Dolphins Sunday Mailbag: Evaluating What the Plan Should Be for 2026

Part 2 of a post-Super Bowl weekend Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag:

From Mike McDonald:

Hi Alain,

Food for thought: There's no way the Dolphins make any noise next year. Why go with any stopgap or temporary solutions at all? Why not set yourself up for 2027 and the future by taking all of your medicine next year. I'm not suggesting tanking. Use it as a "get right" year. What about trading anyone who won't be prominent in 2027 and beyond, get 2 young QBs (maybe draft both and let them compete with Quinn), cut (or trade if you get lucky) Tua without the June 1 designation, develop the young players. Re-sign the players you want to keep, and let the chips fall where they may. This way you have a chance to be much better in 2027 (when you hopefully get your franchise QB), clear up the bookkeeping, have experienced young players and a good chance at a really good draft pick in 2027. Between the 3 QBs, you should have an excellent backup for the next few years at worst and maybe you get really lucky and have trade value as well. What would be the harm in this plan besides the prospect of poor ticket sales for 1 year?

Hey Mike, yeah, there is a lot of validity in your plan, but nobody likes the idea of a washout season when it’s all about planning for the following season. In reality, though, the Dolphins will be looking to establish a foundation for future success without going overboard on stripping the roster like they did in 2019. So I would suspect the Dolphins will do a bit of what you suggest, but maybe not to that drastic a degree.

From Bitcoin Riot:

Can you find out more about the QB coach? Really seems like we struck out several times and had to settle for "just a guy.” One of the most important assistant coach positions on the Dolphins too, considering our QB situation.

Based on all reporting, the Dolphins had two other options they wanted to explore in Nathaniel Hackett and Bruce Gradkowski, and it’s entirely possible there were others before they hired Bush Hamdan away from Mississippi State. While he doesn’t have a lot of NFL experience (one year with Atlanta in 2017), he’s coached a very long time in the college ranks. It could be concerning, though, that in his 18-year coaching he’s never had a sting longer than two years.

From Majik:

Do you have any insight of why Lemuel Jeanpierre was moved from assistant OL coach to assistant TE coach?

Not directly, but logic says that Jeff Hafley really wanted to bring in Matt Applebaum as his new assistant offensive line coach because of their connection from Boston College but valued Jeanpierre enough to keep him around and found an opening to make that happen.

From Mark Malbeck:

Hey Alain, do you see Savaiinaea getting a chance at right guard. I mean he was bad at left guard but may do better at right, can’t be worse. Where do you see the focus in the draft being? I’m guessing defense because that might offer better options in this draft.

Hey Mark, the Dolphins would be wise to evaluate any and all avenues to get some improvement out of Savaiinaea in his second season and there’s no doubt they’ll evaluate the idea of moving him back to right guard. Whether that winds up happening, we’ll have to find out. As for the draft, I think the Dolphins are going to be in full talent acquisition mode, which means forget about offense versus defense, just get the best players and build a decent nucleus of young talent.

From JB:

Could an all-time Expos lineup beat the 2026 Dodgers in a best of 5? I grew going to the Senators as kid in the late ’80s and early ’90s produced some greats.

Won’t spend much time on a baseball question, but you know I’m going to say, yes, right?

From Thomas Hudson:

Maybe just for fun you should post a running total of Tua emails in the mailbag. Anyway, here is another: I enjoy stirring things up a little, so what do you think of this assertion: Mike McDaniel basically saved Tua's career (or maybe it was Tyreek Hill), but then he stifled Tua's growth by designing an offense that was too focused on Tyreek Hill. People have said on many occasions that Tua is a point-guard type QB. He is supposed to distribute the ball, but McDaniel designed a passing offense that basically went through two players. To give you an idea what I mean, I think one of Tua's best games was against the Browns in 2022. He threw for 285 yards and 3 TDs, only once throwing consecutive incompletions (and he completed a 15 yard pass on 3rd and 10 after that). Waddle led the team with 66 yards receiving. I think five or six players had at least 4 targets, and three different players caught TDs. That is the passing offense McDaniel should have been trying to build, not throwing more than half the passes to Hill and Waddle. Am I crazy? (based solely upon this email, please do not ask my wife...) How much of the Tua question is money? In short, if he agreed to renegotiate, could it lead to the possibility of him remaining. I think everyone agrees $50 million is too much (a feeling most likely shared by most of the other dozen or so teams with a $50 million QB). Is there a price point where they can add enough other talent to say Tua is good enough at that price?

Hey Thomas, no, money isn’t the only factor involved with Tua and what appears to be the decision to move on from him. He’s been the quarterback for six years and the Dolphins don’t have a playoff win during that time. While it’s obviously not been all on him, if you don’t win a playoff game in six years with the same quarterback, maybe it’s time to move on. And using isolated games to show the offense succeeding without Hill being a focal point misses the mark. The Dolphins didn’t have Hill for most of 2026; how did that work out for them? Do not discount what his presence opened up for the passing game.

From Jason Kirkland:

Hi, Alain, thanks for the great work, as always. I don't see the Dolphins really competing to win in the playoffs until 2028. Agree? And, if that's the case, anyone who won't still be in their prime, should be moved for picks. Your thoughts?

Hey Jason, there are no organizations in the world who would give up on the idea of competing for the playoffs for two upcoming seasons. It just doesn’t work that way, particularly with all the quick turnarounds we have seen. So, no, the Dolphins aren’t going to do a firesale with anybody they don’t deem as likely factors in 2028.

From Thomas McGrath:

Alain - best 5 Olinemen since Richmond Webb? Not including Pouncey and Armstead. Great job on the Tua article.

Hey Thomas, first thanks and I encourage everyone to check out my Tua column. As for the O-line question, you make it tough by eliminating three obvious candidates. So I’ll go with Laremy Tunsil and Branden Albert at tackle, Mark Dixon and Richie Incognito at guard, and Aaron Brewer at center.

From Dolphman99:

Hi Alain, would it be best for Miami to see what they have in these 2 young QBs? Take the loss with Tua and concentrate on other skill positions in the draft? Keep up the good work!

I do think the Dolphins are going to give long looks to Quinn Ewers and Cam Miller in the spring and in training camp, but even if the Dolphins move on from Tua, rest assured they’ll bring in another quarterback to at least compete for the starting job.

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