The Miami Dolphins could have taken one of three paths ahead of the 2024 NFL season.
They could have gone all-in with the core they had in 2023 and then fallen off a steep fiscal cliff the next winter.
They could have gotten their books in order in 2024 with some painful austerity, taken a step back, and then had a ton of money to spend the next year.
Mike McDaniel and Chris Grier went a third way instead, retooling but not completely rebuilding, saying goodbye to some big names (Christian Wilkins and Xavien Howard, among others) but recommitting to others (Tua Tagovailoa, Jaylen Waddle, and Tyreek Hill).
Will splitting the baby work? We’re about to find out.
Can Mike McDaniel Finally Deliver a Miami Dolphins Playoff Victory?
The organizational reset has not reset expectations. Owner Stephen Ross made that clear this summer when he made the following proclamation during a preseason game broadcast:
“Right now, we have a great roster, and I think everybody has great expectations. But, hey, it’s the old injury bug. You’ve got to make sure that that doesn’t happen like last year. I think without that and we stay healthy, I think we’re certainly a contender for the Super Bowl.”
PLAYOFF PREDICTOR: Will Your Favorite NFL Team Make the Playoffs?
A critical first step? Getting out of Wild Card Weekend. The Dolphins last played in the Divisional Round 24 years ago. That’s the NFL’s longest active streak without a playoff victory.
McDaniel has to change that in 2024, or — at the very least — the seat will warm up for him in 2025.
Do the Dolphins have what it takes to make it happen? Read on and decide for yourself.
Dolphins’ Projected Depth Chart
Quarterback (2)
Starter: Tua Tagovailoa
Backup: Mike White
First Out: Skylar Thompson
Running Back (5)
Starters: Raheem Mostert, Alec Ingold
Backups: De’Von Achane, Jaylen Wright, Chris Brooks
First Out: Jeff Wilson Jr.
Wide Receiver (6)
Starters: Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle
Backups: Odell Beckham Jr., Braxton Berrios, River Cracraft, Malik Washington
First Out: Erik Ezukanma
Tight End (3)
Starters: Jonnu Smith
Backups: Durham Smythe, Julian Hill
First Out: Tanner Conner
Offensive Line (9)
Starters: Terron Armstead, Robert Jones, Aaron Brewer, Liam Eichenberg, Austin Jackson
Backups: Kendall Lamm, Patrick Paul, Jack Driscoll, Ryan Hayes
First Out: Andrew Meyer
Defensive Line (6)
Starters: Zach Sieler, Calais Campbell, Benito Jones
Backups: Neville Gallimore, Brandon Pili, Da’Shawn Hand
First Out: Jonathan Harris
EDGE (5)
Starters: Jaelan Phillips, Emmanuel Ogbah
Backups: Chop Robinson, Mohamed Kamara, Quinton Bell
First Out: Wyatt Ray
Linebacker (5)
Starters: Jordyn Brooks, David Long Jr.
Backups: Duke Riley, Anthony Walker Jr., Channing Tindall
First Out: Curtis Bolton
Secondary (9)
Starters: Jalen Ramsey, Kendall Fuller, Jevon Holland, Jordan Poyer
Backups: Kader Kohou, Cam Smith, Siran Neal, Marcus Maye, Elijah Campbell
First Out: Ethan Bonner
Special Teams (3)
Starters: Jason Sanders, Jake Bailey, Blake Ferguson
Backups: N/A
First Out: N/A
Dolphins Roster Changes
Miami’s salary cap purge ended the Dolphins careers for some of the organization’s most popular players, including Wilkins, Howard, Robert Hunt, and Jerome Baker.
But credit Grier and Brandon Shore for finding ways to retool a roster that on paper has at least as much talent as it did in 2024.
Players Added
- WR Odell Beckham Jr.
- OL Aaron Brewer
- LB Jordyn Brooks
- DT Calais Campbell
- OL Jack Driscoll
- CB Kendall Fuller
- DT Neville Gallimore
- DT Jonathan Harris
- DT Benito Jones
- S Marcus Maye
- DB Siran Neal
- S Jordan Poyer
- TE Jonnu Smith
- LB Anthony Walker Jr.
Players Lost
- RB Salvon Ahmed
- DB Eli Apple
- LB Jerome Baker
- DB Justin Bethel
- WR Robbie Chosen
- WR Chase Claypool
- DB Keion Crossen
- DT Raekwon Davis
- S DeShon Elliott
- OL Jonotthan Harrison
- LB Justin Houston
- CB Xavien Howard
- OG Robert Hunt
- LB Melvin Ingram
- LB Bruce Irvin
- S Brandon Jones
- TE Tyler Kroft
- OT Kendall Lamm
- LB Calvin Munson
- LB Andrew Van Ginkel
- C Connor Williams
- DT Christian Wilkins
- WR Cedrick Wilson Jr.
