Pundits skeptical of, or fed up, with Dolphins, challenge McDaniel. And personnel notes
▪ Among on-air pundits, there's little conviction about this team heading into the start of training camp next Wednesday. Some are fed up after 25 years of mediocrity.
ESPN's Damien Woody described the Dolphins' offense as 'empty calories. They do a lot of eye candy, but ultimately it means nothing, nothing. When was the last time the Dolphins won a meaningful game? When was the last time Tua Tagovailoa made plays out of the structure? They don't have any of that. They don't play physical. They don't capture the line of scrimmage. When I look at this team, captains no longer on the roster. They need to play the game the way it's supposed to be played.'
ESPN's Field Yates lamented that 'this is a team whose football business is often mediocre.'
ESPN's Mina Kimes said the defensive backfield is among the worst in the league and the cornerback group is probably the worst in the league.
Former NFL executive Louis Riddick said on X: 'The Dolphins [are] the very definition of uncertainty going into 2025. Have zero idea what this team will look like, play like, come together like chemistry wise. Zero. Fascinating to me.'
He added, on 'NFL Live,' that 'Mike McDaniel has got to make some adjustments. This team was not good enough. Bottom quarter of the league, pass block win rate, run block win rate.'
ESPN's Booger McFarland also continues to put pressure on McDaniel.
'This offense is not the same,' he said. '… I'm going to start at the top with Mike McDaniel. We give him a lot of the credit when the offense hit the scene, 'boy genius.' He came out and was new and innovative. Now that the league has started to catch up with you, what exactly are you going to do? They've got to become more physical, need a bigger back — nothing against De'Von Achane... It's not just Tua Tagovailoa. Mike McDaniel has to become more innovative as a play-caller and head coach.'
ESPN's Ryan Clark said the issue is that even though the Dolphins dress up plays with presnap motion, other teams have figured out that 'once they snap the ball, they always end up in the same spot. What is that adjustment going to be to give me something different post-snaps than I've seen throughout your tenure, Mike McDaniel? This offense has to evolve.'
▪ The Dolphins likely will add a veteran starting cornerback at some point in the weeks ahead, with Rasul Douglas, Asante Samuel Jr., Stephon Gilmore, James Bradberry and Mike Hilton the top options. (They have maintained dialogue with Douglas.)
For now, Artie Burns and Kendall Sheffield remain the only additions who have played in the league. Some notes on Burns:
The former Miami Hurricanes and Miami Northwestern standout had four interceptions in his four years and 32 starts for Pittsburgh but struggled badly at times with the Steelers after being drafted 26th overall in 2016....
But after a year with Seattle, the 6-0 Burns has been pretty good in pass coverage in a limited role in three years with Seattle, which included some time on the Seahawks' practice squad.
In 2022, he played just 16 defensive snaps for the Seahawks and didn't allow a catch in one target. In 231 defensive snaps for Seattle in 2023, he allowed a decent 89.4 passer rating in his coverage area (13 for 20 for 159 yards and no TDs).
In just 51 defensive snaps last season for Seattle, he yielded three completions in seven targets for 29 yards and no TDs, equal to a strong 55.1 passer rating in his coverage area. When he's active for games, Burns is helpful on special teams. He has played at least 181 special teams snaps three times in his career.
▪ If you missed it, NFL analytics guru Warren Sharp made a strong defense of Tagovailoa, based on data, on X in recent weeks. Among his points:
Tagovailoa has been the league's eighth-best quarterback when trailing in the second half; is the NFL's only QB to rank in the top five in EPA (expected points added) and success rate each of the past three seasons; ranks second in yards per completion and completion rate over the past three seasons; and is second in completion rate on passes of 15-plus air yards.
He noted that Tagovailoa, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson are the only quarterbacks with winning records each of the past five years (counting only games they started).
▪ Per Bookies.com, the Dolphins have the NFL's fifth-easiest schedule this season, with a combined opponent win percentage of 47.4 last season and an average projected opponent win total of 8.24.
ESPN, BetMGM and other websites have the Dolphins ranked between 21st and 26th in Super Bowl odds.
▪ There has been clear progress in eliminating the tardiness and lack of discipline that were an issue last season. McDaniel has made clear it won't be tolerated.
Asked about McDaniel's message, cornerback Kader Kohou said: 'We kind of need to get a new identity. There's not going to be a lot of slack. Everyone has to be on their [bleep].'
And what about the soft label that has stuck to the team? 'We're not soft,' Kohou said. 'We just have to win more games and win the big ones.'
▪ Quick stuff from new guard James Daniels: He has been impressed watching second-year linebacker Chop Robinson: 'Chop has a lot of stuff in his bag.'...
The biggest difference in the culture between Pittsburgh (where he played the last three seasons) and Miami? 'Music is always played in the building here,' he said...
He said rookie guard Jonah Savaiinaea 'is always texting me, always texting other players asking for advice. It's not an easy offense. I'm proud of his development.'
But he also remains unsigned, because second-round picks are taking a stand in a demand for guaranteed money in the fourth year of their rookie deals. If this doesn't get resolved in the next several weeks, then Liam Eichenberg would become the favorite to start at guard opening day opposite Daniels, presuming he's ready after last season's Achilles tear.
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