Drive Time: 2025 Offseason Preview

we get official signings across the National Football League. We're going to take you around the comprehensive work that I did this offseason or pre off season to get you ready for what might happen next week and beyond as the Dolphins build out their twenty twenty five roster and look to improve upon the eight win season last year, hopefully getting back to eleven plus wins and quite frankly more than that than I think we were entitled to back in twenty twenty two.

Draft Time Podcast segments. I was cooking around for the show and it wound up becoming an ultimate like off season primer again, which I know I did last week, but that was another week of information I was able to gather and I went through and kind of sorted out things in terms of who I think could be targets in the premium market.

his primary responsibility is on the outside. He's a great blitzer and run defender. I think he has a bright future here under Anthony Weaver, and ever since he kind of got his bearings about landmarks and drops and where to be in zone coverage. I think that paris with how good he is in man coverage as a kind of, you know, franchise cornerstone. If not, you know, adequate starter

to use a Kyle Krabs ism. So that was kind of what spawned me watching Trayvon Merrig who spoiler Alerte is alert is going to be a spoiler Alert is going to be in my premium contract targets options in that position. But I was watching him a couple of games against the Miami Dolphins and a three level defender Farochius Hitter who can defend the run from depth, which is a very big circle on my offseason checklist that I want to make sure I check off this offseason.

Great burst off the top of the route. He was physical enough to match up on john Us Smith but also play in the post as a split field safety and single high as the loan safety you back there watching him, I kept thinking to myself, this is what I thought Javon Holland was going to be. So I think he's going to be a very expensive player, but a guy that I have my eyes on. And then I also in watching that tape, saw a feisty cornerback who just wanted to battle against Tyreek Hill and Jalen

Wattle and Malik Washington. Accordingly, I'm talking about Nate Hobbs, who can play inside and outside, really good feel for what I thought was similar coverage responsibilities that what Cater

had a season to go. So I just thought those two guys were very interesting to keep an eye on and couple of positions I'm going to kind of go heavy on in this little mock offseason here that we're about to do in a couple of seconds, because I think the Dolphins defense can really kind of take a big step here under Anthony Weaver after finishing fourth and total defense last year in his first season, And we heard Mike McDaniel on this program talk about how he

saw that shift occur around mid season, which you know, tracks they kind of lost that Buffalo and Arizona game because they couldn't get off the field, and they followed that up with some really good performances against the Rams

on Monday Night Football. They shut down two bad offenses and the Raiders and the Patriots, and then you know, had the rough outings against the likes of the Green Bay Packers and in a tough spot and couldn't tackle that night, But they had good games against the Niners against the Texans later on before ultimately getting gashed on the final day of the season, but I think that was not a real indication of who this team is because well, their best player quit the game, right. That's

another topic for another day. We won't get into that here on this podcast. But I listed out some guys that were like my guys in free agency. I'll just read it off real quick because it's going to kind of double dip here and overlap each other. But Trey Lance, Elijah Mitchell, the quarterback, running back Josh Palmer, I do like Nick Westbrook Akine, but I think he might be His projected market was kind of curious to me. We'll

see what he actually gets out there. And then James Daniels and Will Hernandez I love will Freeze, but I think he's going to be way too expensive. Patrick McCary, Daniel bruns Killed, Josh Jones, Derek Nandi, Bobby Brown, bj Hill, Michael Hoyt, Chase Young, Charles Amnahu, linebackers Willie Gay and

Jamie and Sherwood. The cornerbacks Nate Hobbs and Brandon Ick Eckles with Trayvon Merrigg Taloonoah Hafanga, and then Jeremy Chin at the safety position where some of the guys that I wrote down just wanted to get to all that. We'll also do a different version of the wavish Tringfield mock draft four thousand and I'll go ahead and play that soundrop for you guys, since I know it was

so popular last time we did it. Taking a look at what might happen after my proposed free agency, and again, is anything that's going to be right?

ten million dollars. Apy I would have a platinum category, because there's guys that make thirty million dollars fifty million dollars in this league, which would be where like a Sam Donald would be right where a Chris Godwin would be if he doesn't go back to the Buccaneers those type of t Higgins contracts. But I don't think Miami's in play for that one because that's largely quarterbacks, receivers, tackles, edges, and corners, and I don't think Miami's in the market

for those positions. Sam's cornerback, and I don't think they're in the market for a big money quarterback. And I also I think, but I know this, that we're not the type of team that spends twenty three million dollars on Trey Smith or twenty million dollars on Christian Wilkins.

