Asterisk aside, we may challenge for the AFC East

[Ferretsquig]

I think we will be much better against the run, and on defense overall. I've said all along though that we will have a much better team this year but have a similar record to 2019. I'm not in the majority here thinking that Fitz is a good qb, but was he the best for our situation last year? Absolutely! Do I think Tua without having ever set foot on an NFL field is a better QB than Fitz? Absolutely! Do I think Tua would have been as good as Fitz behind our dumpster fire of an OL? Absolutley Not!

There's a QB out in the midwest that probably would have been a bit of an upgrade. But I agree.....Fitzpatrick was in a situation where his particular brand of recklessness could thrive. I would have no interest in him as the starting QB on a team was built for contending but he was perfect alongside the rest of the scrappy underdogs.

I am curious to see what Flores had in mind when he brought these defenders in and if they're capable of living up to expectations. With all the investment the defense should be much better but I can't visualize how the pieces fit. Godchaux as the nose in a base 3-4....is that going to work? Can Baker be stout enough as an ILB in a 3-4? Can Rowe and McCain/Parker/Jones/whoever is starting at safety come up and tackle these 250 lb tanks that play QB? I can see what is there in pass defense with nickle and dime sets but its the base that I struggle with. Flores does have a lot of toys to play with and I'm sure he has all sorts of ideas on how to use them.....will be interesting to see how it plays out on the field.

 

[fansinceGWilson]

NFL COVID-19 player opt-out list for 2020 season - ProFootballTalk

The Coronavirius continues to impact the 2020 NFL season. This COVID-19 opt-out list for players will be regularly updated.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

We lost 2 receivers who decoded to optout and that stings .... but the opt out clause has left the Patriots without 9 players ... some household names at that ...

The Dolphins may move up the chain regardless ... leaving the Dolphins/Bills to battle it out while the Pats try to hang with the Jets

Gaining momentum for next season while continuing to build would leave us in a good spot IMO ...

Well, your bar is to "challenge" for the AFC-E title. Kudos for that. I agree, Miami's chances have improved with NE being nicked by opt-outs, but I think BUF will be the team to beat. I have faith Gase can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Now we get to "challenge." If you can accept being 'in the hunt' on wk 12, I'll accept that, but a lot of 'if's' will have to go Miami's way

 

[Butterfrog 2.0]

I am curious to see what Flores had in mind when he brought these defenders in and if they're capable of living up to expectations. With all the investment the defense should be much better but I can't visualize how the pieces fit. Godchaux as the nose in a base 3-4....is that going to work? Can Baker be stout enough as an ILB in a 3-4? Can Rowe and McCain/Parker/Jones/whoever is starting at safety come up and tackle these 250 lb tanks that play QB? I can see what is there in pass defense with nickle and dime sets but its the base that I struggle with. Flores does have a lot of toys to play with and I'm sure he has all sorts of ideas on how to use them.....will be interesting to see how it plays out on the field.

I think the bottom line is Ogbah, and Lawson are better DE's than what we had last year at both stopping the run and rushing the passer. Van Noy is a better overall LB than anyone we had last year, and we upgraded our 2nd CB spot. We will also have better depth on all 3 levels. Now I dont think this is going to be a too defense in the league by any means, but the players they brought in are certainly an upgrade... and they better be with all of the resources they spent on that side of the ball.

 

[hoops]

Those de’s and that lb we signed are certainly paid more.

Schemes gonna do the driving anyways with the front 7

 

[mwestberry]

We will probably win the Super Bowl in a crazy covid/scab type year and get the last pick in the draft.

Good thing we have multiple 1's ....

 

[dougb123]

Anyone thinking they know exactly what to expect from the Dolphins this year is fooling themselves, we could be 5-11 or 12-4 just depends on how the pieces come together. Lots of great work in FA and a decent draft.

 

[Mach2]

Anyone thinking they know exactly what to expect from the Dolphins this year is fooling themselves, we could be 5-11 or 12-4 just depends on how the pieces come together. Lots of great work in FA and a decent draft.

12-4 is probably a stretch, but the point is valid.

Unfortunately, due to the fact that we have am unprecedented number of new guys, as well as very abbreviated offseason work, it will likely be midseason before we have enough cohesion to field a consistent team.

