September 27th, 2025 at 1:01pm CST by Nikhil Mehta
Dolphins tight end Darren Waller will finally make his return to the NFL on Sunday against the Jets.
Head coach Mike McDaniel said on Saturday (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald) that the 33-year-old “looks firmly ready to contribute, which is why he will play in the game.”
Waller came out of retirement this offseason to replace Jonnu Smith after he was traded to the Steelers. McDaniel also noted that the 6-foot-6 tight end would add some much-needed size to Miami’s group of pass-catchers.
Waller spent most of training camp ramping up after more than a year away from the field. He was activated from the physically unable to perform list in late August but suffered a hip strain before the regular season.
The Dolphins offense has struggled to start the year with minimal production from tight ends Julian Hill and Tanner Conner. Smith proved with his breakout 2024 that the position isn’t completely ignored in McDaniel’s offense, and the team is hoping that Waller can replicate some of his impact. Waller’s size should help in the red zone, but it’s worth noting that he only has 20 career touchdowns across 63 starts with only one season with more than three scores.
Miami’s offense could make another change on Sunday after an early-season competition at right guard following an injury to Week 1 starter James Daniels. Kion Smith took over after Daniels and started the next two games, but was benched last week for Daniel Brunskill. Former Patriots first-rounder Cole Strange has also taken first-team reps at guard this week and could factor into the picture, giving Miami multiple alternates if their starter – likely Brunskill, per Jackson – falters.
September 25th, 2025 at 10:49pm CST by Adam La Rose
Six teams currently find themselves at 0-3 to begin the year. Managing to rebound from that mark and reach the playoffs has proven to be an extremely difficult task over the years.
Only four times has a team reached the postseason after starting 0-3 since 1990. Crucially, none have achieved the feat since the playoffs were expanded from six to seven teams in each conference in 2021. Whether or not that continues this season will be interesting to see.
Chances are slim for any of the league’s winless teams to rally into the postseason, but there is of course variance with respect to their prospects of doing so. There is an argument to be made the Texans represent the likeliest candidate to pull off such a comeback, based largely on their defensive success to date. Houston ranks fifth in the NFL in points allowed (17 per game on average) and the team’s losses have come by a combined margin of 13 points.
Improvement on offense could thus help turn things around in short order, but the Texans’ offseason renovations up front have not gone as planned so far. Third-year quarterback C.J. Stroudhas not been able to return to the form shown during his stellar rookie campaign, and a number of new pass-catchers are in the process of acclimating to an offense lacking a strong ground game. Catching the undefeated Colts for top spot in the AFC South would be a surprise at this point, but a wild-card berth could very much still be within reach if Nick Caley‘s unit can turn things around.
Houston will take on the Titans in Week 4 in a clash of teams seeking their first win. Tennessee entered the year with far lower expectations, but the team’s performance to date has still left plenty to be desired. The Titans lead the league in penalties (31) and rookie quarterback Cam Wardhas been sacked an NFL-high 15 times. Second-year head coach Brian Callahan sports a record of 3-17 at this point, and it remains to be seen if he will be entrusted with overseeing Ward’s development over the long term.
Callahan relinquished offensive play-calling duties this week, and he will now look to increase his involvement in other aspects of the team. Finding success in that regard would no doubt help his job security. It would also, presumably, allow for Tennessee to improve on last season’s 3-14 showing and offer signs of progress from Ward and a supporting cast in need of improvements moving forward.
Another intra-divisional Week 4 game will see the Dolphins take on the Jets. The first half of the upcoming Monday Night Football doubleheader will be key in determining both teams’ immediate futures. Miami was seen as a disappointment given how the 2024 campaign played out. Head coach Mike McDaniel has certainly not helped his standing in the organization so far this season, although a concerted effort to improve the Dolphins’ culture could help stave off a firing for he and general manager Chris Grier.
