Tag Archive for: Miami Dolphins

Reshad Jones

Miami Dolphins: Reshad Jones set to hit free agency

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The Miami Dolphins and a Pro Bowl player are parting ways. The team is releasing Reshad Jones. In a move that will become official March 18, this will free up $5.3 million in salary cap.

It is very clear that the Miami Dolphins are going in a new direction. For his part last season, Jones played in four games, recording 27 tackles and a pass deflection.

He dealt with injuries last year, having been placed on the injured reserve  November 20 with an undisclosed injury.

Jones also dealt with rib and chest injuries. This is something that he struggled with throughout most of October and into November. To be clear, his  stint on the injured reserve was separate from the rib and chest injuries.

Jones made the Pro Bowl in the 2015 and 2017 seasons. He put up tremendous numbers in both of those years. In 2015, he tallied five interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. The two touchdowns via interception the league.

In 2017, he recorded two interceptions, and recovered two fumbles four touchdowns. He has been an explosive playmaker for the Miami Dolphins ever since he came into the league in 2010.

He finishes his Miami career playing in 128 games. In addition, he recorded 21 interceptions and 55 pass deflections. He also proved to be a decent pass-rusher for Miami, recording 10.5 sacks in his Miami career.

Now at age 31, he is set to hit the market. The Miami Dolphins certainly got some of his most productive years. Jones would be an asset to any secondary.

This is certainly another move that indicates the Miami Dolphins are trying to rebuild their organization a bit. We have seen coaches come and go quite a bit this offseason, and it’s all part of the retooling the Dolphins are doing to try and compete.

Miami Dolphins: Assistant head coach Karl Dorrell off to Colorado

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A Miami Dolphins assistant coach is getting a chance to fill a head coaching job. Miami Dolphins assistant head coach Karl Dorrell is taking the University of Colorado head coaching position. Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated first reported that he was a favorite, and Ian Rappaport confirmed the news. Dorrell was also the wide receivers coach.

Dorrell has an extensive coaching history. He began coaching at UCF in 1989 and received his first head coaching job in 2003 as the head coach of UCLA. From there, he bounced around the NFL. His first stint with the Miami Dolphins came from 2008-2010. In that timeframe, he served as the wide receivers coach. He then shifted to the quarterback position, taking the role of quarterbacks coach in 2011.

After serving the role of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Vanderbilt in 2014, he coached with the New York Jets from 2015-18. On February 9, head coach Brian Flores announced that Dorrell would serve the role of wide receivers coach.

Miami Dolphins wide receivers showed improvement in 2019

Dorrell certainly did his job with the Dolphins this past season. Devante Parker had a season of over 1,000 receiving yards, and three other receivers had over 400 yards. One of those receivers was Preston Williams. Although an injury cut his 2019 season short, he comes into the 2020 campaign with a lot of promise. There was some noticeable improvement on the part of the entire unit, more so than other years.

It will be interesting to see how he does at Colorado. For now, the coaching overhaul continues for the Miami Dolphins. In what is slated to be a season full of optimism, Miami will have a bunch of new pieces both on the field and on the sideline.

The coaching moves the Miami Dolphins have made this offseason have clearly shown that they want to go in a new direction come next year. We will see if all of these moves pay off in the end.

Alabama Athletics

Tua Tagovailoa Aces Three-Month Doctor Visit

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Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa’s hip looked ‘as positive as possible’ according to reports. Will the Dolphins draft the talented passer?

The NFL offseason is a long and grueling process.

No one truly knows what the team’s end game is, but if early reports are accurate, Tua Tagovailoa is at the top of their wish list. Acquiring the talented quarterback is an entirely different beast. And one that the Dolphins will soon have to make a franchise-altering decision on.

Is Tagovailoa worthy of the #5 overall pick? Absolutely.

Is he worthy of trading multiple draft picks to move up and secure the quarterback of the future? I believe so, but do the Dolphins?

That answer we may not know until April 23rd. But one thing we do know is that Tagovailoa is progressing quite nicely.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Tagovailoa’s three-month CT scan came back great.

There’s still a ways to go in Tagovailoa’s development, and the potential for AVN is still prominent. However, this is a massive win for Tua and his agent, who hope the QB can throw before April’s draft. One would assume that if he can showcase his skills to NFL teams and general managers, the likelihood that he would be a top-5 draft pick dramatically improves. As does the possibility that Miami–or any other team–would have to trade up to land The Left Arm of God.

