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THE EXTRA YARD: 5 Questions for Miami Dolphins Training Camp

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As Training Camp starts, we finally get some answers to the questions that have built up over the offseason. While we had an idea, we didn’t have a real firm grasp on what to expect, once real football arrived. I take a deeper dive into the 5 most intriguing questions, we are seeking answers too during training camp.

How has the Offensive Line settled?

They drafted Liam Eichenberg. They moved 2nd year man Robert Hunt to right guard. They signed Matt Skura as the starter at center. DJ Fluker is in great shape, after coming off a couple of well above par NFL seasons. They return two promising 2nd year players in Austin Jackson and Solomon Kindley. How does this all mesh? You gotta figure Jackson starts at LT. Hunt at RG. Skura at C. RT and LG is up for grabs and all three players (Eichenberg, Fluker, Kindley) can play either. This is before mentioning that Jesse Davis is still here, and does have a shot at grabbing one of these spots. This is the most intriguing battle of training camp, and could prove one of the most important factors to winning.

How do they use Jaylen Waddle and Will Fuller?

Is it as simple as one is a diagonal threat, and the other a vertical threat? Is Waddle used as a HB more, does he begin to take Jakeem Grant’s jet sweeps, reverses, design passes? Does Will Fuller build on his elite 2020 season? All good questions, but you have to think the acquisition of both was to fill the design of what will be a new passing game, complete with real “roles” for all involved including DeVante Parker, Albert Wilson. My strong guess is that this will be a much more fluid and fast offense, with more switch releases, crossers/drags, with shot plays built in with every pass play.

What kind of command does Tua Tagovailoa have of the offense?

How quick is he in the huddle? Is he decisive within the offense. Does he take the deep shots when there? Most importantly, I want to see how he reacts to certain coverages, and how he processes checks when teams blitz him (which they will). His play in camp, as well as his dress rehearsals in the preseason will give us some answers in short order. I think the Dolphins will build in some two level concepts (one window, one lane, two routes, one medium, one long) as Tua did excel with those at times last season. The amount of RPO’s they call will also be interesting.

What does the rotation at defensive end look like?

The Miami Dolphins don’t have traditional “defensive ends” as most teams. They have guys to fill roles from 6 to 9 tech, as the Tackles tend to play everywhere from 0 tech, to 3 tech, to head up on the tackles as a 5 tech. What is usually fluid, is who rushes outside in their scheme, and who gets the duty outside on the rush on their multiple fronts. Emmanuel Ogbah, Jaelen Phillips, Andrew Van Ginkel, Vince Biegel, with some Jerome Baker thrown in, figure as players in these roles. Who gets the snaps? Who is more effective? Strong indication, that Phillips and Ogbah have the inside track, with AVG as the situational guy on 3rd downs, as Van Ginkel could be executing A Gap blitzes along with Baker.

Who, plays where, in the secondary?

We know who plays the boundary (Howard/Jones). At slot corner, you have options everywhere, including using Byron Jones who has excelled as a slot corner in the past. In fact, Byron Jones has also played Free Safety effectively, so the versatility is there. Nik Needham, Justin Coleman, have a legitimate battle there, and it seems the loser of that battle figures in dime coverages. At safety, you have to figure Eric Rowe sticks, but who plays in the 3 safety looks? Highly touted rookie Jevon Holland, has to have a role, and Brandon Jones figures to play a lot in 2021. Then, what are Jason McCourty, and 2nd year man Noah Igbinoghene doing? This is a talent laden group, and the clear strength of the team. It’s worth watching how this shakes out.

Well, we finally made it, and all these questions from the offseason, begin to get answers in the coming days, weeks, months.

 

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

 

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Can Mike Gesicki be a Top Five TE This Season?

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All eyes will be on Tua, but will his lock on Mike Gesicki this season?

 

Entering a crucial fourth year, Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki looks to take the leap into the discussion as one of the game’s best.

So what will it take to get there?

In order to gain some perspective, a comparison to the best current NFL tight ends seemed like a nice place to start

Travis Kelce and now Darren Waller have emerged as the top two tight ends, with George Kittle still right there after an abbreviated season due to injury.

What Waller and Kelce have in common is an enormous target share, as both posted nearly identical numbers.

Waller led all NFL tight ends with 146 targets in 2020, with Kelce just behind him at 145.

The next highest tight end targeted was Logan Thomas with 110, while just two others broke 100 targets -Evan Engram (109) and  T.J Hockenson (101).

Targets are just one part of the equation, what you do with them matters.

Kelce and Waller both hauled in over 72% of their targets in 2020, while Gesicki caught slightly over 62% of his.

Many factors contribute to this, whether it be different quarterbacks throughout the year or execution in other areas.

Nonetheless, there is plenty of room for improvement.

 

Let’s run some numbers.

Say Gesicki can accumulate 100 targets and improve his catch percentage even slightly to 68%.

That sets a floor of 68 receptions, which would be 15 more than Gesicki had in 2020.

Where Gesicki has already shown a high ceiling in comparison to other tight ends is in yards-per-reception.

Last year Gesicki ranked third among tight ends with 13.3 yards-per-reception, ahead of Waller (11.2) and Kelce (13.1).

With 68 receptions and at the same yards-per-reception, that would put Gesicki over 900 yards receiving.

Now with a 17-game slate, this seems even more attainable.

Gesicki tied for fifth among tight ends with six touchdowns, averaging one about every nine receptions.

Increased targets and improved catch percentage could see him at eight or even nine scores in 2021.

A stat line of 68/900/8 would all have been top five marks in the NFL last year.

Add an improved quarterback and more deep threats in Jaylen Waddle and Will Fuller, Gesicki sits as a prime candidate for a breakout season.

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Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes: Don Chaney Jr. poised to build off strong end to 2020

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When you look at the Miami Hurricanes roster, they have a collection of talented running backs. Some are more talented than others. Some also have more experience than others. With five in total, one name I would pay attention to is Don Chaney Jr.

He was not the main back in the Miami rushing attack last year. Rather, he played in spurts, and played well. Jaylan Knighton and Cam’Ron Harris made up the bulk of the Miami rushing attack last year, leading Chaney to hardly see any action. Even still, he was able to shine towards the end of the year.

Take the contest against Duke on December 5. In that game, he recorded nine carries for 62 yards. A couple weeks later, he provided strong production in the Cheez-It Bowl. He recorded six carries for 50 yards including a 27-yard rush that was his longest of the evening. He was a bright spot in what was a dismal game overall.

In that game, he was able to put this full skillset on display. He ran hard, and he ran physically. Those two traits in particular were things that were missing from the Miami rushing attack for a good portion of last season. He also hit the holes hard ,and it was not afraid to bear all over defenders when he needed to.  With his performance in that game, he gave a potential preview what could be coming down the road.

His good end to last season is only one reason to be excited about his potential heading into 2021. The other reason is his impressive numbers in the weight room. Chaney told the media his squat was to 555 pounds, and his benchpress was up to 315 pounds. Those numbers are certainly not too shabby.

Between his good performance at the end of last season and work Chaney has put in this off-season, I see him having a breakout year. He could be a key piece for a Miami Hurricanes rushing attack that ranked seventh overall in the ACC in 2020. That number is not too shabby, but it’s one that can certainly be improved upon. Chaney could bring stability to that portion of the offense.

Chaney figures to be high on the depth chart for Miami in 2021, so he will have opportunities to prove himself. If he can show the same tenacity and physicality that he did at the end of last season, the starting running back job could be his for the taking  sooner rather than later.

 

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Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes: Demarcus Van Dyke gaining momentum with Shemar Stewart looming

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Th. Miami Hurricanes have started to see some commitments trickle in over the past couple of days, and they are still very much in play for some of others. One of those players is 2022 five-star defensive end Shemar Stewart.

Stewart is the seventh overall defensive end in his class, and the second overall player in his class from the state of Florida per the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

It’s worth noting that Miami is recruiting him via cornerbacks coach Demarcus Van Dyke as the primary recruiter. Van Dyke is on a little bit of a momentum swing as of late. He got cornerback Khamauri Rogers to commit on June 19.  He  also received a commitment from cornerback Chris Graves on July 9. In doing so, Miami has silently he can to put together an extremely strong group of corners.

This is certainly encouraging because corner has been a position that the Miami Hurricanes have struggled to recruit over the past couple of seasons. Now it is going to be a position of strength, assuming Miami develops them properly

This could bode well for Shemar Stewart

There have been a couple of developments over the past couple of days that have put Stewart a little bit into focus for Miami. For one,  Josh Newberg of 247Sports put in a “high confidence” score for Stewart in his Crystal Ball prediction on July 11. Andrew Ivins and Steve Wiltfong both have put in Crystal Balls for Miami as well, but they are “low confidence” scores. The newest Crystal Ball could be a telling sign.

Secondly, there is no denying that Van Dyke has generated a little bit personal momentum on the recruiting trail. I truly believe that this could work in Miami’s favor. One could argue that Miami received two commitments at corner because that was a position of need.

However, there is always a recruiting pitch that coaches tell recruits. Van Dyke’s seems to be working.  This could be another opportunity for him to strike while the proverbial iron is hot.

It will be interesting to see the correlation between Van Dyke’s success and Stewart’s recruiting process. It could be extremely evident, or it could not play a factor at all.

If Van Dyke can land another big recruit in the state of Florida, that would certainly reflect positively on him. Miami is going up against Georgia, Ohio State, and Texas A&M among others  for Stewart. It will certainly not be easy, but judging by his recent success, I can see him luring in another big fish.

 

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Xavien Howard reported to Miami Dolphins training camp but his contract demands remain unresolved.

Fresh Perspective: Top 5 Miami Dolphins to watch in training camp

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It’s always fun to play the prediction game. I’ve already predicted the Miami Dolphins 53-man roster on both offense and defense, and I’ve even offered a perspective on the top five training camp battles to watch as it inches ever closer. But there is still one topic that hasn’t been elaborated on yet. In the spirit of my YouTube show – “Pulse of Fins Nation” – I asked you, the audience, what player you wanted to watch more than anyone else in training camp.

Immediately I disqualified Tua Tagovailoa. Obviously, everyone wants to see what he’s going to do. If he doesn’t perform, it likely won’t matter what anyone else on the team does. There would be no point in asking the question without setting those parameters. Tagovailoa is without a doubt the most polarizing figure in Dolphins history since…the last franchise QB Miami had on their roster, Ryan Tannehill.

So if we’re doing a countdown of the top five Dolphins to watch in training camp are, Tagovailoa tops the list, no questions asked. That’s why for the purposes of this story, he’s being disqualified. It’s too easy. So here are the top five Miami Dolphins to watch – according to you, the audience – not named Tua Tagovailoa.

5. Myles Gaskin – RB

Considering how much emphasis was placed on the running back position during the offseason, it’s no surprise that people want to see what Myles Gaskin does with another year as the lead back. Granted, it’s assumed the Miami Dolphins will use a committee approach, but Gaskin will always get first crack at it. It’s his job to lose.

The number of people coming out of nowhere to defend Gaskin is remarkable. It wasn’t that long ago that Dolphins fans wanted desperately for the team to draft a fresh running back, like Najee Harris. Now, there’s no choice but to hope that a potentially improved offensive line will make Gaskin look much better than last season.

To play devil’s advocate, it’s not as if Gaskin is a bad running back. Far from it. He was a lot better than anyone expected him to be. In the ten games that he played, dealing with the reality of Covid-19 and an injured knee, Gaskin put together 972 total yards (584 rushing and 388 receiving) and five total touchdowns. Production was his claim to fame back in college, and that’s what he’s been doing in the pros. He’s not the fastest, not the strongest, not the most talented. However, he produces, just like he always has.

Everyone is waiting to see if an improved WR corps and offensive line will increase Gaskin’s level of production. He’s definitely an underdog type of player. He’s faced the possibility of being replaced several times throughout the offseason and he’s still standing. The coaching staff clearly has faith in him, camp will tell if that faith was well placed.

4. Xavien Howard – CB

Let’s make this abundantly clear right now. No one is suggesting that Xavien Howard needs to prove anything. He’s a top five cornerback in the NFL, a turnover machine that makes quarterbacks pay if they make a mistake. And, up until recently, he was the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.

All these votes to see Xavien Howard in training camp are not referring to seeing him perform. They’re referring to seeing him show up to training camp in the first place. Howard’s holdout is well-documented at this point. For whatever reason, Howard is not happy with the Miami Dolphins. Is it the lack of remaining guaranteed money on his contract? Bruised ego due to the fact that his teammate Byron Jones is making more than he is? There’s no way to know for sure.

Only time will tell whether Howard decides to show up to training camp or not. If he does, then even if he plays disgruntled, Howard will play. Then the Dolphins can explore giving him more money later on after the salary cap stops being such a looming figure.

If he doesn’t show up, then there’s no question the defense will take a huge step back in 2021. That is, unless, another player steps up in a big way. More on that later.

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3. Jaelen Phillips – LB

Of all the rookies that the Miami Dolphins added to the roster this year, perhaps the one with the most upside of all is linebacker Jaelen Phillips out of the University of Miami. His history is well-documented. He briefly retired from football after all the injuries he suffered in college, but ultimately came back and singled himself out as a potentially elite pass rusher in the 2021 draft class.

It says a lot about a player that even with that injury history, a team still feels he’s worth drafting with the 18th overall pick. To put it in very simple terms, Phillips has a very good chance of becoming what Dion Jordan was supposed to be when the Dolphins drafted him 3rd overall in the 2013 NFL draft.

Strange how long ago that seems now.

Phillips is big, he’s fast, he can rush the passer and he can cover. He’s a perfect chess piece for Brian Flores to incorporate into the defense. His development will be crucial for the defense to take the next step into becoming the league’s most dangerous unit.

2. Jaylen Waddle – WR

Everyone knows what Waddle brings to the table. He is speed incarnate, and videos of how difficult he’s going to be to cover with the twitch he shows in route-running have fans salivating at the idea of watching Tua Tagovailoa throwing him the football again like the good ol’ days at Alabama.

Just like Phillips, Waddle is an extremely high-ceiling player, which seems to be the theme for the Miami Dolphins 2021 draft class as a whole. With the chemistry he has with Tagovailoa, Waddle projects to be an instant and regular contributor on offense. There’s also the distinct possibility that he’ll take the role currently held by Jakeem Grant as a kick and punt returner. Training camp will reveal a lot about the role the coaches have in mind for the rookie.

1. Noah Igbinoghene – CB

The number one player to watch in training camp is none other than Noah Igbinoghene. Make no mistake, this young player out of Auburn is the Miami Dolphins insurance plan for Xavien Howard. Based on what the reports are, he’ll need to be ready sooner rather than later. Howard seems to be making it a point to express he feels underpaid and underappreciated. Depending on who you ask, he’s either right or wrong. I, personally, don’t agree with Howard.

Nevertheless, Igbinoghene was drafted because of the high ceiling he presents. He may have struggled in his rookie season, but that’s to be expected with young cornerbacks. There’s always a learning curve, which varies in difficulty depending on the position. Cornerback is one of the hardest positions to transition from college to the NFL, and Igbinoghene is still very, very young.

His development has ramifications beyond this season. If Igbinoghene develops and turns into the type of player that coach Flores believes he can be, then the Dolphins won’t need to break the bank all over again to pay Howard and keep their elite secondary. They can trade Howard, get a ton more draft capital, and still have their plan intact. If he doesn’t develop, then Miami faces a scenario where they’ll have a disgruntled Howard who will essentially be able to demand a blank check whenever he wants. Maybe if they pay him a second time, he’ll calm down, but there’s no guarantee of that.

A lot is riding on Igbinoghene taking a huge next step in his second season. It’s no wonder why everyone is watching with baited breath.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

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Reasons to be Excited about Tua Tagovailoa’s Second Season

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Depending on who you talk to, Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa either broke well past expectations for his rookie year, or he flopped harder than Jamarcus Russell did for the Raiders. So what can Dolphins fans expect in year 2? Will we see Tua take that leap and become an elite level QB in the league? Or will we see Tua descend into QB purgatory, and see the Dolphins back in the market? I believe Tua will rise to the challenge and become one of the top level QB’s in the league. 

 

  1. Tua’s Hip is Healthy

While Tua was in his final season of college at Alabama, he suffered a couple pretty serious injuries. He suffered a high-ankle sprain on October 19 against Tennessee. While that injury typically takes more than 6 weeks to heal properly, Tagovailoa was able to rehab and get back on the field in time to play his heart out in a home loss to LSU. The following week, the unthinkable happened. Tua, rolling left, got tackled awkwardly and dislocated his hip. 

In a bang-bang play, Tua suffered what’s become known as the Bo Jackson injury. After being rushed into surgery and having to be very tentative with his hip, Tua was expected to make a full recovery. But what exactly did this mean? 

As someone who has also suffered that dreadful injury, I can share that a full recovery is almost completely impossible with an injury like that. It takes about a year to fully recover from it, and Tua was trying to workout, throw, and run drills 5 months afterwards. We were already halfway through the NFL season, and Tua starting, by the time he should have been fully recovered from the injury. 

 When asked about his hip injury over 2 years ago, Tua said, “My hip feels ten times better than it did last year. I feel very confident coming into my second year”

Last offseason, Tua was trying to rehab a potentially life threatening injury while trying to dive into the playbook and get accustomed to NFL speed. This offseason, Tua has been able to focus more on getting a full grasp of the playbook and offensive schemes, developing chemistry with his receivers. 

 

2. Tua’s Got New Toys

Last season, the Dolphins offense ranked 20th in passing yards/game, and 15th in points/game (ESPN). Out of 32 teams, the Dolphins ranked below average, and just barely above average in two important areas when it comes to passing the ball. Now it’s a little hard to be stellar when your number 2 receiving option in Albert Wilson opts out due to COVID-19 and your deep threat in Jakeem Grant suffered so many drops and, unfortunately, was unable to remain on the field. So what did the Dolphins do to try to bolster their passing game this offseason? They went out and got Will Fuller and drafted Jaylen Waddle. 

Fuller, who was the deep threat option for Houston, ran a 4.32 40-yard dash at the combine in 2016. He was also PFF’s 9th highest graded receiver during his 2020 breakout campaign. Through 11 games, he hauled in 53 passes for 879 yards and 8 TD’s. Fuller also caught 70.7% of his passes, which was the highest in the league last season. 

Jaylen Waddle on the other hand, was hauling in passes from a fellow first rounder at Tua’s old stomping grounds: Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 

Waddle was a highly sought after recruit who ended up deciding to join a stacked receiving corps at Alabama. As the 4th option during his freshman season, it was actually his most productive season at Alabama. Hauling in 45 catches for 848 yards and 7 TD’s, Waddle was able to find his numbers despite sitting behind 3 future first rounders. His sophomore campaign was also very productive, at 33 catches for 560 yards with 6 TD’s. Waddle was poised for his best season yet in 2020, with the top 2 options ahead of him heading to the NFL Draft, and posting 591 yards with 4 TD’s through 6 games, although he suffered a near season ending injury in a road game at Tennessee. Waddle fought his way back for the National Championship game though, and despite being hobbled by a clearly not fully ready ankle, Waddle was still a core peice to that Alabama offense. 

 

3. Tua’s Experienced 

Last offseason, Tua was a rookie, who was coming off a major career threatening injury, was trying to learn a playbook, dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and protocols, as well as trying to adjust to the speed of the NFL. All that, for Tua to still start by mid season and carry the Dolphins almost to a playoff berth. Now, Tua has experience with NFL defenses and real time game speed. He learned under Ryan Fitzpatrick, and was able to watch how to command a 4th quarter offense without having to deal with the fire storm that is the 4th quarter of a close game in the NFL.

Dolphins schedule

5 Things to know about the 2021 Miami Dolphins.

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What to Look For, Three Weeks Prior to Training Camp…

#1- The Dolphins will continue to be a “Blitz Heavy” Defense in 2021.

With the addition of Jaelen Phillips, a much needed boost to the pass rush was had, and a narrative developed that Miami can now “use 4” to get to the QB. Blitzing would not be as necessary, and the numbers they bring could go down. Not So. In 2020, Miami brought 5 or more rushers at the 5th highest rate in the NFL, and used Cover 0 at the highest rate PFF.com has tracked in the last 5 years. Miami likes to play Cover 1, and like to dictate to the offense on 3rd down. That entails fronts that make the offense adjust pass protection, and thus, requires multiple rushers in as many gaps as possible. Jaelen Phillips should help with the overall pass rush win rate which was mid pack at 40% last season. Sending numbers on defense is not a Bug for Miami, it’s a feature.

#2- Miami is now an 11 personnel team on offense. (3 WR, 1 TE, 1 RB)

Miami drafted a WR at 6th overall. That alone coupled with what they have on the roster says they need to get as many of these guys on the field as possible, but it doesn’t stop there. The signing of Will Fuller allows for more natural alignments with DeVante Parker, Preston Williams, etc. While Jaylen Waddle is the Slot threat, others can play alongside Fuller/Waddle in bunch formations, and force communication in the secondary. Getting speed on the field seems to be what the Dolphins were going for this offseason, and getting the defense to call switches will be a feature. While Waddle stretches the defense laterally, Fuller threatens vertically, Parker, Preston, etc., are free to negotiate routes they are best at running. Make no mistake, this unit was constructed to work in tandem, and thus, they must be on the field together.

#3- The “rebuild” is complete.

Miami tore down the roster, in it’s entirety in 2019, and has meticulously gone about filling every perceived hole on the roster. The Dolphins return 3 starters from 2019 to the 2021 team on offense (Jesse Davis, DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki) and 4 on defense (Jerome Baker, Christian Wilkins, Eric Rowe, Xavien Howard). They have drafted, or signed, 15 starters for the 2021 team the last 2 offseasons. Most of these signings, represent longterm commitments from either, high Day 1, 2 draft picks, or significant free agent signings or trades. There is simply not as many holes to fill anymore. The Miami Dolphins window for a championship is now officially open.

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#4- The Miami Dolphins have high expectations.

On the gambling front, Miami is now favored in 9 of 17 games (was 10), and has an over/under win total that has reached 9.5 games. Both represent the highest numbers in near 20 years. Most analysts are picking the Dolphins to be a playoff team, and after nearly getting there last season, and winning 10 games, why not? Miami has also gotten praise for their offseason, from signing Will Fuller, to their latest draft class. Improvement is expected. Second year QB Tua Tagovailoa, has worked on his body, has had a complete offseason (no rehab) and is free of his obligations to rehabbing his Hip Injury from 2019. He should also be completely in tune with the playbook having immersed himself in it for an entire offseason. A big “jump” is expected from what by any measure was, a decent rookie year. 10 wins is not only a baseline for this team, but the minimum requirement.

#5- Miami might have the NFL’s most exciting team.

We know about the defense and it’s propensity to blitz, but the offense is now very different, and a far cry from it’s “ball control” tendencies in 2020. The Offense as constructed, is built to use combination routes to free up shot plays, and the acquisitions of Waddle/Fuller now open up the field laterally as well as vertically. Miami’s running game, should feature more outside zone, now boasting several RB’s that are very good at it (Myles Gaskin, Malcolm Brown, Salvon Ahmed). The return game has players such as Jaylen Waddle, and Jakeem Grant (if he makes it) which are threats to take every kickoff or punt they receive for a touchdown. Simply put, the 2021 Miami Dolphins have a young roster, that is constructed on speed and the big play on offense, pass pressure and turnovers on defense.

Stats are Courtesy of Pro Football Focus, Pro Football Reference, ESPN.

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Assessing nine Miami Dolphins draft moves in Hindsight

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There are fewer things in the sports that highlight relative unfairness quite like the NFL Draft. Rather than front offices judging players on their tape of playing the game, players’ draft stock can rise or fall by how well they move around cones in their boxer briefs. The tables are then turned as front offices have their picks immediately graded by media pundits before the selections can even take the field to prove their value.

Making matters worse for front offices is everyone’s ability to look back years later and provide 20/20 hindsight of what should’ve been done in the projection period. Fans can look back and dream of possibilities of what could have been if their team had only selected Player B instead of Player A.
The Miami Dolphins are in the same boat as the other 31 teams in feeling pain with this exercise. For the purpose of this column, I looked back at the Dolphins’ drafts since the turn of the millennium. I ranked the nine most painful first round draft picks for the Dolphins in hindsight, considering who else was on the board at that time. In order to be reasonable, I only looked at first round-for-first round swaps, as saying, “the Dolphins should’ve taken Tom Brady in the first round in 2000 instead of allowing him to fall to the sixth” is asking a herculean amount from a front office.
9. 2020 Who they took: USC OT Austin Jackson 18th overall
Who they could have taken: LSU WR Justin Jefferson 22nd overall
 
Now, this is without question the most unfair one on the list. Each player has only played one season, and Jackson has only been legally able to drink alcohol for 10 months. Jackson had a bit of a rocky first year, but given his age, his recovery from a bone marrow transplant, and the difficulty of the position, there is little reason to believe he cannot develop into an offensive tackle worthy of the 18th pick.
What makes this one tough is Jefferson was at a position of need, and would have immediately made Tua Tagovailoa’s transition to the NFL smoother. He also was one of only two rookies to make the Pro Bowl, and set the NFL record for receiving yards by a rookie with 1,400.
Adding salt to the wound is the hypothetical that if Miami did take Jefferson in 2020 and chose to address OT early in 2021 (the inverse of how it played out positionally), they would have Jefferson and Penei Sewell instead of Jackson and Jaylen Waddle. History will tell us which pairing has the better NFL careers, but for now, it’s hard not to wish Jefferson was in the Miami receiving corps.
8. 2004 Who they took: Miami (FL) OT Vernon Carey 19th overall after trading a fourth-rounder to Minnesota to move up from 20
Who they could have taken: Miami (FL) NT Vince Wilfork 21st overall
 
The late Eddie Jones did not have to travel far to make his first round selection, going down the road to Coral Gables to grab Hurricanes tackle Vernon Carey. The lifelong Miami native who is now a high school coach in the area served well in his eight years with the Dolphins, playing both tackle spots as well as right guard. While eight years is not as long as Miami hoped when they selected Carey, what lands him on this list is the player taken two selections later.
Jones had the right school and right idea with a tackle, but needed to look to the other side of the ball for the Hurricanes. Wilfork ended up with the cross-division rival New England Patriots and was a first-team All-Pro, three-time second-team All-Pro, five-time Pro Bowler, two-time Super Bowl champion, and figures to find himself enshrined in Canton one day.
The middle of the Dolphins’ defensive line in 2004 featured Tim Bowens and Larry Chester, both players who played their last seasons of football that fall. Adding Wilfork to a front seven that featured Jason Taylor, Adele Ogunleye, Zach Thomas, and Junior Seau would have been fearsome. The fact that he had to go to Foxboro from right down the road makes it all the more sour.
7. 2001 Who they took: Wisconsin CB Jamar Fletcher 26th overall
Who they could have taken: Miami (FL) WR Reggie Wayne 30th overall
 
Sticking with the Hurricane theme, this one is particularly painful. Fletcher lasted just three seasons in Miami before being dealt to the San Diego Chargers. He played a total of nine seasons in the NFL with five teams, and never made a Pro Bowl or had more than three interceptions in a season.
Wayne, on the other hand, has been nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame after 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts that saw him make six Pro Bowls. He had 82 regular season receiving touchdowns in Indy, which is exactly as many as Dolphins all-time leader in receiving touchdowns Mark Clayton had in his career.
What makes this one most puzzling is team need at the time. At receiver, Miami was relying on Oronde Gadsden and Leslie Shepherd. Meanwhile, at cornerback, the Dolphins had Patrick Surtain and Sam Madison, both in their mid-20s. The need was definitely at receiver, and that proved itself over time. It should be pointed out that Purdue quarterback Drew Brees went two picks after Wayne at pick 32.
6. 2008 Who they took: Michigan OT Jake Long 1st overall
Who they could have taken: Boston College QB Matt Ryan 3rd overall
 
Long was an exceptional player in Miami. He was with the Dolphins for five seasons, and made four Pro Bowls. Unfortunately, he experienced back and biceps injuries before turning down an extension and electing to move on to St. Louis. His injury problems only worsened as he twice tore his ACL and also tore his achilles, forcing him into an early retirement. If injuries had not gotten in Long’s way and the Dolphins were able to keep him in free agency, the sky would have been the limit for the former Michigan Wolverine.
The pain point here of course is Ryan. Miami has not been able to find a long-term solution at quarterback since the retirement of Dan Marino. Ryan, by all indications, could have been that in South Florida. The 2016 MVP is entering his 14th season and will play for his fourth head coach, remaining the lone constant in Atlanta. He is 113-92 as a starter, thrown for 7,443 yards and 347 touchdowns, made five Pro Bowls and six trips to the playoffs.
Offensive tackle is arguably the second-most important position on a football field. The reason it is so high, though, is because it is used to protect what is the most important position in sports: quarterback. Maybe Ryan would not have fit in with offensive philosophies from some of Miami’s head coaches in this time, but his longevity in Atlanta makes you wonder if the Dolphins could have had their man under center for a decade-plus.
5. 2012 Who they took: Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill 8th overall
Who they could have taken: Boston College LB Luke Kuechly 9th overall or South Carolina CB Stephon Gilmore 10th overall
 
Tannehill has proven to be a pretty good quarterback. That’s especially true when you consider he made a Pro Bowl in 2019, and the quarterbacks selected above him (Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III) are not currently on NFL rosters due to Luck’s early retirement and Griffin’s injury history. Unfortunately for Miami, Tannehill was never that for the Dolphins. It took trading him and a sixth-rounder to Tennessee for a fourth-rounder for the ex-Aggie to reach his potential.
It’s rarely a bad idea to take a quarterback in the draft when you are in dire need of one. It’s when you see 10 future Pro Bowls go off the board in the first round after Tannehill that stings. Kuechly was a five-time first-team All-Pro and Defensive Player of the Year and went the very next pick. Gilmore has also been a Defensive Player of the Year, made two first-team All-Pro teams, and is terrorizing receivers for the Patriots. After those two, you also see Fletcher Cox (14th), Melvin Ingram (18th), Chandler Jones (21st), and Dont’a Hightower (25th) among others.
4. 2013 Who they took: Oregon DE Dion Jordan 3rd overall after trading a second-rounder to Oakland to move up from 12
Who they could have taken: Clemson WR DeAndre Hopkins 27th overall
 
This is a historically bad draft. Seriously, go look at it. To stick with the theme of the draft, Jordan was a historically bad selection especially when you consider Miami traded a second rounder to move up to take him. Jordan was only with Miami for four seasons, totaling just 3.0 combined sacks in his first two years before missing the next two after off-the-field issues. He has not been much better in the four seasons since, combining for 10.5 sacks for the Seahawks, Raiders, and 49ers.
Philadelphia Eagles left tackle Lane Johnson was picked fourth, right after Jordan, and made three Pro Bowls. It’s Hopkins, however, that really would have been the right selection in hindsight. He would have been on the board still at 12, and was just the second receiver taken, so despite grabbing his 15 spots ahead of where he actually went, it would not have been an overdraft.
Brian Hartline and Davone Bess were the leading receivers for the Dolphins the year prior with the former having a 1,000-yard season only to be followed up by another 1,000-yard campaign in 2013. Bess was replaced after 2012 with Steelers wideout Mike Wallace, who last just two seasons in Miami, leaving the same time as Hartline.
Hopkins has been nothing short of a monster in his NFL career. He’s made three first-team All-Pro teams, and two second-team All-Pro nods. Consistently one of the most dangerous receivers in football, Hopkins would have been an absolute asset in South Florida.
3. 2007 Who they took: Ohio State WR Ted Ginn Jr. 9th overall
Who they could have taken: Ole Miss LB Patrick Willis 11th overall or Pittsburgh CB Darrelle Revis 14th overall
 
Now we are getting to the “I want to puke” part of the list. Ginn was coming off a foot injury from his time in Columbus, and many Dolphins fans were furious the furious that general manager Randy Mueller did not take Brady Quinn, who wound up going 13 picks later to Cleveland. It turns out the fan sentiment was right, but the reasoning was off.
Ginn spent three years with the Dolphins, catching five touchdown passes, running for two, and returning three more. Since then, he has been a bit of a journeyman, changing teams six times and is currently a free agent. Though he never missed any games in Miami with injury, he never lived up to his billing, either.
Meanwhile, in the six picks that followed Ginn, four of them made Pro Bowls. Willis went 11th, Marshawn Lynch went 12th, Revis went 14th, and future Dolphin Lawrence Timmons went 15th. Having a player like either Willis or Revis would have been very beneficial to a team that ended up going a league-worst 1-15.
Miami had Joey Porter and Channing Crowder at outside linebacker, but Derrick Pope in the middle. Willis did not have the longest career, retiring after just eight seasons and battling a nagging toe injury in his final campaign. He did make the most of his time in the league, making the Pro Bowl in his first seven seasons en route to becoming a member of the 2010s All-Decade Team.
Revis was also a member of that All-Decade team, and became familiar to Dolphins fans as a lockdown corner for the Jets and Patriots, among others. He had Michael Lehan and Will Allen staring at him in the cornerback room, something the seven-time Pro Bowler could have easily overcome. Star Island is nice, but Revis Island would have been better.
2. 2017 Who they took: Missouri DE Charles Harris 22nd overall
Who they could have taken: Wisconsin OLB TJ Watt 30th overall
 
The two players had similar backgrounds coming into the league as Harris stood 6’3 and had 9.0 sacks in his final year at Mizzou, while Watt stood 6’4 and totaled 11.5 for the Badgers in 2016. That is when the two took vastly different career arcs.
Harris started just eight games in three years for Miami, accumulating 3.5 sacks combined. He was then shipped north to Atlanta for a seventh-round pick, not exactly top value for a young former first-round pass rusher. He had three sacks for the Falcons, before they let him go sign with Detroit. If he cannot further those sack numbers for the Lions, his next move may be north again to the CFL.
Watt on the other hand has started 62 of a possible 64 games for the Steelers, amassing 49.5 sacks and 59 TFL. He had a tall billing to live up to given his older brother JJ’s success in Houston, but has been equally as disruptive. He’s made the Pro Bowl in each of the last three years, including two first-team All-Pro campaigns. The Falcons and Cowboys each took pass rushers between Harris and Watt in 2017, and no doubt they join the Dolphins in feeling sick to their stomachs overlook Watt.
1. 2005 Who they took: Auburn RB Ronnie Brown 2nd overall
Who they could have taken: Cal QB Aaron Rodgers 24th overall
 
I mean, come on, who else? This pick again is not about who Miami took, but rather who they didn’t take. Brown rushed for 5,391 yards, mostly with the Dolphins, and was an integral part of the Wildcat offense that led to the 2008 division title. He made one Pro Bowl, played 10 years in the league, and was by all accounts, a solid running back.
Of course, a solid running back does not equal one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. It’s seemingly impossible for a running back to match a quarterback’s value, even when the positional charts were slightly different in 2005 than they are today. Yes, Rodgers was taken 22 picks after Brown, but he was very much in play for the 49ers at No. 1 overall.
San Francisco direly needed a quarterback, and eventually opted for Utah QB Alex Smith, who went on to a pretty good career in the NFL. Rodgers, in turn, slid and slid with players like Erasmus James, Alex Barron, and Fabian Washington all going before him. It’s not like the Dolphins could not use a franchise quarterback themselves. They had a QB room of Gus Frerotte and Sage Rosenfels.
If teams viewed the quarterback position like they do today, or hell 2011 when four quarterbacks went in the first round including Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder, Miami would have almost certainly chosen whomever San Francisco did not take at one. That would leave them with Rodgers, who has won a Super Bowl, three MVP trophies, been elected to nine Pro Bowls, and will undoubtedly find himself as a first ballot Hall of Famer.
This pick is far different than the others before it on this list. It does not just change the Dolphins in the immediate future from 2005. It doesn’t just change the Dolphins for the next decade-and-a-half like it did the Packers. It would have changed the complexion of an era in the NFL.
Rodgers is not a system quarterback, he’s a transcendent one. If he was in Miami beginning in 2005 instead of Green Bay, do the Patriots still win the 13 AFC East titles, six AFC titles, and three Super Bowls they’ve won since then with Rodgers in the division? Does Brett Favre still go to the Jets and Vikings, or does he retire in Wisconsin? Does Miami build from its illustrious past and win the Super Bowls Marino deserved, but with Rodgers at the helm?
It’s enough to keep you up at night. There’s really no other choice for Miami fans but to bury this one deep and never bring it up again. The other eight scenarios on the list are season-changing, but this one could have erased the mediocrity that has been Dolphin football the last 16 years before it even happened.
******

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Fresh Perspective: Top 5 Miami Dolphins Training Camp Battles

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Training camp always brings interesting matchups to keep an eye on. With the amount of talent the Miami Dolphins have on their roster this year, players who would normally be locks are suddenly going to have to battle to keep their spot on the roster, or at least their starting job. So here are the top five training camp battles to keep an eye on in 2021.

1. Jakeem Grant vs. Albert Wilson

The wide receiver position is loaded this year. With the addition of Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle this offseason, Miami has an excellent mixture of speed and size to threaten defenses with. However, that does leave two veterans in a very awkward situation.

Albert Wilson and Jakeem Grant both offer speed and elusiveness to an offense. But both have their share of concerns as well.

Wilson suffered a devastating hip injury in 2018 that derailed his impressive first season with the Miami Dolphins. Playing in only seven games, he caught 26 passes for 391 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. Had he played the whole season, he likely would have shattered every previous personal record he had. Then in 2019 he struggled to get back to full strength, always looking a step slower than before, up until the very end of the season where he started looking like himself. In 2020, he opted out of the season due to Covid-19 concerns, restructuring his contract to a 1-year, $3 million dollar deal.

As for Grant, last season he was voted 2nd-team All-Pro as a punt returner. Dolphins fans are well aware of what Grant can do when the ball is in his hands. However, that is Grant’s biggest flaw. He struggles to get the ball in his hands. Grant has made a few big catches in his career, but there have been just as many – if not more – plays that were left on the field because Grant either dropped or fumbled the ball at the worst time.

The battle will come down to two things. Is Albert Wilson finally back to what he was before the injury? Can Jakeem Grant catch the ball consistently when it’s thrown to him? Even the smallest doubt in either direction could be the deciding factor. There just isn’t enough room on the roster to keep all of them, so one of these two will probably be looking for work after camp is over.

2. Hunter Long vs. Durham Smythe

There’s no question who the starting tight end for the Miami Dolphins is. He hasn’t received an extension yet, but Mike Gesicki is the first guy on the depth chart. It should also be noted that he earned that status. Gesicki started slow (no thanks to Adam Gase trying to make him block), but these past two years with Brian Flores as the head coach has turned the former Penn State standout into one of the game’s best pass-catching tight ends.

That does, however, leave the players behind him in an awkward situation. The Miami Dolphins drafted Hunter Long in the 3rd round of the 2021 NFL draft. Many draft pundits think very highly of the Boston College standout, some suggesting his ceiling could be akin to Rob Gronkowski. So why is the competition between Long and Smythe, instead of Long and Shaheen, you may be asking.

The simple answer is this: Shaheen played well enough last season to earn an extension. Smythe, however, is going into the final year of his rookie deal and there’s been little talk of bringing him back on a fresh contract. Since being drafted in the 4th round of the 2018 draft, Smythe has caught 39 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns. True, his primary role is as a blocking tight end, but the Dolphins offense thrives on versatility. In comparison to Shaheen, Smythe is the better overall blocker according to ProFootballFocus. But just barely.

This is where Long comes in. In college, Long showed proficiency as both a pass-catching tight end and a blocker. He finished second in all of college football for tight ends with 57 receptions and 685 receiving yards, beaten by only Florida Gators superstar Kyle Pitts who went fourth overall to the Atlanta Falcons in the 2021 draft. That’s an impressive feat no matter what conference you’re in.

So if Shaheen is more productive as a pass catcher, and comparable as a blocker, it’s easy to assume Shaheen is the incumbent for the backup tight end spot. So if Smythe wants to stay on the team, he’ll have to a very strong training camp to fend off the new rookie. Hunter Long is already starting to flash, Smythe needs to find a way to make himself stand out.

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3. Noah Igbinoghene vs. Nik Needham

This is one of those training camp battles where a spot on the roster isn’t at stake. There’s no question that both Needham and Igbinoghene will make the final cut. The question is who will get to be the primary reserve player? And where?

It’s no secret that Igbinoghene has a ton of raw talent. But his struggles during his rookie season have some feeling skeptical. Nonetheless, he is still extremely young, and he’s still learning the cornerback position after spending his first two years at Auburn playing wide receiver. There’s no reason to give up on him at this point.

Not only that, with star cornerback Xavien Howard holding out for a new contract, he’s gotten an opportunity to prove himself all over again. As of now, it’s a waiting game to see what happens with Howard. Should he be traded, the Miami Dolphins will need someone to step up. That someone could be Igbinoghene.

Or, it could be Nik Needham. No matter who gets added to the roster, the undrafted free agent out of UTEP keeps finding ways to get everyone’s attention. Perhaps through sheer force of will, he’s become an excellent reserve corner and even a borderline starter. If he continues improving at this rate, Igbinoghene will be forced to look over his shoulder unless he performs at his peak.

4. Matt Skura vs. Michael Deiter

Truth be told, no one really saw this coming. The immediate assumption was that Matt Skura would be starting at center for the Miami Dolphins in 2021. However, Brian Flores eliminated that possibility last week while speaking to the media before the end of mini-camp.

“We sign players with the idea that they are going to create competition and earn a role.” He said. “Nobody is going to be given anything. I think really at all positions, at any position, that’s always the plan. It’s to come in, compete, learn the playbook, communicate with your teammates and we’ll play the best people at whatever that position is.”

That’s par for the course when it comes to Flores, of course. Competition is crucial, the best players will play, we’ve heard it all before. But what made it interesting was the player Flores was talking about when bringing that up again. That player was University of Wisconsin offensive lineman Michael Deiter.

“I think ‘Deets’ (Michael Deiter) has really made a lot of improvements over the last two years.” Flores said. “Obviously he played a lot his rookie year and didn’t play as much last year. He moved to center – has played guard, has played center, played some tackle for us his rookie year. He can play really across the offensive line. He’ll be in competition to get playing time this year. He’s excited about that opportunity.

“Look, he’s a guy who works extremely hard. He’s competitive, tough and has a lot of the qualities that we’re looking for. I’m excited to see what this looks like for him during training camp. I think when you get into Year 2, Year 3, there’s a sense of urgency – which he has, you can see that – to earn a role or a bigger role. He’s definitely working towards that; but he knows there will be competition there and the best man will win.”

Based on their respective track records, Skura still has a better chance at winning the job. His ability to block isn’t in question, only his ability to snap the football. That can be improved. Deiter, on the other hand, hasn’t shown he can block at a high level in the NFL. He’ll have a chance to prove himself this season, going up against a very strong defensive tackle rotation in training camp. If he can’t win the job, then he’ll likely be acting as a reserve.

5. Jason McCourty vs. Jevon Holland

The biggest experience gap is between these two players. McCourty is a 34-year old, 12-year veteran in the NFL. Holland is a 21-year old, promising rookie out of Oregon. What makes this even more interesting is the ironic role reversal. McCourty may have a lot more NFL experience, but this will be his first season playing safety. At least, it seems he’ll be playing safety. For the first time in his career, McCourty is listed as a defensive back, not a cornerback. That implies he’ll be practicing at both spots.

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As for Holland, he spent most of his time in college as a slot cornerback, but had excellent snaps at free safety. In many ways, Holland has the same capabilities as former Miami Dolphins DB Minkah Fitzpatrick. With any luck, he won’t be as opposed to playing where the coaching staff wants to use him. His disadvantage is more traditional. As a rookie, he isn’t yet accustomed to the increased speed and skill level of the NFL. He has to overcome that learning curve first.

This battle boils down to who can adapt to their new roles faster. McCourty has never played safety, but he knows what the NFL demands from him. Not only that, he offers a veteran voice in the locker room and can fill the void left by Bobby McCain in helping direct the defense. That leadership factor can’t be overlooked.

Holland on the other hand is a natural fit for the position. He has remarkable instincts, athleticism, and already has plenty of experience playing safety. All he has to do is show he has a grasp on the defense and that he can keep up with NFL talent, and he can win the job.

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Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

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Fresh Perspective: Predicting the Miami Dolphins 2021 roster – Defense

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In the previous post, we broke down the offensive side of the 2021 Miami Dolphins roster. 26 players made the cut. In this column, the defense is in the spotlight. If there’s one thing head coach Brian Flores has proven he’s good at, it’s developing a defense. There’s so much talent, so many young players fighting to reach their full potential, the Dolphins could have the best defense in the NFL in 2021. That is not an exaggeration.

As a result, as difficult as it was to choose who makes the cut on offense, the defense will be even more so. With any luck, Miami will be able to stash a lot of the players who don’t make the cut on their practice squad. If not, GM Chris Grier will have to keep an eye out for other talented castaways from other teams. So far he’s had good luck finding diamonds in the rough. For now, he and coach Flores have to focus on polishing the ones they already have.

Defensive Line (6)

  • Emmanuel Ogbah
  • Adam Butler
  • Raekwon Davis
  • John Jenkins
  • Zach Sieler
  • Christian Wilkins

The first thing you’ll notice is the lack of pure defensive ends on this list. Everyone here is mainly regarded as a defensive tackle, with Emmanuel Ogbah being the only pure DE. So why would the Miami Dolphins send out a defensive line rotation that’s so heavily skewed in one direction?

It’s all about versatility and defensive alignment.

While it’s clear the Miami Dolphins want to run a hybrid defense, it’s equally clear their personnel is best suited for a 3-4 style. Their top pass rushers are listed as outside linebackers, and the defensive linemen they’ve signed are on the bigger side.

Ogbah is the main pass rusher in this group. Last season for the Miami Dolphins, he recorded a career-high nine sacks. However, he was brought in because he also had the ability to set the edge on run plays. That makes him an ideal fit as a 3-4 defensive end. He can attack from the inside, but he’s expected to attack from the edge more often than not. His teammates can handle the interior.

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Adam Butler was brought in from New England. While he spent a lot of time lined up as a nose tackle, he is more than capable of lining up anywhere on the defensive line. With the departure of Davon Godchaux, Butler is a perfect fit to take his spot. In a 3-4 defensive front, you want your ends to be on the larger end of the spectrum so they can defend against the run as well as pass rush.

Raekwon Davis made the All-Rookie team by the Pro Football Writers of America, acting as a disruptive force as a nose tackle and 2-gap defender. In layman’s terms, his job is to stop running backs from finding holes to run through. He did that well, and also showed proficiency rushing the passer. He isn’t likely to line up near the edge very often, but he’s obviously a lock to make the team.

Christian Wilkins hasn’t exactly become a superstar, but he is a very good defensive lineman all the same. He’s steadily improved since being drafted in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft, and the team is going to call on him to do even more in year three. Wilkins provides solid versatility in either 3-4 fronts as a defensive end on either side, or as a defensive tackle in a 4-3 look. So with the hybrid scheme Brian Flores uses, Wilkins is a perfect match as he’s capable of pretty much anything asked of him.

Zach Sieler burst onto the scene and earned himself a 2-year extension for his troubles, showing the same capabilities as his fellow defensive linemen. Ability to get penetration, get off of blocks to stop the run, and make plays just when they’re needed most. Just like Butler and Wilkins, he can serve as either a DE or a DT in Miami’s defense. Considering what he’s shown, it’s a no-brainer he gets to stay.

The final member of this defensive line is veteran John Jenkins. Why does he get the edge over the younger players on the roster? It’s because his run-stuffing capability is well-documented. He’s a perfect reserve nose tackle that can spell Raekwon Davis when necessary. Also, on short-yard plays, he and Davis will combine for a duo that’s almost impossible to get through.

Linebacker (7)

  • Jerome Baker
  • Vince Biegel
  • Andrew Van Ginkel
  • Benardrick McKinney
  • Elandon Roberts
  • Jaelen Phillips
  • Sam Eguavoen

This is one of the most straightforward lineups on the team. The competition won’t be too fierce here. All but one of the players on this list are easily better than the competition they face. Clearly, the headliner is Jerome Baker, who just signed a 3-year, $39 million dollar extension to be the projected captain of the defense. Baker has improved in every year he’s played. He can cover, stop the run, and rush the passer at any given moment. The ultimate chess piece for Brian Flores to play with.

Vince Biegel and Andrew Van Ginkel are outside pass-rushing linebackers, and they’re both very good at what they do. Biegel was acquired by Miami in September 2019 in exchange for Kiko Alonso, and Biegel quickly made himself a fan favorite with his intensity. He then suffered a torn achilles in 2020, ruling him out for the season. However, this did not deter the Miami Dolphins from bringing him back, as they signed him to a contract extension in the offseason. Biegel will be used most likely on obvious passing downs and special teams.

The same goes for Andrew Van Ginkel, who exploded onto the scene with his playmaking ability off the edge. Between tipping passes, sacking quarterbacks and scooping up fumbles for touchdowns, Van Ginkel proved that Chris Grier made an excellent choice drafting him in the 5th round of the 2019 NFL draft. He, along with Biegel, will be dangerous threats to any opposing offense.

Next are veterans Benardrick McKinney and Elandon Roberts. While pass-rushing isn’t their specialty, they make up for it with their run-stopping. They’re the ones who will be counted on to add extra physicality to the defense. McKinney is a Pro Bowl linebacker acquired from the Houston Texans in exchange for Shaq Lawson. Roberts was signed from the New England Patriots last season and turned into Miami’s “thumper” linebacker. The hard hitting man in the middle who made life miserable for running backs.

Obviously, McKinney is a vast improvement over Roberts. But the fact that Roberts is willing to stay as a reserve linebacker is a huge boost for the Miami Dolphins linebacker corps. Roberts will now be able to contribute more on special teams while McKinney adds his athleticism and toughness to the main defense.

Then we come to Jaelen Phillips. He is a pass rusher, that’s how he’ll be used most of the time. But if needed, he can easily drop into coverage if necessary. Think Dion Jordan, but with a good head on his shoulders and actually a hard worker. Imagine what he could have been. Phillips was drafted in the 1st round of the 2021 draft because he has the potential to be the best pass rusher that comes out of that draft. True, this is assuming he reaches his ceiling and stays healthy, but sometimes chances need to be taken. That’s Phillips in a nutshell. He’s listed as a linebacker, but don’t be surprised to see him line up as a defensive end from time to time. He has amazing versatility, and it’s not hard to see it.

The last one is Sam Eguavoen. At one point he was a starter on the defense, now he’s primarily a reserve/special teams ace. And that is perfectly fine. Special teams need good players too, and Eguavoen would be an excellent addition to that unit. However, Eguavoen could easily see himself looking for work once all is said and done. Many players at many positions make the roster solely on special teams performance. Eguavoen will not be the only one making a bid for it.

Cornerback (6)

  • Xavien Howard
  • Byron Jones
  • Noah Igbinoghene
  • Nik Needham
  • Justin Coleman
  • Trill Williams

In spite of Xavien Howard’s holdout, it’s highly unlikely that the star cornerback is going anywhere anytime soon. Head coach Brian Flores spoke on Tuesday about the situation, making one point very clear to the media in attendance.

“It’s a renegotiation of an extension after one year and it’s honestly something that hasn’t been done before.” Flores said on Tuesday. “I’m not saying that we’re drawing a line in the sand, but different players set the market every year. We love ‘X.’ Let me go ahead and say that right now, so you guys can make sure you write that. We love him. He’s very productive, he’s a team player. he’s an important player on this team; but again, unique situation. We want to keep him here.”

And unless something changes drastically and quickly, there’s very little reason to believe Howard won’t be a Miami Dolphin in 2021. The only other possibility that would make sense for the team would be to trade him while his value is at its peak. Even then, however, losing Howard would severely hamper the defense. Given Flores’s insistence on the matter, he’s sending a message he wants Howard on his team.

