The Five Biggest Goals for the Rest of the Season

The book isn’t closed on the 2025 Miami Dolphins just yet.

The Dolphins already have parted ways with their general manager, benched their starting quarterback, and will miss the playoffs for the second straight season. Still, there’s plenty Miami can accomplish before the regular season ends in early January.

Here are five of the team’s biggest goals over the final three games of the season.

THE FIVE BIGGEST GOALS FOR THE REST OF THE 2025 SEASON

1. Seeing What Quinn Ewers Can Do

Rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers will be under the microscope as the primary focus of Miami’s final three games.

Miami’s future at quarterback is a complete mystery after Mike McDaniel's decision to bench Tua Tagovailoa, but Ewers has a chance to prove he can be part of the solution moving forward. While Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals is his first start, he made his NFL debut Oct. 19 against the Cleveland Browns, completing 5 of 8 passes for 53 yards.

Twelve quarterbacks went before the Dolphins drafted Ewers in the seventh round, but he also threw for over 3,400 yards while completing at least 65 percent of his passes in each of his final two seasons at Texas. Additionally, the Longhorns ran an offense similar to what McDaniel runs in Miami.

It’s unlikely that Ewers’ play over the final three games will prevent Miami from adding another quarterback this offseason (unless they listen to Terron Armstead and keep Tagovailoa). That said, the Dolphins also have struggled to develop a serviceable backup throughout the McDaniel era.

If Ewers can keep the offense moving and prove to be a reliable backup, it should be considered a big win for a seventh-round pick.

2. You Might Get Beat, But Don’t Lose Football Games

The Dolphins entered the year with a subpar roster, but talent wasn’t the only reason they began the season 2-7. As McDaniel put it, “to win games, you have to win the game, not lose them.”

Pre-snap penalties and late-game mental miscues cost the Dolphins in the fourth quarter against the New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers, and Los Angeles Chargers — three games Miami lost by fewer than seven points.

The Dolphins have been better lately and are penalized an average of 5.8 times per game, the sixth-best mark in the league. That trend could go out the window with a rookie quarterback stepping behind center.

Miami will have a new general manager this offseason, and he very well might be tasked with acquiring a new quarterback. For McDaniel, the next three games are about showing that he hasn’t lost the locker room and that execution, not the game plan, has been the top issue in 2025.

3. Understand Where Things Stand at Edge Rusher

Rushing the quarterback was supposed to be a strength for the Dolphins. They began the year with a rotation that included Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, Chop Robinson and Matthew Judon off the edge.

Chubb leads the team with 6.5 sacks and is a large part of why the defense ranks 13th with an average of 2.4 sacks per game, but he has a $31 million cap hit next season. Phillips was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. Judon was recently released and signed with the Buffalo Bills.

Releasing Judon means that Quinton Bell and Cameron Goode will see more playing time, but Robinson will be the focal point as a former first-round pick and needs to finish strong after just 17 tackles and 3.5 sacks through 13 games. He’s come on recently with 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble over the last three games, but consistency has been a concern for the majority of his first two seasons.

Miami started the season with three first-round picks expected to anchor the edge, but it will end the year with more questions than answers at the position. After underwhelming production, untimely injuries, and years of roster turnover, this heavily invested unit might be facing a full-blown reset.

4. A Strong Finish From The Offensive Line

De’Von Achane’s speed and quickness are a large part of why the Dolphins are averaging over 120 rushing yards per game, but the offensive line deserves some credit, too.

Aaron Brewer has had a Pro Bowl-caliber year at center. Left tackle Patrick Paul has been beaten for just three sacks in his first season as a starter, and rookie Jonah Savaiinaea has gradually improved at left guard next to him.

On the right side, James Daniels played just a handful of snaps at right guard before suffering a pectoral injury. Cole Strange, a former first-round pick of the New England Patriots, has been fine in his absence — a major improvement over some of Miami’s previous backup plans. Veteran right tackle Austin Jackson has been steady since he returned to the lineup, and reserve lineman Daniel Brunskill has evolved into a key player as the offense has embraced packages that include six offensive linemen.

Continuity is crucial on the offensive line. Injuries have been a major part of Miami’s struggles up front throughout the McDaniel era, but this group has been relatively healthy for most of the season.

The offensive line seems to be one of the few units trending in the right direction entering 2026, but the final three games will be important for maintaining that momentum.

5. Showcase a Winning Formula in the Secondary

Miami’s defense ranks in the top 12 in passing yards allowed per game, even though the unit began the year with five new starters in the secondary. Beyond safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, the Dolphins have relied heavily on veterans on one-year contracts, with Day 3 draft picks and former undrafted rookies as depth.

Jack Jones, Rasul Douglas, Ashtyn Davis and Ifeatu Melifonwu all have been solid additions, but relying on an annual wave of short-term options shouldn’t be considered a sustainable strategy.

Sweeping changes are coming to the franchise, including the possibility of a new coaching staff. Miami’s secondary has contributed to winning football this year, and the final three games will serve as a closing statement on whether this group is worth keeping together moving forward.