Kelly: Dolphins aren’t the only NFL team in survival mode | Option
Survival mode is a dangerous place to be for an NFL franchise.
But that’s where the Miami Dolphins reside in this win-or-you’re-done season owner Steve Ross placed general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel in after deciding to give each one more year at the conclusion of 2024’s disappointing 8-9 season.
Problem is the entire roster needs to be overhauled, and the Dolphins presently have little cap space to do it with.
The Dolphins aren’t alone in their tough offseason spot. Every NFL team has some drama it will face.
Here’s a look at each franchise’s offseason story line to monitor.
SURVIVAL MODE
▪ Miami Dolphins: Ross has stated that the status quo won’t do, which hints that the franchise is headed toward a scorched- earth restart if Miami doesn’t qualify for the playoffs — if not win a playoff game — in 2025. How do you sell that desperate situation to free agents? Miami needs to create about $20 million to $30 million more in cap space to rebuild the team decently. That might mean releasing pass rusher Bradley Chubb.
▪ New York Giants: Head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen, two individuals who have history with the Dolphins franchise, realistically have one season to transform the Giants into a winner. That’s going to be hard to do without a veteran quarterback. Reports have surfaced that Aaron Rodgers is on the Giants’ radar.
▪ Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys have a culture issue, one that might lead to the eventual defection of Micah Parsons, who is clearly tired of Dallas falling short of expectations. Keeping Dak Prescott healthy and upright should be Dallas’ top priority. That means finding a replacement for offensive lineman Zack Martin, who retired this offseason.
▪ Indianapolis Colts: The Colts are reportedly going to have Anthony Richardson, the team’s 2023 first-round pick, compete for the starting spot. Whether he will be battling with a veteran or a drafted rookie is unclear, but quarterback is far from the Colts’ only problem area.
▪ Carolina Panthers: Don’t be naive thinking Andy Dalton stayed in Carolina because he believed in the Panthers. The 14-year veteran saw an opportunity to become an NFL starter again if he can outshine Bryce Young and gain the respect of the locker room.
▪ Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett has requested a trade, and this isn’t about money. He wants a fresh start elsewhere because he probably feels the Browns aren’t going anywhere with Deshaun Watson, and his suspicions about the quarterback might be correct. But who trades the best defender in the NFL?
▪ Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals have $61 million in cap space, but JaMarr Chase wants a multiyear deal that makes him the highest-paid receiver in the NFL, and Tee Higgins is an unrestricted free agent looking for a major payday.
REBUILDING AGAIN
▪ Las Vegas Raiders: Raiders minority owner Tom Brady met with Matthew Stafford trying to sell the Raiders to the Rams starting quarterback, but Brady wasn’t convincing enough since Stafford’s doing a new deal with the Rams. Expect the Raiders to keep swinging for a veteran quarterback.
▪ New England Patriots: Mike Vrabel and the Patriots have $128 million in cap space to spend this offseason, and that can buy a team whatever player they want. New England will put talent around second-year quarterback Drake Maye, but don’t expect the Patriots to spend irresponsibly.
▪ New York Jets: The Jets waved goodbye to Rodgers and will likely do the same to Davante Adams before the season begins. New coach Aaron Glenn must find a quarterback to build around, and if it’s not one of the established veterans don’t be surprised to see the Jets put the franchise in position to acquire Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward.
▪ Los Angeles Rams: The Rams got a deal done with Matt Stafford, but are still shopping Cooper Kupp, and will trade any player to the highest bidder this offseason.
▪ Tennessee Titans: The Titans are in yet another rebuild after firing general manager Ran Carthon, who only had two years to usher in his master plan. Will Tennessee continue investing in quarterback Will Levis or select a new quarterback with the first overall pick? Teams are actively bidding on this draft’s top spot, hoping that Tennessee’s price is reasonable.
▪ Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons need to find a team willing to take on Kirk Cousins’ contract. Problem is, there is no financial advantage to cutting or trading him. The Falcons also have nine players whose base salary is more than $10 million, which means they need to tighten up payroll.
▪ Chicago Bears: Rookie head coach Ben Johnson was hired to mentor Caleb Williams, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 Draft, maximizing his talents. The Bears need a solid weaponry arsenal and which should put him in position to rebound from a disappointing rookie season.
