection need assistance. Native prospect Rueben Bain Jr. from the College of Miami is enjoying like a top-five decide and is a whole prospect at defensive finish. He could be an on the spot playmaker for a protection that badly wants somebody who opposing offenses should scheme round. — Miller
