Jon-Eric Sullivan Cannot Repeat Packers-like Mistakes With Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are in the midst of a full rebuild as new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan looks to use his Green Bay Packers education as a framework for how he fills out his roster.

And why not?

Over the past 17 NFL seasons, no team has made more playoff appearances (14) than the Packers and only the New England Patriots have a better winning percentage (.657 to Green Bay's .641).

But New England won the Super Bowl three times during that span and reached the big game six times; the Packers won the Super Bowl in the 2010 season and that's it.

From 2004-2025, Sullivan was a member of the Packers organization, slowly working his way up in the front office. For all the success he saw, he also watched a bunch of seasons where Green Bay came up short despite having talents like Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love at quarterback.

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The answer for why the Packers have consistently failed to make much noise in the posteason time and time again is simple. They refuse to invest in the wide receiver position in a way that maintains the standards of the room, they overvalue their ability to build an offensive line, and they never make that bold move, opting to use a laissez-faire attitude toward team building.

Let's dive into the history of the Packers during Sullivan's tenure, identifying the mistakes made that would sink the Dolphins if done in South Beach.

The Packers Refuse to be Great

When the tenures of Favre and Rodgers were coming to a close, both men had competitive squads that competed in NFC Championship Games.

Since Sullivan was just starting out his career while Favre was finishing his, let's look at the Aaron Rodgers tenure. When the Packers were winning, they had studs at receiver. Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson. The list goes on and on. Eventually, they left, and guys like Davante Adams and Allen Lazard had to pick up the slack.

Dec 20, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden (0) runs with the ball against Chicago Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright (26) during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images | Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

As the Packers transitioned from era to era, they never properly re-supplied their wide receiver room. The reason is that they never spent first-round draft capital on wide receivers. During Sullivan's time in Green Bay, they drafted one receiver in the first. That was Matthew Golden, who they selected last year. The last first-round receiver before Golden was Javon Walker in 2002.

But how could we be critical of a franchise that has as much talent coming through the room? It's not so much about replacing talent, but more about replacing production. There's no replacing a Tyreek Hill, just like there isn't an instant replacement for Davante Adams. There are options to replace those archetypes, and the Packers' decisions to use the draft in order to do so have led to drops in quality, as young players try to catch up.

Plus, that strategy has always led to the Packers missing out on that one critical piece to complete the Packers' pass-catching corps. Sullivan has done well with the limited resources at his disposal, making low-risk additions and smart decisions at player retention. Grabbing Tutu Atwell to make up for Hill's field-stretching speed. Jalen Tolbert plays off other pass catchers well, establishing a serious WR2 threat, and Malik Washington is entering that pivotal third year of development, with the snaps and targets to prove his worth.

However, at some point over the next 24 months, Sullivan is going to have to address the wide receiver room after cleaning house. If Sullivan is serious about getting the room back in order, he's going to have to break the Packers mold. The Packers do not draft first-round receivers (until last year). They don't sign massive free agents at the position. The only way Sullivan fixes these issues is by going against the grain.

For years, the Packers have been able to coast due to a strong foundation, but their inability to win in the postseason is due to never replacing Adams' archetype of an alpha wide receiver. A player who coaches trust to win in any moment. Sullivan has replaced most archetypes but doesn't have that guy ... yet. In order to get that guy to Miami, it's either draft or trade, unless he wants to wait until the 2027 free agency cycle.

The Offensive Line

During the 2025 NFL Combine, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst discussed his vision for the offensive line.

"Yeah, I think we've done, and we were talking a little bit about this earlier, we've always focused on versatility with our offensive linemen, whether it be because of injury or because we have players that leave," Gutekunst said. "We feel really good about the flexibility of our guys to play multiple spots and try to get the best five on the field. So, it's always impactful, but at the same time I feel really good about our group right now."

That was in late February. In mid-March, Gutekunst handed guard Aaron Banks a four-year, $77 million contract. This is after drafting tackle Jordan Morgan in the first round of the 2024 draft, so clearly Gutekunst didn't feel that great about his group.

The Dolphins are at a crossroads where both Gutekunst and Chris Grier have misstepped in the past. Gutekunst overly resupplied his offensive line, using free agency to hedge his draft bets, at the cost of not properly resupplying his pass-catching room with playmakers. Grier used the draft to resupply the line with young, cheap talent in order to reward pass catchers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle with massive extensions.

Jan 22, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley, right, joined by general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, left, speak to reporters during their introductory press conference at Baptist Health Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Dolphins offensive line has been the target of major criticism, from both fans and the media, in recent years and there are question marks right now at both guard spots. And Austin Jackson, Aaron Brewer and Patrick Paul are either out of contract or eligible for extensions after this season.

Sullivan has a lot to consider, but if he continues to exercise the Packers' policy of overinvestment into their line, this is going to lead to the same issues as mentioned before. Sullivan has to find the best of both worlds, which means he will have to make tough decisions at both positions, something neither the Dolphins nor the Packers have done in years.

The good news is that Sullivan is unafraid of a fresh start. It is easier to blow up the operation when his hands had no say over the previous construction. Will he maintain the separation of business and emotion moving forward? The best executives are able to do so, but it's a hard skill to have, thus there are not many great team builders in the NFL.

So who stays and who goes?

Sullivan Must Go For the Throat

The biggest mistake the Packers ever made and the defining trait that separates Sean McVay from Matt LaFleur is that when there's an opportunity to go for a title, McVay goes all in, and LaFleur looks for an MVP's replacement.

McVay, the Los Angeles Rams head coach, gave LaFleur his first NFL coordinator job, eventually leading to LaFleur becoming the Packers head coach. Both men are similar in age, in coaching style, in their offense, and they're best friends. The reason McVay has a ring and LaFleur doesn't is that when the Rams were competitive but were unable to get over the hump, they went out and got Matthew Stafford.

LaFleur did not need to do that. He already had Rodgers. He had Adams. He went to the NFC Championship Game as a rookie head coach. The Packers would lose and despite bringing back a championship roster, Sullivan's boss made the call to select Jordan Love in the first round, a move backed by LaFleur, resulting in the Packers depriving Rodgers of the critical weapon needed to go the the Super Bowl.

Rodgers would win two more MVPs while suffering back-to-back playoff heartbreaks, before he eventually would leave. Love would take over, and the Packers have only won one playoff game since.

If Malik Willis is as advertised, there will be a point in the near future when all three of these common Packers mistakes will come to face Sullivan. He cannot blink. He must give the wide receiver room the proper attention. He cannot afford to whiff on the offensive line, especially with potential extensions on the table.

But the biggest lesson is that there is a gleam. The Buffalo Bills are a team of unknowns. The New England Patriots are likely to be bogged down by a Super Bowl hangover. The New York Jets ... well, they're the Jets.

There's an opportunity here for the Dolphins to strike early. The only way head coach Jeff Hafley will be able to land decisive strikes is if he's given the proper weapons to do so, and the Packers' team-building strategy guarantees that wouldn't happen if followed to the T in Miami.

For Jon-Eric Sullivan, there are certain lessons to bring with him on this new adventure and several that are best left at home.

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