With the Super Bowl having been played and free agency fast approaching, the Last Word on Sports NFL department will be breaking down the three most pressing needs facing each NFL team. Next up is the Miami Dolphins.
It’s safe to say things did not go the way many Dolphin fans were expecting in 2015. Despite the large swaths of money spent in free agency, particularly on defensive end Ndamukong Suh and quarterback Ryan Tannehill, Miami limped to a disappointing 6-10 record. In the process, they fired fourth-year head coach Joe Philbin in week four, replacing him on an interim basis with tight ends coach Dan Campbell.
The Fins would then hire former Broncos and Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase as new head coach at the conclusion of the season. It is hoped the renowned quarterback guru can take Tannehill’s career to a level on par with the money Miami’s paying him. But the team also needs upgrades at certain positions and general manager Chris Grier will have to make some smart moves both in free agency in the draft if they are to move on from last year’s debacle. They pick eighth in the first round of the draft.
It will be difficult to address these needs in free agency this year. Miami is one of the more cap constrained teams in the league. Despite having an effective salary cap of $164.4 million, the Dolphins are currently $3.6 million over the cap. And Ndamokung Suh will carry a substantial $28.6 million cap hit in 2016. In fact, when you combine his cap number with Tannehill’s, you’re looking at nearly 25 percent of the team’s cap room being tied to two players.
Needless to say, there will be a few players who become cap casualties as the Dolphins look to upgrade the roster.
Miami Dolphins 2016 Off-Season: Top 3 Needs
Offensive Guard
To say that the play on the interior of the offensive line for the Dolphins was bad in 2015 would be a gross understatement. Neither primary starters, Dallas Thomas and Billy Turner, were particularly effective at giving Ryan Tannehill protection in the pocket. In fact, one could make the argument that what’s preventing Tannehill from taking the next step in his career as a quarterback is the constant pressure he’s had to deal with.
The Dolphins have conceded 45 or more sacks in each of the last three seasons. Thomas himself was responsible for ten last year which was the worst among guards in the league. He also gave up 36 quarterback hurries which was third-worst. Clearly, the team needs an upgrade at the position.
What partially hurts them from a free agency standpoint is the fact Richie Incognito was one of the better pass blocking guards in the NFL last season. Not only are the Bills expected to re-sign Incognito, but could you really picture him in a Dolphins uniform again after the way his previous stint with the team ended? With the club in need of a good pass-blocking lineman, expect them to target players such as the 49ers’ Alex Boone or the Steelers’ Ramon Foster.
The draft isn’t particularly deep at the position. As a result, expect the Dolphins to attack this need on day two at the earliest. Prospects to pay attention to are Cody Whitehair of Kansas State and Arizona State’s Christian Westerman. The latter has been surging up big boards in recent days after a fairly impressive Combine.
Inside Linebacker
As bad as the guard play was for the Dolphins last season, it didn’t get much better at inside linebacker. Kelvin Sheppard played the majority of the snaps in the middle of the Miami 4-3 scheme, and it wasn’t pretty at times. Of the three major quarterback pressure events (sacks, hits and hurries), Sheppard accounted for just five and they were all hurries. And only eight other linebackers in the league gave up more touchdown passes when dropping into coverage.
Sheppard is a free agent and it wouldn’t be surprising if the Dolphins let him walk. But given the Dolphins precarious cap situation, the prospect of the team being in the running for the bigger names in free agency appears slim. Players such as Danny Trevathan of the Broncos, who figures to get paid big-time with his next contract, are way out of their league at this point. Jerrell Freeman of the Colts could be an option but even he might come at too high a price tag.
Like guard, if the Fins decide to address this need in the draft, it will have to be in the later rounds. There aren’t very many inside linebackers projected to go early. Missouri’s Kentrell Brothers could be a steal if he falls into the third round, even though he’s a bit undersized. Other options in the middle rounds could be Arizona’s Scooby Wright and Temple’s Tyler Matakevich.
Cornerback
Brent Grimes was the lone bright spot on a secondary that gave up 31 passing touchdowns. That number was tied for fifth-worst in the league. With that in mind, a convincing argument could be made that cornerback is the biggest position of need for the Dolphins this off-season.
Fortunately, the 2016 draft class is a fairly deep one for defensive backs. The team would probably love for Florida State’s Jalen Ramsey to fall into their lap at eight. What could prevent that from happening is the fact that Ramsey had as good a Combine as any prospect in Indianapolis. As a result, he may have vaulted himself into top five pick territory.
Florida’s Vernon Hargreaves could also be an option in the first round. But even he might get snatched up before the Dolphins are on the clock. If he does, Miami could reach a bit and take Eli Apple out of Ohio State if they choose to address this need in the first round. Virginia Tech’s Kendall Fuller, who has two brothers currently playing in the NFL, might be a day two option.
The free agent market is fairly attractive at the position as well, but once again Miami’s cap situation could prove a hindrance. They could try to add a veteran presence such as Tracy Porter or Adam Jones and might be able to acquire one of them for a relative bargain. Other options could include Brandon Boykin of the Steelers or the Giants’ Prince Amukamara.
