Overlook of the Dolphins

By Ryan Ebert, Ryan@nflen.com

     Miami is a talented team that just needs to take their play up a few steps for them to be a feared team in the league.  This franchise has skilled players at each position that just need to buy into the system of head coach Joe Philbin set in place to get them where they want to go.  If that happens, and everyone is on the same page, then we may see a glimpse of what happened during the glorious Don Shula days.

     The Dolphins lost quite a few good players in MLB Karlos Dansby, RB Reggie Bush, LB Kevin Burnett, TE Anthony Fasano, LT Jake Long, and CB Sean Smith.  Six players were lost, but they replaced them with some nice pickups in free agency: WR Mike Wallace, LB Dannelle Ellerbe, LB Philip Wheeler, T Tyson Clabo, WR Brandon Gibson, CB Brent Grimes, and TE Dustin Keller.  Seven fine players to pick up where the others left off.  May not be good for consistency, but the system is in place for this team for success for the long haul.

     Let us take a look at the defense first, and a closer look at the secondary.  General Manager Jeff Ireland brought in Brent Grimes from Atlanta to strengthen a group that lost Sean Smith.  Richard Marshall starts opposite Grimes and Nolan Carol, Dimitri Patterson, and rookie Jamar Taylor and Will Davis will be the backups at cornerback.  While it is a decent group, only Grimes worries QBs of throwing his direction and he's coming off a season which he tore his Achilles.  Who knows if he will be the same player he was before. Then Chris Clemons and Reshad Jones play at safety with Jimmy Wilson and Kelcie McCray backing them up.  Jones was just signed to an extension showing that the staff trust his play on the field and hopes he continues to make plays and get better.  Overall, this secondary looks decent; a couple names that stand out that will need to help the rest of this secondary have good chemistry with each other to play better as a defense as a whole.

 
     The leader of the LB group Karlos Dansby left to Arizona, but Ireland brought in Dannelle Ellerbe from the Super Bowl winning Baltimore Ravens and Philip Wheeler from the Oakland Raiders.  Two quality players that will be looking forward to making contributions to this franchise.  The starting players will likely be Dannelle Ellerbe, Wheeler, and Koa Misi.  Backing the starters will be Jason Trusnik, Austin Spitler, Jonathan Freeney, and rookie Jelani Jenkins.  With two players new to this team and likely to start while learning the scheme it makes me worry a little since they haven't learned the system as well as players who have been here for a year or more.  There is good skill from these athletes, but the depth doesn't make me satisfied.  I do expect good play from this group as this has been a strength for this Miami Dolphins team for the last few years.

     Defensive line is stout with the likes of Pro Bowlers Cameron Wake, Randy Starks, Paul Soliai and the only starter not a Pro Bowler. Oliver Vernon.  Though the Dolphins drafted Dion Jordan with their first pick and he may overtake Vernon with the starting job.  The depth here is decent with Vaughn Martin, Jared Odrick, Derrick Shelby, and Kheeston Randall.  With the LB group and this defensive line, this looks to be a good front seven.  Altogether, the defensive line looks good to continue the dominance they have been doing the past few years.

     The offense starting with the wide receiver corps is one that has plenty of talent to score points to help this team win.  The biggest addition to this team over the offseason is Pro Bowl WR Mike Wallace, a speedster and playmaker that can make huge strides for this offense to reach the next level.  The second leading receiver Davonne Bess left for Cleveland but Brian Hartline is still there and will start opposite of Wallace.  The team also signed Brandon Gibson from St. Louis who may take over Hartline's spot or be the slot receiver.  The backups include: Rishard Matthews, Brian Tyms, and Andrell Smith.  Tight End added Dustin Keller from the Jets when Fasano left for Kansas City with Charles Clay and Michael Egnew backing him up.Barring injury, the wide receiver corps along with the tight ends looks very good and should make many exciting plays over this season.

     Runningback is a position with an optimistic outlook on it with the young and upcoming Lamar Miller.  Daniel Thomas is behind Miller with Marcus Thigpen behind both of them.  Miami is hoping Miller will fill the void left by Bush and be a 1,000 yard back and threat out of the backfield that Bush was.  I certainly look forward to seeing how Miller performs in his first year as a starter with the Dolphins.

     Pro Bowl LT Jake Long is now gone from the offensive line and second-year pro Jonathan Martin will replace him with Richie Incognito at LG, Mike Pouncey at C, John  Jerry at RG, and at RT newcomer Tyson Clabo.  Behind them are Jeff Adams, rookie Dallas Thomas, Josh Samuda, Lance Louis, and Nate Garner; not everyone of the backups I mentioned will be on the team's final roster as only eight total lineman will make the final cut.  So I would think that at least Lance Louis and Nate Garner will make the final eight offensive lineman.  Not too bad with the backups This is definitely a strong cast up front that can help Miller do his best and keep the QB's jersey clean.

     Ryan Tannehill, in his second season, is the leader of this team and a fine young quarterback.  Veteran Matt Moore will play in case Tannehill goes down and the same for Pat Devlin if Moore goes down.  Tannehill is a solid quarterback and I certainly hope he takes the next step as a quarterback to help lead this team back to the playoffs.

     Though this team still needs to be better than 26th on passing offense and 20th in rush defense to reach the next level.  They can do it if they all play together on the same page which requires many many times practicing with each other and getting better at their weaknesses.  I'm confident the Dolphins will make more noise than they did last year and be considered a perennial playoff contender.