Dave Hyde: Here's a Dolphins to-do list now that hope is sunk

Eleven days.

That’s how long hope lasted this season.

Eleven stinkin’ days.

That’s the time from the Miami Dolphins’ embarrassing start in Indianapolis on Sept. 7 to their third loss of the season Thursday night in Buffalo.

Eleven mind-numbing, reality-biting, football-failing days.

That’s all you got before confidence was gone, concerns became reality and the only question left is what owner Steve Ross meant by unleashing reports he didn’t want to fire coach Mike McDaniel, but might if fans demand it by not showing up to games.

Well, there’s another question:

What do they try to accomplish now?

The players will say, the media will write and you’ll cheer how the season can be righted with a couple upcoming wins against the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers. But facts are facts. Only four of the previous 164 teams starting 0-3 since 1990 made the playoffs. Two of them won bad divisions. Buffalo, at 3-0, isn’t giving up the AFC East.

So, again, what’s to accomplish now?

— 1. Consider if South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier or someone else is No. 1-pick worthy. Yep, the Dolphins will be quarterback shopping again, and it’s tricky to have general manager Chris Grier’s front office rating players when Grier looks week-to-week right now. But the idea isn’t to decide on a quarterback. It’s to get a read on the talent level of the top couple to see if they’re viable franchise changers. That’s because …

— 2. Ross could offer McDaniel $100,000 for every loss in the manner he did with former coach Brian Flores. He was joking with Flores, he told league investigators. But when shouldn’t he joke about tanking? Where’s this season’s code red?

Let’s be clear: We’re not there at 0-3. But 0-4? Or 1-6? There’s no playing a sanctity-of-the-game card. This owner and front office embraced tanking to start a season in a way no team ever should (My 2019 mantra: Smart organizations don’t need to tank, and if you’re not smart don’t try it).

But if a season is sunk, that’s another matter. The Miami Heat were done in 2008 after Shaquille O’Neal was traded and Dwyane Wade was injured. They tanked the last half of that year and earned the second pick. They took Michael Beasley, who didn’t work out. So, again, no guarantees.

— 3. Demand young players be developed. “This young team,” is how McDaniel framed this roster in his opening remarks Friday. They entered the season as the 19th youngest team with an average age of just over 27. But to McDaniel’s point they are playing the kids.

Buffalo started 16 homegrown players Thursday. The Dolphins started 11 and four of those were rookies. Left tackle Patrick Paul, in his second year, has impressed in a manner confirmed by Pro Football Focus grading him 10th among offensive tackles right now.

Rookie running back Ollie Gordon II showed a power gear against Buffalo that will demand more play. Top draft picks Kenneth Grant (154th among defensive tackles) and Jonah Savaiinaea (84th of 88 guards) need help to find their footing. Ditto for cornerback Dante Trader Jr. (87th among safeties), Jordan Phillips (106th among defensive tackles), Jason Marshall Jr. (142nd of 143 cornerbacks, just ahead of former Dolphin Noah Igbinoghene).

— 4. No trading draft picks. This doesn’t have to be said, does it? Well, it wasn’t said when Dave Wannstedt and Rick Spielman traded future picks in an attempt to save their last season so …

— 5. Find out Tyreek Hill’s trade worth (and if he is tradeable with his contract and domestic-violence allegations). This is a couple losses away, too. But it’s time to understand the earlier you’d trade him, the more value he has. He remains a great receiver, but he’s not coming back in 2026. He’s not being used in a downfield passing game. His $10 million salary is something most teams can take. A third-round pick? Maybe?

6. Decide on the best interim coach you could promote, if necessary. McDaniel, like Grier, is week-to-week. The best football decisions Ross has made are hiring Todd Bowles and Dan Campbell as interim coaches. They’re head coaches now. None of Ross’s ex-head-coaching hires are head coaches. Anthony Weaver is the obvious interim idea. But is there a hidden Bowles or Campbell?

7. No new contracts. Again, does it need to be said? The issue here is edge rusher Jaelan Phillips being in the final year of his contract. He’s had two significant injuries. He’s played decently in his first few games. If he plays well across October, the Dolphins might have to revisit this.

8. Play linebacker Willie Gay Jr. more. This isn’t about the future. It’s just to see if his loud July and August meant something on a defense that needs help.

9. Ross has to decide who to listen to this time. His daughter and son-in-law are more involved in the operation now. We’ll see what that means. But going back to his ownership start, Ross has listened to a changing cast of Dolphins insiders — Mike Dee, Matt Higgins, Tom Garfinklel — in making hires and charting directions. They can also start …

10. Updating the list of the best available general managers and coaches. That’s assuming Ross has such a list. He should have one considering he knew since last season big changes might be needed. From the talent on that list, you can decide what kind of an organization you want. One like Philadelphia run by the GM (Howie Roseman)? Or like Kansas City run by coach (Andy Reid)? Or, well, a jointly run one like the Dolphins for the past 15 years?

Hope lasted only 11 days for this season. Now the harder work starts.