I typically disagree with Omar Kelly, and this is one of those many times. We are clearly rebuilding. Our OL is almost as bad this year as it was last year, which is the worst in the AFCE ... scratch that, maybe worst in the AFC. Those rookies are not ready, and they're projects at best. Put Tua behind this line, and it is a recipe for disaster ... which would be so typically a Dolphins move.
We have a solid WR corps, but not an elite one. We have a good young TE group, but they have not yet made the leap, so expecting Pro-Bowl performance is iffy. If Tua plays, he'll be a rookie with minimal pre-season ramp up and rehabbing an injury. Behind a bad OL, expectations need to be realistic. Our offense is not good, and to say our roster is ready is either being naiive or ... in typical Omar Kelly fashion ... being disingenuous to stir up controversy and undermine the coaching staff.
Our defense is a work in progress that I expect to make a major lurch forward this year. But--we still lack pass rushers. Bringing in Shaq Lawson and Emmanual Ogbhoh (sp?) is a left-handed complement ... they're journeymen improvements. Van Noy is a great signing, but he's one guy and not young. Our CB's should be exceptional, but we'll be constantly targeted at Nickel and Dime backs, and Rowe covering TE's. This morphing defense needs to generate a pass rush, and I think the answers come in the 2021 draft. Until then, we'll be very hit and miss.
Our roster is best described as incomplete.
Offense:
QB: Transitional rookie season, not consistently productive
RB: Solid power in Howard and change of pace/big play potential in Breida if they get blocking
OL: Shoddy at best, with 3 solid but unspectacular OL (Davis/Flowers/Karras) and two gaping holes--one G and one T, and probably a very subpar pass-protection
TE: Developing and may make the leap, but all options are uni-dimensional
WR: Good and fairly deep WR corps, but not elite
Defense:
DL: Subpar despite having spent lots of resources
LB: Possibly the worst LB corps in the NFL is greatly augmented by the additions of Kyle Van Noy and possibly Elandon Roberts
CB: Dominant pair of starting CB's, augmented by a solid Nickel/Dime solution with Needham/McCain (unless he is needed to play safety), and a good rookie prospect in Iggy
S: Rowe is a solid starter for the short term, the other starting safety position is up for grabs. If we need to play McCain there, we have a hole at Nickel/Dime, if anyone gets injured, we're searching for JAG off the streets to fill the spot. We have a rookie who seems to be a grinder, but we'll see if he has the talent and can find a position.
No dominant stars to lead the offense, and our star CB's may be undermined by our lack of pass rush. Not a great roster, IMHO. We look to be the very poster child for a rebuilding roster. Omar Kelly, once again, is either wrong, or more likely, intentionally disingenuous.