The Dolphins quickly went from planning to conduct additional first interviews of G.M. candidates to pushing directly to the second-interview phase.
And, apparently, there are only two who will be getting second interviews.
Reports from the likes of Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald and Albert Breer of NFL Network indicate that Titans V.P. of player personnel Lake Dawson and Dolphins assistant G.M. Brian Gaine will be interviewed a second time.
Gaine gives the Dolphins a known quantity. But sticking with someone who has been part of an organization with signs of real dysfunction risks a continuation of the dysfunction.
Then again, bringing in a stranger could set the stage for further problems and issues, especially if the new G.M. would want to hire a new coach and neutralize potential threats, like the one potentially presented by executive V.P. of football administration Dawn Aponte, based on prior reports from the Herald regarding her alleged role in the termination of G.M. Jeff Ireland.
Promoting Gaine makes sense if the decision comes with an unmistakable message to Gaine, Aponte, and coach Joe Philbin: You’re all in this together. Shared accountability will make finger pointing and turf protection a waste of time, forcing everyone to cooperate or to fail collectively.