2024 Draft Class
- Round 1, Pick 21: DE Chop Robinson
- Round 2, Pick 55: OT Patrick Paul
- Round 4, Pick 120: RB Jaylen Wright
- Round 5, Pick 158: DL Mohamed Kamara
- Round 6, Pick 184: WR Malik Washington
- Round 6, Pick 198: DB Patrick McMorris
- Round 7, Pick 241: WR Tahj Washington
Dolphins Coaching Staff
Vic Fangio is gone after just one year as defensive coordinator — and so is most of his staff.
Many defensive assistants from 2023 are no longer with the Dolphins: Kenny Baker, Anthony Campanile, Steve Donatell, Wade Harman, Renaldo Hill, Joe Kasper, and Sam Madison.
McDaniel should have a much better working relationship with new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, a vibrant personality and likely future NFL head coach who has known McDaniel for more than a decade.
Here’s the full Dolphins coaching staff:
- Mike McDaniel, Head Coach
- Frank Smith, Offensive Coordinator
- Anthony Weaver, Defensive Coordinator
- Danny Crossman, Special Teams Coordinator
- Butch Barry, Offensive Line
- Darrell Bevell, Quarterbacks/Pass Game Coordinator
- Jon Embree, Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends
- Rob Everett, Offensive Assistant
- Parks Frazier, Offensive Assistant
- Chandler Henley, Senior Offensive Assistant
- Lemuel Jeanpierre, Assistant Offensive Line
- Jonathan Krause, Offensive Assistant
- Max McCaffrey, Offensive Assistant
- Roman Sapolu, Offensive Assistant
- Eric Studesville, Associate Head Coach/Running Backs
- Wes Welker, Wide Receivers/Pass Game Specialist
- Mathieu Araujo, Cornerbacks
- Joe Barry, Linebackers/Run Game Coordinator
- Austin Clark, Defensive Line
- Kynjee’ Cotton, Assistant Defensive Line
- Ryan Crow, Outside Linebackers
- Brian Duker, Pass Game Coordinators/Secondary
- Matt O’Donnell, Defensive Assistant
- Sean Ryan, Defensive Assistant
- DeShawn Shead, Assistant Defensive Backs
- Ryan Slowik, Defensive Backs/Pass Game Specialist
- Ronnie Bradford, Senior Special Teams Assistant
- Dave Puloka, Head Strength and Conditioning
- Adam Lachance, Assistant Strength and Conditioning
Dolphins’ 2024 Season Schedule
The Dolphins have the NFL’s 16th-hardest schedule based on PFN’s SOS metrics, yet it’s the third-easiest of the four AFC East teams.
They better feast on a soft first half of the season because four of their seven games against 2023 playoff teams come in the final six weeks.
Including playoffs, McDaniel has gone 4-10 in December and January in his two seasons as the Dolphins’ coach. He must end that trend in Year 3.
Week 1: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (Sept. 8, 1 p.m. on CBS)
Week 2: vs. Buffalo Bills (Sept. 12, 8:15 p.m. on Prime Video)
Week 3: at Seattle Seahawks (Sept. 22, 4:05 p.m. on CBS)
Week 4: vs. Tennessee Titans (Sept. 30, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN)
Week 5: at New England Patriots (Oct. 6, 1 p.m. on Fox)
Week 6: BYE
Week 7: at Indianapolis Colts (Oct. 20, 1 p.m. on Fox)
Week 8: vs. Arizona Cardinals (Oct. 27, 1 p.m. on Fox)
Week 9: at Buffalo Bills (Nov. 3, 1 p.m. on CBS)
Week 10: at Los Angeles Rams (Nov. 11, 8:15 p.m. on ESPN)
Week 11: vs. Las Vegas Raiders (Nov. 17, 1 p.m. on CBS)
Week 12: vs. New England Patriots (Nov. 24, 1 p.m. on CBS)
Week 13: at Green Bay Packers (Nov. 28, 8:20 p.m. on NBC)
Week 14: vs. New York Jets (Dec. 8, 1 p.m. on CBS)
Week 15: at Houston Texans (Dec. 15, 1 p.m. on CBS)
Week 16: vs. San Francisco 49ers (Dec. 22, 4:25 p.m. on CBS)
Week 17: at Cleveland Browns (Dec. 29, 8:20 p.m. on NBC)
Week 18: at New York Jets (Jan. 5, TBD)
2024 Season Prediction for the Dolphins
The AFC East on paper should be better than it was a year ago. But that’s just an oblique way of saying that the Jets will be a handful if Aaron Rodgers stays healthy.
Assuming he does, it’ll be a three-way battle for the division crown all the way through the new year.
The Patriots are at least a year away from competing, but the Dolphins, Jets, and Bills should all be good, and perhaps really good.
That’s why we predict a modest win total for the Dolphins — but also a home playoff game.
2024 Season Prediction: 10-7 (1st in the NFC East)