What’s Next for the Dolphins?

The 2024 NFL draft is over, so the attention now turns to other parts of the busy offseason calendar

Now that the NFL draft is over, the offseason moves forward and it’s time to look ahead at what’s next for the Miami Dolphins.

First and maybe foremost, the 2024 regular season schedule could be released as early as next week, if recent history is any guide.

The league officially hasn’t announced the date other than saying it will be revealed in May, but over the last two years, the schedule was released on the second Thursday of May. In 2021, it was released on May 11, a Wednesday.

While the Dolphins and all NFL teams know who and where they play, the “when” is the key factor missing. When the NFL does release the schedule, teams and fans alike analyze when certain games fall, and in Miami’s case, weather is always a factor.

Many look to September for the Dolphins’ unique weather-based advantage. Also, will the Dolphins travel to the Northeast at the backe nd of the season, or will they get a favorable early autumn afternoon in New York, New Jersey, or Massachusetts for their road games against division rivals Buffalo, the Jets and New England.

In addition to the usual suspects of AFC East road opponents, the Dolphins have away games in Green Bay and Cleveland on their docket. Will lake-effect snow factor into a Dolphins late AFC conference clash?

In an intriguing matchup regardless of date, Tua Tagovailoa will face fellow 2020 draft class quarterback Jordan Love at Lambeau Field. The schedule will dictate whether Miami will travel to a field or a potentially frozen tundra.

DOLPHINS CONTINUE THEIR ON-FIELD PREPARATION

While they continue Phase Two of the offseason program — limited to individual or group instruction and drills, and no offense versus defense work — the third and final phase will start May 20. That phase, which allows for 7-on-7 or 9-on-7 work, will feature six Organized Team Activity (OTA) days for the Dolphins, who again have chosen this year not to use their maximum allotment of 10 OTAs. The offseason program will conclude with a three-day minicamp June 4-6 — that is the only part of the offseason program that is mandatory for players.

Other offseason news would be jersey numbers given to rookies, and veteran switches. The best example here is rookie Chop Robinson reportedly sticking with his collegiate 44. Long snapper Blake Ferguson has worn 44 since 2021 after switching from the 50 he wore during rookie season, but he hit social media to announce he will snap over the number to the first-round pick. Ferguson will wear his collegiate 48, worn at LSU while becoming a national champion with the Tigers.

Throughout all of this will be the second wave of free agency. One key date related to that is June 2, which is when the Dolphins will get $18.5 million of cap space, the result of the offseason release of cornerback Xavien Howard with a post-June 1 designation. The Dolphins have been rumored to be interested in a few free agent veterans on the market, and that additional cap space could allow them to continue to add depth.