Dolphins' Team Needs: Post Free Agency

Author | Michael Weitzner

The Miami Dolphins have been the most active team in free agency this season (not typically a good thing). However, last year’s Dolphins’ team was special. Even overlooking the fact that fans of the team used the mantra “Tank for Tua”, multiple starters were traded for draft capital and the rest of the team were below average/terrible. Needless to say, the Dolphins needed to completely reconstruct the roster.

Just from last season’s roster, the team is losing 17 (SEVENTEEN) players. Some were deliberately cut from the team—notably Reshad Jones and Daniel Kilgore—while others were outright free agents that the Dolphins are electing not to resign. And just to clarify, ZERO free agents who played for the Dolphins last season have been signed by another franchise since free agency started officially on March 18th.

So you made it to paragraph three and you want to know if I’m done crapping on your beloved Miami Dolphins. Well the rest of this article is recapping all of Miami’s signings to this point in time and a breakdown of what I think are the remaining team needs that should be addressed via trade or in the upcoming (and still happening) NFL Draft. Speaking of the Draft, if you want to see all of our Mock Drafts to this point click here for Mock Draft 3.0, here for Mock Draft 2.0, and here for Mock Draft 1.0.

In a previous article, I discussed what the Dolphins team needs were before free agency started (which you can check out by clicking here). But if you don’t want to read an old article that isn’t relevant today, here is a summary of what the team needs were:

Top Priority

1.     Quarterback

2.     Offensive tackle

3.     Edge rusher

Significant Need

4.    Safety

5.    Cornerback

Need

6.     Guard

7.     Center

8.     Running back

9.     Traditional 4-3 defensive end

Obviously after signing 11 new players in free agency, the Miami Dolphins’ team needs have dramatically changed. Of those 11 signings, cornerback Byron Jones, linebacker Kyle Van Noy, defensive ends Shaq Lawson and Emmanuel Ogbah, guard Ereck Flowers, and running back Jordan Howard are the key signings that are likely starters when the season (hopefully) starting in September.

So this is what I’m going to do; I’m going to break the Dolphins’ team needs for the NFL Draft down into four categories: (1) top priority, (2) significant need, (3) could use, and (4) don’t draft. Top priority means that the Dolphins should seriously consider drafting in the 1st round. Significant need means maybe use a 1st or 2nd round pick or trading an equivalent pick for a player at that position. Could use means that the Dolphins could use a player at that position but shouldn’t over draft to get them. And finally, don’t draft is exactly what it sounds like: don’t waste a draft pick in the first 4 rounds on this position.

Here we go:

TOP PRIORITY

1.     Quarterback

2.     Left tackle

3.     Right tackle

These are the most apparent team needs. The current starting quarterback is Ryan Fitzpatrick. While he was exciting to watch last season, Fitzpatrick turn 38 years old before the season is over. He’s not the long term solution at quarterback and the Dolphins NEED to take a quarterback extremely early in the Draft, say at pick #5 (*cough cough* Tua Tagovailoa).

The next two needs in this category, left and right tackle, are just as pressing of a need because of the likely addition of a young quarterback (again, *cough cough* Tua Tagovailoa). Just to emphasis the frantic need for new tackles on both sides, the current projected starters are Julie’n Davenport at left tackle (with Pro Football Focus grade of 56.5) and Jesse Davis (who is more likely a guard and has a Pro Football Focus grade of 58.9). It’s unrealistic to expect Miami to draft two offensive tackles in the 1st round, but possibly trading a high draft pick to Washington for Trent Williams and then drafting another tackle in the 1st round would be much needed.

SIGNIFICANT NEED

4.    Safety

5.    Running back

With the signing of cornerback Byron Jones to a 5 year, $82,500,000 contract, the Dolphins should be looking to double down on the secondary and focus on making it an absolutely premier unit. But since the Dolphins release safety Reshad Jones, getting another safety to play alongside Eric Rowe is necessary to fulfil that goal. The draft—either late in the 1st round or with one of their two 2nd round picks—is likely the method to file the gap.

Similarly, the signing of running back Jordan Howard puts the Dolphins is a good spot as is. But if the Dolphins want an elite running back room, drafting (instead of trading for or signing) another running back would do it. This is an incredibly deep running back class in the draft, with D’Andre Swift, Jonathan Taylor, J.K. Dobbins, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and Cam Akers, so Miami should easily be able to find one they like (and reports say Miami loves J.K. Dobbins).  

COULD USE

6.     Guard

7.     Edge rusher

8.     Center

9.     Wide receiver

These positions are ones that either aren’t pressing needs or could be solved by some players moving from other positions. For example, if the Dolphins successfully acquire two competent offensive tackles by the start of next season, Jesse Davis moves back to guard. This allows Michael Deiter (who should be playing center regardless) and Shaq Calhoun to be backup interior offensive lineman instead of starters, solidifying the entire interior of the offensive line.

The Dolphins simply aren’t clamoring at other positions as a result of free agency signings, such as edge rusher with the additions of Shaq Lawson and Emmanuel Ogbah, or in some cases from the lack of cuts. Wide receiver is one of those groups. I fully expected receivers Allen Hurns and Albert Wilson to get the pink slip. According to www.overthecap.com, Miami would have freed up $11,633,000 in cap space with a little over $2,000,000 in dead cap. But alas, if the right wide receiver falls to Miami in this loaded class, they will make room for one more wide receiver.

DON’T DRAFT

Tight end

Defensive tackle

Inside linebacker

Cornerback

Finally, the four positions listed here are simply not places where the Dolphins should be using draft capital. That doesn’t mean the Dolphins couldn’t use players at these positions; it purely means that the Draft is not where they should be addressed. A better timeframe for adding these kinds of players are through trade down scenarios (which some might say are draft related but get off my back) or from camp cuts once the preseason starts.