MIAMI — For one minute, or however long it takes to read this, let’s forget about the perception that the 2025 Miami Dolphins are a finesse team, or needed to beef up the trenches, becoming tougher, more physical.

There’s plenty of truth to that accusation, and evidence of it can be found in how the team’s decision-makers altered their approach to roster-building this offseason.

As concerning as Miami’s finesse reputation might be, the top concern the Dolphins’ circle of trust should its their focus on is how fragile the team is, and my theory that the roster must be handled with care.

Dolphins fragility is likely why Jalen Ramsey and the Dolphins are getting a divorce.

The All-Pro cornerback isn’t buying into what these Dolphins are selling, and the last thing head coach Mike McDaniel can afford is for Ramsey to pollute the water.

As important as accumulating talent is in sports — and every competitive environment — what separates the great from the good — if not mediocre — is chemistry, teamwork and leadership.

That’s the foundation for successful collaborations.

The 2023 Dolphins had a significant amount of success early that season because they had good chemistry, and played together as a team.

McDaniel openly credits Calais Campbell and Terron Armstead’s leadership last year as the key to that 2024 team holding it together during quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s early season absence, helping the Dolphins survive a 2-6 start to the season.

Campbell’s leadership was one of the main reasons the Dolphins didn’t move the 17-year veteran at the trade deadline when multiple teams offered an early third-day draft selection.

Now he’s in Arizona, doing his Yoda thing with the Cardinals, and Armstead’s a month into his NFL retirement.

If strong leadership can hold a team together, it’s safe to conclude the lack of leadership can be the reason the seams come apart, and that should be McDaniel’s biggest fear heading into this season.

“Obviously, losing those guys is tough. Two amazing players that have given their lives to the game. Such amazing role models on and off the field,” Zach Sieler said, referring to Armstead and Campbell. “The foundation, the groundwork that those guys put in last year, you still feel those waves this year. So for guys that are leading on defense and offense I think it’s a matter of keeping us together as a group.”

Sieler called his one season with Campbell “eye opening” multiple times because he picked up so much about leadership.

“Seeing him truly take the time and effort to connect with every single player on the team. No matter what his kids or wife [had going on] he always made sure he made time for anybody that came up to him, talk to him, just chat for a second,” Sieler continued. “It could be nothing about football. But to see him put that effort in was incredible.”

Armstead was one of the main driving forces behind the offensive line coming into the building on the player’s day off the past three seasons, doing their rehab work, and advance film study together on Tuesdays.

He was also behind a weekly offensive line dinner, which he would often host and cater, if not coordinate.

Now that responsibility goes to someone else, and Austin Jackson and Aaron Brewer sit at the head of the table.

“In anything you do in life you learn and enhance [with experience],” said Brewer, who is beginning his sixth season in the NFL, which has him tied with Jackson for the second-most experienced offensive lineman, trailing only newcomer James Daniels, an eight-year veteran.

“Throughout my whole career I’ve had some great vets in front of me ... Picking their minds and gaining [knowledge] about how they go about their everyday life,” Brewer said. “How they handle meetings. How they prepare for games, practice. How they handle dealing with teammate problems.”

And that’s it right there. Like everyone in life, players have problems and issues, and they can’t always turn to their coaches or the organization.

There has to be one elder statesman someone such as Tyreek Hill can come to about his impending divorce, or a starter can turn to about how to handle a potential demotion, or being replaced by a young player.

Brewer said the biggest thing he will take away from his time with Armstead was how he helped his teammates deal with everyday problems.

“Everyone sees just the football side of things. We all have our everyday life,” Brewer said. “So if you’re not mentally right coming into the building, coming into a game, practice or whatever, you’re not going to get the results you need.”

And neither is the team, which is why it’s finding players to step up and fill that leadership void will likely dictate the type of season the 2025 Dolphins will have.

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