Finding a rhythm on offense has proven to be highly challenging in 2025, even with quarterback Tua Tagovailoamanaging to avoid any injuries to date. Stronger play on both sides of the ball will be needed if Miami is to reach the playoffs for the third time in McDaniel’s fourth season at the helm. Winning a postseason contest will become a major objective in that event, but for now quieting the rumors about major organizational changes will be the goal.
By contrast, 2025 marks another new beginning for the Jets. Rookie head coach Aaron Glennand first-year general manager Darren Mougey are seeking to provide the team with long-term stability in addition to ending a playoff drought which dates back to 2010. That effort has not gone according to plan so far, but a key element will be the evaluation of new quarterback Justin Fields. The former first-rounder is back at practice, and he will return to starting duties upon being cleared from concussion protocol.
Fields is under contract through 2026, but helping lead the Jets to the playoffs would greatly increase his chances of landing a long-term accord. It would also help Glenn and Mougey’s standing, although at this point their job securities are of course not in question. Still, a strong first campaign in New York (something which could be attained without a postseason berth, at least in theory) would be welcomed by the duo; a quick rebound from the way things have started would suffice, and it would be less surprising than one from some of the league’s other winless outfits.
New York’s NFC squad is in a state of flux in no small part due to another unwanted beginning to a campaign. Giants head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen managed to remain in place this offseason, but aside from a high-scoring output against the Cowboys things have not gone according to plan. The decision has been made to replace quarterback Russell Wilsonwith first-round rookieJaxson Dart, and the outcome of that move (beginning with a debut against the 3-0 Chargers) will be critical on a number of fronts.
Daboll and Schoen are known to be on the hot seat, and showing potential for a turnaround with Dart in place would go a long way in helping ensure they remain in place. Owner John Mara made clear his mandate for a step forward compared to 2024 (3-14), and plenty of work remains given how things have gone early in the current campaign. If the Giants are to at least contend for a wild-card spot this season, Dart will no doubt be a key figure in the process.
Joining the Jets as a team led by a rookie head coach encountering early struggles are the Saints. New Orleans underwent a number of offseason changes, with Kellen Moore‘s hire being the most noteworthy. The longtime NFL OC was a central figure in the decision to draft Tyler Shough, but instead of the second-rounder handling starting duties it has been Spencer Rattlerat the helm so far.
The Saints’ QB setup raised eyebrows amongst some of their players, but Rattler has improved upon his output from last season’s late spell in the starter’s role. Two of New Orleans’ losses, meanwhile, came about in one-score games. A postseason berth was not expected from the team, with many pointing to the 2026 draft as the point where a new franchise quarterback would arrive. Rattler (or potentially Shough, depending on how things play out) could earn an extended look in the QB1 role, however. A quick recovery toward postseason contention would come as a surprise, but at a minimum a bounce-back from last week’s lopsided loss in Seattle will be sought out. Doing so against the undefeated Bills will of course be a tall task.
Only once since 1990 has a team started 0-4 but managed to reach the playoffs. By contrast, moving to 1-3 has been more beneficial (with 35 teams doing so in that same span). The success of this year’s group in recording a first win this weekend and generating momentum beyond that point will make for an interesting storyline.
Out of this group of winless teams, which do you feel will have the best chance of rebounding and qualifying for the postseason in 2025? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and have your say in the comments section below.
The Falcons’ kicking rollercoaster took another turn in Week 3 with John Parker Romo missing both of his attempts in Sunday’s loss to the Panthers. Granted, those kicks came from 49 and 55 yards, so Atlanta may have some patience after signing Romo to a two-year contract last week. The Falcons still brought in some potential competition in Sauls, an undrafted rookie who spent training camp with the Steelers and made five of his six field goals in the preseason.