I'll get to that here in one second. So, for instance, the best safeties on the board are in the same range as the best edges because there are all pro caliber safeties and not even a Pro Bowl caliber edge on the board.

can get him. That's pretty expensive. Makai Bectam is projected at ten million bucks, but I could see him getting more. He was also in the list here. And then Patrick McCary was a guy that I was planning on signing until I saw the spot rack evaluation of eleven million bucks per year. I think that he's probably a backup here, a sixth swingman at four positions. I just can't justify that for more than half of my starting offensive lineman.

And then Chase Young was the trojan horse I was talking about earlier, seventeen million bucks projected on spot Rack did not spow track, did not expect that. And then Michael Hoyt from the Rams was my other edge option for twelve million per year. Cornerback Paulson a debo for eleven million bucks a year from the Saints, and then Trayvon Merrig from the Raiders is fifteen million dollars per year.

I did not inc freeze Beckon, McCary, Young, Hoyt, Adebo or Merrig, even though I identified them as potential targets. Here is where I did go heavy in the second wave of free agency. Nick Westbrook a kine was a five million dollar projection. In fact, he, Brandon Cooks, and Josh Palmer all were the wide receivers and none of

them got contracts from your boy. I did, however, sign two offensive lineman here and one defensive line and I went James Daniels from the Steelers eight million dollars per year, which I could see that softening a little bit, and if it does, maybe I can afford one more player in this grouping of players here, but coming off the Achilles injury, I could see the pause there, But his tape is elite. He's an elite athlete that fits what we do at the guard position. He can play center

in a pinch as well. I think that he is like the perfect, the picture perfect interior offensive lineman for this system, sans coming off the Achilles injury. So that kind of maybe saves you a couple of bucks and does introduce some consternation about that acquisition. I'm very well aware of that, but I'm going with it anyways. I'm also gonna sign Will Hernandez. Those are my two starting guards in twenty twenty five. I'm gonna have James Daniels

play left guard and Will Hernandez play right guard. That's two bigger bodies. That's one really good athlete, one good enough athlete, and two really good pass protectors alongside Aaron Brewer, who I think can help protect him inside a little bit in terms of his sized efficiency there, keep to a tongue by lower upright, get some push in the running game, and keep our outside zone game intact with those two players. Jonah Jackson was also on the target.

I passed on that because he's a trade option. He would be owed nine million bucks this year in seventeen million bucks next year, which you probably would redo that contract to lop off that third year or the second year, I should say a third year of the total deal. But I'm just not going to part with picks because I want I want my picks that I have coming up.

I also signed a Rams player here pipping over to the defensive side, Bobby Brown, and Kyle was saying he thinks you can do him for four million because of the snap count and the lack of sacks, but watching his tape, I just don't know about that. And with the salary cap rising, I did put him in a six million dollar bind.

have b Jones on the field. My edge option here was Charles Amenahu, who is projected for nine million bucks. I'm gonna go ahead and pass on that. The two linebackers are three rather here that were in play, Willie Gay Junior from the Saints, Jamien Sherwood from the Jets, and Jermaine Pratt, who would be a trade option.

Isaiah Simmons was supposed to be. I think Weave would kill for a guy that can do a little bit of everything, which is why I think Nick Aman Worry and Jihad Campbell and Carson sweeshing heer a little bit in the in play for the Dolphins early in this year's draft, but I'm going with Jeremy Chin at the spot. Experience had a really good year last year for the Commanders, and he can play all three levels of your defense.

