Offseason Outlook: The Dolphins Top 5 Needs/Wants

We have now made it to the preseason choice for the number one overall pick. The Dolphins were one of the more surprising teams in the top five because they had such a weak talent group that most assumed that they were not going to win any game. They ended up winning five games and even managed to beat two playoff teams along the way. They beat the Eagles at home and then in the final week they beat the Patriots so they couldn’t secure a bye week. That loss leads them to play the Titans and they eventually lost to them in the wild card round at home. The Dolphins even with their impressive wins, still lost very badly the rest of the year. They had 9 losses by double digits, and it was not even close most of those games.  This team is in a full rebuilding mode and can see a lot of new additions across the board. 

Miami Dolphins

Wants

1. Quarterback

2. Running Back

3. Offensive Line

4. Defensive Line

5. Secondary

Needs 

1. Upgrades across the offensive line

2. A franchise quarterback on the roster at least

3. A franchise running back

4. Upgrades on the defensive line 

5. Help in the secondary to solidify what they already have

Quarterback

In this league, you need to be able to field one of two things. Either you need a franchise quarterback which can help you win games when other areas aren’t that great, or you need an elite defense and strong running game that can help support a game manager at quarterback. Most teams know that it is very hard to get the second option to work nowadays. Most teams gamble more on getting the quarterback now and then developing the team around him. The best thing the Dolphins can do is draft a young quarterback to last for the next decade or so. I would understand that if the Dolphins want to do that, they got a few different options. They might not be able to get Burrow since the Bengals don’t want to trade down and they are in desperate need for a QB, they have the options of Tua Tagovailoa, Jordan Love, Justin Herbert, and Jacob Eason. They could even go after a guy like Jake Fromm. They could draft their guy of the future and play him right away, but the best thing is to sit him for a year and let them learn. If they go that route, then they draft a guy and add a reliable veteran like Phillip Rivers or Marcus Mariota. Both can help teach the young draftee and then back them up when the time comes. 

Defensive Line

The next thing they need to help build this team-up is defensive line. They need ends and another solid defensive tackle to grow alongside Christian Wilkins. Taco Charlton and Charles Harris can be either good rotational piece or possible starters if they develop enough. My guess is that they are who they are, rotational pieces. If the Dolphins can add in guys like Yannick Ngakoue, Shaq Lawson or Terrell Lewis on the edge that can be a great start to a solid pass rush. Then you mix in Wilkins with Leonard Williams, Arik Armstead or Ross Blacklock then you got a defensive line that will be a fearsome threat in the very near future. The veteran option above aren’t going to break the bank and can be got for affordable deals. The only one that can get a huge contract upcoming is Ngakoue. He has a combined 37.5 sacks and 14 forced fumbles in four seasons. He looks to be a great asset to whoever gets him, and he will go a long way to helping the Dolphins in their rebuild. 

Upgrades across the offensive line

This team needs a lot of new pieces but most importantly they need guys upfront to protect the quarterback and help improve on one of the worst rushing attacks in the league. They got a few good options for backups but not that many promising starters. The center and left tackle can be good backups, but the rest of the line needs works. The best way to attack this situation is from all angles. They can explore trades, get free agency help and draft a young guy or two to be along with the future. The best options for free agent help are Anthony Castonza or Trent Williams. They can get a solid building block for the next five to seven years on the most important spot on the line. Next, they can see if they can acquire a young promising guard for a late to mid-round pick like Jamon Brown. He is solid in run blocking and adequate in pass blocking. He can serve as a good help for a young player or be a building block that can last for a few years. Lastly, they can draft in the first round either early or late Jedrick Wills, Tristan Wirfs or Andrew Thomas.  There are two good options for right tackle and guard. Andrew Thomas can honestly switch between either guard or tackle at the next level. They can even go for a second-round pick like Lloyd Cushenberry from LSU. He can come in and pair with a rookie signal-caller for the next decade. 