Watson signed with the Buccaneers after the draft but remained on the non-football injury list as he worked to get his weight to a more manageable level. He was waived during final roster cuts, but the team hosted him for a workout last week, per FOX Sports’ Greg Auman. Watson met the team’s athletic requirements to earn his way back on the practice squad, according to Auman, and will return just in time for the Bucs’ Week 4 matchup with the Eagles. The massive nose tackle does feel like a direct counter to the tush push, but Bowles previously said (via Auman) that Watson wouldn’t be re-signed just for one matchup and would instead need to be ready to contribute to the defense as a whole.
It did not take long for Tyreek Hill trade rumors, which swirled throughout the early stages of the offseason, to resurface. Shortly after the Dolphins’ brutal 33-8 loss to the Colts in Week 1, a report indicated the Chiefs and Steelers were eyeing a potential trade for Miami’s talented but mercurial wideout.
Pittsburgh has removed itself from the Hill sweepstakes, at least for now. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the club is concerned that the latest round of domestic violence allegations against Hill – his estranged wife, Keeta Vaccaro, has accused Hill of eight separate violent acts against her, some of which took place while she was pregnant – could result in a suspension.
Those allegations came to light just one day after the Indianapolis loss, and Florio’s prior report on the matter implied the Steelers’ interest in Hill spawned prior to the accusations. It is therefore no surprise that the team will not entertain a move for the 31-year-old wideout until there is more clarity on this off-field situation.
That may well be the case for any club interested in acquiring Hill. However, the trade deadline is not until November 4. By that point, teams may feel comfortable that Hill will be able to avoid a suspension at least for the remainder of the 2025 season and will thus be amenable to swinging a deal.
After all, Hill profiles as an obvious trade candidate. Although he is under contract through 2026, he is due $36MM in total compensation and carries an untenable $51.9MM cap charge next year. Florio confirms Hill will likely be cut by March if he remains with the ‘Fins through the end of the current season, so if the Dolphins – who are currently 0-3 and looking like an obvious seller – are unable to engineer a dramatic turnaround, they will surely consider a trade.
Through the first three games of the season, Hill has recorded 15 catches for 198 yards and a score. The Steelers apparently have interest in pairing his talents with another trade acquisition, D.K. Metcalf, and just as Miami’s status as sellers or otherwise will be solidified by early November, so too will Pittsburgh’s status as legitimate playoff contender or possible also-ran.
Earlier this month, a report came to light indicating that Dolphins general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel may not retain their jobs through the end of the current season. Prior to the club’s loss to the Bills on Thursday, Ian Rapoport and Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network said owner Stephen Ross was willing to be patient with McDaniel (the same may be true of Grier, though neither pundit substantively mentioned him in their reports).
Rapoport said Ross likes and believes in McDaniel and does not want to fire him (to say nothing of last year’s extension that tethered the HC to the organization through 2028). As such, a McDaniel dismissal is not imminent (video link).
Rapoport acknowledges that Ross’ stance could change in a hurry if fans stop showing up to games or if McDaniel’s players stop playing hard for him. Fan discontent was on full display before Miami’s Week 2 loss to the Patriots in the form of a banner reading “FIRE GRIER. FIRE MCDANIEL.” borne by a small aircraft flying above Hard Rock Stadium. However, according to Wolfe, Dolphins players were not panicked about their disappointing start to the campaign and had not quit on their coach (video link).
That said, the players did express frustration and concern to Wolfe, and losing the Buffalo contest to fall to 0-3 surely did not assuage those feelings. Again, the Rapoport and Wolfe reports preceded the game, and while Wolfe said even a loss to the Bills would not change Ross’ immediate plans with respect to McDaniel, it is fair to wonder how long the patience will last.
Underscoring all of this is the cultural change that Grier and McDaniel tried to implement this season. In a long-form piece on the matter that will be of particular interest to ‘Fins fans, ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques says the club has attempted to improve the culture within the team facility since the 2024 campaign came to an end.
Part of those efforts included a focus on “player-driven accountability,” and McDaniel told his team after the 2024 season finale that anyone who took issue with that notion could simply say as much, and that the club would look to trade or release them. Indeed, multiple sources said tardiness for, and absences from, team meetings was a significant problem last year.
