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 introduced the choice Friday to mutually half methods with the longtime normal supervisor halfway by his tenth season within the position — roughly 12 hours after the Dolphins’ 28-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens at Onerous Rock Stadium dropped their document to 2-7.
Simply two years in the past, at the exact same stadium, the Dolphins seemed just like the NFL’s subsequent energy after 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 important juncture in what could possibly be one other rebuild in South Florida. Will the workforce grasp on to its core gamers in hopes that the roster is only a few tweaks away from returning to its 2023 kind? Or will interim normal supervisor Champ Kelly, who joined the workforce in March and has no earlier attachment to many of the roster, begin accumulating draft capital and clearing wage cap house?
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 insider Dan Graziano and senior NFL draft analyst Matt Miller weigh in on what lies forward for this Miami workforce:
Why not McDaniel? Might 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 difficulty was their roster development, not their teaching. Greer 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 amass high-end veteran gamers reminiscent of 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 reminiscent of security Jevon Holland, linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel and defensive deal with Christian Wilkins; not solely does the franchise not have a playoff victory to point out for it, however now it seems to be in the identical place as when the rebuild started.
The workforce has not give up on McDaniel, nonetheless, and Ross nonetheless believes within the coach he employed in 2022 and prolonged final 12 months. He values collaboration and communication inside his group, so it isn’t outdoors the realm of chance 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 need to rent their very own coach. — Louis-Jacques
Why half methods with Grier now?
Past the workforce’s document, Ross simply witnessed his Dolphins lose a recreation at residence by three scores through which the visiting workforce’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’ resolution 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 mentioned within the assertion he launched Friday morning, he needed to get the ball rolling to enhance the workforce ASAP. In the end, it was Grier’s duty to place a successful workforce 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 trying to see from McDaniel for the rest of the season, and what’s Tua’s future in Miami?
Sources have advised ESPN that Ross is a affected person proprietor who believes in course of over outcomes — to an extent. If the Dolphins proceed to point out struggle all through the season and Ross sees a constant effort to enhance, McDaniel must be protected.
Tagovailoa’s future with the Dolphins is unsure, even after signing a four-year $212.1 million extension final offseason. His useless 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 high choose within the 2026 NFL draft (No. 6 general, in accordance with FPI).
If Miami is in place to take a high 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 in a position to make fast choices with the ball. However within the trendy NFL, quarterbacks are anticipated to make performs with their arm and legs, and contemplating his damage historical past, Tagovailoa isn’t a cellular risk. — Louis-Jacques
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 undoubtedly alerts one thing, and the very best concept I’ve heard so removed from the short, around-the-league reactions I am getting, is that Dolphins possession desires 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 so forth.) That would imply it is extra probably that a few of the Dolphins gamers who’ve been talked about in commerce deadline chatter — reminiscent of 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 need to use to jump-start their rebuild subsequent offseason.
The Thursday evening recreation in Week 9 offers the Dolphins slightly little bit of a head begin on Tuesday’s deadline, and groups are going to be calling a lot 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 might need needed them to be at the moment. — Graziano
What’s going to the brand new GM must prioritize within the 2026 draft, and who could be the very best slot in Spherical 1?
The primary precedence for the Dolphins, who FPI tasks to have the No. 6 general choose, is determining their quarterback of the longer term. Tagovailoa has not performed as much as the extent of his contract or his draft standing as a 2020 top-five choose. The following normal supervisor should consider the 2026 draft class and decide if gamers reminiscent of Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza or doubtlessly Oregon’s Dante Moore are higher matches for the workforce long run.
After QB, it is a workforce that also has to determine lots. Regardless of spending huge in earlier drafts and free company on the place, the workforce’s entrance 4 on protection need assistance. Native prospect Rueben Bain Jr. from the College of Miami is taking part in like a top-five choose and is a whole prospect at defensive finish. He could be an instantaneous playmaker for a protection that badly wants somebody who opposing offenses should scheme round. — Miller