The NFL owners meetings are next week in Phoenix, and Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley are both scheduled to meet with the local media.

In the big picture, the owners meetings (officially, it’s called the annual league meeting) will feature owners, presidents, general managers and other executives from all 32 teams debating numerous rules changes, including modifications to kickoffs, as well as legalized betting, adding more international games, technological advances and other issues.

But drilling down, NFC coaches will speak at their breakfast on Monday morning, and AFC coaches, including Hafley, will speak at their breakfast on Tuesday morning. Sullivan will speak, but owner Steve Ross is unlikely to speak during the four-day event.

What would you like your Dolphins media contingent (my colleague, David Furones, will make the trip) to ask Sullivan and Hafley, and what do you want to hear from the Dolphins’ honchos?

Let’s run through some possibilities.

Here’s what I’d ask Sullivan and Hafley

— Did you initiate trade talks with Denver for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, or did Denver initiate the trade talks?

I don’t expect an “us” or “them” response here. I’d expect a “we’re not going to discuss that publicly” reply. However, we don’t know how Sullivan and Hafley operate. They might answer the question. That’s why you ask. It’d be an insightful answer, if supplied. And there would definitely be a follow-up question or two.

— We’ve heard that you’re not entertaining trade requests for running back De’Von Achane. Is that accurate, and is anyone else untouchable?

This helps establish who is regarded as the foundation by the front office and coaches. My list of untouchables would be brief: Achane, quarterback Malik Willis, center Aaron Brewer, linebacker Jordyn Brooks and left tackle Patrick Paul. Anyone else could be traded.

— Are you optimistic about contract talks this offseason for Achane, Brewer and/or Brooks?

Conventional wisdom says extending these contracts could give the Dolphins some financial flexibility on the salary cap. On the other hand, you’d be extending contracts for a 191-pound running back and two players who will be on the wrong side of 30 in two years. Regardless, I’d extend all three. 

— We know you have salary cap restraints. In light of that, is the roster composition what you told Ross to expect during your job interview?

I think the answer is “yes,” but I’d be curious if they’d say that publicly. To me, they most likely told Ross this is what would happen with the roster, specifically cutting Tua (if they couldn’t trade him) and wide receiver Tyreek Hill, possibly trading someone as impactful as Waddle, acquiring Willis and signing a bunch of minimum-wage, one-year players for the 2026 season. 

— Players report on April 6 for offseason workouts. What do you want to see from Willis in the weeks before the team actually takes the field?

My guess is they’ll say something along the lines of they want to see leadership from Willis, and they also want to see an ability to grasp the offense and relate it to other players, while continuing to demonstrate a knack for relating to his teammates. But again, you don’t know what they’ll say, which is why you ask the question.

— Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, who was on the selection committees for both the general manager and head coach, said he expects to continue working with the Dolphins front office. Do you currently consult with Aikman, and how soon will we see his role expand?

I’d expect them to probably defer that to Ross. I don’t know the restrictions if Aikman were to immediately take a bigger role with the Dolphins, considering he’s a TV analyst. But I think Aikman will almost certainly take on a visibly bigger role with the franchise if Sullivan and Hafley have a good year. 

Here’s what I’d like to hear from Sullivan and Hafley

— The 2026 season is more about establishing a mentality, a mindset and a basic way of doing business than wins and losses. But that doesn’t mean the franchise is willing to accept a four-win season.

Let’s face it, this isn’t a playoff team. But they must conduct themselves as though they are a playoff team. One major goal for Hafley and his coaches is setting a standard and laying a winning foundation, ranging from practice to discipline.

— We can talk about building the trenches, but the draft will show we’re serious.

The Dolphins’ last two drafts showed a good deal of focus on the trenches. The next two drafts must do the same.

— We’re interested in building a complete, well-rounded team that’s not necessarily quarterback-centric, similar to Seattle, Philadelphia and San Francisco, to name a few.

Defense and run games are on the rise among the league’s most successful teams over the last three years. It’d be nice to know the Dolphins have noticed.

— There’s a sense of urgency to this rebuild.

Willis, who signed a three-year, $45 million contract, could be commanding $50 million or more per season in the summer of 2028. The Dolphins must have a good foundation in place by then, mostly through the draft, because they’ll be financially limited when it comes to adding high-impact free agents. Remember, Paul, the 2024 second-round pick, might also want to talk about a contract extension soon.

That’s my 2 cents. Stay tuned to see how closely it resembles what actually happens in Phoenix next week.