The Bills are gearing up for a postseason game this Sunday, but some of their division rivals aren’t as fortunate as Buffalo. The New York Jets and Dolphins have already started their offseason, and Miami already made a huge move.
Miami parted ways with its head coach, Mike McDaniel, on Thursday. Daniel spent four seasons with the Dolphins, finishing with a 35-33 record.
It came as a surprise that the Dolphins moved on from McDaniel after Miami didn’t fire him on Monday, when most head coaches were fired.
How the Bills Could Be Impacted by McDaniel Being Fired
Now the Dolphins have a head coach opening that could impact the Bills in a significant way.
The Bills held the top spot in the AFC East for five seasons before the Patriots took the division title this year. New England is one of the up-and-coming teams in the NFL, led by head coach Mike Vrabel, one of the best in the NFL.
Now, Miami has a chance to get its own version of Vrabel, which could give the Bills much more divisional competition.
One of the names that people have floated out for the Dolphins head coach is John Harbaugh. The Ravens parted ways with Harbaugh on Tuesday after spending 18 seasons in Baltimore.
It feels like odd timing that the Dolphins parted ways with McDaniel two days before the Ravens let Harbaugh go. There is a chance that the Dolphins were okay with keeping McDaniel around, but with Harbaugh now available, Miami might be looking to position him.
However, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, as of Thursday morning, the Dolphins have yet to contact Harbaugh or inquire about other coaches before firing McDaniel.
Harbaugh is likely at the top of Miami’s wishlist, and Harbaugh could also want the job.
Even though there are more desirable head-coaching opportunities available, it’s hard to turn down living in Florida. There are some negatives about the Dolphins’ job, including a roster that isn’t the best and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa‘s expected absence next season. Miami also lacks a top-10 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, which could put it out of reach of securing a top rookie quarterback.
But Harbaugh could look at the Dolphins job as a fresh start in a friendly, warm city that isn’t expecting to win games right away and can build the roster and quarterback situation over the next few seasons.
Buffalo Could Be Looking at More Competition Next Season
Bills fans need to keep an eye on who the Dolphins plan to hire as their next head coach. A great coach, along with a solid quarterback, could quickly turn Miami’s fortunes around, potentially jeopardizing Buffalo’s chances of winning the AFC East or securing a wild card spot in the playoffs down the line.
Nobody probably expected the Patriots to take off this season with Vrabel in his first year as head coach and quarterback Drake Maye in his second year. The Dolphins might just follow a similar trajectory.
The Bills better take advantage of their chance to win the Super Bowl now before the division becomes competitive over the next few years.
How an AFC East Rival’s Major Move Could Impact Bills