The
NFL is the season that never ends, but the closest thing to respite is the brief downtime between the end of the spring workout program (mid-June) and the beginning of training camp (late July).
The
Miami Dolphins are only just beginning to scratch the surface of a long season ahead, but we already have an idea of what the team will look like in specific areas—based both on the moves the team has made and the coaching it will receive.
The faces of the players on the field have changed, as have their skill sets, but another year with Bill Lazor as the offensive coordinator and Kevin Coyle coaching the defense means we already have a firm idea of the schemes that will be implemented on each side of the ball. But while most of the roster is already in place, there are still some battles that need to be decided and questions that need to be answered.
Pass Offense
The Dolphins are poised to take steps forward on offense, thanks to their significant improvements in the passing game.
By moving on from
Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson and adding DeVante Parker and Kenny Stills, the Dolphins have dramatically upgraded their receiving corps. After three straight years of consistently improving his numbers, it's no longer a question of whether quarterback Ryan Tannehill will make progress but how much.
He went from below-average as a rookie (58.3 percent completions, 12 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 76.1 passer rating) to average in his second year (60.4 percent completions 24 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, 81.7 passer rating) to above-average in his third (66.4 percent completions, 27 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 92.8 passer rating).
Run Offense
The Dolphins have waited since 2012 for
Lamar Miller to emerge as a top-flight running back. He finally did in 2014, and the Dolphins responded by drafting another running back in April.
Does anyone else sense the irony?
Now, with Jay Ajayi competing for snaps, the Dolphins have created a one-two punch in the backfield with backs who can both run and catch. The possibilities are endless, whether it's a two-back set, one of them splitting out wide or anything else Bill Lazor can dream of.
That being said, there's also a possibility that Miller will be on his way out after the 2015 season. He is in the final year of his rookie contract, and with Ajayi in the fold, the Dolphins have found a young replacement with a versatile skill set. This year could be a proving ground for both men.
Neither man will have much of an opportunity to prove anything if he doesn't get the proper blocking up front, and with the guard spots still up in the air, the Dolphins may not get any clarity as to the success of their running game until the regular season begins.
Pass Defense
There were plenty of happy people in the Dolphins' building when they signed Ndamukong Suh, but two of the happiest had to be Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon. With another top-notch defensive lineman to account for, opposing offensive lines may have no choice but to either single up on the two pass-rushing specialists or keep a tight end in-line to either chip or block the defensive ends.
The Dolphins had better hope for a productive season from their defensive line, because they may need one if they want to field a competent pass defense in 2015. Brent Grimes remains a capable cover cornerback, but there are significant question marks at the other spots in the secondary.
Can Jamar Taylor take the next step and prove he's a starting-caliber cornerback? He started his two-year career by yielding 37 completions on 53 passes thrown his way (69.8 completions) without a single pass-defended, according to
Pro Football Focus.
Can Brice McCain prove he still has what it takes to be effective in the slot? In the past two seasons,
he's allowed 84 completions on 131 passes in his direction (64.1 percent), per PFF, but he has logged four picks and four passes defended.
Run Defense
The Dolphins have a new look on defense, with changes at nearly every position except defensive end and safety. In that respect, some of the biggest changes are happening in the front seven.
Linebackers Koa Misi and Jelani Jenkins will remain among the top of the crop of linebackers, but there have been a lot of shake-ups in that group. Now that the Dolphins have moved on from Dannell Ellerbe and Philip Wheeler, and with Dion Jordan suspended, the spotlight gets a bit bigger and brighter for Chris McCain.
Whatever ends up being the answer, the Dolphins had better hope it's the solution too. They finished the 2014 season ranked
24th in rushing yards per game allowed and ranked 21st with 4.3 yards per rush.
Thankfully, the presence of Ndamukong Suh could do for the Dolphins linebackers what it will do for the defensive ends. With him soaking up multiple blockers, the linebackers should have an easier time staying clean. But by beating his man off the snap, Suh could tilt games by making plays in the backfield.
Special Teams
The Dolphins may have brought in rookie Matt Darr, but unless something serious unfolds at training camp, veteran Brandon Fields should still be the man for the job. He is still as deadly a punter as ever, with 21 of his 58 punts being downed inside the 20-yard line in 2014.
The kicker battle, however, should be wide open. Rookie Andrew Franks did not have particularly daunting numbers at RPI, with
37 field goals on 56 tries (66.1 percent), but veteran Caleb Sturgis has failed to put a stranglehold on the starting kicking duties in his first two years (77.5 percent). His time could be up.
The other question pertains to return duties. Jarvis Landry was the team's top kick returner in 2014, but with an increasingly important role on offense, will the Dolphins continue to ask him to put his body on the line on dangerous special teams plays? Miami drafted him partly for his ability to break long gains on returns, but it might be wise for the team to seek out other options in the return game.
Coaching
The Dolphins have a lot of stability on their coaching staff, but it may not last long. This could be one of Joe Philbin's final chances to get his team over the hump and into the playoffs before Miami begins looking in a new direction for the leadership at the top.
Bill Lazor returns for Season 2 as the offensive coordinator, and although the offense made strides in nearly every category last year, the Dolphins still only finished at 8-8 thanks to some struggles on the defensive side of the ball.
That's why it's up to Kevin Coyle to make sure he's making the most of what he has on defense. Admittedly, he hasn't been given much to work with at linebacker, but the talent on the defensive line is on par with some of the best units in the league.
It will be interesting to see if this group of coaches can bring these new pieces together quickly, because if not, they may not get a chance to see if they can bring the new pieces together next year either.
