The Dolphins 2025 Salary Cap situation as of now

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Here:The implication is that the "change" would be an improvement, because it doesn't make sense to change the offense with the goal of being worse.

Very disingenuous. 

The Dolphin's designed an offense that is very specific to Tau, and one that does not translate well to back up QBs.  Because the offense is not one that is repetitively easy to transfer to a backup, backup QBs struggle much worse more than they would with a normal offense. 

Having an offense that is designed specifically for the starting QB is not always a bad thing.  But it is a very bad thing when the starting QB rarely completes an entire season. 

[Spider-Dan]

The Dolphin's designed an offense that is very specific to Tau, and one that does not translate well to back up QBs.

And part of that claim is that if Tua were to leave the team, the offense with other QBs under center would somehow improve.
The evidence for this claim is not only non-existent, it's counterfactual: when Drew Brees was out, Sean Payton was able to adjust his offense to work capably with Teddy Bridgewater, and when Lamar Jackson was out, John Harbaugh was able to adjust his offense to work capably with Tyler Huntley.

If the Miami Dolphins offense cannot adjust for literally the same backup QBs that capably executed offenses built around HOF-level QBs, why would you think McDaniel can make any competent offense without (a quarterback at least as good as) Tua?

Again, if you are arguing that Tua has an extremely unique skillset vital to running an offense capable of being #1 in the league, and also can't possibly be replaced in the offense with any other backup, that is an argument that Tua is really good and should be kept at all costs.

[masterfins]

IMO Miami doesn't need a full rebuild.  But changes need to be made, and from the press conferences in the off season it doesn't seem like McDaniel and Grier get it.  Reluctantly one of them needs to go, and I think that is Grier.  A new GM won't have the attachment to players that need to go. Steps needed:

1) Start using the OC to call plays.
2) Get rid of Hill and Armstrong
3) Use all of their draft picks on drafting players, don't trade away a bunch of picks to get one high priced player.
4) Use a high draft pick on a QB AND bring in a backup QB that has at least a full season of starting games.
5) Focus the rest of the picks on O-lineman and cornerbacks/safeties.
6) Get rid of players that don't want to commit all their time during the season to getting better.

The Ravens, Bills, and Chiefs aren't going away, and Miami needs to beat at least one of them just to get to the Conference Championship game; and right now they don't have the players/coaches/culture to do that.  But with a good draft and good coaching they could have a team in 2026 that could compete.

[Spider-Dan]

1) Start using the OC to call plays.

I don't understand why people are calling for McDaniel to hand over playcalling duties when that's one of his main strengths.  What is he supposed to be doing during the game if someone else is calling plays?  Whatever that is, he should hand those duties over to an assistant head coach (or whatever) so he can focus on calling plays during the game.  McDaniel is far from the only head coach that's also a playcaller; CIN, CLE, GB, KC, LAR, MIN, and SF all have their head coaches calling the plays.

[Pappy13]

Here:The implication is that the "change" would be an improvement

To the team yes. Not necessarily to the offense. The implication is that you spend the money somewhere more beneficial to the overall roster.

[masterfins]

I don't understand why people are calling for McDaniel to hand over playcalling duties when that's one of his main strengths.  What is he supposed to be doing during the game if someone else is calling plays?  Whatever that is, he should hand those duties over to an assistant head coach (or whatever) so he can focus on calling plays during the game.  McDaniel is far from the only head coach that's also a playcaller; CIN, CLE, GB, KC, LAR, MIN, and SF all have their head coaches calling the plays.

IMO he doesn't do a good job calling plays, specifically in important situations.  He has improved his timeliness in getting plays into the QB, but is still slow at times.

[Spider-Dan]

To the team yes. Not necessarily to the offense. The implication is that you spend the money somewhere more beneficial to the overall roster.

We were specifically talking about the offense and why it has been absolutely terrible every time Tua has been out.  You claimed that it was not due to McDaniel's own shortcomings, but because he was being handcuffed by having Tua on the roster and that getting rid of Tua would allow him to redesign the offense.

Now it sounds like you're trying to claim you meant the rest of the team would be better without Tua's contract, but that makes no sense as an explanation for why the offense has been putrid with Tua on the sidelines... ESPECIALLY since the offense was still terrible with Teddy under center, back when Tua was still on his rookie deal.