-By: Darren Braxton

Writer/Interviewer

Draft History: Dolphins best picks play key roles in Super Bowl success

The Miami Dolphins were one of the most successful teams in the first decade after the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, and that is reflected in the list of the franchise’s best draft picks. The worst list was a little tougher because Miami hardly ever has a high pick (only 13 top 10 picks since 1966), although their inaugural draft was particularly bad. 

BEST

10. Richmond Webb, T (Round 1, Pick 9 in 1990) - The seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro started 163 games in 11 seasons with the Dolphins. Although Miami reached the postseason eight times during Webb’s tenure, the club only got to the AFC Championship Game once (a 29-10 loss to the Bills in 1992). 

9. Mark Duper, WR (Round 2, Pick 52 in 1982) - One half of the greatest wide receiving duo in team history, Duper turned his second-round selection into a team-record 8,869 yards to go along with 59 touchdowns. “Super” Duper had four 1,000-yard seasons and was selected to three Pro Bowls. He torched the Steelers for 148 yards and two scores in the 1984 AFC Championship Game, helping Miami reach Super Bowl XIX.

8. Bob Griese, QB (Round 1, Pick 4 in 1967) - The Hall of Famer had the second-most passing yards and second-most Pro Bowl selections in team history (the guy who ranks ahead of him on both lists appears later). Over 14 seasons, Griese was an eight-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro who threw for 25,092 yards and 192 touchdowns. More impressive was his leadership in taking Miami to three straight Super Bowls. The Dolphins won the last two, including the NFL’s only perfect season in the Super Bowl era, capped off with a 14-7 win over the Redskins in Super Bowl VII. 

7. Larry Csonka, RB (Round 1, Pick 8 in 1968) - While the 1980s Dolphins had success through the air, the team from the previous decade went to three Super Bowls thanks to its strong running game, led by Csonka and two other Miami draft picks, Mercury Morris and Jim Kiick. Csonka is the club’s all-time leading rusher with 6,737 yards and 53 touchdowns in eight seasons. The Hall of Famer nicknamed “Sundance Kid” was selected to five Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams. He had 112 yards in the perfection-clinching game against the Redskins and earned MVP honors after rushing for 145 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-7 win over the Vikings in Super Bowl VIII. 

6. Dwight Stephenson, C (Round 2, Pick 48 in 1980) - Despite retiring after eight seasons due to a left knee injury, Stephenson was recognized as one of the premier players at his position during the 1980s. The Hall of Famer made the Pro Bowl in his final five seasons and was an All-Pro his last four. Stephenson started in Super Bowls XVII and XIX, and he was all the NFL’s Man of the Year in 1985. 

5. Jake Scott, S (Round 7, Pick 159 in 1970) - He spent six seasons in Miami and was a five-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro while starring both on defense and as a punt returner. Scott is the team’s all-time leader with 35 regular-season interceptions, and he had four more in the playoffs. He was named MVP of Super Bowl VII after his two picks helped preserve a 14-7 win over the Redskins and clinch a perfect season. Scott also tops the Dolphins all-time list with 1,330 punt return yards.

4. Mark Clayton, WR (Round 8, Pick 223 in 1993) - Clayton’s 8,643 yards are a close second behind Duper, and his 81 touchdowns rank first in team history. The five-time Pro-Bowler had five 1,000-yard seasons and led the NFL in receiving scores twice (18 in 1984 and 14 in 1988). He had two touchdowns in the 1984 AFC playoffs and added six receptions for 92 yards in a loss to the 49ers in Super Bowl XIX. 

3. Zach Thomas, LB (Round 5, Pick 154 in 1996) - A true steal in the fifth round, Thomas was selected to seven Pro Bowls and five All-Pro teams. He is Miami’s all-time leader with 1,734 tackles and 1,107 solo stops. Thomas went over 100 tackles 10 times in 12 seasons with the Dolphins, and he led the league twice. He also had 17 interceptions (with four scores), 19½ sacks and 34 passes defended. 

