Dolphins Sunday Mailbag: Hafley, Ewers, and More

Part 2 of the post-Hafley hiring Miami Dolphins On SI weekend mailbag:

From Jason Kirkland:

Hi Alain, off the top of my head it seems like all the best coaches are alpha males. I know your favorite choice for Dolphins HC (Campanile) is one too. I've heard Hafley is a great teacher and liked by his players. Sounds like MM. Did you see any hint of Hafley being alpha?

Hey Jason, what I’ve been told about Hafley is he relates very well to players and the testimonials from Green Bay players back that up. Not sure whether he’s a true alpha, but I don’t think there’s any concerns about his ability to lead.

From Jorge boyd:

Hi Alain, I believe the Dolphins are in bad cap shape. What is your opinion of if they will or will not extend Achane?

Hey Jorge, yes, the Dolphins have some work to do with their cap situation because they’re already over $30 million for 2026. I kind of touched on this in the Saturday mailbag, but I’ll add to what I wrote by pointing out the Packers went out and signed Josh Jacobs as a free agent, so they clearly value having a high-end running back on the roster.

From KelliX:

Do you feel the Dolphins will let Ewers be the starting quarterback going into camp and have a “prove it” year with him and the young players to see what we have?

Hey Kelli, no, I don’t believe Ewers will be handed the job just based on his work in the final three games of the 2025 season. I could see the Dolphins having an open competition and having him be part of it, but this also depends on who else will be on the roster. For example, if the Dolphins indeed were to bring in Malik Willis, I’d have a hard time imagining him not being the one given first shot at the job.

From JLF:

O-line players strategy. Type of player he wants there?

New offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is part of the Shanahan tree, so don’t expect major changes to the offense, and that means the profile of the offensive linemen should continue to include a focus of mobility.

From FinsUpMass:

What type of base defensive scheme does he employ, 3-4, 4-3, or 4-6? Also, do we have the DT/LBs to support the scheme?

The Packers employed, like every team in the NFL, different looks, but their base is a 4-3. Based on the 2025 roster, I do think the Dolphins have the DTs necessary, starting with Zach Sieler and Kenneth Grant. Jordyn Brooks and Tyrel Dodson are a good starting point at linebacker (unless Dodson becomes a cap casualty), but the Dolphins are a little light at linebacker and defensive end.

From CC_Hall13:

Hi Alain, it sounds to me like Tua will be gone this year…I say take the total cap hit this year build defense in this draft..tough schedule next year anyways take our lumps..draft for an next year..what say you sir? Btw I was encouraged hearing the new regime talk … hope eternal!

I’ll start with the scheduled, which looks very difficult based on the 2025 standings, but we all know things change from year to year, so who can tell? The Dolphins really do have a tough dilemma with Tua because, barring a trade, it actually will cost more in cap space to have him off the roster than on, and at the same time the feeling still seems to be the Dolphins want to completely start over at quarterback. Given their cap situation, where they’re already over the limit heading into the offseason, it might be difficult to justify taking the whole $99 million hit in one swoop instead of doing the $67M/$32M over the next two.

From Lloyd Heilbrunn:

Which famous saying is more apropos since Ross hired another rookie?: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Or Those who ignore the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it…?

Hey Lloyd, I see where you’re coming from, but what about the idea that law of averages will work in the Dolphins’ favor and they’ve hit a home run with Jeff Hafley? We don’t know. And it’s unfair to dismiss him just because the Dolphins have gone the first-time (NFL) head coach route before and it didn’t work. Maybe they were simply hiring the wrong first-timers.

From Andy Lawson:

Do you think it's a mistake for Hafley, a 1st time coach, to take over the defensive play calling?

Hey Andy, not in the least. Mike McDaniel was calling offensive plays when the Dolphins were 11-6 in 2023. Sean McVay calls plays for the Rams. Kyle Shanahan calls plays for the 49ers. There are examples all over the place. Doesn’t bother me one bit. The key is having good play-callers on offense and defense.

From Mason:

Good morning, Alain. Since the Dolphins have a new direction now under a new GM and HC, do you see the team moving on from high-priced players on the current roster, specifically Tua, Fitzpatrick, Chubb, Hill and perhaps Austin Jackson?

Hey Mason, if the Dolphins do move on from big-name players, it’ll be more about getting their cap situation in order than making changes because of a new regime. But it does make it easier to sacrifice big-name players for cap considerations when you don’t have a coach who’s in a win-or-else mode, the way Mike McDaniel would have been had he been kept for 2026. And I would say all the players you mentioned are cut possibilities.

From Guy McBuddy:

Odds were right back here in 2029ish?

Hey Guy, that’s an impossible question to answer and I’m not about to predict failure before the new head coach has worked even one game. Truth is I have no clue whether Jeff Hafley will be a success, so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and hope the Dolphins nailed this pick. I will say that given the Dolphins’ history, it’s not an unfair question to ask.

From Tara Leigh:

Do you think with a full off-season of first team reps (along with a QB competition of course) that Quinn Ewers could develop into a Drake Maye-type player?

Hey Tara, sorry to rain on his parade, but the simple answer is no. While Ewers showed promise in his three starts at the end of the season, he’s just not the same kind of athlete/prospect that Maye was. Remember that Maye was the third overall pick in his draft, while Ewers wasn’t taken until the seventh round. So while maybe Ewers was underdrafted, there’s no way to suggest he’s got that kind of ceiling as we’re seeing from Maye right now.

From Richard Shaw:

Is Anthony Weaver still under contract? Would the Dolphins still receive the two compensatory draft picks if he gets one of the remaining head coaching jobs?

Hey Richard, yes, Anthony Weaver remains a member of the Miami Dolphins coaching staff and therefore the Dolphins would be entitled to the two third-round picks (one in 2026, one in 2027) if he were to be hired as a head coach somewhere else.

From Randy Millard:

What's the point of hiring a D coordinator if Hafley is calling plays on D? Why would someone even want that job?

Hey Randy, there are multiple head coaches in the NFL who call plays, whether on offense or on defense, so it’s not like you do without a coordinator on either side of the ball because there’s still a lot of work to be done and input to be given. As to why somebody would take that job, well, that would someone for whom the move would represent a promotion and give him more responsibility, as was the case with Frank Smith, who was the run game coordinator/offensive line coach with the Chargers before he came to Miami.

From d. Edward:

I feel like Coach McD didn't like utilizing big WRs. Could the new staff make use of Nick Westbrook-Ikhine?

McDaniel emphasized size over speed at wide receiver, but he also wanted willing blockers. NWI got decent playing time for most of the season because of his blocking ability, but he wasn’t targeted very often in large part because he wasn’t necessarily getting open very much. That wasn’t an issue of not liking big receivers. The Dolphins can save $2.75 million against the cap by cutting Westbrook-Ikhine this offseason and I’m not sure it would be very surprising if that happened.

More Miami Dolphins Coverage: