2025 Miami Dolphins Season Predictions

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MIAMI, FL – Football season is officially back for the Miami Dolphins. The 60th season in Miami Dolphins history starts this week, and I have my 2025 season predictions. It’s year four of the Mike McDaniel era and year six of the Tua Tagovailoa era. This season is basically make-or-break for these two individuals. The result of this season ultimately hinges on McDaniel’s ability to lead the team and on Tagovailoa’s ability to remain healthy on the field.

Offseason Moves

The Dolphins made some moves throughout the offseason. Some of their departures included CB Kendall Fuller, RB Raheem Mostert, and TE Durham Smythe.

They signed players such as back-up QB Zack Wilson to a one-year deal, G James Daniels to a three-year contract, and WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine to a two-year deal on the same day.

The biggest noise they made in the offseason, though, was via trades. They traded CB Jalen Ramsey and TE Jonnu Smith for the return of S Minkah Fitzpatrick. The next day, they traded a conditional 2026 sixth-round pick for the reinstatement of TE Darren Waller and a 2027 seventh-round pick.

The Fins retained players such as LB Quinton Bell, S Elijah Campbell, and DT Zach Sieler.

In the draft, they added talent such as DT Kenneth Grant out of Michigan in the 1st round and OL Jonah Savaiinaea out of Arizona in the 2nd round.

The Dolphins lost the most net talent in the NFL this offseason, according to a formula created by Rotowire.

They say Miami was -70, considering total points of AV (Average Player Value formula by Pro Football Reference) of players lost and gained and grade of ‘25 NFL Draft. pic.twitter.com/6CS6Y2gKd3

— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) August 23, 2025

1st Half Schedule Breeze

Week 1 – The Dolphins will start the season as the away team against the Colts. Daniel Jones may have won the starting quarterback job over Anthony Richardson, but they still don’t seem to have much certainty at the position. Indianapolis isn’t solid at the kicking position either, which could be decisive in a close game. Dolphins W

Week 2 – The New England Patriots are expected to continue getting better. However, they still don’t have the depth to be an elite team just yet. They have struggled with drafting and developing players over time. Mike Vrabel is a boost at head coach, but he still has plenty of young players to mentor. Dolphins W

Week 3 – The Dolphins make their annual trip to Buffalo, but lucky for them, it’ll be in September. The Bills have a loaded roster on both sides of the ball. They made a trip to the AFC Championship game last season and are hungry for more. Even if it’s not in the cold, one team still holds a clear advantage. Dolphins L

Week 4 – For the third straight week, Miami faces an AFC East opponent. They travel back home for Monday Night Football to face the New York Jets, who got rid of a lot of key players over the offseason. QB Justin Fields and WR Garrett Wilson will be relied on, and I believe the Dolphins’ defense will give them trouble. Dolphins W

Week 5 – Miami takes a short trip to North Carolina to play a weak Panthers team. This is a team that had the worst scoring defense last season, allowing 404.5 yards per game. It’s not expected to be much better, and the Dolphins can have themselves a field day on offense. Bryce Young hasn’t proven himself yet in the NFL either. Dolphins W

Week 6 – On paper, the Chargers are a team on the rise. An offense led by Justin Herbert at the helm will be dangerous this season. However, their o-line is a concern, which may affect their ability to make plays on the ground. We may be in for an upset, though, as Los Angeles will be playing a 1 PM game in the Miami heat. Dolphins W

Week 7 – The Dolphins will visit a depleted Browns team in Cleveland. Even with a defense led by DE Myles Garrett and CB Denzel Ward, they still look limited. An inexperienced RB Quinshon Judkins will be called on to lead their run game. How many quarterbacks do the Browns need to survive the season? Dolphins W

Week 8 – Miami goes to Atlanta and faces an up-and-coming Falcons team that still has some questions on defense. They had the second-fewest sacks last season with 31. Their quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., started just three games in 2024, with a pick in each one. They have good playmakers, but it won’t be enough. Dolphins W

