A look at Dolphins defensive depth chart and what that means for the upcoming NFL Draft
We’re a long way from the scheduled start of the NFL season — which is one good reason to dismiss speculation about whether the season will begin on time because no one really knows what’s happening in the next month, much less five months from now.
But that’s not the point.
The point is even as we are well separated from the start of the season, the Miami Dolphins’ depth chart on defense is quite crammed with talent. And potential starters. And depth.
Here now is how the Dolphins depth chart lined up in 2019 and how it looks with talent acquired and released so far in 2020:
DE/LB: Shaq Lawson/Kyle Van Noy, Emmanuel Ogbah/Vince Biegel.
DT: Davon Godchaux, Gerald Willis.
DE/DT: Christian Wilkins/Wilkins, Taco Charlton/Gerald Willis.
LB/DE: Kyle Van Noy/Emmanuel Ogbah, Trent Harris/Andrew Van Ginkel.
LB: Elandon Roberts, Raekwon McMillan.
LB/DB: Raekwon McMillan/Nik Needham, Vince Biegel/Ken Webster or Jamal Perry (formerly Jomal Wiltz).
LB/DB: Jerome Baker/Nik Needham, Andrew Van Ginkel/Ken Webster Jamal Perry (formerly Jomal Witz).
CB: Byron Jones, Nik Needham or Ken Webster or Ryan Lewis.
CB: Xavien Howard, Nik Needham or Ken Webster or Ryan Lewis.
S/CB: Eric Rowe/Nik Needham, Steven Parker/Webster or Lewis.
S: Bobby McCain, Adrian Colbert.
This is obviously not an official depth chart. I would say right now the Dolphins don’t have an official depth chart and even when the preseason begins in August (yeah, I said it) and the first depth chart comes out, that won’t mean a lot.
This depth chart accounts for the versatility and extreme week-to-week change coach Brian Flores wants his defense to be capable of displaying. For example:
One week, the Miami’s defense might look like a traditional 4-3. Next week a 3-4. Next week a hybird. Next week a 5-2.
So one week Kyle Van Noy might be an outside linebacker who has to cover. Next week, he’s going to be the rush linebacker. Next week, he might be on the edge. And from situation to situation he might be standing up or in a three-point stance.
Wheeeeeee!
But here’s the bigger point: There are still holes in that unit. That unit needs a dynamic pass rusher either from the interior (preferable) or the edge.
But Miami’s current defense does not suffer a ton of holes that suggest they can’t line up or stuff is going to be horrible when they do.
Last year, looking at Miami’s potential defensive depth chart, I asked Flores how he could possibly manage a pass rush because he had no proven pass rushers on the team.
And he told me there are “ways” to create a pass rush, suggesting scheme and coaching and all that would, poof, conjure something out of nothing. Cool, he was the defensive coordinator of the Super Bowl-winning Patriots in 2018-19, so I accepted the answer.
But the Dolphins finished the season last in the NFL in sacks.
So, poof, answers aren’t acceptable this year.
Not that the Dolphins might need those. This year? There are bodies with pass rush potential — Lawson. Van Noy, Ogbah. Perhaps even Wilkins, as he improves in his second NFL season. There are tangible possibilities that we can believe can address the issue. This is good.
And the Dolphins have possibilities to solve issues throughout the defensive depth chart. This is very good.
They have young guys with experience who could continue to get better. They have free agency additions who could patch previous holes. There are actual answers to questions and those answers don’t include, “We’ll figure something out.”
And that leads me to this: The Dolphins defense is in better shape at the current moment than the offense.
Because the Dolphins offense is still in “we’ll figure something out” mode.
At quarterback, the Dolphins have to figure something out — certainly for the long-term.
At left tackle, the Dolphins can say they have Julien Davenport, which is a little better than “we’ll figure something out” but they need a big-time left tackle, folks.
The right tackle spot and guard spot are screaming for help: Miami either needs a draft pick to play right guard — assuming Michael Deiter is the left guard — or it needs a second tackle joining the team, which can allow moving starting right tackle Jesse Davis back to guard.
So, yeah, the Miami offensive line is currently in full “we’ll figure something out” mode.
The Dolphins need help at running back, too. Yes, they have bodies. But the talent level has to be improved at that position. That is not negotiable.
I suppose the Dolphins could stand pat at receiver. They are not in “we’ll-figure-something-out” mode at that position. But in a year the draft is replete with receiver talent, it would be wise to tap into that reservoir if possible.
So other than needing help at quarterback, running back, offensive line and wide receiver, the Miami offense is set.
And that all tells me the Dolphins would be wise to hit the draft hard for offensive talent. It would be wise to point this draft primarily to the offense because the defense was much of the focus in free agency.
I believe the Dolphins, with maybe two or three exceptions, will be doing exactly that. We know the Dolphins are going to draft a quarterback. Forget the speculation about the team kicking the quarterback can down the road to next year.
And unless general manager Chris Grier yields his two back-end picks in the first round (Nos. 18 and 26 overall, respectively) we know the Dolphins will be in good position to fill the offensive tackle spot with a starting-caliber rookie.
The other issues ... the other guard or tackle, the running back, and definitely the receiver, can be addressed in best player available manner.
So, this feels like a plan.
I’m glad I thought of it.
Now all the Dolphins have to do is execute.
This story was originally published April 6, 2020 at 12:00 AM.
