Mike McDaniel is cooking up something intriguing in the Dolphins locker room for the upcoming season. The team is set to go head-to-head against the Colts in their first 2025 NFL season face-off on September 6. But as we inch closer and closer to the first week of September, McDaniel is strategically moving some crucial pieces on the roster, signaling potential shifts in team dynamics and game-day strategies.

The Dolphins have added a new rookie quarterback. The Dolphins insiders have reported that the Miami team signed rookie QB Brett Gabbert on May 22. Gabbert took part in the Dolphins’ minicamp this month. According to NBC Sports, he is the younger brother of 2011 first-round pick Blaine Gabbert. The Jaguars drafted Blaine in 2011, where he played three seasons. In the 2023 season, he played with the Chiefs. Though he has not announced his retirement, he didn’t play last season. 

24-year-old Brett Gabbert was available in the 2025 NFL Draft but went undrafted. However, the Dolphins invited him to their rookie minicamp earlier this month—and after a grueling set of practices, Gabbert convinced the franchise to sign him. During the 2024 college season, Gabbert completed 217 of 379 pass attempts for 2,291 yards, posting a 57.3% completion rate. He also threw for 21 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.

Before signing Gabbert, head coach Mike McDaniel had already selected Quinn Ewers in the seventh round of the draft. With the addition of both rookies, the Dolphins’ quarterback room now includes four players: Tua Tagovailoa, Zach Wilson, Brett Gabbert, and Quinn Ewers. Tua is expected to start in the 2025 season, but his injury history may have prompted the organization to bolster the position with more depth and contingency options.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins are in a strong position heading into the heart of the offseason. With major training camps approaching, the team is preparing to refine its roster and build momentum for the regular season.

Mike McDaniel’s Dolphins to have joint practices 

As we know, before the regular season begins, NFL teams often arrange joint practices to help prepare and evaluate their rosters. For instance, the Packers are set to hold a joint session with the Seahawks ahead of the season kickoff. Similarly, the Dolphins have scheduled not just one, but three joint practices—highlighting their strong emphasis on preseason readiness.

Scheduling three joint practices is a smart move, as it helps build momentum heading into the regular season. The Dolphins will hold a joint session ahead of each of their three preseason games. They will face the Bears, Lions, and Jaguars. Notably, they won’t face these three teams during the 2025 regular season. This allows them to prepare without revealing too much to future opponents.

Interestingly, the Dolphins took a similar approach last year. After their season ended with a wild-card loss to the Chiefs in January 2024, they scheduled three joint practices before the 2024 season began. In those sessions, they faced the Falcons, Commanders, and Buccaneers in both practice and preseason games. That strategy gave Mike McDaniel’s team valuable reps against real competition—without the pressure of regular-season stakes.

These joint practices should give the Dolphins an edge as they sharpen their lineup and chemistry before Week 1. Now the real question is: how well will they turn this preparation into wins once the season kicks off?