Then the bargain department, where I spent a good deal of money here, signing one, two, three, four, five six players ready quarterback Marcus Mariota for four million bucks. He won out over Trey Lance for two million bucks. On my options here, I only had one running back on this entire list, and I signed him, Elijah Mitchell from the forty nine Ers. He's minimum deal. He's going to come in here and be running back three if he can stay healthy. For once, wide receiver Josh Palmer four

million bucks passed on him. I passed on receiver Diami Brown. I think the two million dollar projection here is way too low. I think it's going to get a lot more than that. I also passed on tight end John Bates for a million bucks. I also passed on Josh Jones, and I think his two million dollar projection the Ravens

tackle is to me way too low. I did, however, sign a guy that was drafted by the forty nine Ers to play guard for four years and played really well there, and then went to the Titans and played two years of tackle there. So he's played four positions across the offensive line, and actually he's played five because he has played center two. Daniel Brunskill for three million bucks a year. I passed on Derek Noddy, the Chiefs

defensive tackle, for three million bucks. I did ink Marcus Davenport from the Lions for two million bucks a year, just trying to kind of hit lightning into bottle here with a very physically gifted player who has not performed to that first round draft pick status. I passed on Peyton Turner two million bucks. I signed linebacker Chris Barnes from the Cardinals for two million bucks, passing on Oron

Burks from the Equals at three million bucks. And then my last signing was cornerback Nate Hobbs of the Raiders for four million to play my slot and outside positions alongside Ramsey and Kohu. I passed on Brandon Eckles and DeMar Hamlin. Both those players were projected at three million bucks per so that's forty one million dollars in new money I spent. I also brought back cater Coohu and Tyrell Dodson for five million apiece, roughly Tya Spouser, Deshan

Hand and Benito Jones for two million bucks apiece. And the minimum signings back that will not count against the top fifty one. You only have to your salary cap only constitutes a top fifty one players in your roster. Bet some folks out there telling you about this stuff didn't know that. Via River creak Craft, I brought back Isaiah Whim and Elijah Campbell. I brought back Quentin Bell and Cam Good off the edge, two more receivers and Grant Dabos and ds Gridge and tackle key On Smith.

So roughly fifty seven million bucks. I spent new money this year. Thanks a lot to Ron Armstead for giving us that flexibility. And that leaves us with the draft. I wrote the roster out here, but let's go ahead and skip over that and just get into my draft position before we take a break and get to the great rhet lewis here. I feel as though I am set at quarterback with two good ones. My skill positions I feel very good about with the running back inclusion,

and I didn't sign any receivers. But with what I plan to do in the draftter, I feel good about where I'm sitting. I feel like my offensive line is kind of loaded. I've got depth, I've got versatility, I've got five good starters. I have quality talent and depth at defensive tackle, cornerback, and edge. I feel like I have big needs at linebacker and safety, and really those detackle, cornerback, edges could all use one more piece.

come back and do that. And then here from Rhet Lewis on the other side of the Draft Time podcast, your host Travis Wingfield, brought to you by Auto Nation back here after free agency mock Central, let's go ahead and talk about this draft. So I gave myself one two three, four, five, six, seven, eight options at the first one, two, three, four, five, six, seven draft picks.

So a lot of names to cover here, but I basically have a random category offensive line, tight end, defensive tackle, edge linebacker, cornerback, in safety.

stay there for the rest of the way. At pick forty eight. Really had a tough time here. Party wants to go Campbell at thirteen, then come back with Mason Taylor at forty eight. If he's even there, I don't even think he will be actually, But between that with Charles Grant, my offensive line option, I put Jack Besh and Jayden Higgins the two big receivers as the options there. Alfred Collins a defensive tackle option, Xavier Watts my safety option.

But I'm going with cornerback Jacob Parrish because he runs a four to three. He plays like he's pissed off. He's feisty, he can press, he can play the run, he can blitz. He's kind of like Trent McDuffie light in a lot of ways. I'm taking him at pick forty eight, and then at picked ninety eight, I went with Darius Alexander, the defensive tackle from Toledo with elite

first step quickness and twitch. He's going to be my third defensive tackle and a great pass rusher right away, passing up on Tyler Shook on Miles Frasier, on on, Josiah Stewart on Danny Stutzman on Leathan Ransom was the other guy I really had penciled in there, but I came back at picked one fourteen and took safety Billy Bowman out of Oklahoma. He kind of has some Jesse Bates to his game, obviously not quite as accomplished, but his ability to read from that center field position and

break on the football was very attractive. I passed up on Jackson Slater, the Sacramento State guard that I love. Bachelle Tooton, the running back from Virginia Tech.

