The Dolphins Biggest Team Needs According to PFF
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By: Nick Sabatino
Pro Football Focus highlights the Dolphins weakest position groups.
The Miami Dolphins roster reload this offseason has been like a novella, with dramatic twists and turns and fans overreacting after every move. The roster went from the “CAPocalypse” to Super Bowl caliber within a month, and they’ve landed in a spot where they can go in several directions during the draft later this month.
Pro Football Focus examined the Dolphins roster, now that the wild west of free agency has died down and took a stab at what they felt are Miami’s most significant needs to fill on the roster.
The three position groups highlighted by PFF are the interior offensive line, tight end, and cornerback. One of the position groups is no surprise, but they could be off on their other two picks.
The biggest team needs for the Dolphins after free agency pic.twitter.com/uaBKZG4Wph
— PFF MIA Dolphins (@PFF_Dolphins) April 3, 2024
Interior Offensive Line
The middle of the offensive line was anchored by stellar play from Connor Williams and Robert Hunt in 2023. Both are now gone, with Hunt finding a new home in Charlotte, making top-of-the-market money with the Carolina Panthers, and Williams has yet to sign to a team while coming back from a torn ACL.
The Dolphins addressed the need in free agency, adding a smaller, quicker center in Aaron Brewer and re-signed Isiah Wynn to hold down left guard as he did while healthy in 2023. They also signed Jack Driscoll to bulk up the depth in the interior and re-signed Kendall Lamm to back up the tackles for “one last ride”.
Miami has three ready-to-go starters in Terron Armstead, Austin Jackson, and Aaron Brewer. Isiah Wynn looks to be the guy right now at left guard, with Robert Jones and Liam Eichenberg battling it out for the right guard.
Although most understand letting Robert Hunt walk due to his market, and like the Aaron Brewer move, this unit is close to the same or worse than last year.
Expect the Dolphins to address the guard position directly in the first two rounds or draft a tackle that can convert to guard and eventually slide back out to play tackle again once Armstead retires.
Tight End
One of the positions the Dolphins addressed in free agency was tight end. Last year, the Dolphins were among the worst in the league with the utilization of tight ends in the passing game. They were bottom of the league in catches, yards after catch, yards, and almost every receiving category you could think of.
One of their strengths was the blocking at the position. Durham Smythe and Jullian Hill were valuable in the running game and a bit deceptive in their receiving abilities. The offense rarely targeted them, but that should change this year with the signing of Jonnu Smith.
Smith brings what Mike McDaniel wants at the tight end position, a player that defenses can’t key play calls on, and excels in both the running and passing game.
With Mike Gesicki two years ago, defenses knew when he was in, it was likely a pass play, and then flipped in 2023 when Smythe or Hill was in.
Jonnu Smith is a dependable blocker and an underrated receiver who excels in yards after catch, ranking third in 2023 with 7.1. That was better than both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
I don’t see a need for the position unless they’re looking to replace Smythe or Hill, but they’ve been in the system for years, so that’s not likely. The only tight-end move I could see is if Brock Bowers fell out of the sky by the grace of god and was available at 21, but that’s a pipe dream.
Cornerback
One of the Dolphins strongest units on the roster is corner. Yes, they lost one of the best Dolphins corners ever in Xavien Howard, but he is on the downside of his prime, and his cap hit is a carb overload.
They went out and made one of the best moves in free agency by signing top-ten corner Kendall Fuller to a fraction of what he’s worth. Chris Grier somehow found Gucci at a thrift store.
Fuller is just the Dolphins CB2. Their CB1 is one of the best in the league in Jalen Ramsey and a solid, slot corner in Kader Kohou. The starters are close to as good as it gets.
The depth isn’t too shabby either. 2023 2nd-round pick Cam Smith has yet to be utilized, and Ethan Bonner showed promise at the end of the year. Those two, mixed with the re-signing of Nik Needham, should be enough depth to complement the high-end starters at the position.
It’s truly one of the better position groups on the team, and I don’t see a need here unless a veteran-free agent is willing to sign for a bargain price as depth.
If I had to identify three needs for the Miami Dolphins, I would agree with the interior offensive line needs. I’d also go with the interior defensive line and a quarterback capable of winning games if Tua Tagovailoa misses any time. Bulk up the trenches!
Let us know in the comments if you agree with PFF’s take on the Miami Dolphins biggest needs and what you think those needs should be.
Originally posted on The Phinsider
