Part 2 of the pre-Falcons game Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag:
From David Campbell:
Greetings Alain! Mike McDaniel must have an angel on his shoulder to not get fired to have survived two debacles this season. Tua as well. His renowned quick release & accuracy has been to opposing defenses! I’m waiting for him to say “I’m seeing ghosts!” Can his problems get fixed? Mechanics or just mental? This team, to include HC & QB relationship, may not be broken but I see some big cracks in the foundation. Your thoughts? Outstanding stuff on All Dolphins & Dolphins Collective podcasts. Also some insightful written work.
Thanks as always, Dave. Wow, the “seeing ghosts” reference. Yes, there are issues that Tua is having that can be fixed, like footwork and more decisiveness in his throws maybe. And, yes, there definitely are major cracks in the foundation all over the place.
From Jeff:
Hello Alain, at the risk of saying it out loud, I think I found one of the many negatives of this season and it’s left us a bit cursed. It was definitely a negative karma moment. We didn’t draft Surtain II, Mason Taylor, and we absolutely could have grabbed him but opted to pass on Gadsden II. I think that moment of passing on Gadsden’s son will linger a bit for this franchise and he is a great player with a bright future. I’ll categorize it as one of the “bad vibes” you’ve mentioned previously surrounding this team. Can we ask Ross for a sage candle giveaway? Appreciate everything, as always.
Hey Jeff, the Dolphins messed up by not drafting Oronde Gasden II not because his father played for Miami but rather because he was a great prospect as a receiving tight end and the Dolphins had a need. The Dolphins probably would have been better off taking Patrick Surtain II in the 2021 draft than Jaylen Waddle, but again it’s because he’s a better player. That’s all that should matter. The nostalgia thing doesn’t really matter. And the Dolphins simply have had too many misses.
From Thomas Hudson:
Watching the Monday press conference, is it just me or does McDaniel seem to largely be saying he expects the players to motivate themselves? Does he really not get that he has a role in making sure the players are motivated?
Hey Thomas, I’m of the opinion that if players at the NFL level need to be motivated, then you don’t belong in the NFL.
From Jorge boyd:
Hi Alain, the Atlanta Falcons’ passing defense is very good, do you think this time the Dolphins stick with the run game, at least a balanced attack?
Hey Jorge, there’s zero question, especially with Darren Waller now joining Tyreek Hill on IR, that the Dolphins would love to have a balanced attack, but the Falcons also know that and might pay extra attention to the running game. How long the Dolphins can stick with the running game will depend mostly on the score, which is why the Dolphins can’t afford to fall behind by too much too quickly.
Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane (28) runs with the ball against the Cleveland Browns during the second quarter at Huntington Bank Field. / Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
From Harry:
If another embarrassing loss, when will firings occur???? Who does Ross consider his right-hand man or person he trusts opinion wise?
Hey Harry, first off, I think Vice Chairman/President/CEO Tom Garfinkel is the person Ross trusts the most. And I don’t see even another embarrassing loss leading to anything happening next week because the team’s next game is next Thursday night. The earliest something might happen would be after the Baltimore game and then after the game in Spain is another logical point for a move. But there’s also no guarantee that an in-season coaching change is coming.
From Thee Dolphins Dum Dum:
I would like to talk to you about 4 players who I would consider moving before the trade deadline. Those players are Fitzpatrick, Sieler, Brooks and Brewer. I don’t believe they are in the long-term plans for Miami. What do you think about moving these players individually and taking in to consideration their cap ramifications, do they have value and what might their value be?
Hey Dana, immediately I’d say trading Sieler makes no sense because the Dolphins just signed him to an extension and would take a nasty cap hit because of the signing bonus proration. I could see the other being moved, though Brewer is a good player if the Dolphins keep the same offensive scheme. With Brooks, I certainly could see him being traded after the Dolphins restructured his contract. I think Minkah Fitzpatrick would have the most value of the group, but I’m not sure you’d get more than like a third-round pick for him. I’d think maybe a fourth for Brooks.
From Colin Crabb:
Hi Alain, Grant seemed to play better last week. Do you think he has turned the corner? Do you think there will be a point where McDaniel starts either QB not named Tua? Thanks for all your hard work and podcasts.
Thanks Colin. I’m not ready to say that Grant has turned the corner, but I absolutely would say there were encouraging signs the past couple of games. Hopefully he continues trending in that direction. As for the QB spot, I’d be very, very surprised if McDaniel ever turned to somebody other than Tua. That move, to me, would indicate that the focus has shifted to looking ahead instead of 2025 and I can’t imagine McDaniel doing that at any point if he’s fighting to try to save his job.
From Rob Hibbard:
Why doesn’t Willie Gay Jr. get more PT?
Hey Rob, couple of things here: First, I think the legend of Willie Gay Jr. in training camp was a tad overblown. Second, the Dolphins just don’t rotate their linebackers and Jordyn Brooks clearly is ahead than Gay at the moment at the middle linebacker spot. And LB coach Joe Barry indicated the Dolphins train their players at a specific LB spot, which means don’t hold your breath on Gay playing a lot of defense unless something happens with Brooks.
From John Flora:
What are the chances Miami picks in the Top 5 and the NFL strips it from them for the Brian Flores lawsuit…
Hey John, Flores’ lawsuit has to do with discrimination and includes the NFL, so the league would absolutely not strip Miami or any other team regardless of its outcome.
From Jonathan Botwin:
The Dolphins used to be a team with family connections. It was special watching the years with Thomas and Taylor. How do Dolphins fans feel about GM passing on the sons of our previous legends? Gadsden, Surtain, Taylor, and watching their careers blossom in front of our eyes..
Hey Jonathan, I can’t speak for Dolphins fans, but I think they care a lot more about winning games than drafting the sons of former players. And Thomas and Taylor had a family connection through marriage, so I’m not sure that equates. Look, not using one of their three fifth-round picks on Oronde Gadsden II looks like a major gaffe right now, but mostly because Gadsden just looks great as a rookie, not so much because his dad played for the Dolphins.
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