Beyond re-signing their own key free agents, there will likely be very little room for additional splash signings. So Miami will also need to be diligent in their draft preparation. Teams that are in win-now mode – which the Dolphins are – do not have time to select projects and wait for them to develop.
As things currently stand, the Dolphins are in control of their first-round pick for the first time since 2021. Should they hold onto the pick, they would be wise to select a plug-n-play type player that can step in and immediately add value. Last year’s second-round pick CB Cam Smith barely saw the field this season, even when there were injuries at the position.
Miami’s clear championship window (based on how the contracts are constructed) expires after next season. The team could find ways to continue being competitive beyond 2024, but next season may very well be their best shot.
Another unfortunate piece that cannot be forgotten is how unlucky the Dolphins were with injuries in 2023. They lost by far the most WAR (wins above replacement, which is a good metric to weigh a player’s value) due to injuries on defense in the league, and were top 5 in WAR lost on the offensive side of the ball (excluding the quarterback position).
Miami almost literally limped through the season, missing superstar CB Jalen Ramsey for the first seven games, starting 11 different offensive line combinations, having a turnstile at the running back position, and losing their three top edge rushers by the final game.
While every team experiences injuries, and it does not excuse how poorly the team performed toward the end of the season, the injuries were to particularly significant players on the roster and it is no easy task to lose such valuable pieces mid-season and patch the holes on the fly. With the team (hopefully) back at full strength by the beginning of next season, and with a bit of luck on the injury front, the Dolphins should be prepared to make a stronger run than the one that fizzled out this season.
After Detroit’s win last Sunday night against the Rams, the Dolphins now hold the longest active playoff win drought in the league; a stretch that will be old enough to rent a car this time next year when it turns 25 years old. The Dolphins organization as a whole will need to come to swift and definitive solutions to the previously mentioned problems if they want to put an end to that playoff-success drought anytime soon.
The team will have to perform some cap gymnastics this offseason if they plan to improve – or at least not backslide – but it is doable. They have their coach of the future; they have their quarterback for at least the next season; and they have absolute studs at several key positions. The Dolphins will simply need to be prudent in their re-signings, draft prep, and ensuring they are better prepared for the pitfalls that have befallen them the past two seasons.
Comments