The Miami Dolphins made a good decision with the future in mind when they mutually agreed to part ways with general manager Chris Grier Friday morning.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross released a long statement shortly after the move was reported. Here’s part of it with the full statement linked.
“I have always been and remain committed to building a winning team that consistently competes for championships. I am incredibly proud of our leadership as an NFL organization and our continued commitment to the community, but our performance on the field and our team-building process have not been good enough. There are no excuses.
“I want to thank the fans for their continued support and passion for this team. You deserve a championship-caliber team you can be proud of. There’s much work ahead to return the Dolphins to sustained success, and that work begins now, finishing the season strong, evaluating all areas of our football operation, and moving forward with a clear vision for the future.”
Senior personnel executive Champ Kelly will serve as the Dolphins’ interim GM despite the team having Marvin Allen, a former general manager in the building. Although it’s fair to point out that Kelly served as the Raiders’ interim GM in 2023.
By far the most interesting part of this move is the timing. The NFL trade deadline is just four days away, and the Dolphins should be clear sellers after dropping to 2-7 following their blowout loss to the Ravens.
It’s hard not to look at this move happening now and not wonder whether Grier was reluctant to make some trades. It’s not in his best interest to make decisions with the future in mind, which is what trading away veterans for draft picks would entail.
Making this move now — remember, GMs being fired in the middle of the season is pretty rare, even for bad teams — is a strong choice by Ross. It enables the team to make the best decisions possible for the franchise’s future at a critical point, without worrying about competing priorities.
It’s also fair to point out that Grier probably hadn’t earned the right to make those decisions, even if he was on board.
Grier oversaw the team’s rebuild starting in 2019, and ultimately was the primary architect of rosters that didn’t win a single playoff game. Not every choice he made was bad, but the NFL is a results-based business, and Grier’s results were not good enough.
There was a fair argument that the Dolphins should’ve made a change after last season, when the team missed the playoffs. Still, doing it now at least allows the team to sell at the trade deadline with no limitations.
The Dolphins have several veterans who have been rumored to be on the trade block. Chief among them are pass rushers Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips.
Chubb has no guaranteed money left on his deal, and Phillips is slated to hit free agency this offseason. The Dolphins could also move veterans like Matthew Judon and Rasul Douglas, the latter of whom has played incredibly well this season.
There’s been some talk about young players like Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane being on the block. Previous reporting indicated the Dolphins wouldn’t move those players, but it’s unclear if that changes with Grier’s departure.
We would say that it shouldn’t change, as both players are young enough to be key parts of the team’s rebuild. Still, things are a little more uncertain with Grier out.
It should also be noted that ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that head coach Mike McDaniel will remain through at least the end of the season.
It’s unclear how much input he’ll have on personnel decisions, but it’s hard to imagine him wanting to move the team’s young stars on offense.
The Dolphins needed to make a change at the top of the organization. Grier has been making high-level decisions for a while, and letting him guide the team through a critical trade deadline just didn’t make a ton of sense.
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