Slim
VIPeezy
Quarterbacks
This is billed as a training-camp battle between Jay Fiedler and former A.J. Feeley. The reality is this: the job is Feeley's to lose. Feeley has pretty good athleticism and outstanding accuracy. He makes quick decisions, throws nice vertical balls and is 4-1 as a starter. But he is not a finished product and the Dolphins might be overstating his value. .
Fiedler is smart and has good mobility. His durability is iffy at best, and he doesn't have Feeley's arm strength. Fiedler can certainly be a quality No. 2 QB who is smart enough to come in cold and contribute. No. 3 Sage Rosenfels has a strong arm and average mechanics. He needs a lot of time to develop. Clint Stoerner is probably behind Rosenfels but could be on a practice squad.
Running backs
The key is obviously Ricky Williams, but the Dolphins might be overusing him. It wouldn't be shocking to see him start to break down. He is averaging almost 400 carries a year, and his yards per carry dropped from 4.8 yards in 2002 to 3.5 yards last season. Miami's offensve line is marginal and defenses are starting to zero in on Williams. Opponents know the plays because the offense has been so predictable. Lately, it has been hard for Williams to find running room.
Williams remains an outstanding runner between the tackles with excellent cutback skills. He has tremendous vision, will follow his blocks and is one of the best in the league against the grain. Williams has underrated speed to the edge, and he can do serious damage if he gets on the perimeter. He can also gain a lot of yards after contact with his excellent balance. But despite his great talent, it seems as if he was running with a little more tentativeness a year ago.
Behind Williams is Travis Minor. Minor has good quickness and can give the Dolphins plays on the perimeter. The No. 3 back will be Leonard Henry, but neither Minor nor Henry will play much because Williams carries such a big load. Henry could be effective in short-yardage and goal-line situations because of his power. Fullback Rod Konrad is an underrated all-purpose player. He blocks and catches the ball well. Veteran Sammy Morris is behind Konrad, but Morris won't get much playing time.
Wide receivers
The Dolphins hope the acquisition of David Boston from the Chargers will upgrade the receiving corps. Boston has baggage but remains a premier talent with outstanding size and power. He might have lost speed, but he can get deep and is a nightmare to handle in the red zone. Boston can come over the middle and deliver yards after contact. Miami's receivers coach, Jerry Sullivan, had the same job when Boston was in Arizona. The two have a good working relationship, and the Dolphins are optimistic they can keep Boston under control.
Boston also gives the Dolphins a chance to get better production from Chris Chambers. Chambers faced a lot of double teams last season, but it will be difficult to double Chambers or Boston in 2004. Chambers is an outstanding deep threat and is a big red-zone target (11 TDs last season). He has speed, athleticism and good hands. Chambers needs to improve his ability to go over the middle and make tough catches.
No. 3 Darrius Thompson had a disappointing season in 2003. He has a lot of talent, and the Dolphins need him to be productive in the slot. He will get competition in training camp from J.R. Tolver, who is raw but has excellent hands and surprising consistency. Also in the mix is veteran Terrence Wilkins, who will likely be used as a return specialist/No. 4 receiver.
The depth of this unit is mediocre, even if Thompson rebounds. TE Randy McMichael is a fine receiver. He is a deep threat and a rough match-up because of his ability to separate. McMichael is an average blocker and his concentration isn't always great. No. 2 TE Donald Lee is a good blocker and an underrated receiver. No. 3 John Jones gives the Dolphins some blocking in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
Offensive line
Line coach Tony Wise is an outstanding teacher, but this line has been soft and unproductive the last two seasons. Left tackle Wade Smith is the only starter sure to return. Smith is getting stronger. He doesn't have superb range, but his skills are good and the Dolphins think he can take his game to the next level.
Left guard Jeno James could shine in the running game. He is a mauler with outstanding lock-on skills. He can move the pile and was excellent at opening holes for Carolina's Steven Davis. Center Seth McKinney is a finesse player with good athleticism. He plays under control and could be very productive. Right guard Greg German is young and strong, but he lacks athleticism. Right tackle Vernon Carey, the Dolphins first-round pick in 2004, should start immediately.
