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Needless to say, the Miami Dolphins' 2024 campaign fell well short of preseason expectations. After back-to-back Wild Card round exits, Miami missed the playoffs altogether, ending the year with a meager 8-9 record. With a lot of work to do moving forward, expect the Dolphins to be active in the trade market during the 2025 NFL offseason.
Star receiver Tyreek Hill almost kickstarted the team's offseason trade activity when he publicly asked out of the organization after Miami's Week 18 loss to the New York Jets. However, Hill has since recanted the statement, saying he uttered the words “I'm out” in pure frustration and has not requested a trade. Whatever the case may be, Hill is the player all eyes will be on in the offseason.
That issue aside, the Dolphins have blatant roster holes to fill over the offseason. Miami's offense functionally fell off a cliff once Tua Tagovailoa went down with a concussion, showcasing its clear need for a competent backup quarterback, particularly given the southpaw's injury history. Injuries also hurt the Dolphins' defense, poking holes in the team's entire front seven.
Unless they follow through with a Hill trade, the Dolphins are not likely to execute a major deal in the 2025 NFL offseason. However, with so many areas to improve in, general manager Chris Grier will be busy over the summer if he wishes to get his team over the hump.
RB Hassan Haskins
The lightning-quick De'Von Achane is the Dolphins' running back for the foreseeable future. There is no changing that, and if there were, it would not be Hassan Haskins. However, as diverse as Achane is, his frame still has issues.
At 5-foot-9, 188 pounds, Achane has proven that he can be a three-down back. That does not change the fact that he struggles to run in between the tackles, particularly in short-yardage situations. It is on those downs when the Dolphins need a bruising power runner to spell their star for a couple of hard-earned yards in the trenches. That is where having a player like Haskins is the most valuable.
A former top-10 Heisman finalist at Michigan, Haskins is capable of being more than just a short-yardage back, but that is all the Dolphins would need out of him. At 6-foot-2, he towers over Achane and out-weighs the speedster by 40 pounds. He averaged just 2.6 yards per carry in 2024 but spent most of his time moving the chains in shortened fields.
In 2024, the Dolphins used Raheem Mostert as their short-yardage tailback, to little success. Mostert found the end zone just twice on the year while averaging a career-low 3.3 yards per attempt. The role did not suit him; he was simply the biggest back on the team. Mostert is now preparing to enter his age-33 season as a player who relies heavily on his athleticism and speed. Similar players have not historically lasted into their thirties.
If Miami wants to succeed the way it should, it desperately needs to address its red zone and short-distance struggles. As creative as Mike McDaniel can be, the Dolphins cannot enter another year with no size behind Achane.
S Jonathan Owens
As of the start of the 2025 NFL offseason, the Dolphins have just two safeties on their roster. Starters Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer will both hit free agency, as will Siran Neal and Elijah Campbell. Only scarcely-used rookies Patrick McMorris and Jordan Colbert are contracted through the 2025 season.
Neither McMorris nor Colbert have indicated that they are ready for an increased role, prompting the team to seek external options. The Dolphins will certainly need to acquire a safety in free agency, but also in the trade market. Miami could truly pursue a trade for any player, but Chicago Bears veteran and semi-celebrity Jonathan Owens provides the best risk-reward factor.
Owens, 29, has yet to truly establish himself in the league and is widely recognized more as Simone Biles' husband than a standout NFL star. But if his previous three seasons have proven anything, he is still improving late in his career and has the talent to be a weekly starter.
In 2024, Owens recorded just 49 total tackles, two pass breakups and one interception. The season-long results were disappointing, especially considering Jaquan Brisker missed most of the year with a concussion. However, nearly all of his production came across the Bears' final seven games, in which he averaged seven tackles per game.
Whenever he has been given the opportunity, Owens has proven to be worth more than just a special teams specialist and spot starter. In his only year as a full-time starter, Owens tallied a career-high 125 tackles in 2022 with the Houston Texans. If the Dolphins can acquire a star safety in the 2025 offseason, whether by free agency or trade, Owens would be a valuable complement with an affordable $2 million salary.
