Grading the Miami Dolphins positions ahead of the 2019 NFL season
QUARTERBACKS | C-
This will be an interesting ride because Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen spent months competing for a chance to be the starter and no one that spent a day watching them practice thinks either is the future at the position. Sure, this could change. Well, actually, it can’t change for Fitzpatrick because GM Chris Grier has already said the 36-year-old is not the future. But maybe a lightning bolt could hit Rosen between the eyes and he suddenly morphs into a confident, bold, player who gets the ball out quickly, makes great decisions, can avoid pressure and is a great leader. But the chance of that happening in the next four months is hard to fathom. Both players will play for the Dolphins this season. Both will have good moments. But chances are the tough moments will outnumber those, and the Dolphins will be selecting a new QB in next year’s draft.
RUNNING BACKS | C
The curious move in 2018 by Adam Gase to limit Kenyan Drake after the running back had played so well to finish 2017 has been seconded by new coach Brian Flores. Rather than be anointed the team’s starter after Frank Gore departed via free agency, the Dolphins lifted Kalen Ballage to likely starter status. So maybe it wasn’t last year’s coaching staff making a mistake. Maybe they all see something in Drake that makes them believe he’s a complementary back. That’s not to say the Ballage-Drake combo won’t be effective. It has the potential to be very effective and, indeed, explosive as the two share carries and snaps. The only thing holding back their grade is that potential and proven production are two different things. We’ll see if the one can become the other during the season.
RECEIVERS | B
This is the strength of the offense. The Dolphins have multiple players with a good mix of abilities and levels of experience. Kenny Stills is a good deep, in-line receiver. Albert Wilson is dynamic in space. Jakeem Grant is a threat on bubble screens, jet sweeps and on slants. DeVante Parker is the big body of the group. And there’s a good likelihood rookie Preston Williams, another big body at 6-5 and 218 pounds, will join the group to be a matchup problem for defensive backs who are much smaller. The issue with this group is Parker, Wilson and Grant all have an injury history and if that continues it could derail the Miami passing game.
TIGHT ENDS | C-
This is a curious group because there isn’t a complete tight end in the group. Former second-round pick Mike Gesicki, who has trouble blocking, is being used primarily as receiver. He even lines up outside the numbers at times. Durham Smythe is a good blocker but not an accomplished receiver. Former University of Miami prospect and third-round pick Clive Walford had an unremarkable training camp as either a pass-catcher or blocker. And veteran Dwayne Allen was injured much of the time and also didn’t wow anyone in the preseason. The most impressive player of the group was Nick O’Leary, who is neither fast nor a physical presence but is just simply good at playing football.
OFFENSIVE LINE | C
The Dolphins have decided they are going to live with the growing pains of rookie guards Michael Deiter and Shaq Calhoun. And while that might hurt (mostly the quarterbacks) early in the season, the expectation is it will be a much better situation later in the year. Center Daniel Kilgore is good and interior backup Chris Reed is solid. Laremy Tunsil is elite at left tackle while right tackle Jesse Davis is solid. The problem for the unit is it lacks any depth at tackle beyond the two starters and in the interior beyond Reed.
DEFENSIVE LINE | C+
First-round pick Christian Wilkins is going to be a fine player. He has to learn to play with better leverage, but that will come with experience. Former first-round pick Charles Harris had perhaps his best training camp and preseason of his three seasons, which suggests his best regular season is coming next. Tank Carradine was an under-the-radar addition in the offseason who has experience, is very active and well suited for multiple Miami packages. The rotation of talent provided by Akeem Spence, Davon Godchaux, Vincent Taylor and Adolphus Washington is impressive. This group lacks one premier pass rusher.
LINEBACKERS | B-
Don’t expect to see the Dolphins employing three linebackers in the game very often unless the opposing offense is lined up in an orthodox set with two wide receivers, one tight end, one halfback and one fullback. Instead, the Dolphins will more often have two linebackers in games to match up, and those will come from any number of combinations, depending on the down and distance. Fair to say Jerome Baker will be in the game perhaps more than any other linebacker because of his speed, ability to play in space and pass rush.
DEFENSIVE BACKS | B-
Lots of safeties. Lots. Bobby McCain, Reshad Jones, T.J. McDonald and even Minkah Fitzpatrick will spend time at safety this year. Some will play other spots as well, such as when Fitzpatrick moves to nickel corner. Xavien Howard is an elite NFL cornerback. The Dolphins hope Eric Rowe can stay healthy and man the other cornerback spot. The Dolphins are thin at cornerback beyond Howard and Rowe.
SPECIAL TEAMS | A
Jason Sanders has the leg to eventually become one of the NFL’s premier kickers. The team loves his disposition, too. If Jakeem Grant as a punt returner and Kenyan Drake as a kick returner can remain healthy, the return teams could be explosive as they have been in the past. On the coverage teams, the Dolphins expect to use starting players, including Minkah Fitzpatrick and others to play on special teams to make sure they win this segment of the game. All that matters beyond that is the units coming together under new special teams coach Danny Crossman.