Jon-Eric Sullivan gives me confidence in the Dolphins’ direction

I watched all 29 minutes of Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan’s latest news conference, and when it was over, I kept thinking about it. There were newsworthy comments about the quarterbacks, waiver claims and Miami’s young roster, but I came away thinking about something bigger: clarity.

What stayed with me was how straightforward it all felt. I left thinking about football, and football only. That might sound like a small thing, but if you’ve followed this organization long enough, you know it isn’t.

The structure feels clear. Sullivan builds the roster. Jeff Hafley coaches the team. You might not agree with every move, but you understand what Sullivan is trying to do. Now, I’m not crowning anybody. Sullivan’s draft picks have to develop. Hafley has to win. Malik Willis has to prove he can be the answer. Eventually, they will all be judged on wins and losses. But I like the process.

Sullivan said, “We’re not going to tell ourselves lies when things aren’t getting done at the level that they need to get done.” I like that, too. Familiarity. Playing it safe. Staying comfortable. Those are words I’ve associated with the Dolphins’ approach at times. Sullivan has shown early signs that he is willing to make changes when the performance isn’t good enough, even when those decisions are uncomfortable. Sometimes, you have to get uncomfortable to get where you want to go. For the Dolphins, that means getting somewhere this franchise hasn’t been in a long time.

The quarterback room is the first sign. Miami decided the performance behind Willis wasn’t good enough, moved on from Quinn Ewers and Cam Miller, traded for Kyle McCord and claimed Brady Cook. This isn’t me declaring McCord or Cook the answer. That’s not the point. The process behind those moves is what matters.

Sullivan said he doesn’t believe a team can ever have enough quarterbacks. I’ve always said young quarterbacks are like lottery tickets. You collect as many as you can until one hits. Bring in guys with traits you like, coach them and let them develop. If one doesn’t work out, try again. Keep repeating the process until you find somebody.

That same mentality applies to the rest of the roster. “One percent better is one percent better,” Sullivan said. In the NFL, where there is so much parity, that 1% matters. At times, previous Dolphins regimes tried to shortcut the process through blockbuster trades and significant investments in veteran players. I believe Sullivan has the right philosophy. He knows draft capital is gold. The more picks you have, the better your chances of hitting on players.

Sullivan said it best: “I think this is a young man’s game.” Staying young also gives you a better chance to manage the salary cap and build something sustainable. I think that’s the way it should be done.

Sullivan also said the Dolphins will develop their own players and pay the ones who become part of the core. He made something else clear: He loves draft picks. You know how much that means to me. I love picks. Miami made only eight selections across the 2022 and 2023 drafts after beginning its previous rebuild with a pile of draft capital.

The key now is staying with the plan, and I believe Sullivan will. He inherited significant salary-cap constraints, so this isn’t the time to buy all the expensive furniture. Build the foundation first. Find out which young players belong. Keep developing quarterbacks. Create something sustainable. Then add the finishing pieces.

Nobody knows if Sullivan will execute the plan well enough to win. Time will tell. But after years of watching the Dolphins take different approaches, I understand what Sullivan is trying to build. And I like the direction.