Also in the mix is veteran John St. Clair who can play right tackle/guard. The Dolphins hope Carey can start at tackle so St. Clair can compete for the starting right guard job. Taylor Whitley will compete for playing time with Carey and St. Clair. Former Charger, Damien McIntosh might be the top reserve tackle, but he is coming off a serious ankle injury and might not be ready until August. The line will be better on the left side, but there are a lot of questions on the right side, and the depth is mediocre.
Defensive line
This unit has the best talent on the roster. Jason Taylor(right) and Adewale Ogunleye (left) form the best end tandem in the NFL. They generated 28 sacks a year ago (Ogunleye 15, Taylor 13), in what was considered a down year. Taylor is a great athlete and is almost impossible to block one on one. He plays the run surprisingly well and is always on the move. Ogunleye is a power pass rusher with decent speed and excellent hands. He plays the run well and uses a variety of moves inside.
Miami has two good run stoppers in tackles Tim Bowens and Larry Chester. Bowens, 30, is a space-eater who ties up blockers and allows his linebackers to flow to the ball. But he is not much of an inside penetrator. Chester is another wide-bodied run stuffer who takes up space, but he has perpetual weight/durability/stamina problems. The Dolphins have a quality backup tackle in Jeff Zgonina, but he is 34 and starting to slow down. Beyond Zgonina, the team has little quality depth. Jay Williams, David Bowens and Otis Grigsby are solid role players, but wouldn't be decent starters.
Linebackers
This group is experienced and consistent. MLB Zach Thomas remains a tackling machine. He does an excellent job of flowing to the ball behind his big linemen. He breaks down well, has excellent ball skills and is one of the most instinctive players in the NFL. He also has surprising cover skills. Weakside linebacker Junior Seau continues to defy father time. He had 133 tackles last season, including 12 for a loss. He remains an outstanding playmaker.
Seau benefits because his defensive line eats up blockers. He is the type of player who gambles and flies to the football. He doesn't play with discipline and will leave holes in the defense.
At strongside, Morlin Greenwood will go into training camp as the starter. He is decent against the run and holds up at the point of attack. Greenwood has adequate cover skills, but the dolphins hope young Eddie Moore has recovered from a fractured foot that ruined his 2003. The 'Fins would like Moore to battle Greenwood for the starting job because he has more big-play potential. Rookie Tony Bua could help in nickel packages. Bua was a safety in college. He has good athleticism in space and might be a solid match-up linebacker.
Secondary
For years, the Dolphins had one of the best man-to-man secondaries in the NFL. They still do an excellent job, but are not quite as imposing. Left corner Patrick Surtain plays at a very high level and is an excellent cover corner. He can press at the point of attack and still has excellent recovery speed. Surtain moves inside in nickel situations to play over the slot, and he should be outstanding in shutting down nickel receivers.
Right corner Sam Madison is starting to slow down. He has lost his recovery speed and struggles in deep man coverage. Madison is weak in space and seems to be most effective in press coverages. New NFL rules will hinder his ability to hold and jostle opponents.
Reggie Howard will be the No. 3. He has good man-to-man skills but is more of a short/intermediate range corner. No. 4 corner Will Poole has outstanding skills. He could become a shut-down corner. Strong safety Sammy Knight is a big hitter with good ball skills. He loves to play in the box but lacks speed and is a liability in cover situations.
Free safety Arturo Freeman has good speed, movement skills and athleticism. However, he is not a consistent player. He will occasionally lose his opponent in man coverage, and he doesn't have great reactions when the ball is airborne. The Dolphins hope Antuan Edwards will challenge Freeman. Shawn Wooden and Chris Akins both mainly contribute on special teams. This group could be really good on the corners, outstanding in nickel and dime situations, but can be exploited in the middle of the field.
Special Teams
The Dolphins did a good job covering kicks last season. Veteran Matt Turk has merely adequate leg strength but is very steady. Kicker Olindo Mare still has a strong leg and is excellent on kickoffs. His field-goal accuracy did slip, but he is expected to bounce back. Return duties will likely fall to Terrence Wilkens. If Wilkens struggles, Travis Minor could fill in on kickoff returns.
