Miami Dolphins: Offseason Wants, Needs & Preview

[Finished 10-6 Overall]

The Miami Dolphins have taken tremendous strides as an organization in a short period of time. This team went from a 5-11 record just one season ago to merely missing the playoffs with a 10-6 overall record this past season. The Fins sport the second-youngest roster in the NFL and have one of the best coaches in the game. Loaded with cap space and draft equity, the Dolphins are certainly one of the teams to watch going into the 2021-2022 season. Narrowly missing out on the playoffs in a wide-open AFC, optimism remains high regarding the future of this franchise.

Offensive Needs

The biggest question surrounding the Dolphins right now is whether or not they fully back Tua Tagovailoa. It would come as a shock to see this team let go of the quarterback they tanked for just a season ago. Tua had some highs and lows throughout the year and Justin Herbert's excellent rookie year made the decision a tough pill to swallow for Fins fans. Still, Tua's long-term future in the NFL does remain favorable.

There are important questions that need to be addressed this offseason. Does Tua have enough offensive weapons to be judged fairly? Will a new offensive coordinator help Tua get to the next step in his NFL career? Do the Dolphins have enough offensive lineman to protect their quarterback going into next season? The argument can be made that this team could still use the help of a veteran quarterback for a little longer. This would ultimately allow Tua to grow and better understand offensive reads and defensive alignments.

The most pressing need for this organization is an explosive, playmaking wide receiver. WR DeVante Parker and TE Mike Geisicki are definitely young up-and-coming players, but this team could clearly use another weapon. Preston Williams has struggled with injuries and the slot has been a revolving door with Jakeem Grant, Isaiah Ford, and Lynn Bowden Jr. Assuming the Dolphins stay put in the draft, look for them to select either Ja'Marr Chase or DeVonta Smith to add more artillery to Tua’s arsenal. Just as many other young signal-callers have in the past, Tua leaned heavily on his tight ends. When the dolphins ran with 12 personnel, Durham Smythe and Adam Sheehan saw some red-zone opportunity. All of these players have low fantasy draft capital heading into 2021 but could pay off large dividends if selected in the correct rounds.

The Dolphins made several additions to the running back squad during the last offseason, acquiring Matt Breida and Jordan Howard. Many figured this duo would be a one-two punch that would lead the backfield. Unfortunately, Breida didn't do much when given the opportunity, which eventually led the organization to cut the one-dimensional back towards the latter half of the season. Meanwhile, RB Myles Gaskin had some monster games down the stretch and has proven he can start at this level despite his 7th round draft capital. Gaskin remains a viable fantasy option as long as the Dolphins feel they've found their starting running back in him. RB Salvon Ahmed was also an exciting player to watch this past season. His grandma does call him the cheetah, though this league only knows one cheetah, and he does not play for the Dolphins. This backfield will be interesting to watch entering next year.

Defensive Needs

The Dolphins need to keep building upon their strengths and improving the weaknesses. Their secondary was one of the best in the NFL this past season. Xavien Howard Byron Jones proved to be shutdown corners. The Dolphins surprised everyone when they drafted CB Noah Igbinoghene last season. However, there's no such thing as too much cornerback depth. On defense, they need to improve on stopping the run and applying pressure on the quarterback.

If the Dolphins don't select a wide receiver at the third overall pick in the upcoming draft, they may turn to an offensive lineman. OT Penei Sewell has been projected to go relatively early in mock drafts and is a positional need for this franchise. It would also be smart for the Fins to look at free agency to potentially acquire some veterans across this front to provide toughness and leadership.

Too Long Didn't Read Version

All in all, the Dolphins are in one of the best situations in the NFL for years to come. They may choose to use some cap space to extend players that they want to keep around for the future. Offensive identity is also important for the Dolphins as it remains to be seen if they are going to be a smash-mouth team or a finesse offense. The Dolphins can play the offseason several different ways and should be one team we pay attention to in the coming months.