2. Jason Taylor, DE (Round 3, Pick 73 in 1997) - While Thomas was keyed in on the ball, Taylor tracked down opposing quarterbacks. The Hall of Famer is the Dolphins all-time leader with 131 sacks in 13 seasons, including six seasons with 10 or more and a league-leading 18½ in 2002. Thomas’ accolades include six Pro Bowl selections, three All-Pro nods, the 2007 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award and the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2006 after registering 13½ sacks, 62 tackles, two interceptions (both returned for touchdowns) and a league-high nine forced fumbles. 

1. Dan Marino, QB (Round 1, Pick 27 in 1983) - As noted before, Marino tops the team list with 61,361 yards, 420 touchdowns, and nine Pro Bowl selections. The Hall of Famer and three-time All-Pro set league records in 1984, throwing for 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns while earning MVP and Offensive Player of the Year honors in just his second season. He went on to lead the NFL in yards five times and touchdowns three straight years, and he passed for more than 3,000 yards an incredible 13 times in 17 seasons. Marino threw for 421 yards and four touchdowns in a 45-28 win over the Steelers in the 1984 AFC Championship Game, then followed it with a 318-yard performance against the 49ers in Super Bowl XIX. Marino won the NFL Man of the Year Award in 1998 and retired the following year. 

WORST

10. David Overstreet, RB (Round 1, Pick 13 in 1981) - Overstreet showed promise after his time at Oklahoma, but a contract dispute led him to Canada, where he was Montreal’s top rookie in 1981. After an injury-plagued year for a bad team, Overstreet returned to Miami in 1983, where he ran for 392 yards as the third option behind Tony Nathan and Andra Franklin. The following June, tragedy struck Overstreet as he was driving in Texas. He died when his car swerved off the road and into a service station, causing the gasoline pumps to explode. The Dolphins wore a number 20 decal on their helmets as a tribute during their stellar 1984 season.

9. Minkah Fitzpatrick, S (Round 1, Pick 11 in 2018) - Fitzpatrick has shown quite a bit of talent in his young career, but he is on this list because the Dolphins gave up on him way too soon. Fitzpatrick started 11 games as a rookie, registering two interceptions, 80 tackles and nine passes defended. He started the first two games in 2019, making 11 tackles and recovering a Sony Michel fumble during a game against the Patriots. However, Miami was outscored, 102-10, in those contests and Fitzpatrick had enough. He requested and received a trade to the Steelers in mid-September that brought back a 2020 first-round pick, then made his first of what could be many Pro Bowls after picking off five passes for Pittsburgh. 

8. Sammie Smith, RB (Round 1, Pick 9 in 1989) - All appeared well in Smith’s first two seasons. He led the team in rushing both years and had a combined 1,490 and 14 touchdowns. However, Smith’s numbers dropped off (297 yards in 1991) and a change of scenery to Denver didn’t help. He was arrested for possession and distribution of cocaine in 1996 and spent seven years in prison. 

7. Frank Emanuel, LB (Round 2, Pick 9 in 1966) - Emanuel chose the Dolphins over the Eagles, who selected him in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. He was the starting middle linebacker for three seasons in Miami (with four interceptions) before losing his spot to Nick Buoniconti. After one year with the Saints, Emanuel retired and began a college coaching career that included stops at Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Memphis. He is a member of both the College Football and Tennessee Sports Halls of Fame. 

6. John Bosa, DE (Round 1, Pick 16 in 1987) - While his sons, Joey and Nick, are current NFL stars, John never lived up to that billing during his professional career. He was a member of the All-Rookie Team in 1987 and totaled seven sacks over three seasons in Miami before blowing out both knees. 

5. Eric Kumerow, DE (Round 1, Pick 16 in 1988) - Another player from a famous family, Kumerow also had a short career, recording five sacks in three seasons with the Dolphins. He is the grandson of former Chicago mob boss Tony Accardo, the son of former Colts guard Palmer Pyle, and the father of Jake Kumerow, a wide receiver for the Packers. Also, Kumerow’s sister, Cheryl, is the ex-wife of John Bosa, making him the uncle of Joey and Nick. 