This is billed as a training-camp battle between Jay Fiedler and former A.J. Feeley. The reality is this: the job is Feeley's to lose. Feeley has pretty good athleticism and outstanding accuracy. He makes quick decisions, throws nice vertical balls and is 4-1 as a starter. But he is not a finished product and the Dolphins might be overstating his value. .
Fiedler is smart and has good mobility. His durability is iffy at best, and he doesn't have Feeley's arm strength. Fiedler can certainly be a quality No. 2 QB who is smart enough to come in cold and contribute. No. 3 Sage Rosenfels has a strong arm and average mechanics. He needs a lot of time to develop. Clint Stoerner is probably behind Rosenfels but could be on a practice squad.
Running backs
The key is obviously Ricky Williams, but the Dolphins might be overusing him. It wouldn't be shocking to see him start to break down. He is averaging almost 400 carries a year, and his yards per carry dropped from 4.8 yards in 2002 to 3.5 yards last season. Miami's offensve line is marginal and defenses are starting to zero in on Williams. Opponents know the plays because the offense has been so predictable. Lately, it has been hard for Williams to find running room.
Williams remains an outstanding runner between the tackles with excellent cutback skills. He has tremendous vision, will follow his blocks and is one of the best in the league against the grain. Williams has underrated speed to the edge, and he can do serious damage if he gets on the perimeter. He can also gain a lot of yards after contact with his excellent balance. But despite his great talent, it seems as if he was running with a little more tentativeness a year ago.
Behind Williams is Travis Minor. Minor has good quickness and can give the Dolphins plays on the perimeter. The No. 3 back will be Leonard Henry, but neither Minor nor Henry will play much because Williams carries such a big load. Henry could be effective in short-yardage and goal-line situations because of his power. Fullback Rod Konrad is an underrated all-purpose player. He blocks and catches the ball well. Veteran Sammy Morris is behind Konrad, but Morris won't get much playing time.
Wide receivers
The Dolphins hope the acquisition of David Boston from the Chargers will upgrade the receiving corps. Boston has baggage but remains a premier talent with outstanding size and power. He might have lost speed, but he can get deep and is a nightmare to handle in the red zone. Boston can come over the middle and deliver yards after contact. Miami's receivers coach, Jerry Sullivan, had the same job when Boston was in Arizona. The two have a good working relationship, and the Dolphins are optimistic they can keep Boston under control.
Boston also gives the Dolphins a chance to get better production from Chris Chambers. Chambers faced a lot of double teams last season, but it will be difficult to double Chambers or Boston in 2004. Chambers is an outstanding deep threat and is a big red-zone target (11 TDs last season). He has speed, athleticism and good hands. Chambers needs to improve his ability to go over the middle and make tough catches.
No. 3 Darrius Thompson had a disappointing season in 2003. He has a lot of talent, and the Dolphins need him to be productive in the slot. He will get competition in training camp from J.R. Tolver, who is raw but has excellent hands and surprising consistency. Also in the mix is veteran Terrence Wilkins, who will likely be used as a return specialist/No. 4 receiver.
The depth of this unit is mediocre, even if Thompson rebounds. TE Randy McMichael is a fine receiver. He is a deep threat and a rough match-up because of his ability to separate. McMichael is an average blocker and his concentration isn't always great. No. 2 TE Donald Lee is a good blocker and an underrated receiver. No. 3 John Jones gives the Dolphins some blocking in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
Offensive line
Line coach Tony Wise is an outstanding teacher, but this line has been soft and unproductive the last two seasons. Left tackle Wade Smith is the only starter sure to return. Smith is getting stronger. He doesn't have superb range, but his skills are good and the Dolphins think he can take his game to the next level.
Left guard Jeno James could shine in the running game. He is a mauler with outstanding lock-on skills. He can move the pile and was excellent at opening holes for Carolina's Steven Davis. Center Seth McKinney is a finesse player with good athleticism. He plays under control and could be very productive. Right guard Greg German is young and strong, but he lacks athleticism. Right tackle Vernon Carey, the Dolphins first-round pick in 2004, should start immediately.