I had recorded this before the information came across that Bradley Chubb was going to agree to reduce his salary for the season and convert that contract into bonuses that he can re earn back through incentives, and I wanted to put this on a separate audio file and add it into the podcast because it just tells you about where this culture is and where it needs to go to take the next step. It is not a place

that guys don't want to work, obviously. Now they need to find a way to tighten the reins a little bit and make it a fun place to work that has a better sense of accountability. But I think Bradley Chubb is a good example of the kind of guy they've focused on over the last few years who did not take advantage of the situation. Beechub is an a class human being. I can say that from experience. I think he's a really good football player when he's healthy.

I am worried a little bit about that cliff that comes around age thirty for his position, especially off another major reconstructive knee surgery. But remember this was in January of twenty twenty three, So we are going to be a fool. What was that twenty months removed from the injury when the new season begins. So for Beechub to reduce his salary to basically, I haven't earned it quite yet, let me go earn it on the football field and help the team as a result, I think that's awesome.

back in. It allows you to get more runway for your development from Mohammed Kamara, for Grayson Murphy, for Quentin Bell. Big fan of this move at the reduced cost, Bradley Chubb, You're the man quarterback to a tongue by Loa, Marcus Mariota and Max Brosmer. So, I have my starter, my veteran backup, and my rookie developmental piece at running back.

love this room. Tyler Warren, John new Smith, Julian Hill, and Tanner Connor. That's gonna be a three man room. Off the top, I already know how it's gonna work from camp into the regular season. And then my tackles are Patrick Paul and Austin Jackson with Daniel Brunskill the swing and I'm gonna let Keon Smith compete for that top swing job to push Brunskill into a pos a possible swing guard swing tackle option. I've got so many options because wi I did on the offensive line. That's

why I feel great. I have like eight nine guys that I feel really good about. That's where you want to be. And then Braden Daniels is in the room also with James Daniels, Aaron Brewer, Will Hernandez, Isaiah Winn, and Andrew Meyer my top interior guys with Brunskill to add, So my starters are going to be Paul Daniels, Brewer, Hernandez, and Jackson with Brunskill, Keon Smith and Isaiah Win my top backups. I feel pretty good about that with Andrew Meyer in there as well. On defense, Zach Seeler is

the straw that stirs the drink. I gave him, Bobby Brown next to him and Darius Alexander. That's a nose and a three technique, both with really good twitch, one really good run defender, one really good pass rusher. I also brought back Deshan Hand and Benito Jones for depth up front, and I also drafted CJ. West, who has a little bit of everything in his game as a dev piece. On the back of that, this is where I feel a little bit light. We could do some

more here. Jalen Phillips and Chop Robinson my two edges. I think JP is going to be back in Week one like he was last year, hopefully we don't have a safety takeout his knees again. And then Marcus Davenport's my third. I don't love that. I need more from

Mohammed Kamara this year. And then I do feel good about this part of the room as far as depth goes with Quintin Bell, Tyas Bowser, Grayson Murphy, Cameron Good and Zach Seeler is going to factor in off the edge as well because he's played lots of five technique here and because of my the defensive tackle, I can do that. And I'm still gonna give kalay As Campbell a call and say what's it gonna take to get you back here again next to You're a big fellow.

So overall those two groups together I feel good about, even if the edge spot is a little bit weak, because I can pool Seeler and I might have Kalais Campbell on speed dial linebackers, where I also don't feel great. Jordan Brooks, to me has all pro potential we know about that. Tyrell Dotson is my two, and then Chris Barnes, the Arizona free agent, is my three. With Chang Tendall to four. We probably need another body there. Maybe that's a Day three pick or a UDFA competing for that spot.

