After digging through all of Jordan’s
551 career defensive snaps, it’s easy to see why he was a top-three selection. Let’s take a deeper look at Miami’s new defense under coordinator Vance Joseph and why there’s reason to still believe in Jordan.
Miami’s 4-3 Under
In an interview with
ESPN 106.3, Dolphins executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum stated Miami will employ a 4-3 “under” defensive front in 2016. This designation was a key tidbit of information to work off, as it’s easier to project where talent will fit and what skill sets will be required at each position. Below is a visual of how the
Seattle Seahawks use a 4-3 under front:
SBNation.com
Seattle's 4-3 Under
The biggest differences between a 4-3 under and a regular set are the two space-eating defensive linemen on the strong side of the formation and the imbalanced linebacker alignment. This is meant to maximize the gaps for linebackers to utilize and unleash the weak-side pass-rushers.
Miami utilized the 1-technique often in 2015 with Earl Mitchell to try to free star Ndamukong Suh as the 3-technique, and it will continue to do that in 2016. Letting Suh shoot gaps to get into the backfield will maximize the effectiveness of the unit.
Where it gets interesting is what happens with the defensive end rotation. Wake will be a
rotational pass-rusher regardless of health, per Salguero, and should play obvious passing downs at his regular left defensive end spot, which would remove the 5-technique from the field. Mario Williams has experience at both defensive end positions, although his best function would be as a pass-rusher and not a gap-eating 5-technique. Miami’s personnel fits oddly with a traditional 4-3 “under”.
Seattle ran into this same issue when it released defensive end Red Bryant after the 2013 season. Their solution was to have left end Michael Bennett in a more traditional alignment for a 4-3, but still keep the linebackers off-center. Miami would be wise to utilize this same strategy as there’s not a viable 5-technique outside of Deandre Coleman on the roster, and he’s unproven in such a role.
Dion Jordan crashes this run play from the "Leo" position.
The "Leo" position is where Jordan would naturally align until Wake enters the game. He has experience in this role and his skill set perfectly matches what the Leo is asked to do. Instead of putting his hand in the dirt every play, the Leo stands up to create more space between himself and the offensive tackle. The Leo position is an attempt to find undervalued pass-rushers who are fast but undersized, so the extra space is needed to neutralize any physical limitations.
Jordan doesn’t have any physical limitations, but he is still fast and flexible enough to fill the Leo role. The knock on Jordan is that he has just three career sacks, but he was a creative rusher when given the opportunity to attack upfield. He wasn’t unleashed with Miami’s previous coaching staff, but his film was impressive in both defensive end and linebacker snaps.
Jordan’s Talent
It’s easy—and common—to see Jordan painted as another high-draft bust because of his suspensions. But that undercuts the talent and versatility he showed on the field. As a pass-rusher, Jordan showed excellent burst and understanding of when to disengage and attack.
Miami often asked him to contain the edge and help support the run defense, then focus on the quarterback. Two of his three career sacks came this way, including against
Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas in his first career game. Usage was one factor for his limited production since the Dolphins were constantly trying to overcome horrible linebacker play.
When Jordan was allowed to pin his ears back and get after the quarterback without restriction, he flashed great power, leverage, speed and raw talent. His pressure on
Atlanta Falcons quarterback
Matt Ryan in 2013 helped seal the game, as Ryan threw an interception thanks to his disruption. This clip shows how Jordan took advantage of the left tackle’s slow feet and inability to close off the angle:
Jordan was still able to get the best of his blocker against higher competition. He had a handful of snaps facing
Dallas Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith, including this bull rush that nearly lifted Smith off his feet into quarterback Tony Romo:
The flashes as a pass-rusher never came to full realization on a game-to-game basis. Jordan played just 28 percent and 20 percent of defensive snaps in
2013 and
2014, respectively.
Talent is unlikely to flourish without given a consistent role and direction to improve. Miami took a scatterbrained approach to Jordan because he was tantalizing enough to justify moving back and forth between linebacker and defensive end. This wasn’t necessarily where Miami went wrong; giving Jordan a higher volume of snaps to improve his craft was the simplest solution.
Not having a plan with young talent plagued the Dolphins during the Joe Philbin era, and the 2013 draft class suffered the most from their poor strategy. It wasn’t just Jordan, either. Second-round pick Jamar Taylor didn't get an opportunity to play after he came back from injuries until his third year, and third-round pick Dallas Thomas was used at multiple positions he had never played before. That’s not how successful franchises develop young players for impactful roles.
Where Jordan immediately showed his biggest upside was in coverage. The sample size was small, but his combination of length and speed was obvious. On this play he ran with
New England Patriots tight end
Rob Gronkowski step-for-step:
Any defense could use this type of coverage talent.
Where He Fits Now
Jordan, who is now listed at 275 pounds, moves incredibly well for his size. It’s easy to see that in just a handful of plays. The Dolphins have tried to add athleticism to their limited defense in several of their offseason moves, including acquiring Kiko Alonso at linebacker.
Wake is one of the most explosive athletes in the NFL, and Williams is still a good athlete at his age. However, there’s a need for more speed on defense, whether it be at Leo or strong-side linebacker. Current "Sam" linebacker Koa Misi is not only a limited athlete, but he’s struggled to stay on the field throughout his career.
Jordan, at MLB, reads and chases down the screen on third down.
There’s a need for a rotational pass-rusher and more athletic linebacker on this defense. Jordan could be a godsend for this unit if he’s committed to football because he fits two of the biggest needs on the defense. The question is how to use him in a manner that won’t overwhelm him and makes sense within the scheme.
First- and second-down plays are an ideal opportunity to have Jordan align as the Leo. He’s more physical at the point of attack as a weak-side end than Wake or any other option on the Dolphins roster, which helps in the running game. He’s not a plus defender against the run or a sure thing to impact as a pass-rusher either, but he’d be Miami’s best option in base formations.
Jordan showed flashes of being a quality edge-setter against the run.
With Wake and Williams being unleashed on sub-package passing downs, Jordan can drop into coverage and replace Misi. The six-year veteran is a liability in coverage and a mediocre pass-rusher, so he was bound to come off the field in two-linebacker packages anyway. Joseph can have the ability to use both Jordan and either Alonso or Jelani Jenkins to decrease the likelihood of any mismatches.
Jordan is a supremely talented athlete who needs refinement and an environment that will allow him to improve. Veterans like Wake and Williams are able to assist with the former, while the new coaching staff can help with the latter. It’s lazy and incorrect to shrug off the 26-year-old Jordan as a bad pick.
He can still prove to be a quality player; the key is his mindset. If he’s focused on football and not the many off-field distractions that come with being an NFL player, he’s good enough to make a significant impact for the Dolphins in 2016 and beyond. And if Jordan is serious about proving doubters wrong, he will be in the thick of the Comeback Player of the Year Award after this season.
