The NFL is back, and Sportsnet is breaking down everything you need to know about each of the 32 teams—including why you should or shouldn’t be rooting for them this season—in the month leading up to kickoff on Thursday, Sept. 8. Today, the Miami Dolphins.
Last year’s record: 6-10
Head coach: Adam Gase
Core players: Ndamukong Suh (DT), Cameron Wake (DE), Jarvis Landry (WR), Ryan Tannehill (QB)
2016 is about… Ryan Tannehill. It seems incredibly simple, but the primary reason Miami pursued new head coach Adam Gase was because of his reputation as a QB whisperer. He did quality work with Tim Tebow and Peyton Manning as an assistant in Denver, and helped Jay Cutler largely improve his efficiency in his one season with the Chicago Bears. With the Dolphins, he’ll be tasked with turning around Tannehill, who has been below average (at best) over his first four NFL seasons.
Tannehill will get a lot more responsibility in Gase’s offence, as he’ll be empowered to change plays at the line of scrimmage and attack defences in multiple ways using different route concepts for his receivers, which is a luxury he wasn’t afforded with the previous regime. Gase will need Tannehill to take on a bigger role in terms of leadership as well and the team will need to see improved results in Year 1. Tannehill’s resurgence is the best chance of Miami ending their recent run of mediocrity.
They lost… The Dolphins lost some key contributors in free agency, including running back Lamar Miller and defensive end Olivier Vernon. Miller, 25, led the Dolphins in rushing in each of the last three seasons and offered a big-play element on the ground while Vernon recorded 25.5 sacks over that stretch. Vernon was a perfect secondary rusher off the edge but he got priced out of the Dolphins’ range and got a massive deal from the New York Giants. The Dolphins also parted ways with cornerback Brent Grimes, an aging veteran starter, and lost receiver Rishard Matthews in free agency. Matthews finished second in receiving with 662 yards and four touchdowns last season.
But they got… In typical Dolphins fashion, Miami replaced Vernon and Miller with big-name aging free agents who are on the downside of their careers. The Dolphins landed 31-year-old defensive end Mario Williams on a two-year deal to be the new pass rusher opposite Cameron Wake. Williams is coming off the worst season of his career in terms of productivity, though he believes he was in scheme that didn’t fit his skill set in Buffalo.
At running back, Miami brought in former Houston Texans all-pro Arian Foster, who has battled various injuries in recent years that hurt his productivity, to compete with the inexperienced Jay Ajayi. The Dolphins plan on running lots of no-huddle this year so Foster’s receiving skills out of the backfield should be a plus for Gase and Tannehill.
They also landed two defensive starters, linebacker Kiko Alonso and cornerback Byron Maxwell, in a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles this past April. Alonso and Maxwell have both impressed the coaching staff early in camp and should have prominent roles on Miami’s defence this season.
Growing from within: With Matthews now in Tennessee, the Dolphins will be asking 2015 first-round pick DeVante Parker to take on an increased role in the offence. Parker showed explosiveness once he returned to full health towards the second half of his rookie season, averaging 19 yards per catch, and should be the primary outside receiver with Jarvis Landry, the team’s real No. 1 wideout, mostly operating out of the slot. However, he has been slowed down as of late with a lingering hamstring issue.
Otherwise, the Dolphins will be relying more on Ajayi, the second-year running back, who had only 49 carries as a rookie. Ajayi, who was a star runner in college with Boise State, should see plenty of action throughout the pre-season so the team has a better indication of what he can provide at the NFL level.
Why this team? If Gase and the coaching staff can maximize the roster’s high-end talent, which includes Tannehill, Williams and defensive tackle Ndakumong Suh, there will be plenty to like about this team. They’ve got an improving offensive line and they still rush the passer—either from the outside or the interior. Having a legitimate coach could go along way for Miami.
Why not? While Gase appears to have Miami on the right track, there’s still plenty of holes on the roster, including at cornerback and linebacker. They also have a very challenging schedule to open the season, which could stunt their progress.
How much hope? 6/10. Tannehill should improve under Gase’s watch but the team isn’t ready to challenge New England for an AFC East title. They are a draft or two away from really taking that jump.