▪ Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals have an average talent base and more than $75 million in cap space before reworking any deals. It’s time for general manager Monti Ossenfort, who is beginning his third offseason, to put his stamp on the team.
▪ Jacksonville Jaguars: A new general manager (James Glagstone) and head coach (Liam Coen) get a blank slate and $38 million to build a better team around Trevor Lawrence.
▪ New Orleans Saints: The Saints are nearly $47 million over the cap, and might be shopping Derek Carr to the highest bidder because this appears to be a total rebuild.
NEXT STEP
▪ Detroit Lions: The Lions have $51 million in cap space and will likely use it to upgrade the defensive talent considering that unit had to be carried by the offense last season.
▪ Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels delivered an impressive rookie season at quarterback that took the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game. To take the next step the Commanders need to add a better arsenal of weaponry around him. Washington is also shopping defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, who is on the books for $17 million coming off a torn pectoral muscle.
▪ Minnesota Vikings: Minnesota was one of the better teams in the NFL until the late-season flat-lining, and that’s with Sam Darnold as the starting quarterback. Do the Vikings double down on Darnold, giving him massive money, or move onto J.J. McCarthy, a 2024 first-round pick who missed the season due to a knee injury?
▪ Seattle Seahawks: Geno Smith’s guaranteed money has expired, and his camp and the Seahawks are trying to rework the contract. There are also rumors that D.K. Metcalf can be acquired for the right assets. Seattle took a solid step in Mike Macdonald’s first season and can’t afford to regress on offense.
▪ San Francisco 49ers: Brock Purdy’s due for a new deal, but it would be risk to use the transition or franchise tag on the former seventh-round pick instead of paying him like he’s a top-five quarterback, committing a annual salary north of $45 million. Don’t be surprised if the 49ers also get ravaged in free agency, and trade players such as Pro Bowl receiver Deebo Samuels.
▪ Los Angeles Chargers: John Harbaugh has roughly $66 million to improve upon the roster in Year 2 of the Chargers’ rebuild, and don’t be surprised to see Los Angeles take a fiscally responsible approach to build the team the right way.
▪ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The roster is aging to the point Tampa Bay might have one more good season left in receiver Mike Evans and linebacker Lavonte David, who is a free agent. Tampa Bay might lose receiver Chris Godwin, which could be burdensome to Evans.
▪ Green Bay Packers: The Packers are holding trade talks for cornerback Jaire Alexander, who is on the books to earn more than $17 million this season. Packers have $48 million in cap space to improve the roster with, and without the trade.
▪ Denver Broncos: Sean Payton’s team took a massive step forward, advancing to the playoff last year. But there are plenty of holes left to be filled, and $41 million in cap space to do so.
▪ Houston Texans: With success comes expectations, and that’s the point the Texans are at. Houston has a handful of bloated contracts they can rework to create more than the $4 million in cap space the Texans have.
FINISHING STEPS
▪ Kansas City Chiefs: Andy Reid needs to hold it together for one more season, finding a way to get the Chiefs back to the Super Bowl while Travis Kelce and Chris Jones still have productive seasons in their body. The Chiefs will be picked apart again in free agency, possibly losing offensive lineman Tre Smith and others. Retaining receiver DeAndre Hopkins should be a priority.
▪ Philadelphia Eagles: The Super Bowl champions will likely be ravaged by free agency, losing a number of their key players such as defensive lineman Josh Sweat, linebacker Zack Baun and defensive lineman Milton Williams, who will likely cash in on last season’s success. Good thing Howie Roseman’s one of the best-drafting general managers in the NFL.
▪ Buffalo Bills: What does a franchise that can’t get over the hump do to improve its roster, especially when the team is $10 million over the projected salary cap headed into free agency. Buffalo needs to borrow from the bank of Josh Allen, restructuring his deal, and will probably release or shakedown pass rusher Von Miller, whose June 1 release could clear $17.4 million in cap space.
▪ Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens need to restructure a few contracts to create the cap space needed to improve the roster, extending Baltimore’s run as a title contender. It would benefit the Ravens to add playmaking receivers this offseason.
▪ Pittsburgh Steelers: Will it be Russell Wilson, Justin Field or another? That’s the decision the Steelers decision makers need to make at quarterback because it’s the only thing holding Pittsburgh back from being a legitimate contender.
This story was originally published February 28, 2025 at 3:44 PM.
