3 immediate moves Mike McDaniel should make for Dolphins to become Super Bowl contenders in 2025

The Miami Dolphins were predicted to compete with the Buffalo Bills for the AFC East crown in 2024, but they started the 2024 season with a dismal 2–6 record. They eventually made a late postseason drive but it was too late as their playoff hopes were crushed by their Week 18 loss to the New York Jets.

If the season had gone a little differently, the Dolphins may have qualified for the playoffs for the third consecutive season under head coach Mike McDaniel. That would have been the first time the team has done so since they did in 1999–2001.

Despite the fact that McDaniel has not yet guided the Dolphins to a playoff win, the team has two playoff visits and a 28-23 record under the coach. Following a poor 8-9 year, we have identified three moves McDaniel's Dolphins should undertake in order to contend next year.

Priority moves for Mike McDaniel and the Dolphins in the offseason

#1 - Fix offensive line issues

In 2024, Aaron Brewer demonstrated his ability to be the Miami Dolphins' center for the years to come. However, the team's starting guards, Robert Jones and Liam Eichenberg, were pretty bad, as the two of them gave up 57 pressures between them.

One of the Dolphins' top priorities must be to get hold of two starting guards before the 2025 campaign begins. Thankfully, it appears that the team's management is already aware of this, so you expect that they will address it as soon as possible.

#2 - Prioritize the safety position

The Miami Dolphins struggled to find a reliable player to play with Jevón Holland, who was a staple at one of the safety spots in 2024. The team tried at least four players, but none of them was able to own the position. The last of those players, Jordan Poyer, performed exceedingly poorly and is probably not going to return for the 2025 season.

Holland, the Dolphins' lone reliable safety in 2024, is now expected to be among the league's most sought-after free agents this offseason and would be costly to keep for a Miami team with barely over $365,000 in cap space, according to Overthecap.

The only safeties currently under contract for the team next season are Jordan Colbert and Patrick McMorris, both 2024 draft selections. Due to this, the team should really consider selecting a safety early in the draft in April.

#3 - Sort out the offense

Above all, given Tua Tagovailoa's injury history, the Miami Dolphins must acquire a competent and experienced passer this offseason to contend for the QB2 position. Their chances of making the playoffs in 2024 would have likely been different if they had that.

That said, it's also critical to remember that the team's offensive weapons—particularly wide receiver Tyreek Hill—did not produce nearly as much as they did in 2022 and 2023.

The Dolphins may now need to start searching for receivers to add for the upcoming season, either through free agency or the draft, given there are already reports that the team may cut ties with Hill in the offseason.

In the event that Hill heads out, Miami's 2025 roster will consist of Jaylen Waddle, Erik Ezukanma, Tahj Washington, Tarik Black and Malik Washington as the options left at wide receiver. Waddle is the only guy in the set who has accumulated up to 300 receiving yards in a season.