http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/a...iew-3-good-things-3-bad-things-for-each-team/
[h=2]Miami Dolphins[/h][h=3]Three positives[/h] 1. They hired Adam Gase, quarterback whisperer
If anybody can fix Ryan Tannehill, it's Adam Gase. The 38-year-old first-time head coach arrives in Miami after working (relative) wonders with Tim Tebow in Denver, and then getting the most out of Jay Cutler in Chicago last season. Now he's tasked with getting perennial underachiever Ryan Tannehill on track. Last season, Tannehill was in the bottom third of NFL starters, according to Football Outsiders, behind the likes of Josh McCown, Sam Bradford and Blake Bortles. That doesn't exactly scream elite." If Gase can change that, the Dolphins, a six-win outfit in 2015, could make up some ground on the Bills and Jets in the AFC East. If Gase can't fix Tannehill, Miami will almost certainly be in the market for their next franchise quarterback during the 2016 offseason.
2. They landed the best offensive lineman in the draft
Based on the sheer ridiculousness of the details surrounding Laremy Tunsil's draft-day slide, no one could have predicted that he'd be on the board when the Dolphins went on the clock with the 13th-overall pick. Yet there Tunsil was, and the team wasted little time in adding him to an offensive line in desperate need of a big-time talent. Of course, questions remain about Tunsil's "character" in light of the "using a gas-mask to get high" video that showed up on social media minutes before the start of the draft. That said, it's not like Tunsil's the only player in NFL history to ever smoke marijuana -- more than that, the Dolphins sounded sufficiently satisfied to draft him. And if his addition to the O-line makes life easier for Tannehill and Miami's running game, it's unquestionably the right move.
3. They improved the roster with smart free-agent signings
A year ago, the Dolphins mortgaged the future to sign defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh. The six-year, $114 million contract seemed like a terrible deal at the time and nothing that happened during the 2015 season has done anything to change our minds. But this offseason, the Dolphins bolstered the roster with cheap contracts, which, in addition to having a franchise quarterback, is how you build a playoff team. The new faces include offensive linemen Jermon Bushrod and Kraig Urbik, cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and defensive ends Andre Branch and Jason Jones. Of course, there were missteps too, which brings us to Mario Williams ...
[h=3]Three negatives[/h] 1. They lost Olivier Vernon and replaced him with Mario Williams
Vernon was one of the NFL's best young pass rushers. The Dolphins knew this, which is why they used the transition tag on the 25-year-old. But the team inexplicably rescinded the tag, which opened the door for the Giants to sign him to a five-year, $85 million deal. We get that the Dolphins didn't want to devote so much salary-cap space to Suh and Vernon, but that leads us to two conclusions: Don't sign Suh to that ridiculous deal in the first place. And don't compound things by trying to replace Vernon with Mario Williams, the man who reportedly "checked out" in Buffalo when he wasn't happy with his role. Instead, the Dolphins signed Williams to a two-year deal that will reportedly pay him $8 million a season. That's the definition of excessive. Just to reiterate the point: Williams was ProFootballFocus' lowest-graded edge rusher last season.
2. They traded for Kiko Alonso and Byron Maxwell
Yes, the Dolphins landed Tunsil at No. 13, but they were originally set to pick 8th overall before a pre-draft trade with the Eagles. Philly got the No. 8 pick and Miami got the No. 13 pick and linebacker Kiko Alonso and cornerback Byron Maxwell. On paper, it's not a terrible deal for the Dolphins, who have plenty of needs on defense. And while Alonso is still on his rookie contract and won't cost much, Maxwell is a different animal entirely. He was solid in Seattle, but something much less than that with the Eagles in 2015, an issue exacerbated by the $13.5 million in guaranteed money remaining on his current deal. Given the secondary's struggles in pass coverage, it's hard to imagine how Maxwell (and his burdensome contract) makes things better.
3. They gave Cameron Wake a two-year extension
Cameron Wake is a great story -- the former Penn St. player couldn't stick on an NFL roster so he went to Canada to hone his game. After several dominating seasons, he earned his way back into the NFL -- where he continued to dominate. He has 70 sacks in seven seasons, including a career-high 15 in 2012. But he played in just seven games last season after rupturing his Achilles tendon (upside: He still had 7 sacks and 4 forced fumbles), and at 34, Wake is almost certainly on the downside of a great career. But instead of letting him walk and focusing on younger players, the team instead signed Wake to a two-year extension that reportedly includes $10 million in guarantees.
It will be interesting to see how the supposedly negatives turn out. I don't see these as quite as negatives, but how well will they work out for the team. Hopefully Williams brings it and has a better season then last year. Kiko and Bryon could be huge if they can return to form and stay healthy. Wake I still has some left in the tank, it is whether he can return to form and health as well.