Jalen Ramsey and Tyreek Hill, both team captains in 2024, were reportedly among the repeat offenders, and a current Dolphins player said the high-profile duo took advantage of their captaincy and used it as justification for their poor attendance record. Sources said Ramsey in particular was a “drain” on morale – he would show up late to team activities and even leave practice while it was ongoing – and Hill famously took himself out of Miami’s last game of the season.
Hill, who did not deny missing meetings or arriving late to meetings and practice, is still with the team despite trade rumblings early in the offseason, though Ramsey was traded to the Steelers in June. Grier’s recent comments on the Ramsey deal suggest there is at least some truth to the allegations concerning the player’s lack of accountability, and while Grier indicated back in April that the club and Ramsey mutually agreed to seek a trade partner, one source told Louis-Jacques that the move was actually driven by the team.
Interestingly, a former Dolphins player who worked under McDaniel said the lateness/absence issues were not new developments in 2024. Instead, they only became problematic when the losses began to pile up.
“Everyone was fine with cutting meetings, cutting practice when they’re winning, but once you’re losing, it’s like now you can’t get mad at that,” the player said. “You were just enjoying it when you were winning.”
Multiple sources said the disregard for timeliness and attendance reflected a lack of respect for McDaniel, who was reluctant to take action other than imposing fines (which McDaniel himself later conceded did not do much to change behavior). One source said McDaniel has been more willing to publicly admonish players this year, though the comments regarding lack of respect last season will not help the HC’s cause.
Only six teams have qualified for the postseason after an 0-3 start, and the last team to accomplish that feat was the 2018 Texans. A source familiar with Ross’ thinking said Grier’s and McDaniel’s job security will not depend exclusively on whether the Dolphins defy the odds and make the playoffs, and the team did put up competitive showings against the Patriots and Bills following a Week 1 blowout loss to the Colts.
Still, Louis-Jacques and Wolfe made reference to the comments Ross offered just hours after the 2024 season ended, when the owner said, “I believe in the value of stability. However, continuity in leadership is not to be confused with an acceptance that status quo is good enough.”
Even though a source told Louis-Jacques that Ross’ remarks with respect to the status quo pertained more to process than results, the ESPN scribe notes there is a limit to Ross’ patience with undesirable results. In other words, Grier and McDaniel may need their team to start winning immediately to preserve their futures in South Beach.
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores is going back on the offensive in his class-action suit against the NFL and six of its teams. Per Daniel Kaplan of Front Office Sports, Flores and other members of the class allege that Peter Harvey, the arbitrator whom commissioner Roger Goodell appointed on September 17, 2024, is merely “sitting on his hands” in an effort to delay the proceedings.
Flores argues that Harvey has done nothing in the year since his appointment, including responding to requests regarding his own potential conflicts of interest. For instance, as Kaplan points out, Harvey has ties to the league thanks to his seat on the NFL diversity committee, which was formed in the wake of Flores’ suit. Harvey has also served as an arbitrator in other NFL matters, and Flores claims those appointments likely resulted in substantial compensation. In a December 2024 letter to Flores’ lawyers, NFL outside counsel Loretta Lynch said those types of conflict disclosures are not required by law.
In a recent motion that was filed in an effort to remove all of the Plaintiffs’ claims from arbitration and put them in court, Flores’ attorneys write, “[i]ncredibly, as of the filing of this motion for the court, Mr. Harvey has not issued any decision on the motion for arbitral disclosures, nor communicated with parties in any manner whatsoever regarding the proceedings. As such, the entire arbitration has been at a complete standstill and effectively stayed. Mr. Harvey effectively gave the NFL its desired stay through his inexplicable inaction.”
