Needs from greatest to least, left to right: OT,OG,OC,RB,DE/Edge,S,DT,CB,LB,QB,TE,WR
One of the first things teams do at season’s end is evaluate their roster to figure out what they have, who they want to keep, as they move toward the 2020 season.
The Miami Dolphins used the 2019 season as an opportunity the go through a bunch of young talent see what would stick and by the end of the season they were turning over players like crazy as they tried to evaluate any young player out there from practice squad to Street free agents as the roster that they carried in 2019 afforded them that opportunity go shopping for better talent.
Let’s look at the roster and assess the players and build a needs list based off of what the team is lacking currently.
Let’s start with the QB’s: The Dolphins currently have three quarterbacks listed on a roster.
It’s not for sure that either of these QB have a long term future in Miami and it’s almost a guaranteed that the Dolphins will be adding a QB to the mix via the draft and or free agency. The QB position in Miami is solid and I would have no problem with the Dolphins bypassing QB’s this year and let both Josh Rosen and Ryan Fitzpatrick battle it out again in 2020. Its the offensive line and RB’s that need serious help and upgrades this off-season.
The RB/FB’s:
Just about every RB that the Dolphins have let go, have done well in other places throughout the years from Lamar Miller traded to Houston to Kenyan Drake the last RB traded away. The current RB’s on the roster were out-rushed by veteran QB 37 year old Ryan Fitzpatrick our leading rusher in 2019. Other than Offensive line this is my greatest need to be upgraded this off-season and they should address it both in free agency and EARLY in the draft! I also can see the Dolphins pushing FB Chandler Cox by bringing in another FB through FA or the draft.
The WR’s:
There are currently 13 WR’s listed on the Dolphins Roster I listed the projected starters should they all return. This is by far the deepest and most talented position on the Dolphins roster and with the Draft also having quality depth high priced players might get squeezed to restructure to remain on the roster like Albert Wilson for example. I do not see a need to look at any free agent WR’s for now but maybe a late round selection in the draft to add competition.
The TE’s:
The Dolphins got great progress from Mike Gesicki last seasons his second year in the NFL and he is a legitimate receiving threat that needs to be accounted for the only concern is that word is the new OC Chan Gailey is not known for his use of TE’s hopefully that will change having such a talented developing young TE in Gesicki on the roster. In my mock drafts I was able to get Thaddeus Moss, TE LSU with the 56th pick in the 2020 NFL draft and I would love for that to happen for real.
The O-Line:
- Daniel Kilgore C
- Michael Deiter LG
- Evan Boehm RG
- Julién Davenport LT
- Jesse Davis RT
The Dolphins offensive line had a bunch of young players that due to talent or lack of experience on the professional level did not do well for the majority of the season and the changes in the coaching just before the start of the season and at seasons end is not good because out of all the players on the team the the offensive line depends on continuity to help them stabilize and with Brian Flores treating the O-Line coaching position like a revolving door it will never be settled. Hopefully they will have continuity as well as some more talented and younger players to win the starting job and both our Center and Right Tackle are old for their positions. Other than LG Michael Deiter who played admirably his rookie season in different roles the Dolphins could have a completely new set of linemen in 2020. The current roster have quite a few young players that will get a chance to compete in training camp in a few months. They should expect additions through both the draft and free agency.
The DE’s:
The DE is another position that needs an upgrade as the Dolphins did not have many sacks or pressures from that position and when they picked up Taco Charlton after Dallas waved him he was the only bright spot on the team but it appears he suffered some disciplinary issues late in the season, It seemed like he was in the doghouse as he was a healthy scratch a few late games. Charles Harris once again did nothing to dispel the BUST LABEL he has earned so far in his career the only saving grace is what WR DeVante Parker was able to accomplish in 2019 his breakout season after being written off by many including myself!
The back-end CB/DB/S:
- Xavien Howard CB
- Nik Needham CB
- Cordrea Tankersley CB
- Aqib Talib CB
- Eric Rowe CB/S
- Bobby McCain CB/S
- Reshad Jones S
- Walt Aikens S/ST Ace
The backfield needs to be upgraded with versatile players and youth. Players like Aqib Talib 33,Reshad Jones 31, having no future and with issues that the Dolphins had with their newly signed high priced CB Xavien Howard who ran into legal troubles involving domestic violence that were recently dropped, also having injury issues the Dolphins could look to add quality depth through both free agency and the draft. I also expect a young Safety to be selected very early in the draft too.
The LB’s:
Jerome Baker was by far our best LB last year but the future will reflect that Andrew Van Ginkel is the prototypical LB that the Dolphins will eventually field, I feel our LB’s as a group are to small/short and we need more in the range of 6′-4″- 6′-6″ bigger stronger and faster especially in the middle, that is what will be our LB profile JMO.
The DT’s:
The Dolphins need to add bigger, stronger, faster players who are solid, to play alongside Godchaux and Wilkins so look for some big immovable road graders being added to the roster through both free agency and the draft as they ramp up for competition in 2020.
There are a host of players on the roster that will be fighting for a spot as Miami start to add more talent to the roster.
The Dolphin Seer 