Winners and losers of 2022 NFL Draft: Which Dolphins were impacted the most?
As the 2022 NFL Draft concludes, roster depth charts across the league are shaken up. In some cases, high-draft picks signal impending competition at a position. In other cases, the neglect of a position solidifies a player’s standing.
That’s no different for the Dolphins, even with just four picks used over the weekend. The team addressed one of its remaining roster needs with its first pick in the third round then added depth at other positions on the final day, opting for the best player available.
Here are the winners and losers from the draft:
Winner: Josh Boyer
Boyer already got the luxury of staying as defensive coordinator and retaining every starter that finished the 2021 season. Now, the team added a player in Georgia linebacker Channing Tindall that addressed one of the only holes on a defense that finished last season as one of the league’s best. Boyer said that as he takes the reins of the defense, he’ll use his roots as a defensive backs coach and influence the defense with his mind on the secondary first. The addition of Tindall allows even more flexibility in the defensive front seven, where Tindall and Jerome Baker could be moved around the field interchangeably without sacrificing the middle of the defense.
Loser: Duke Riley and Sam Eguavoen
It should be a slow process to ease in Tindall, the No. 102 overall pick who general manager Chris Grier noted is still learning the nuances of the position. But the skill set he brings — sideline-to-sideline speed, physicality, effectiveness as a blitzer — most resembles Riley and Eguavoen, who re-signed with the Dolphins on one-year deals. The Dolphins will still probably rotate their inside linebackers next to Baker — and Elandon Roberts figures to be their early-down player against the run — but Tindall probably impacts the playing time of Riley and Eguavoen the most.
Winner: Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed
The two fourth-year running backs were already pushed down the depth chart with the offseason signings of Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert. The Dolphins didn’t draft another running back during the draft, however, keeping the two closer to the right side of the bubble with the start of training camp still two months away. Gaskin and Ahmed, whose deals expire after the 2022 season, have shown flashes in their brief careers — and coach Mike McDaniel has a history with Ahmed, who had a short stint in San Francisco. The Dolphins are expected to sign multiple undrafted rookie running backs but not adding one through the draft bodes well for Gaskin and Ahmed right now.
Loser: Preston Williams
After a disappointing 2021 season, Williams re-signed with the Dolphins on a one-year, $1.49 million deal with $275,000 guaranteed, an inexpensive contract that by no means secures his spot on the team’s 53-man roster. The Dolphins on Saturday drafted Texas Tech wide receiver Erik Ezukanma, a fourth-round pick who is a view inches shorter than Williams but has a similar body type and a skill set that may fit better in McDaniel’s scheme.
It’s unlikely Ezukanma, as a mid-round pick, doesn’t make his way onto the 53-man roster. Williams, whose production has stalled after a promising rookie year as an undrafted free agent, is likely competing with Lynn Bowden, Trent Sherfield and River Cracraft for the team’s final two or three spots at wide receiver.
Winner: Young offensive linemen
At the league owners meetings in March, Grier said the team would add competition at center for Michael Deiter, who started eight games in 2021. A week before the NFL Draft, Grier praised the depth of the offensive line class. Both comments lead to the widespread belief that the Dolphins were going to use one of their four picks on an offensive lineman.
However, the Dolphins didn’t draft one, which Grier rationalized as not wanting to reach for a player on their board. That development once again leaves Deiter, the only listed center on the roster, as the favorite to start in 2022, and either Austin Jackson or Liam Eichenberg the favorites at right tackle. There’s still much time until the start of the season, let alone training camp. The Dolphins are expected to add multiple undrafted rookie linemen — Arizona State tackle Kellen Diesch reportedly received $140,000 guaranteed to sign with the Dolphins, a high number for an undrafted rookie that shows the team’s regard for him. And one can’t rule out the possibility of a veteran addition, as the Dolphins hold a little less than $20 million in cap space. As it stands, though, the Dolphins’ young offensive linemen should be viewed as the front-runners for their respective positions.
This story was originally published May 2, 2022 at 10:22 AM.