2nd Half Season Gauntlet

Week 9 – The Baltimore Ravens are tied for the highest odds to win the Super Bowl. Lamar Jackson is coming off a career season and has his most complete team thus far entering 2025. Derrick Henry is a huge threat on the ground as well. Their defense, especially against the run, is one of the best in the NFL. Dolphins L

Week 10 – It’s a home game against Buffalo, meaning it could be a closer one than the previous meeting. The only difference between this match is that we will have a better understanding of the playoff implications of this game. Dolphins L

Week 11 – Both the Fins and the Washington Commanders will travel overseas to Madrid. QB Jayden Daniels has shown in one season that he has what it takes to compete in this league. LT Laremy Tunsil and WR Deebo Samuel are leaders on their offense. This, along with the long distance, will cause a disturbance for Miami. Dolphins L

Week 12 – Bye

Week 13 – This is going to be an ugly season for the New Orleans Saints. A new head coach, shaky secondary, and a platoon quarterback situation don’t help matters. Also, some players have injury concerns. It’s their easiest game of the schedule, and the Dolphins should be cruising to victory in this one at Hard Rock Stadium. Dolphins W

Week 14 – Below 40-degree weather doesn’t tend to be kind to the Dolphins, but I expect them to take care of business in East Rutherford. The Jets will more than likely be out of it at this point. Dolphins W

Week 15 – A defensive unit led by T.J. Watt is solid enough to prevent the Fins from having many scoring chances. Expect Aaron Rodgers to improve with his new team, despite being 41 years old. I wouldn’t count out Mike Tomlin’s experience here in a game up in Pittsburgh, where they will be fighting for a Wild Card spot. Dolphins L

Week 16 – The Bengals are another team that is expected to finally make a championship run. On offense, they are loaded with weapons, such as QB Joe Burrow, WR Ja’Marr Chase, and wide receiver Tee Higgins. Despite some concerns on defense, this should be enough to handle the Fins in Miami. Dolphins L

Week 17 – Baker Mayfield is a guy the Buccaneers can rely on at QB. He has Mike Evans and Chris Godwin as his top two receivers. This is a Tampa Bay Bucs team that will probably make a trip to the postseason again. They do have some holes on defense, which is why I believe the Dolphins can capitalize and win a close one. Dolphins W

Week 18 – A potential game with playoff implications for both squads. This game will be held in Foxborough this time, but I can see the Dolphins being more motivated to clinch a Wild Card spot. Dolphins W

We charge forward ⏩

Introducing our 2025 schedule 🗓️ pic.twitter.com/fMlzuEKP9Y

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) May 15, 2025

Overall

Having the 11th-easiest schedule based on their opponents’ 2024 records, the Dolphins finish 11-6. They must take advantage of how easy the first eight games of the season are. If they want any shot at competing for a playoff spot, they must start the season with a 6-2 record at minimum. The hardest game of the season will be their Thursday Night Football game on September 18 against the Bills.

The hardest stretch of games will be from October 30 to November 16, against the Ravens, Bills, and Commanders. This will test whether the Fins are contenders or pretenders. To be prepared, they must take care of business against the subpar teams will face beforehand.

Another stretch of brutal games will come late in the season. Since 2022, the Fins have had a gruesome 7-10 record in December and January games. They have three road matchups and two prime-time games against the Jets, Steelers, Bengals, Buccaneers, and Patriots. If they have at least two wins against teams above .500 coming into this slate of games, then I’m feeling pretty confident.

Again, this is the ultimate showtime for HC Mike McDaniel and for Tua Tagovailoa as the leader of this offense. I’ll even dare to say this could be it for GM Chris Grier if Miami doesn’t live up to expectations. Grier is already entering year 10 with the Fins. The main objective this season is to win a playoff game, nothing more and nothing less. It’s been 25 years since that mark has been achieved for the franchise, and it’s not an impossible goal.

The Dolphins have officially released the first depth chart of the 2025 season👀 pic.twitter.com/q1QSZGfOXX

— King of Phinland🐬👑 (@KingOfPhinland) August 6, 2025

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