We heard last month that Flores’ claims against the league and three teams – the Broncos, the Giants, and the Texans – were allowed to proceed to court rather than remain in arbitration. In affirming that decision and ruling against the NFL, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals reasoned that Flores never signed contracts with mandatory arbitration language with those clubs (the basis for his claims against those three teams is that they allegedly conducted sham head coaching interviews to comply with the Rooney Rule). On the other hand, because Flores and co-Plaintiffs Steve Wilks and Ray Horton had signed contracts with the Dolphins, Cardinals, and Titans, respectively, and because those deals included a mandatory arbitration provision, the claims against that trio of teams remain in Harvey’s purview for the time being.
That has set up a new battlefront of sorts: while the NFL is appealing the Second Circuit’s three-judge decision to the court’s full 13-judge panel, Flores’ camp argues in its above-referenced motion to the trial court that the Second Circuit’s ruling with respect to the Broncos, Giants, and Texans – in which the appeals court held that it would be unconscionable for Goodell or one of his designees to act as an arbitrator in a case against the NFL and its teams – should also apply to the claims against the Dolphins, Cardinals, and Titans (contract language notwithstanding).
Of course, the league prefers the more sheltered arbitration setting, whereas Flores & Co. are seeking the more objective arena of an open courtroom. That venue dispute has dragged on since the suit was filed three-and-a-half years ago, and it apparently will continue for at least a while longer.
In underscoring the amount of time that has passed with little by way of substantive movement in the litigation, Flores’ lawyers wrote, “[g]iven Mr. Harvey’s inaction and lack of communication, the litigations before him have not even moved to the very initial discovery stage. Mr. Harvey has completely abdicated and disregarded his responsibilities…and he has let the entire arbitration before him languish without any communication.”
The NFL has opposed the Plaintiffs’ motion but has declined public comment on it.
September 19th, 2025 at 5:44pm CST by Nikhil Mehta
Early-season injuries to right guard James Daniels and right tackle Austin Jackson left the Dolphins offensive line shorthanded in their winless first three games of 2025.
Miami has also been without tight end Darren Wallerto start the year. The veteran tight end suffered a hip injury before Week 1, delaying his return to the field after coming out of retirement in the offseason.
Daniels is on injured reserve with an unclear return timeline, but the Dolphins have gotten some clarity on the other two. The team is optimistic that Jackson will be ready to play when he’s eligible to come off IR in Week 6, per ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques. That will bolster the blind side of quarterbackTua Tagovailoa, who has been pressured 28 times on 77 dropbacks in the last two weeks, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Waller, meanwhile, is expected to make his 2025 debut in Week 4, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Head coach Mike McDaniel said that he might have suited up had the Dolphins played on Sunday this week instead of Thursday, but added that Waller’s body “has to follow through.”
Since Waller has been out of the NFL since 2023, it’s less clear what he will add to Miami’s offense. McDaniel’s scheme doesn’t emphasize tight ends, so it’s not a major disappointment that Julian Hill andTanner Connerhave only combined for four catches and 37 yards in their first three games.
Still, the Dolphins would certainly like to get more from the position. After back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2019 and 2020, injuries hampered Waller over the next three years, but he still averaged 50.2 yards per game in that span. The former Pro Bowler may not have as many opportunities in Miami, but he could still be an upgrade over the team’s current options.
September 15th, 2025 at 9:57pm CST by Adam La Rose
The Dolphins fell to 0-2 on Sunday following a home loss to the Patriots. Miami’s performance on offense in particular was an improvement compared to Week 1, but questions continue to linger about changes being made in the organization.
Shortly before Week 2, a report indicated head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier are in danger of being fired before the season ends. After the loss, McDaniel was asked about his stance regarding his job security. As one would expect, he denied having concern on the subject.
“If I worry about my job security, I won’t be doing my job,” McDaniel said (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). “I’ve never felt entitled to this position. It’s important for me to spend all of my waking hours worrying about how to do my job. I won’t spend one moment thinking about [job security].”
