As the 0-5 Dolphins enter their bye week, the people who run this team deserve a mental health break. But they also have decisions to make.
Sunday’s 31-24 loss to Cincinnati – the latest miserable day during this depressing season – crystallized several issues that general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley must navigate in the days and weeks ahead.
Here are eight of them and what we would do:
▪ What to do at quarterback: The investment in Malik Willis was too sizable ($45 million guaranteed) to send him to the bench forever.
But if he cannot build on his strong fourth quarter Sunday, a move to Kyle McCord needs to be considered. In our view, it should have been considered at halftime Sunday.
Let’s be real here: Willis hasn’t had a single above average game in his five starts, and Sunday was his worst yet, including a first half in which he completed 5 of 12 passes with two interceptions, again missed open receivers, again made bad decisions and posted an 18.1 passer rating.
He was nearly as bad in the third quarter, throwing two more passes that could have been intercepted, taking another unnecessary sack and failing to see an open Malik Washington in the end zone for the second game in the row. In both halves, he was often late with his reads and processing.
Give Willis credit for showing signs of life late. He made his best throw of the day on a three-yard TD to Kevin Coleman Jr., giving him two TD passes this season, worst among NFL starters. He promptly fumbled on Miami’s next possession but then led a late touchdown drive, albeit against an exhaling defense.
Padding his numbers late, Willis closed 15 for 27 for 137 yards, one touchdown pass, two interceptions and a 51 passer rating. He also had eight carries for 74 yards, including a 39-yard run and a touchdown.
Through the 1 p.m. games Sunday, he ranked last in the league among five-game starters in passer rating (68.4), completion percentage and TD passes. He has the highest inaccuracy rate in the league.
We’ve seen some bad quarterbacking around these parts for a quarter century. But at his worst, Willis has been a mess – error-prone, inaccurate, unable at times to spot open receivers.
He should get credit for his mobility/running ability, his leadership, his athleticism and the fact that he’s playing with a substandard supporting cast. In fairness to Willis, his receivers at times sometimes aren’t getting open, though Coleman said last week that he’s consistently getting separation from defensive backs.
But none of this should be enough to promise him an entire season. He hasn’t done nearly enough to earn any job entitlement.
“He’s got to improve his game if this team is going to get a victory,” Fox’s Mark Schlereth said.
The view here: Because he showed life in the fourth quarter — and because five games is too soon to give up on a quarterback in his pay grade – the Dolphins should start him coming out of the bye Oct. 25 at the Jets.
But if he struggles again in Miami’s next game, a temporary move to McCord should be considered, with the understanding that the team would go back to Willis if McCord doesn’t play well.
▪ What to do with the offensive staff overall: Seven touchdowns in five games is unacceptable, even on a team that lost its Pro Bowl running back early in Game 3.
In-season coaching changes are unusual, and we’re not advocating any October parting with Bobby Slowik. But the onus is on Hafley to demand solutions from Slowik, and the onus is on Slowik to provide them – whether it’s creating easier completions for Willis, or trying more gimmick plays (the end-around to Chris Bell was his best call of the day) or making more personnel changes. (More on that in a moment.)
Quarterback coach Bush Hamdan bears some responsibility for the top quarterbacks under his watch regressing – first Quinn Ewers (who was jettisoned to Jacksonville) and now Willis.
More of the responsibility is on the players, but Hamdan might be squandering his chance to keep his first NFL job since 2017, when he was the Falcons’ quarterback coach.
I’m not comfortable advocating firings of coaches five weeks in (and it’s too soon for that), but Hafley needs to give thought to bringing in an outside voice or consultant on offense.
▪ What to do with the abysmal special teams: The season-long debacle continued with Dohnte Meyer’s 81-yard opening kickoff return, the third long return against the Dolphins in five quarters. Penalties also remain an issue; Riley Patterson was called for one after his kickoff didn’t reach the landing zone.
At the very least, more must be demanded of coordinator Chris Tabor.
