It’s time to open The Phinsider Mailbag to see what our readers are pondering. The Miami Dolphins are within the second interval of organized group actions, closing them out on the finish of the week. After the group’s minicamp subsequent week, the offseason coaching program will finish, and everybody will head off for some trip time. Coaching camp will open in late July, with preseason video games beginning in August and the common season starting in September.
The Dolphins open the common season towards the Jacksonville Jaguars in simply over 14 weeks. As we construct towards the beginning of the yr, we requested our readers to offer us with any questions they could have in regards to the Dolphins in 2024. We collected them, and now it’s time for me to share my ideas and responses.
Be at liberty to debate the questions or my solutions within the feedback on the backside of the web page.
First, I’d warning anybody from making main assessments primarily based on one organized group exercise observe. It’s Could. The season begins in September. The warmth and humidity are ramping up in Florida, and a few of these guys will take a minute to get used to it. Come August and stepping into coaching camp, then possibly we have to fear, however proper now, that is rather more about getting the inspiration of the playbook put in than it’s about gamers flashing or if they’re in form.
That stated, Tart is not going to have a lot leeway when camp begins. The Tennessee Titans launched Tart final yr after the Dolphins recreation, with perspective and energy points a major consider that call. The coaches in Miami should hope he’s coming in with that cleaned up – however an early report that he’s struggling together with his conditioning shouldn’t be the early sign they needed to want to obtain.
Calais Campbell is a reputation each fan base needs their group to signal. At 37 years previous, Campbell is not going to be a long-term signing for any group, however he may very well be a lacking piece to strengthen a protection, which might be exactly why Miami would take into account him. Campbell could be getting into his seventeenth yr within the league if he indicators with somebody, however he nonetheless tallied 56 tards, one cross defensed, one compelled fumble, one fumble restoration, and 6.5 sacks final yr, beginning all 17 video games for the Atlanta Falcons. Campbell, who performed faculty soccer on the College of Miami, may very well be seeking to return to South Florida to finish his profession on a group the place he would instantly be a starter and has an opportunity to play on a group seeking to win now.
I feel Campbell could be match for the Dolphins, particularly when the Xavien Howard cash comes off the books on June 2, however I’m not positive the group feels they should make an enormous transfer on the place both. They appear extra inclined to rotate gamers this yr than final yr with Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler, however having a participant like Campbell added to the roster wouldn’t be a unfavorable.
Plus, Campbell nonetheless owes the Dolphins for derailing Ryan Tannehill.
Mike McDaniel has stated the following evolution of his offense contains the tight finish. I don’t assume the group will make vast receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle much less of an element within the recreation plan, however there must be a 3rd choice – whether or not that’s vast receiver Odell Beckham, Jr., working backs Raheem Mostert or De’Von Achane, or tight finish Jonnu Smith. Somebody has to step up into that function. If McDaniel does need to evolve the offense as he has stated, it can doubtless be Smith getting concerned. Nonetheless, I see the Dolphins including extra targets for the working backs, particularly as Achane settles into his second yr within the league.
All that stated, I nonetheless assume McDaniel, sooner or later, returns to his expertise as a run-game coordinator and, with Mostert and Achane main the best way, will get the bottom assault shifting. Suppose defensive coordinators should recreation plan round slowing Hill and Waddle whereas masking the beneath passing recreation to Beckham, Mostert, Achane, or Smith, after which have the extra consideration of Mostert and Achane exploding out of the backfield on any down and distance. In that case, the Dolphins offense will repeat because the primary offense within the league when it comes to yards per recreation and may be capable of transfer up from second within the league in factors per recreation.
Nice query, however one we in all probability can’t reply proper now. The Dolphins will face a number of quarterbacks who can gauge opposing defenses with their legs, however that will probably be true yearly for the Dolphins till they don’t have to face Josh Allen twice each season. If Miami goes to win the AFC East, they should hold Allen from working throughout them.
