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Why they need to rebuild

It looks as though the Miami Dolphins are ready to move on from veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill under new head coach Brian Flores, and general manager Chris Grier is calling the shots with Mike Tannenbaum out. The franchise is transitioning in the spots that matter, and there's no indication it's on the verge of contending after back-to-back losing seasons in a lopsided AFC East.

The Dolphins still have some strong pieces, but an NFL rebuild doesn't require a purge of the entire roster. They're just not positioned to compete, and they're better off parting ways with expensive veterans and focusing on the draft.

How they can start rebuilding

1. Cut or trade Tannehill and draft a quarterback: They hold the No. 13 overall pick, which should give them a shot at some of the draft's top signal-callers. They can combine the quarterback they draft with a cheap veteran and focus on progress during what is likely to be a losing season.

2. Say goodbye to Cameron Wake (37 years old), Frank Gore (35), Robert Quinn (28) and Kiko Alonso (28): Will those aging vets be part of the equation in 2020 and beyond? If the Dolphins have any doubt, they should save their money.

3. But keep Kenny Stills and Danny Amendola: For the sake of the young quarterback they'll groom, it's worth paying experienced, reliable complementary offensive players. They might even want to pay up to keep impending free-agent right tackle Ja'Wuan James, who is only 26.

What'll need to wait

Really, the Dolphins will just be waiting on players to develop. Most rookie quarterbacks need time, and recent first-round picks Charles Harris and Minkah Fitzpatrick are still maturing as professional football players. Plus, there'll likely be growing pains for both Flores and Grier.