In the end, there is no player in the history of the NFL draft that I wanted my favorite football team to draft more than Tagovailoa. And for years, Miami passed on elite quarterbacks, to settle for the safe prospect. Perhaps this is the end? Maybe, after twenty years of failing to address the most critical position in football with anyone other than Ryan Tannehill, a bunch of second-round draft picks, or aging veterans–maybe they finally land a once-in-a-generation QB.

The time is now. Tua Tagovailoa, No Matter What.

This article was written by Josh Houtz (@houtz) a lifelong Tua Tagovailoa stan.

Yung Mayo

Miami Dolphins: Zach Thomas snubbed for Hall of Fame

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The Miami Dolphins great will have to wait another year.

The big day arrived for former Miami Dolphins great Zach Thomas. Saturday was the day that he would find out if he would be selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The anticipation was building, with many legends chiming in and making the case for Thomas to be selected.

He certainly has an impressive resume. A seven-time Pro Bowl selection, AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and five first-team All-Pro selections are just some of the things he can hang his helmet on. In addition, he made the NFL 2000’s All-Decade team.

Unfortunately, Thomas did not make it. failing to be selected. Now, the hope is that he will have a shot in 2021. But it will only get tougher…

Among the first year candidates next season:

Automatic selections Peyton Manning, Charles Woodson and Calvin Johnson.

 

The Miami Dolphoins legend should be part of class

This is extremely unfortunate that Thomas is not going to be a part of the 2020 class. He gets very little credit nationally. Unfortunately, I think it’s partly due to the fact that he played for the Miami Dolphins. The Miami Dolphins have not really been in the national media spotlight over the last decade or so.

Thomas was an extremely consistent player throughout his entire career. He played in 184 total games, starting 182 of them. He played in all 16 games five times in his career. Especially for the way he played, that is certainly impressive due to his physicality.

The Texas Tech product was also a player that could do more than just tackling and sacking the quarterback. He recorded 17 interceptions throughout his career. Nowadays, that number is difficult for a linebacker to obtain.

Brian  Urlacher has comparable statistics, and he was able to earn a spot in Canton. Thomas should have been there as well.

It’s disappointing that he was not a part of this year’s Pro football Hall of Fame class. Hopefully next year will be the year that Thomas makes it. He certainly deserves the honor.

Ryan Tannehill came back from…. Adam Gase?

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This is somewhat confusing.

It’s never been entirely clear what a Comeback Player of the Year is in major sports. Come back from what? Drugs? Tragedy? Incompetence of a team’s management?

This is one reason why the NBA changed the award to Most Improved Player a few years back.

So it’s tough to know what to make of now-Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill winning the award at NFL Honors on Saturday in Miami, during Super Bowl LIV week.

Tannehill, after all, was never terrible.

He hasn’t endured a tragedy.

He has had two significant injuries, yes, but nothing that was considered career-threatening.

So can we say that what he came back from was…. playing for the Miami Dolphins under Joe Philbin and Adam Gase?

Either way, Tannehill did have a solid season. Better than solid. Aided by an elite offensive line and bruising runner (Derrick Henry), a combination he never really had in Miami — 2016 with Jay Ayaji was closest — Tannehill did more than game manage. He led the league in some categories after taking over from Marcus Mariota. And he didn’t mess up as Henry carried the load and the Titans to the AFC Championship Game before they were exposed against Kansas City.

Still, Comeback Player of the Year?

Seems a stretch — just as it’s a stretch to expect Tannehill to be a top-5 quarterback next season.

Alabama Athletics

Tua’s father wants son drafted by Dolphins

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As the coverage for Super Bowl week continues, we are hearing from many of the game’s top players. Tua Tagovailoa is someone that has been on the mind of Miami Dolphins fans. With the fifth pick, the Dolphins believe that the Alabama prospect could be the quarterback they’ve been searching for. And according to Andy Slater, Tua’s dad feels the same.

The organization has been looking for a quarterback since Dan Marino. Although there have been several signal-callers that have filled in, none of them have been a franchise quarterback. There is a belief that the Dolphins will do whatever it takes to get the college football star.

In the meantime, it seems like Tua Tagovailoa is taking it all in stride. In speaking to the media on Thursday, the quarterback notes the comparisons to Marino honored him. Nevertheless, he recognizes that he has things to accomplish. If anything, that speaks to his humility and desire to be great. He even shouted out to Marino, saying that “It means the world” that Marino thinks he could be a star.

He also opened up to Mackenzie Salmon of USA Today about his hip injury. The quarterback’s hip is getting better, but he doesn’t have a timeline on when he will be back. A CAT scan and MRI will take place a week from Monday. At that point, it will have been 12 weeks since he suffered a devastating injury.  The injury itself is something that may affect his draft stock

Medicals are something to watch for Miami Dolphins

The Tua-Miami Dolphins connection seems to be stronger than ever. As he prepares for the NFL Draft, one has to wonder if any further developments will come out. The medical piece, in regards to how healed he is from his injury, is something to watch for. This is crucial for him as he looks to solidify his stock as a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft. It’s something that the Dolphins and the rest of the league will be paying attention to. For now, it seems like he is just enjoying the process of being a coveted NFL prospect.

Damien Williams’ journey goes full circle in preparation for Super Bowl

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Things often come full circle in life. Just ask running back Damien Williams. Who’s again where he started his career, calling Miami home for the next week as he prepares to play in the Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers. However, he’s not wearing a Miami Dolphins jersey. Instead, he is donning Kansas City Chiefs colors. His trip from Kansas City to Miami takes around five hours and 35 minutes by plane. Just as the 1,469.7-mile journey seems lengthy, so to has been Williams’ path to get here.

He began his college football career at Arizona Western College. After a few seasons there, he transferred to the University of Oklahoma, a breeding ground for running backs. Here, he encountered his first bump in the road. After a 2012 season saw him rush for 946 yards and 11 touchdowns in 13 games, he followed that up with an impressive 2013 season. Rushing the rock hundred 14 times for 553 yards and seven touchdowns, he put up those numbers in nine games.

Those numbers were indeed not indicative of a setback.

Miami Dolphins save Damien Williams

The setback came in 2013. where he was dismissed from Oklahoma for violating team rules. Head coach Bob Stoops never gave a reason for his dismissal. Thus, his next step was going to the NFL Draft. Surely someone who put up the type of numbers he had, in albeit a brief college career, would be able to find a team rather easily, right?

Not exactly. Williams went undrafted in the 2014 NFL Draft. Luckily for him, the Miami Dolphins came calling. It would be a four-year partnership between the Miami Dolphins and Williams. He didn’t put up eye-popping numbers, but you could tell the talent was there. His best season for Miami came in 2017. He played 11 games, starting four of them. Rushing 46 times for 181 yards, he also proved to be a  bit of a receiving threat. He would also catch 20 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown.

The 2017 season saw him get tendered by Miami for $1.797 million. After Jay Ajayi was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, Williams was named a starter ahead of Kenyan Drake. He showed glimpses of potential, but injuries set him back a bit. A dislocated shoulder in Week 12 gave the starting job to Drake. Drake blossomed as the starter, and that was effectively the end of Williams’s career with the Dolphins.

Since signing with Kansas City in the 2018 offseason, he has paid his dues. From playing behind Kareem Hunt to getting the starting opportunity last season, he has undoubtedly been biding his time. He ended up having a solid 2018 season, rushing the ball 50 times for 256 yards and four touchdowns, the four TDs were a career-high at the time.

Now, he finds himself back in Miami, set to play in the Super Bowl. In what was a running back-by-committee approach this year for Kansas City, he has adjusted to different roles numerous times throughout the season.

Miami Dolphins: Ryan Fitzpatrick expected to be back with team in 2020

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One part of the quarterback equation for the Miami Dolphins is not going anywhere.

At least one part of the Miami Dolphins quarterback equation will be solved in 2020. According to a report from Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier expects Ryan Fitzpatrick to be back in 2020.

Fitzpatrick performed well for Miami given the circumstances. He threw for 3,529 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. His best game came against the Cincinnati Bengals. In what was in overtime contest, he threw for 419 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. His 31 completions that day were his second-most on the season.

Fitzpatrick’s 20 touchdowns on the season were the most he threw in any season since 2015. That year, he threw 31 with the New York Jets. His passing yards were also the most he had in his career since 2015.

The veteran quarterback signed a two-year, $11 million contract with the Dolphins in 2019. This included  $7 million in guaranteed money.  This season, he will make an $8 million base salary.

The Dolphins figure to be in the quarterback market heading into this year’s draft. They have the fifth pick in the first round. They are meeting with several quarterbacks at the Senior Bowl this week. There has been an overwhelming line of thinking that the Miami Dolphins will select Tua Tagovailoa with the fifth overall pick. The Miami Dolphins certainly have a lot of options at their disposal.

What role Fitzpatrick will play in 2020 remains to be seen. He will either be the starting quarterback as Miami looks to develop a rookie. Alternatively, he could be a mentor as the rookie ascends to the starting role. Whatever the case may be, the Miami Dolphins are making an effort to try and bring stability and talent to the quarterback position. How they will execute it remains to be seen.

Tua Tagovailoa will work out for teams in April

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Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will work out for teams in April, according to his agent Leigh Steinberg.

Before the 2019 Miami Dolphins ever took the field, it was believed by many that the plan was to draft Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa, no matter what. And with each passing win, it seemed less and less likely that the plan would come to fruition. But then, Tagovailoa suffered a season-ending hip injury, which once again made this dream a reality. Now, with less than four months until the 2020 NFL Draft, new information could change teams’ outlook in April.

According to Tagovailoa’s agent Leigh Steinberg, the promising young QB is expected to be fully healthy and able to work out for NFL teams before the draft.

In Tagovailoa We Trust

No one can honestly say whether or not Tagovailoa will be fully healthy. As it is my belief, there are several hurdles between now and April that he must overcome. But for a player that at one point–many believed may never play football again–this is big. And for teams like the Miami Dolphins or even the Los Angeles Chargers, they must now start to devise a plan to figure out how to land the Left Arm of God. 

Truth is, Chris Grier and his henchman have done what needed to be done, to acquire as war chest of draft picks. They have the ammunition to move up and down the draft board as they deem fit–and it is my understanding they will do so for the right player. Tagovailoa, when healthy, is absolutely worth trading up for. And if he is the QB the team coveted since day one, the decision is easy.

When healthy, Tagovailoa is one of the best QBs to ever play collegiate football. Now, he has the opportunity to take his talents to the NFL-to South Florida. Now it is up to the Miami Dolphins to make that a dream a reality.

In all my years covering the Dolphins, there is not a prospect I can remember wanting more than Tagovailoa. I just hope Miami’s front office feels the same way. Because missing out on a prospect like Tagovailoa, could rival passing on Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers. It’s time to get out of the 7-9 and 8-8 hell the team has been trapped in for the last 20 years.

Save us Tua Tagovialoa, you’re our only hope.

 

This article was written by Josh Houtz (@houtz) and he really, really wants the Dolphins to draft Tua Tagovailoa.

 

Miami Dolphins: Several coaching staff changes made Sunday

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The Miami Dolphins made changes to the coaching staff on Sunday

The Miami Dolphins are going to have some new coaches next year. Robby Brown will be named to the quarterbacks coach position per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. For those unfamiliar, he worked with Chan Gailey in New York while both were with the Jets.

Brown has an extensive football background. He was most recently a member of the West Virginia coaching staff. While there, he was the special assistant to the head coach. He was also the senior analyst for the offense. He was hired in March 2019. According to his West Virginia biography, one of his jobs was to help out with the game planning for the coaching staff.

Miami Dolphins make other changes to coaching staff

Another major move occurring on Sunday was the loss of Patrick Graham to the New York Giants. He was in his first year as the defensive coordinator for the Dolphins. Miami gave up 494 points on the year, most in the National Football League.

The defense gave up 397.8 yards per game which was third -most in the league. Giving up six yards per pass, that was also third -most in the league. However, Miami spent most of the year reshuffling and retooling the defense. Statistics certainly do not tell the whole story.

Josh Boyer was promoted to the position of defensive coordinator as a result. Last year was his first season with the Miami Dolphins. He served the roles of defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Miami ranked 12th in the National Football League with 13 interceptions on the year. They were tied with four other teams in that category.

it will be interesting to see how Boyer and Brown ease into their new roles. There has been a lot of turnover on the part of the coaching staff so far this offseason. Brian Flores wants to make sure he has everything right heading into 2020.