And then at cornerback Ramsey and Coho with Nate Hobbs as my initial starter in the slot, but Jacob Parrish is gonna get a chance to start as well, and quite frankly, I think we're gonna play a lot of six man defensive back packages where we have multiple guys out there, and Parish could be a safety swing kind of guy as well. So there's all kinds of options here. But Ramsey, co Who, Hobbs and Perish, and then Smith,

Duck Bonner and Ryan Cooper competing for those spots. I could see going with one of the other hobbes or para and then kind of letting that cornerback spot play itself out and hopefully someone rises to the occasion. But I don't want to leave it to chance, because I want the secondary to be humming with seven to eight guys deep. And that's why I signed Jeremy Chin to be all over the place. That's why I drafted Billy

Bowman to play center field for us. And then I have Patrick mc morris as kind of a nickel safety, with Elijah Campbell back in his special teams role rounding out the room. It kind of feels like you're going to go into camp this year with like two, maybe hopefully just one position where it's like, you know, let's

see what happens here. And I tend to think off ball linebacker is that spot maybe in the defensive backfield, but at linebacker you signed Dotson, perhaps get a Barnes or a Berks type of addition there, and hopefully one of those three as well as a draft picker Udfa hits behind Brooks. And then I think maybe at cornerback as well. But I'm really conflicted, like if I had to pivot my first two picks I would go Bama linebacker Jahad Campbell and then come back with Mason Taylor

at forty eight. But again I've decided to just stick with Tyler Warren at pick thirteen. I think he just changes so much for you. So there you go and doct what Let me know what you think of that roster here before this all starts to happen on social media and we'll have fun, let's go ahead and quickly pivot now to my chat with NFL Network's Rhet Lewis, the Indiana Hoosier and great host and great analyst. He gave me a fun chat at the Combine floor back

last week in Indianapolis. Joining us today is one of the anchors of Combine coverage here all week long in Indianapolis. NFL Network talent Rhett Lewis, Rhett, thanks for joining the show. Man.

which I've approached other avenues in my career. And I think the thing that did it for me was finding a way to get back into live games, you know.

to get into play by play for a while. I've done a bunch of play by play games, and then I got in with Big ten Network, you know, as a as a color analyst for Indiana's spring game last year, which then they asked me to go and be on one of their crews all year long as a sideline person. So I feel like I can.

Whereas you know, in my my college roles, i'd be you know, watching their tape, but in this one, I was trying to learn more about who they are, and because obviously, you know, DJ and Charles were we're providing you know, all of the analysis. But I've also found that getting to be around those guys in my role at Big ten Network, like on the college side, has helped on the NFL side this time of year, understand who they are and get to talk to some coaches

about him and that sort of thing. So yeah, I love I love learning with the stories. And God, we had some incredible ones at the Senior Bowl and some of those guys are obviously a bunch most of those guys are here at the combine as well.

that are kind of fun to go through. But when you look at the Miami Dolphins in this year's draft and offseason, what do you what kind of is the I guess overarching theme to you about what they need to do to to kind of find their way back into the playoffs, you know, after a down year when you know, if two was healthy probably back in the playoffs.

be a part of it. I think, you know, sitting there at thirteen, you're gonna have a chance to improve your offensive line, you know, right there, whether that's a guy like Booker from Alabama, whether it's Banks from Texas. I don't think Will Campbell's there at that point from LSU. Maybe a touch high for a player like Grey's Abele from North Dakota.

bit more of a real possibility there. I think he's probably you're probably talking about a Zabel coming off the board, you know, I don't know eighteen to twenty eight at this point, but it's not that far off at thirteen anyway. So I think that would make sense. And then you know, you know, defensively, you know, I think what happens with Javon Holland will also play a big role in how this draft turns out.

so I don't know that that is a necessity. I think he's got framed there, you know, to be one of those guys, I think, you know, a player down the road like Jonah Mannheim from usc who also had another really good Senior Bowl week, could be a player that makes a lot of sense as an interior player to help upgrade that that part of it. You know, if you don't if you don't get one of those guys in the first first two rounds, Monheim could be availab a little bit later on.

in the class. I'm just curious with the balance of the positions and maybe the lack of star power up top. Like, how would you describe this draft if you kind of had to look at it as on a whole the draft as a whole show.

at pick number thirteen. I think, you know, the FBS stack leader at Marshall has shown some incredible ability, you know in mobile Senior Bowl on tape, that kind of sack production you don't just happen stance into.

It really makes my job easier to have guests on the show and kind of get me through the entire week of content as I sprinkle in my own takes and thoughts and film evaluations and all the projections that we do here on the show with you guys to get different voices.

NFL and the team at Miami Dolphins. Check out the fish Tank podcast with Seth and Juice, and the YouTube channel for Dolphins HQ, Media availabilities and so much more and last button not least, Miami Dolphins dot com.