4. Yatil Green, WR (Round 1, Pick 15 in 1997) - On his first day of training camp, Green suffered torn cartilage, a torn quadriceps and a torn ACL in his right knee which ended his rookie season. The following year, he tore the same ACL and missed the season again. In 1999, he had 234 yards receiving in eight games. After three years and 10 knee surgeries, the Dolphins cut Green. He signed with the Jets in 2000 and the Raiders in 2001, but was released by both teams without playing in a game. 

3. Jim Grabowski (Round 1, Pick 1 in 1966) - The first overall pick in the 1966 AFL Draft chose instead to play for the Packers, who selected him ninth in the NFL Draft. The Chiefs took Oklahoma State’s Walt Garrison 150 picks later. While Garrison never played with Kansas City, he was a two-time Super Bowl participant with Dallas. He rushed for 74 yards in the Cowboys’ 24-3 victory over the Dolphins in Super Bowl VI.

2. Rick Norton, QB (Round 1, Pick 2 in 1966) - Miami’s first draft did not prove very fruitful, with three players on this list, all within the top 10 picks. Norton finished his four-year Dolphins career with a 1-10 record, 1,751 yards, and an underwhelming seven touchdown-to-30 interception ratio. He ended the team’s expansion year fourth on the depth chart before Griese took over the following year.

1. Dion Jordan, DE (Round 1, Pick 3 in 2013) - Jordan is still in the NFL, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be labeled a “bust.” The much-hyped pass rusher played all 16 games as a rookie, posting 26 tackles, two sacks and two passes defended, but that was the high point of his stay in Miami. He was suspended the first four games of the 2014 season for performance-enhancing drugs, then got two games added on for a violation in mid-September. A third violation resulted in Jordan losing the entire 2015 season. He was reinstated conditionally for 2016, but did not play. The Dolphins released him in early 2017 after he failed a physical. Jordan’s two years in Seattle included a 10-game suspension for using Adderall after his exemption expired, and he had two sacks in seven games for Oakland in 2019. 

Next: Los Angeles Chargers

-By: Kevin Rakas

Writer

NFL Unsung Heroes of Week 13

Every week in the NFL there are teams that need a contribution from an unexpected player. Those players are normally an undrafted player, a rookie that hasn’t shown his value yet, or a journeyman that has never got his chance to show his potential. In week 13 there were three heroes like this that helped lead their teams to victories. Let’s check these three out and how they made their chance to shine happen. 

Offense:

WR Devante Parker- Miami Dolphins

Devante Parker is a former first-round pick that has had his up and down in his career since entering the league in 2015. Entering the 2019 season was his last chance to show the organization that he wasn’t a bust. He has been proving them right all season by having a career year in all major receiving categories and against the Eagles he shined. He caught seven passes for 159 yards and scored twice in a 37-31 win. He has consistently beaten man to man coverage against Jalen Mills and Ronald Darby all game. Whether it was high pointing the ball or running a precision route and plucking the ball away before the corner can reach him, he won every snap. 

Defense

LB Devin White- Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Another first-round pick, this time he just hasn’t been able to shine yet. He had been injured during the earlier part of the season, but of late, he has been flashing for all the reasons the Buccaneers made him a top-five pick and the first linebacker taken in the 2019 draft. Against the Jaguars, he had seven tackles, one tackle for loss, 2 passes defended, one quarterback hit, an interception and a fumble recovery that he returned 14 yards for a touchdown. He showed his run-stopping ability, his coverage skills and his ability to make a play on the ball. After this game, he proved he can be a Pro Bowl to All-Pro linebacker one day in this league. 

Special Teams

ST Dane Cruikshank & Tye Smith- Tennessee Titans 

It isn’t every day that multiple field goals get blocked around the league, unless it was Week 13 in 2019. There was a block by Marlon Humphrey against the 49ers before halftime. Yet, the one that was most memorable and had more of an impact on the game was the field goal blocked by the Titans. Dane Cruikshank came through the middle and blocked an Adam Vinatieri field goal attempt, while Tye Smith picked it up and came up with a 63-yard return touchdown to put the Titans up for good. They ended up winning 31-17. After that, this now makes the third field goal blocked in three weeks. The Titans special teams are playing outstanding and this was just the cherry on top.

-By: Darren Braxton

Writer/ Podcaster