Tabor said replacing players isn’t necessarily the answer, but we disagree. Sullivan needs to pluck better coverage players off other teams’ practice squads.
▪ What to do with Kadyn Proctor: I found it interesting that Hafley declined to answer last week when I asked if he and Sullivan have discussed whether they might play Proctor at all at tackle this season or whether they definitely want to keep him at left guard for all 17 games, barring injuries.
Unless the Dolphins believe rookie guard DJ Campbell would be overwhelmed, thought must be given at some point — perhaps November — to moving Proctor to right tackle (to see what they have) and audition guards, perhaps Campbell or Caedan Wallace or Jarrett Kingston (who filled in for right guard Jonah Savaiinaea in the second half Sunday) or somebody who isn’t on the team.
The priority the remainder of the year must be personnel evaluation, so sticking a full 17 games with Austin Jackson – who seems unlikely to be back next season – would be denying the front office and coaching staff a chance to see other players.
During a season going nowhere, everydown snaps generally shouldn’t be wasted on veterans who aren’t part of the plan. For now, it’s OK. Come November, it won’t be.
▪ The tight end situation: At some point (likely November or December), the Dolphins need to see what they have in rookies Justin Joly (who’s in concussion protocol) and Seydou Traore. We’re not advocating they replace Greg Dulcich, but the Dolphins need to determine whether either can be projected for a meaningful role in 2027 and perhaps beyond.
Rookie Will Kacmarek has impressed and should be playing most of the time.
▪ Defending tight ends/generating pass rush: I don’t blame Hafley for these problems, because it’s mostly a reflection of personnel shortcomings. Nevertheless, he must give both a lot of thought during the bye.
If he blitzes more, a young secondary is exposed. But four man rushes haven’t generated nearly enough heat. For the fourth time in five games, Miami didn’t muster a sack on Sunday.
Covering tight ends is a conundrum because the safeties (5-11 Dante Trader Jr, and 6-0 Michael Taaffe) are too short to defend big tight ends, such as 6-6 Mike Gesicki, who caught the game’s first TD against Jacob Rodriguez.
And while Rodriguez has entrenched himself as a likely longterm starter, pass defense against running backs and tight ends isn’t a strength for the rookie, or necessarily a strength for Pro Bowler Jordyn Brooks, or the majority of the NFL’s starting inside linebackers.
Aside from edge rushers, that’s as big a need as any on the defense.
▪ Whom to trade:
Zach Sieler is a tricky one; he has value not only as a player but as a mentor on a young defensive line.
In our view, the decision should come down mostly to this: If Sullivan talks to Drew Rosenhaus and believes Sieler might be willing to stay next season with a contract adjustment, I would keep him, unless a team shockingly offered a second-day pick before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
(Sieler is due $12.7 million next season, but none of that money is guaranteed. He would have a $20.9 million cap hit if he’s on the team under those contract terms in 2027, but $12.8 million as a pre-June 1 cut.)
If the Dolphins believe he won’t be back next season, then dealing him for a fifth-rounder, if offered, becomes a consideration. Trading him for a pick and then potentially re-signing him couldn’t be ruled out, either.
Sieler is happy here, from all indications, and the Dolphins value him.
With Jackson, it seems simpler: Trade him if you can get any draft pick back.
▪ Where to churn the roster: At some point, the Dolphins must decide whether to keep several backups whose production has been pedestrian.
One of many such questions: Should Miami keep investing snaps in reserve edge player Malik Herring or give a spot on the 53 to Rodney McGraw or an outside option?
Sullivan and the front office should liberally poach players from other practice squads. If there’s a year to do it, this would be it.
And you never know what you’ll get when you churn your roster. Former Colts sixth-round cornerback Jaylin Simpson, signed on Sept. 16, made a nice third-down play late in the game.
Here’s what Jeff Hafley said about Willis and other topics after the game.
This story was originally published October 11, 2026 at 4:19 PM.
Miami Herald
Barry Jackson has written for the Miami Herald since 1986 and has written the Florida Sports Buzz column since 2002.