Happy Thanksgiving! What makes 2019 Miami Dolphins thankful
It’s Thanksgiving Day 2019 and among the many things I’m thankful for is you coming to this space on a regular basis to keep up with your Miami Dolphins.
You may love the warmth here in good times but the cold truth in hard times might be hard to swallow. But all the time I appreciate the thoughtful discourse from most of you in expressing your opinions as you react to mine.
The Dolphins are in the middle of a difficult 2-9 season that doesn’t promise any consistent success the final five weeks of this season. But they are not without things to be thankful for as well.
So as is a Dolphins In Depth tradition, here are things you, the Dolphins, and all of us can be thankful for:
The Dolphins can be thankful for a couple of wins. Because a winless 2019 would have been a terrible bookend to an undefeated 1972.
They can be thankful for a 37-year-old Ryan Fitzpatrick, who approaches each day with rookie enthusiasm and accomplished veteran professionalism.
They can be thankful for center Daniel Kilgore, who probably knows in his heart the situation every game day is dire, but refuses to let that knowledge determine his effort.
They can be thankful for three first-round draft picks in 2020, because everyone expects those will deliver a franchise quarterback and maybe a couple of Pro Bowl players. Right?
Right?
The Dolphins can be thankful past mistakes don’t necessarily need to be repeated so those two second-round draft picks in 2020 don’t need to follow the line of second-rounders headed by Koa Misi, Daniel Thomas, Chad Henne, Jamar Taylor, Pat White, Charles Harris, and others.
They can be thankful for a second-year player who thinks he has nothing to prove. Because that immediately unveils a mindset that will never lead him to prove anything.
They can be thankful running backs are relatively easy to find in the offseason. Because they’ll be looking.
They can be thankful DeVante Parker didn’t give up on himself when most everyone not in the Dolphins’ building did.
The Dolphins can be thankful for wide receiver coach Karl Dorrell, who has squeezed production out of Parker not seen since 2016.
We can all be thankful that Dolphins coaches are more interested in the importance of passer disruptions than sacks. Because the Dolphins give up more sacks per pass than anyone, and collect less of them than just about anyone.
We can all be thankful for Mike Gesicki touchdown catches. OK, fine, Mike Gesicki touchdown catch.
I’m thankful for that one time Nick O’Leary, not fond of reporters, grunted then walked away in response to a question back in 2018.
The Dolphins can be thankful Preston Williams showed so much promise his injury shortened rookie season, because it suggests his ceiling is quite high once he’s healthy next season.
They can be thankful Jesse Davis will play guard or tackle or just about any position on the offensive line. And there’s never a complaint.
We can all be thankful Luke Falk was waived May 1. Because that made him available to eventually start games for the New York Jets.
Be thankful for the first day of training camp. Because it proved immediately Jordan Mills wasn’t the answer.
Be thankful this coaching staff judged Dwayne Allen on what he could do in the present rather than hoping he could recapture what he did for them with New England in the past.
We should all be thankful Robert Nkemdiche was waived three weeks ago. Because if he’d made it to this holiday week he might have authored a devastating run on pies in South Florida.
The Dolphins can be thankful for Pittsburgh Steelers losses.
And Houston Texans losses.
And, still hard to believe this was the approach, Miami Dolphins losses.
Be thankful for Tank Carradine, who was the Dolphins’ first free agent signing of 2019. And was appropriately named for what the team was about to undertake.
The Dolphins can be thankful for futures contracts. Because one of those produced Sam Eguavoen.
Be thankful for Isaiah Ford, who has waived twice and re-signed three times, for refusing to go away.
Be thankful for $100 million or more in salary cap space next offseason. And general manager Chris Grier’s promise to spend much of it.
I’m thankful for updated rosters. Because it’d be impossible to keep up with the 2019 Dolphins without them.
Finally, we should all agree and be thankful reset years do not come in sets of two because nobody wants to do a year like this again. One reset, fine. A repeat next season?
No tanks.
