Just when it seemed the Miami Dolphins’ front office shakeup was complete, another name has quietly disappeared from the organizational picture. Days after parting ways with longtime general manager Chris Grier, the Dolphins appear to have sidelined another key voice. This time, it’s someone close to head coach Mike McDaniel.

According to Miami insider Omar Kelly, the Dolphins’ trade deadline decisions were made by “Mike McDaniel, Champ Kelly, and Brandon Shore in communication with ownership directly.” Notably absent from that list was Marvin Allen, the team’s assistant general manager and one of McDaniel’s trusted collaborators. Kelly added, “Sounds like Marvin Allen has either been removed or stepped aside. Interesting exclusion.”

Allen, who came on board with Grier in 2019, had been a steady influence in personnel decisions and one of McDaniel’s closest supporters within the organization. His apparent exit comes just days after team owner Stephen Ross kicked off a significant front office overhaul, ending Grier’s 26-year run and appointing Champ Kelly as the interim general manager. The timing and quiet handling of Marven Allen’s exit suggest a deeper restructuring of Miami’s power hierarchy.

Sources close to the situation indicate that McDaniel, Kelly, and cap specialist Brandon Shore are now leading football operations, working directly with ownership to chart the team’s next steps ahead of another rebuild. The move effectively consolidates power under a smaller, more hands-on leadership group, one that excludes many remnants of the previous regime.

The Dolphins’ message is clear: a new direction is underway. Grier’s firing signaled the end of an era marked by missed opportunities and roster instability. Allen’s quiet removal underscores that the reset goes past the GM’s chair.

With McDaniel still in place and Kelly now taking the reins, Miami’s future will hinge on how well this newly formed trio can rebuild trust and a winning roster.

Mike McDaniel, Dolphins’ rebuild in question after trade deadline silence

Despite sitting at 2-7 and parting ways with long-time general manager Chris Grier, the team made no major moves at the trade deadline. It is a decision that’s left many around the league questioning whether this is truly a reset or just denial. ESPN even labeled Miami as the league’s toughest rebuilding job, yet the Dolphins’ inactivity told a different story.

“There’s much work ahead… evaluating all areas of our football operation, and moving forward with a clear vision for the future,” Stephen Ross said. The problem? That vision isn’t clear yet.

Teams in true rebuilds sell assets. Miami didn’t. The Dolphins reportedly fielded trade offers for Jaylen Waddle and Bradley Chubb but held both. Moving Chubb could’ve brought value before his $31 million cap hit in 2026 becomes a burden, yet Ross and Champ Kelly chose to stand pat. Even players like Minkah Fitzpatrick, Rasul Douglas, and Matthew Judon remained untouched.

Head coach Mike McDaniel, still fighting for job security, seems focused on winning now rather than resetting for later. That could keep him and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in place for another year. But even that stability feels fragile.

According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Dolphins could move on from Tagovailoa as soon as next offseason. They will either trade him as a bridge starter or release him post-June 1 to soften the cap hit. “Another option, which seems more viable, is to pay down some of the salary next offseason and trade him,” Rapoport writes.

So, is Miami rebuilding? Not officially. But with a fading quarterback, a divided front office, and no clear plan, it might just happen by accident.