The Miami Dolphins may need to make a move, whether Stephen Ross wants to or not. Something needs to change in this organization, and there is no reason to wait until next year.
It is no secret that I’m not a fan of Chris Grier and believe the Dolphins’ best option this offseason would be to hire a general manager who wants to be more than second place in the AFC East. Until now, I have maintained that Mike McDaniel should remain for at least one more season. That isn’t how I feel right now.
It is tough to make a call that would change your franchise yet again, but Ross needs to realize his team isn’t winning when they need to, and they are only beating teams they should beat. Against better teams, McDaniel doesn’t know what he is doing.
The Dolphins lack physicality and drive. They lack discipline and have been called soft by members of their team. Ross can change that with a simple hire.
Dolphins should target Mike Vrabel to replace Mike McDaniel
Mike Vrabel is not going to be available for long when the season ends. He had problems in Tennessee but didn’t have the talent he would in Miami. Vrabel would buck a horrible trend for Ross of hiring first-time head coaches. Joe Philbin, Adam Gase, Brian Flores, Mike McDaniel. Of those, Flores was probably the best coach for what the team needed.
Vrabel is that guy this year. The Dolphins need a coach who has the respect of his players, doesn’t play games, and holds the team accountable, not telling the team to hold themselves accountable.
The former Titans HC can bring in quality assistants and build a good coaching staff, something McDaniel has failed to do.
It doesn’t make sense to fire the head coach and leave Grier in his position. If Ross is going to make a move, he needs to hit the reset button. Hire a new GM, and go from there. This is where the problem of landing Vrabel comes in. A good GM looking for a head coach this year should be looking his way, but if teams have to hire a GM first and then find a head coach, it may take too long to get Vrabel under contract.