Also in the mix is veteran John St. Clair who can play right tackle/guard. The Dolphins hope Carey can start at tackle so St. Clair can compete for the starting right guard job. Taylor Whitley will compete for playing time with Carey and St. Clair. Former Charger, Damien McIntosh might be the top reserve tackle, but he is coming off a serious ankle injury and might not be ready until August. The line will be better on the left side, but there are a lot of questions on the right side, and the depth is mediocre.
Defensive line
This unit has the best talent on the roster. Jason Taylor(right) and Adewale Ogunleye (left) form the best end tandem in the NFL. They generated 28 sacks a year ago (Ogunleye 15, Taylor 13), in what was considered a down year. Taylor is a great athlete and is almost impossible to block one on one. He plays the run surprisingly well and is always on the move. Ogunleye is a power pass rusher with decent speed and excellent hands. He plays the run well and uses a variety of moves inside.
Miami has two good run stoppers in tackles Tim Bowens and Larry Chester. Bowens, 30, is a space-eater who ties up blockers and allows his linebackers to flow to the ball. But he is not much of an inside penetrator. Chester is another wide-bodied run stuffer who takes up space, but he has perpetual weight/durability/stamina problems. The Dolphins have a quality backup tackle in Jeff Zgonina, but he is 34 and starting to slow down. Beyond Zgonina, the team has little quality depth. Jay Williams, David Bowens and Otis Grigsby are solid role players, but wouldn't be decent starters.
Linebackers
This group is experienced and consistent. MLB Zach Thomas remains a tackling machine. He does an excellent job of flowing to the ball behind his big linemen. He breaks down well, has excellent ball skills and is one of the most instinctive players in the NFL. He also has surprising cover skills. Weakside linebacker Junior Seau continues to defy father time. He had 133 tackles last season, including 12 for a loss. He remains an outstanding playmaker.
Seau benefits because his defensive line eats up blockers. He is the type of player who gambles and flies to the football. He doesn't play with discipline and will leave holes in the defense.
At strongside, Morlin Greenwood will go into training camp as the starter. He is decent against the run and holds up at the point of attack. Greenwood has adequate cover skills, but the dolphins hope young Eddie Moore has recovered from a fractured foot that ruined his 2003. The 'Fins would like Moore to battle Greenwood for the starting job because he has more big-play potential. Rookie Tony Bua could help in nickel packages. Bua was a safety in college. He has good athleticism in space and might be a solid match-up linebacker.
Secondary
For years, the Dolphins had one of the best man-to-man secondaries in the NFL. They still do an excellent job, but are not quite as imposing. Left corner Patrick Surtain plays at a very high level and is an excellent cover corner. He can press at the point of attack and still has excellent recovery speed. Surtain moves inside in nickel situations to play over the slot, and he should be outstanding in shutting down nickel receivers.
Right corner Sam Madison is starting to slow down. He has lost his recovery speed and struggles in deep man coverage. Madison is weak in space and seems to be most effective in press coverages. New NFL rules will hinder his ability to hold and jostle opponents.
Reggie Howard will be the No. 3. He has good man-to-man skills but is more of a short/intermediate range corner. No. 4 corner Will Poole has outstanding skills. He could become a shut-down corner. Strong safety Sammy Knight is a big hitter with good ball skills. He loves to play in the box but lacks speed and is a liability in cover situations.
Free safety Arturo Freeman has good speed, movement skills and athleticism. However, he is not a consistent player. He will occasionally lose his opponent in man coverage, and he doesn't have great reactions when the ball is airborne. The Dolphins hope Antuan Edwards will challenge Freeman. Shawn Wooden and Chris Akins both mainly contribute on special teams. This group could be really good on the corners, outstanding in nickel and dime situations, but can be exploited in the middle of the field.
Special Teams
The Dolphins did a good job covering kicks last season. Veteran Matt Turk has merely adequate leg strength but is very steady. Kicker Olindo Mare still has a strong leg and is excellent on kickoffs. His field-goal accuracy did slip, but he is expected to bounce back. Return duties will likely fall to Terrence Wilkens. If Wilkens struggles, Travis Minor could fill in on kickoff returns.
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