 

[DolphinsFanLover]

I had the Bills winning the division with the Dolphins in 2nd place in the AFC East so we will see if I am right

 

[Ray R]

I think we will be much better against the run, and on defense overall. I've said all along though that we will have a much better team this year but have a similar record to 2019. I'm not in the majority here thinking that Fitz is a good qb, but was he the best for our situation last year? Absolutely! Do I think Tua without having ever set foot on an NFL field is a better QB than Fitz? Absolutely! Do I think Tua would have been as good as Fitz behind our dumpster fire of an OL? Absolutley Not!

Doesn't saying

" Do I think Tua would have been as good as Fitz behind our dumpster fire of an OL? Absolutley Not!"

mean that Tua is not a better QB then Fitz; at least under the conditions you brought forth?

 

[DolphinsFanLover]

I think it comes down to your opinion of the Bills is. I’m not impressed. That being said, I expect Miami to win the division.

I will be surprised if Dolphins win the division, Rosen is nothing special but Bills do have a good defense

 

[dougb123]

I think Dolphin fans underestimate just how much Fitzpatrick did for this team last season. They weren't winning a single game without a super human effort from him.

Even if his stats end up better with a more stable and talented supporting cast I have a hard time seeing him repeat what he did last season. And I can't buy into this offense as a whole being anything more than ordinary.

The Pats and Bills are both going to with a power running attack and I'm not sure the Phins can stop it. The run defense was atrocious last season and that was with the big boy Jenkins in there, who I thought did a decent job all things considered. They've got a lot more talent on the front 7 now so it will be interesting to see if that translates into a more stout point of attack.

Count me as a skeptic. Another 5-11 season wouldn't be a shock.

With Flores being Fitzpatrick biggest cheerleader and a very decent run game I'm hoping for even more from him, If not Tua is sitting right there waiting for his turn that's why I think we could surprise some very good teams, that and Flo may have enough for his defense.

 

[artdnj]

While I agree the Patriots have certainly been impacted by the number of players who have opted out and their losses in free agency. I think overlooking the a Jets is a mistake. They played well after getting Darnold
back over the second half of the 2019 season.

If Gase can get the Jets to play for him and not revolt, the Jets are just as talented if not more talented than the Dolphins. So I actually see the Bills and Jets as the two teams with the best chance to win the division and as long as Belichick is coaching the a Patriots, I wouldn’t count them out.

I have always thought the Dolphins would need two solid drafts and luck in free agency to rebuild the team into a playoff contender. I still feel that way and I just don’t see the Dolphins contending for the AFC East division until 2021.

I agree to a certain extent but losing their two best defensive players has to hurt.Bills and Pat’s one and two could go either way in my opinion

 

[djphinfan]

I just thought I would point out the Jets played well the end of the year and they never revolted. Some NYJ fans did, but you should know how silly some fans can be. It amazes me that when one or two disgruntled players act up the Gase haters claim there is a "team" revolt.

The Jets had a better record then we did with a massive number of injuries and a QB who was sidelined with mono for almost 1/2 the season, which also affected him the beginning of the year when he played poorly, prior to his diagnoses.

I see our team and others getting rid of their premia-donna players, no matter how good they might be. This reduces disruption on a team. If you can't imagine a player like that, consider a worst case like Antonio Brown. We have had two or three that were bad; just not as severe in behavior as Brown, and the coaching staff and front office did the right thing in either trading them or letting them go without trying to meet some extreme pay demands.

Send those losers to Cleveland and FOCUS on effective TEAM PLAY, not individual highlights! Otherwise you may end up with a player who spends more time practicing his "celebrations" and less time taking care of business, often incurring unnecessary fouls in an overly dramatic act that actually hurts the TEAM.

I think you could recall a player or two who has acted like that if you really tried.

When you trade your best players for assets it sends the message to the players This year doesn’t count, current rostered players could care less about future draft picks, that’s for the GM and the fans.

 

[Ray R]

When you trade your best players for assets it sends the message to the players This year doesn’t count, current rostered players could care less about future draft picks, that’s for the GM and the fans.

I feel that when you trade or release a prima-donna type player who may be good, the only reasonable conclusion that the players are likely to draw is "this team is serious and not messing around".

Anything else is probably just a fans fantasy.

 

[djphinfan]

I feel that when you trade or release a prima-donna type player who may be good, the only reasonable conclusion that the players are likely to draw is "this team is serious and not messing around".

Anything else is probably just a fans fantasy.

I think the majority of Adams teammates side with adams, best player on team getting screwed around by coach and front office when it comes to money...not a good look for that team and leadership...

now they got some nice assets but like I said, the players don’t care one bit about that..

I have Gase getting fired, I could show you quotes from when I went to camp for 7 days that match up to exactly what Adams said about Gase..The man is a fraud Imo..