The issue is, we don’t actually know what sort of protection the brand new defensive coordinator, Anthony Weaver, will run this yr. How a lot of the system permits for a spy? When will linebacker Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb be accessible after main accidents final yr? May the group look to do one thing with rookie linebacker Chop Robinson as a spy if Phillips and Chubb are the first cross rushers? What sort of function will Shaquil Barrett have on the protection? Or Anthony Walker? Jordyn Brooks? A number of gamers may have the function, however I feel I must see extra of the group earlier than I can present a real reply to the query.
This query is a type of humorous one the place the group is damned in the event that they do, and damned if they don’t. If the Dolphins pace up their offense, working an uptempo system, then lose due to time of possession points, followers will probably be upset. If the Dolphins are deliberate with their offense, holding on to the ball and consuming up clock, however they lose as a result of they weren’t “aggressive” sufficient, followers will probably be upset. Profitable is the reply – not essentially how briskly the offense operates.
That stated, the pace of the offense generally is a weapon for Miami, particularly after they have the protection chasing Hill, Waddle, Mostert, Achane, and so on. everywhere in the discipline. Suppose you’ll be able to hold the identical defensive gamers on the sector, with restricted substitution alternatives or probabilities to catch their breath between snaps. In that case, you will have a bonus – particularly when the warmth of Florida is factored into the method.
I feel what is going to choose up the tempo for the Dolphins in 2024 is solely familiarity, greater than a aware effort to hurry up the offense. The longer the gamers are within the offensive system, the simpler the pre-snap play calling and reads will probably be. The Dolphins ought to be able to take an enormous step ahead within the third yr of Mike McDaniel’s offensive scheme.
Asking and answering your personal questions, huh? I’ll nonetheless offer you my ideas.
Query 1: I do know everybody turns to the coaching employees and the power and conditioning coaches/program for the Dolphins as to why they’ve accidents throughout the season, however I feel that’s simply looking for somebody accountable. Some accidents simply occur – ACL tears, hit within the knees by a teammate, and so on. – that there’s not so much anybody can do to stop. World-class sprinters pull hamstrings in races – is {that a} conditioning subject or did it simply occur?
Aaron Schatz at FTN Fantasy compiled the adjusted video games misplaced numbers for 2023 – utilizing gamers who missed enjoying time or weren’t enjoying at 100% well being to estimate the affect of accidents and examine groups and years. Miami ranked twenty first this previous yr, with a 76.0 AGL score. The league common was 68.9. The Houston Texans have been thirty second at 159.1 AGL, whereas the Los Angeles Rams have been first with 26.4 AGL. May a have a look at the coaching program assist Miami transfer up within the rankings? Perhaps. However, additionally it is onerous to say the Dolphins will probably be “useless” if they don’t make huge adjustments to the employees.
Query 2: Was the passing recreation not dynamic in 2023? The Dolphins had the number-one passing recreation within the league, averaging 6.6 yards per recreation greater than the second-place Detroit Lions. That they had two 1,000 yard receivers, each averaging over 14 yards per reception – and so they simply added a receiver who averaged greater than 16 yards per reception. That looks like there have been and are set as much as be a fairly dynamic passing assault.
Taking a look at your reply to the query, your level is extra that the Dolphins want to carry on to the ball longer after the snap to create extra of a dynamic passing assault. If the offensive line can block for extra time, positive, they may enable for extra slow-developing passing performs, however I have no idea that it issues. Would you quite have half a second extra to let Tyreek Hill get a pair extra yards down discipline, or would you quite than the ball already in Hill’s hand and let him focus merely on making folks miss? I have no idea that the reply to not having a “twichy collapse from Tua” is that the performs must have the ball in Tua’s hand longer. What is going to make the passing recreation extra “dynamic” is de facto my reply to Gllmiaspr above.
Query 3: Answering Bull Pupp earlier in all probability answered most of this query.
Thanks everybody for the questions. We are going to request extra submissions quickly.
