The Miami Dolphins have made it clear that they are going in a different direction. They fired Adam Gase following the regular season and officially announced former Patriots linebackers coach, Brian Flores, as their new head coach following New England's run to the Super Bowl.

Miami has been in a constant tale of mediocrity over the years, and owner Stephen Ross is ready to make this team a playoff contender once again.

Ross understands, however, that the Dolphins probably need to get a lot worse before they can get a lot better. He even said as much in Miami's press conference following the firing of Adam Gase.

So what are the plans for the Dolphins heading into 2019? Let's take a look at the three burning questions for the Dolphins this offseason.

3. What do the Dolphins do with their veteran players?

With Miami headed into a rebuilding phase, a number of their current veteran players are not likely to be in the long-term plans. Most notably of these players would be Cameron Wake. Wake is a beloved fan favorite, but is an unrestricted free agent following the two-year, $16+ million contract he signed in 2017, and will be 37 years old when the 2019 season kicks off.

Obviously, he wouldn't be a long-term solution, but the Dolphins are the only team he's been with in his career, and he probably wants to retire there. Would Miami be willing to pay him though? Then there's a veteran like Reshad Jones, who is still one of the better safeties in the league. He's getting older though, and probably is not in the long-term plans either. Jones probably has the most trade value of the Dolphins players, and it might be best for the team to move him for a quality pick while they can.

A number of other veterans, including quarterback Ryan Tannehill, are expected to be traded or released, and it will be interesting to see who is left over when the dust settles.

2. What does Miami do with their young talent?

The Dolphins have had the reputation that they don't keep players and either trade them away or let them walk when it comes time for that big paycheck. Last season, it was Jarvis Landry, and now looking ahead it's Xavien Howard. Howard made the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career after posting seven interceptions this past season and is making his case as one of the best cornerbacks in the league.

He also wants to be paid like it. Howard has expressed that he wants to be the richest cornerback in the league. That would amount to about an average of $15 million annually, at least. Howard is entering the final year of his rookie deal and the Dolphins do not want the same headaches they went through with Landry. There is speculation that Miami would entertain the idea of trading Howard for a steep price if they don't wish to give him what he is asking for.

In addition to Howard's potential pay day, Miami also has to figure out what to do with right tackle Ja'Wuan James and whether or not they want to offer him another deal. Eventually, the Dolphins are going to have to pay someone, and it will be interesting to see how they approach the Howard and James contract situations.

1. What will the Dolphins do at quarterback?

Miami has made it clear that they are ready to move on from Ryan Tannehill after seven seasons. They also publicly expressed their interest in the 2020 draft class, which is expected to be full of talented quarterbacks. With the intent to rebuild, it would almost seem as if the Dolphins are punting on the 2019 season.

What happens though if a highly coveted quarterback falls to them at 13 in this year's draft? Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray has been heavily linked to the Dolphins in mock drafts and could be the franchise player that they've wanted for a long time. It's not likely that the Dolphins would go up and trade for any of these guys, but it could be intriguing if a Dwayne Haskins or Drew Lock fell to them as well.

If Miami elects to wait for a quarterback then it's possible they go with a stop-gap player in 2019. Nick Foles has been rumored, but a player like Teddy Bridgewater or Tyrod Taylor on a one-year deal is more realistic. If the Arizona Cardinals surprise everyone and draft Murray with the first overall selection, then the Dolphins could be a team that trades for Josh Rosen.