[CF DolFan]

McDaniel is very limited on his options for short yardage plays and it really makes him look bad. That's where I see most people complaining about Mike  The problem for me is I don't know if that is a Mike issue or a Chris Grier thing but our o-line sucks so we can't run in those situations with any kind of consistency.

[Pappy13]

We were specifically talking about the offense and why it has been absolutely terrible every time Tua has been out.  You claimed that it was not due to McDaniel's own shortcomings, but because he was being handcuffed by having Tua on the roster and that getting rid of Tua would allow him to redesign the offense.

No, you were talking about that, I was merely considering whether Miami would be better off without Tua and his contract. This discussion started last year before they even paid Tua and him coming off his best season by far. My comments have nothing to do with how the Dolphins offense played this year with Tua or without him.

You seem to be of the opinion that no one can run this offense better than Tua and I don't disagree with that, what I disagree with is whether the team as a whole can be better without Tua and his contract. That's 2 different questions. I agree with you on the first one, I disagree with you it appears on the 2nd because you don't believe that McDaniel is capable of putting in an offense that will work with anyone other than Tua. I'm not convinced that is the problem, I still believe the problem is the defense. I believe a better defense would make up for the deficiencies in the offense, especially in the playoffs. Obviously the offense can't be crap, but it could be less than what it is now with Tua and still win games if the defense could force a punt or turnover on downs when it matters or the offensive line could get a 1 yard push off the line on 3rd and 1 to pick up a first down. This is the problem that needs to be corrected and it still could be even with Tua's contract, but it would make it a lot easier without Tua and his contract in my humble opinion. Everyone says you need a franchise QB, I say it's a lot easier to find a franchise QB when your team relies a lot less on your QB to win games. The Eagles are a great example of that in my opinion.

Everyone talks about how great Mahomes is and how Allen doesn't measure up, but lets face it, when the Bills needed to stop Mahomes the defense couldn't do it and when KC needed to stop the Bills from driving for a FG to tie the game the defense stepped up and did just that. You can say that's all Mahomes or Allen, I tend to think the 11 guys on the other side of the line of scrimmage have a LOT to do with it. Miami's defense can't even do that when the opposing QB is Jordan Love let alone Mahomes, Allen or Jackson.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

You are paying for an elite QB. If you are paying for an elite QB then he should be able to get the ball to an okay WR

You are paying an elite WR. If you are paying for an elite WR then he should be able to catch balls thrown by an okay QB.

If you actually have an elite QB and elite WR then you should be challenging records. 

You are paying as if Tua-Hill is Brady-Moss or Montana-Rice.

[Downunder Dolphan]

IMO Miami doesn't need a full rebuild.  

We're already destined for a full rebuild, whether you like it (or realize it) or not.

A lot of the high draft picks gathered/spent (including the Tunsil bounty) have already left the team to get more money because the credit card was maxed out (or just flopped).

Grier's overly generous contracts awarded to a handful of players has relegated this team to an elite few of mercenary haves, and then the have-nots made up of the washed out veterans, draft picks, practice squad guys making up the numbers, and then the occasional few genuine bargain acquisitions who will also leave as soon as they get a better deal when their contract expires.

[Downunder Dolphan]

Dolphins will manipulate the salary cap and extend these big payments ...

You can kick the can down the road for so long, but eventually you will run out of shoe leather...

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/miami-dolphins/cap/_/year/2024/sort/cap_total

Last season we were carrying dead cap money of $11.4 million for X, and $10.6 million for Byron Jones.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/miami-dolphins/cap/_/year/2025/sort/cap_total_top51

Next season we are already looking at another $15.7 million cap hit for X, plus another $4.4 million for Shaq Barrett, etc, who are not on the roster...

Tua's and Ramsey's salary cap hits really kick in from 2026 (to the tune of $56.4 million and $25 million) and Waddle from 2027 ($33 million), all ballooning in 2028 (a grand total of nearly $140 million of the whole cap). I haven't even mentioned Tyreek, Chubb or Armstead who have massive implications on the cap the next 2-3 years.

Further restructures will ultimately result in more dead money for players who aren't even on the roster. If we keep this stuff up it's self-defeating long term, and take too long for most of us to tolerate to recover. We are staring at a gigantic shitshow of a mess right now.