The man on the opposite side is Byron Jones, the highest paid corner on the roster. Some speculate that Jones making more than Howard is precisely what is making Howard so unhappy with his contract. But it’s more likely Howard simply wants more of his contract to be guaranteed. Jones is an elite cornerback in his own right. While he doesn’t create turnovers, he does shut down one half of the field with his tight coverage, forcing teams to throw the ball in Howard’s direction so he can pull down interceptions.

Together, they make a dangerous duo. The Miami Dolphins haven’t had a combination like this since the days of Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain. All the more reason to believe the Dolphins will find a way to make this work one way or another.

Then there’s second-year corner Noah Igbinoghene. With Howard holding out, the former Auburn standout is getting an opportunity to show what he’s learned since last season. Igbinoghene struggled during the two games he started in the place of Byron Jones, getting picked on by QBs as his unrefined play was exposed time and time again. However, according to reports from practice, the 21-year old corner is showing vast improvement.

“Honestly the offseason – my first offseason was huge for me. Just finding a consistent routine, just a consistent schedule, just working out and conditioning and just doing the same thing over and over again every single day.” Igbinoghene said on Tuesday. “That was the biggest thing for me and my growth this offseason I feel like. So the offseason was huge for me. It was a blessing just to go through it. God really moved in my life this offseason, so I thank Him and I can’t wait for the season.”

Igbinoghene’s growth is crucial for the Dolphins. Not just because he’s a former first round pick, but because if things go sour between Miami and Xavien Howard, Igbinoghene will be the first one they call on to fill his shoes.

Next there’s Nik Needham. The former undrafted free agent out of UTEP is a marvel to behold. He started out terribly, getting the entire fanbase and media to assume that Needham would be one of the first cuts made in 2019. But to the shock of everyone, Brian Flores kept him around, and since then he’s rapidly improved and is continuing to do so.

Needham offers a huge safety net for Miami, able to contribute either on the boundary or in the slot at any given moment. He even has value going on a blitz, recording one sack in each of his two seasons. Reports indicate that Needham’s improvement is continuing, so who knows where the ceiling really is? The rough is slowly eroding away, leaving a diamond in its place. Chris Grier and Brian Flores obviously knew something everyone else didn’t.

Then there’s Justin Coleman. He started his career with the New England Patriots, which means he’s familiar with Brian Flores. His claim to fame is his ability as a slot cornerback. After leaving New England, he signed a 4-year, $36 million dollar deal with the Detroit Lions to be their slot corner. He later became a cap casualty, but that was more to do with his dollar value, not necessarily his level of play. Coleman played well with the Lions, but didn’t live up to the big contract he was given. He should come out on top in the slot battle. If he doesn’t, then he’s one of the best reserves you can ask for.

The corner position wraps up with newcomer Trill Williams beating out the likes of Jamal Perry. Williams is an undrafted free agent out of Syracuse, which shocked many draft pundits as Williams has excellent length and versatility on tape. However, he does have a medical history, as he suffered in ankle injury in 2020 that ended his college tenure prematurely. His original plan to sign with the New Orleans Saints fell through after they hung a failed physical on him. Reports indicate that Williams is impressive so far, and he has plenty of value as a developmental prospect. If he can show up on special teams and make a few plays here and there like he did in college, he has an excellent chance at beating out some of the incumbents.

Safety (5)

  • Jason McCourty
  • Jevon Holland
  • Eric Rowe
  • Brandon Jones
  • Clayton Fejedelem

With the departure of Bobby McCain, someone at the safety position is going to have to step up to take his spot. Fortunately, there are plenty of options available.

While it isn’t set in stone by any means, there is speculation that veteran Jason McCourty could go the route that many older corners take in their careers and transfer to safety. His twin brother Devin McCourty is a star at that position with the New England Patriots, and there’s little reason to believe Jason can’t do the same. If the transition goes well, then the Dolphins would get a real veteran voice in the back of the secondary, someone who knows the defense and what shots to call, just like McCain did.

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The next option is rookie Jevon Holland, who was drafted 36th overall by the Miami Dolphins in the 2021 NFL draft. Holland’s time in college saw him playing his best football either at free safety or nickel corner, a ballhawk through and through. Not only that, he’s a willing tackler and has instincts that can’t really be taught. There are some things that are just innate traits, which could turn Holland into something special. Depending on how fast he develops, Holland could be an immediate starter alongside the next player on this list.

Next we have Eric Rowe, another familiar face from New England making an impact with the Miami Dolphins. For lack of a better term, Rowe went from a cornerback to Miami’s best tight end defender. With the exception of Darren Waller, who lit Rowe up no matter what he tried in Week 16, the former Patriot was able to limit pretty much any tight end he faced, including San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle, who some suggest is the best tight end in the NFL. Shutting him down is no small feat. With Rowe returning, at least one side of the field has a dependable safety.

Brandon Jones is also an obvious choice to make the team. He’s a hard-hitting safety who likes to play close to the line of scrimmage in run support, similar to another safety who made a name for himself in a similar fashion: Reshad Jones. In his rookie season, Jones had a few moments where he struggled with specific angles and techniques, but what was never in question was his intensity. Jones goes hard in every single play, and he’s learning quickly, both on defense and in special teams.

Finally, Clayton Fejedelem finishes the safety position off. He is primarily a special teams ace, but that doesn’t mean he’s boring to watch.

That fake punt is undoubtedly the biggest highlight of his career to date. He isn’t going to wow anyone with his speed, strength, or athleticism. However, he does what is asked of him and he does it extremely well. He’s a key player on special teams, and that’s something that cannot be overlooked. Punt returns and kickoffs can change momentum for a game in a heartbeat, so good players are mandatory on even the “boring” stuff.

Special Teams (3)

  • Jason Sanders
  • Michael Palardy
  • Blake Ferguson

The final three roster spots need no big explanation. Jason Sanders is the best kicker the Dolphins have had since the days of Olindo Mare, and he more than earned his 5-year, $22 million dollar extension to stay with the team. Sanders was the going away gift given to Miami by former special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi, who all but insisted the Dolphins find a way to get him on the roster.

Michael Palardy tore his ACL playing basketball with his son in the 2020 offseason, but he was on route to becoming one of the NFL’s best punters before the injury. Now Palardy finds himself trying to recapture that old magic with the Miami Dolphins. It remains to be seen whether he’ll ultimately be an upgrade over Matt Haack, who signed with the Buffalo Bills this offseason. One of Haack’s biggest problems is that he would make two incredible punts, and then proceed to completely botch the next two.

That lack of stability made it hard to justify extending him. Palardy offers a chance at more consistent punting. And, to continue with the recent theme Miami prefers, Palardy shares Haack’s left-footed kicking, which is meant to make the spin of the football more difficult for returners to field. Palardy is on a 1-year deal, so he’ll have to put together a great season if he wants to be brought back.

Finally, the long snapper is Blake Ferguson. As baffling as it was that the Miami Dolphins would use a 6th round pick on a long snapper of all things, it all made sense in a hurry. Brian Flores knew how important clean snaps were to help kickers and punters perform at their peak, which was explained by Jason Sanders’ personal kicking coach Brent Grablachoff in this exclusive interview with Five Reasons Sports. Ferguson is expected to continue his work and help Sanders reach that ever elusive 100% kicking milestone.

With that said, this concludes the roster prediction. All 53 slots have been filled, which means there’s still a lot of talent left for Miami to hopefully stash on the practice squad. Will this be a perfect prediction? Who can really tell? Training camp never fails to reveal a few surprises here and there. One player stumbles while another overachieves, and so on.

But that’s the fun of the offseason for those on the outside looking in. Finding out who will stick and who won’t. The only thing that can satiate that curiosity is to watch these players in action. Training camp will be here to make that happen in no time at all.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

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