[h=2]Miami Dolphins[/h][h=3]Three positives[/h] 1. They hired Adam Gase, quarterback whisperer
If anybody can fix Ryan Tannehill, it's Adam Gase. The 38-year-old first-time head coach arrives in Miami after working (relative) wonders with Tim Tebow in Denver, and then getting the most out of Jay Cutler in Chicago last season. Now he's tasked with getting perennial underachiever Ryan Tannehill on track. Last season, Tannehill was in the bottom third of NFL starters, according to Football Outsiders, behind the likes of Josh McCown, Sam Bradford and Blake Bortles. That doesn't exactly scream elite." If Gase can change that, the Dolphins, a six-win outfit in 2015, could make up some ground on the Bills and Jets in the AFC East. If Gase can't fix Tannehill, Miami will almost certainly be in the market for their next franchise quarterback during the 2016 offseason.
2. They landed the best offensive lineman in the draft
Based on the sheer ridiculousness of the details surrounding Laremy Tunsil's draft-day slide, no one could have predicted that he'd be on the board when the Dolphins went on the clock with the 13th-overall pick. Yet there Tunsil was, and the team wasted little time in adding him to an offensive line in desperate need of a big-time talent. Of course, questions remain about Tunsil's "character" in light of the "using a gas-mask to get high" video that showed up on social media minutes before the start of the draft. That said, it's not like Tunsil's the only player in NFL history to ever smoke marijuana -- more than that, the Dolphins sounded sufficiently satisfied to draft him. And if his addition to the O-line makes life easier for Tannehill and Miami's running game, it's unquestionably the right move.
3. They improved the roster with smart free-agent signings
A year ago, the Dolphins mortgaged the future to sign defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh. The six-year, $114 million contract seemed like a terrible deal at the time and nothing that happened during the 2015 season has done anything to change our minds. But this offseason, the Dolphins bolstered the roster with cheap contracts, which, in addition to having a franchise quarterback, is how you build a playoff team. The new faces include offensive linemen Jermon Bushrod and Kraig Urbik, cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and defensive ends Andre Branch and Jason Jones. Of course, there were missteps too, which brings us to Mario Williams ...
[h=3]Three negatives[/h] 1. They lost Olivier Vernon and replaced him with Mario Williams
Vernon was one of the NFL's best young pass rushers. The Dolphins knew this, which is why they used the transition tag on the 25-year-old. But the team inexplicably rescinded the tag, which opened the door for the Giants to sign him to a five-year, $85 million deal. We get that the Dolphins didn't want to devote so much salary-cap space to Suh and Vernon, but that leads us to two conclusions: Don't sign Suh to that ridiculous deal in the first place. And don't compound things by trying to replace Vernon with Mario Williams, the man who reportedly "checked out" in Buffalo when he wasn't happy with his role. Instead, the Dolphins signed Williams to a two-year deal that will reportedly pay him $8 million a season. That's the definition of excessive. Just to reiterate the point: Williams was ProFootballFocus' lowest-graded edge rusher last season.
2. They traded for Kiko Alonso and Byron Maxwell
Yes, the Dolphins landed Tunsil at No. 13, but they were originally set to pick 8th overall before a pre-draft trade with the Eagles. Philly got the No. 8 pick and Miami got the No. 13 pick and linebacker Kiko Alonso and cornerback Byron Maxwell. On paper, it's not a terrible deal for the Dolphins, who have plenty of needs on defense. And while Alonso is still on his rookie contract and won't cost much, Maxwell is a different animal entirely. He was solid in Seattle, but something much less than that with the Eagles in 2015, an issue exacerbated by the $13.5 million in guaranteed money remaining on his current deal. Given the secondary's struggles in pass coverage, it's hard to imagine how Maxwell (and his burdensome contract) makes things better.
3. They gave Cameron Wake a two-year extension
Cameron Wake is a great story -- the former Penn St. player couldn't stick on an NFL roster so he went to Canada to hone his game. After several dominating seasons, he earned his way back into the NFL -- where he continued to dominate. He has 70 sacks in seven seasons, including a career-high 15 in 2012. But he played in just seven games last season after rupturing his Achilles tendon (upside: He still had 7 sacks and 4 forced fumbles), and at 34, Wake is almost certainly on the downside of a great career. But instead of letting him walk and focusing on younger players, the team instead signed Wake to a two-year extension that reportedly includes $10 million in guarantees.
It will be interesting to see how the supposedly negatives turn out. I don't see these as quite as negatives, but how well will they work out for the team. Hopefully Williams brings it and has a better season then last year. Kiko and Bryon could be huge if they can return to form and stay healthy. Wake I still has some left in the tank, it is whether he can return to form and health as well.
This is why you always read your work aloud before publishing it. As most are saying, I see at least 5 positives. Wake is debatable, and point 6 will depend on his health and ability to regain his explosion.