Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Green Bay Packers / Stacy Revere/GettyImages

In late July, Shaquil Barrett walked away from the NFL. He walked away from the Miami Dolphins nine days before training camp began. He filed his retirement papers and told the Up & Adams show that he would only return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

On Tuesday, Barrett surprised everyone by petitioning the league to be reinstated. So, what gives? What is the end game for Barrett? He apparently didn’t have a conversation with the Dolphins before making his decision.

The Dolphins were quite surprised by the sudden interest in a return, as it turns out.

At his weekly media meeting, Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said it was the first he had heard of it, and his concentration was on the guys who have been here. Mike McDaniel met with the press later and said he, too, was surprised by the unexpected return.

Mike McDaniel

“Just to be candid, obviously, there’s a reason why you target and sign somebody, and then I was fully caught off guard or caught by surprise this morning as I found out. It wouldn’t be reasonable or—I really haven’t had a chance to think about it,” said McDaniel.

“I think the team is counting on me to think about the Packers and I’ll get with Chris (Grier) and we’ll work through that, but there’s a ton of implications that go along with it in terms of team and roster stuff, so we’ll work through that as we just got the news today.“

McDaniel said the last time they had spoken with Barrett was when he announced his retirement in July.

Barrett took his guaranteed money, and the Dolphins do not have to let him return to the team. They could play hardball with the defender and make him sit out the rest of the year if they want to. Barrett can’t be traded and is not eligible to join another team. He is under a one-year deal with Miami and is bound to the Dolphins’ decisions.

McDaniel expressed his surprise and said that his focus right now is on the Packers and that the situation will be addressed at a more appropriate time. According to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, Barrett is open to playing for the Dolphins. But are they interested?

Miami could use his talent as it pushes for the playoffs, but there are too many questions that need answering before anything gets decided.

Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel sends a blunt message to Raheem Mostert after benching

Las Vegas Raiders v Miami Dolphins / Megan Briggs/GettyImages

After two fumbles in three games, Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel had seen enough. He made a big decision that better has reverberated throughout the locker room.

McDaniel had to do something to keep control of his team or take the risk of losing it. For two and a half years, McDaniel has been seen more as the buddy-buddy coach who doesn’t make it very long in the business.

After a tough loss to the Buffalo Bills, McDaniel made two decisions. One, he released linebacker and former team captain David Long Jr. Then, he benched a player that you can say he is friends with, Raheem Mostert.

The Dolphins’ head coach met with the media this week and had to answer the tough question about his reasoning behind these decisions.

Mike McDaniel makes it clear why Raheem Mostert has lost snaps in recent weeks

“It’s important that people understand you are entitled to nothing in this world,” said McDaniel. “Playing time is solved by players on the field, and the best players have to play, and it’s my job to follow through with that. I don’t look at someone lost something, I look at who earned the opportunities.”

McDaniel stopped short of saying Mostert’s demotion was due to the fumbles, but the timing would indicate otherwise. He is right, though. Mostert was not producing on the field like he did last season, and Jaylen Wright wasn’t drafted to sit on the bench.

Wright has to get playing time, and he won’t leapfrog De’Von Achane because he is the workhorse runner in this offense. That used to be Mostert, but Achane showed he is the guy to handle the larger load.

While McDaniel didn’t say it was an issue with holding onto the ball, Mostert’s play has been slightly off this year. He hasn’t run with the same conviction he did last season, and it’s not the first time that a running back had an incredible year and then didn’t the following season. The question that needs to be answered is what happens to Mostert after the 2025 season?