Coaches known to be on the hot seat often provide remarks along those lines, so McDaniel’s comments are certainly understandable. Still, a slow start against the Patriots resulted in a 12-0 deficit early yesterday. The Dolphins managed to take the lead, but their final two possessions resulted in a Tua Tagovailoainterception and a turnover on downs following a Tagovailoa sack. That helped lead to the Dolphins’ first home loss against New England since 2019, a game which was preceded by a blowout loss against the Colts.
Concussions and other injuries have been a long-running area of concern for Tagovailoa during his NFL career. When healthy during the early portion of McDaniel’s tenure as head coach, he and the team managed to find a degree of success. The Dolphins reached the postseason in 2022 and again the following year, indicating a breakthrough could be coming. After an underwhelming showing last season and a poor start to the current campaign, though, calls have increased for a change on the sidelines and/or in the front office.
The Dolphins have lost 10 of their last 16 games in which Tagovailoa has started dating back to when he was on the field last season. That regression has been coupled with issues being aired out by a number of veterans, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Relations with McDaniel were acknowledged to be a factor in this offseason’s Jalen Ramseytrade. The Dolphins’ secondary is a point of concern, especially given the injuries suffered in at the cornerback spot so far. Miami’s offense has generally not met expectations since the start of last season, however.
Should the Dolphins continue to struggle through the fall, pressure will no doubt continue to increase on McDaniel and Grier. Whether of not owner Stephen Ross considers a change midway through the campaign – and how (if at all) McDaniel alters his approach in response – will make for an interesting storyline.
September 13th, 2025 at 8:35pm CST by Nikhil Mehta
SEPTEMBER 13: Dianna Russini of The Athletic confirms (subscription required) the Dolphins are not actively looking to trade Hill, adding calls have yet to be made on the subject. In the event Miami continues to struggle, however, interest could pick up before the trade deadline.
SEPTEMBER 11: Trade rumors followed Tyreek Hill throughout the offseason, and the Dolphins’ 33-8 drubbing at the hands of the Colts has only intensified speculation that the veteran wide receiver could be on his way out of Miami.
The Steelers and the Chiefs are both “eyeing” Hill after Week 1, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio (via the Rich Eisen Show).
Kansas City has a clear need at wide receiver following Xavier Worthy‘s injury and Rashee Rice‘s suspension. Hill would especially help a Chiefs downfield passing game that has stagnated since he left the team in 2022.
The Steelers, meanwhile, could continue their apparent all-in push for the 2025 season by pairing Hill with D.K. Metcalf to give Aaron Rodgers one of the top receiver duos in the NFL. Pittsburgh did have Calvin Austin emerge as a potential WR2 in Week 1 with a 4-70-1 statline, but Hill’s All-Pro pedigree and track record of high-end production would still be an upgrade.
Hill is due $36MM in nonguaranteed compensation in 2026 with a $51.9MM cap hit, per OverTheCap, making it unlikely that he stays in Miami past this year. His contract could be a major obstacle to an offseason trade, so the Dolphins might try to move on early to get a better return. Hill is due $11.8MM this season, which is now down to $11.1MM after Week 1 and will drop by an additional $694K per week.
However, the potential for a suspension resulting from recent domestic violence allegations will likely delay any trade inquiries until after the league completes a potential investigation. Until there is some clarity on the situation, other teams won’t want to move draft capital for a rental with an uncertain outlook for the rest of the season. Florio said the accusations against Hill are “a massive complication that wasn’t there when the chatter began.”
Indeed, the Dolphins have received “zero” calls regarding Hill, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, nor is the team currently looking to move him.
Were that to change, trade compensation would still need to be negotiated. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer believes the Dolphins would want “something in the range of a third-round pick and maybe a Day 2 pick on top of that,” while Florio referenced the 2025 deal that sent Davante Adams from the Raiders to the Jets in exchange for a third-round pick. The Steelers also gave up a second-round pick for Metcalf earlier this year, offering another framework for a potential Hill trade.
Head coach Mike McDaniel said on Saturday (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald) that the 33-year-old “looks firmly ready to contribute, which is why he will play in the game.”
