Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel have done a lot this offseason to transform a team that barely missed the playoffs last season into one that they believe can be a contender.
With all of these changes, Miami has brought on an All-Pro wideout, a Pro Bowl left tackle, a starting interior offensive lineman, three veteran running backs and more.
Not only is the team believing, but members of the media are also starting to buy in as well. On a recent episode of Fox Sports’ “Speak for Yourself” Emmanuel Acho and Marcellus Wiley were ranking NFL teams with the brightest futures, and the Dolphins landed inside the top five for both former players.
“I think the Miami Dolphins’ future is incredibly bright, and I love it,” said Acho, who ranked Miami fifth. “It’s not just about Tua [Tagovailoa] for me though, y’all. It’s about Mike McDaniel. The more I talked to players who played for the Niners, they say that Mike McDaniel was really the brains behind the operation. Think about Deebo Samuel when Mike McDaniel became the offensive coordinator. Deebo Samuel became a first-team All-Pro. All of a sudden he’s leading the National Football League in total yardage…I have the Dolphins at five because they are a young team. I trust Tua. I trust Mike McDaniel.”
Wiley was a bit higher on them, as he ranked Miami fourth behind the Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.
“Tua, let me remind people who Tua is,” Wiley said. “No. 1 quarterback recruit that goes to Alabama when Alabama was offensive-minded. Then, he becomes the national passing efficiency quarterback of the year – greatest quarterback rating of any quarterback in college football history. Then goes to Miami and has a bunch of issues surrounding him. Now, the path is forward and clear. Tua and the Dolphins, they’re gonna ball.”
Tagovailoa is really the key to everything for this team. If he’s more comfortable and takes a step with all of the talented players and veteran coaches around him, they’ll have a bright present and future. If not, the Dolphins could find themselves looking for a quarterback next offseason, and that could greatly impact the outlook of the team for better or worse.
