Examining the Miami Dolphins’ defensive linemen, how they stack up and their future
This week, we’re taking an in-depth look at every player on the Dolphins roster, with revealing metrics, how they compared to others in the league, their contract status and whether they’re worth keeping.
Today, we examine the defensive line in part 6 of a 7-part series, with the Dolphins expected to add a couple of skilled defensive ends and tackles in free agency this week:
CHRISTIAN WILKINS
▪ Contract status: Has three more years remaining on his rookie contract. Owed $1.2 million, $1.9 million and $1.6 million over next three seasons.
▪ Big picture: The Dolphins ended the season very pleased with his improvement over the second half of the season and confident he’s a longterm piece. A defensive tackle by trade, he played a lot of defensive end in a 3-4 defense, played in all 16 games and started 14, and produced 55 tackles, which led all rookie defensive linemen. Pro Football Focus rated him 74th among 117 qualifying interior defenders.
▪ The good: Besides the volume of tackles, he was a sure tackler; he missed just three tackles in 688 snaps, per PFF. That was fourth best among interior defenders with at least 500 snaps….
He had two sacks and 30 pressures in 322 pass rush chances, giving him a pass-rush efficiency rating that was 27th among all interior defenders with at least 300 pass rush chances. Though you would to see a higher sack total, that’s something to build on….
He was average (73rd) in PFF’s key run stop percentage metric, which measures tackles that constitute a loss for the offense, using a complex formula that we will explain at the bottom of this column. Wilkins had 27 such stops, which was 11th among all interior defenders. Do you know who topped that list? Teammate Davon Godchaux with 32. PFF rated Wilkins’ run stop percentage equal to Ndamukong Suh’s this season….
He was durable, with his 732 snaps ranking 17th highest among interior defenders.
▪ The not-so-good: There were too many times Wilkins was pushed aside on running plays, though less so in the second half of the season…. You would like to see more tackles for loss (three all season) and more impact plays (he had one forced fumble, one fumble recovery). The hope is that will come in time, though that’s not a high priority from tackles in Miami’s defensive system.
▪ The future: Wilkins should be a starter here for years to come and a key piece of the rebuild. But to be a clearly above average starter, he needs to be more disruptive in the opponent’s backfield. We’re told the Dolphins were very pleased how he played in the second half of the season.
DAVON GODCHAUX
▪ Contract status: Due $735,000 in the final season of his contract in 2020. Would be an unrestricted free agent in 2021.
▪ Big picture: Godchaux contributed 75 tackles and two sacks while anchoring the middle of Miami’s defense and starting all 16 games. PFF ranked him tied with Wilkins among interior defenders, 74th of 117.
▪ The good: As noted above, Godchaux led all NFL interior linemen with 32 stops, which are tackles that constitute a loss for the offense (see below for the formula). His durability is an asset; he played all 16 games and his 718 snaps were 20th most among interior defenders.
▪ The not-so-good: There’s a difference between PFF’s stops metrics and tackles for loss, and in the area of tackles for loss, Godchaux was again not as good as you would hope, with just two in the first 15 games before coming up with two more in the finale against the Patriots… He missed a bit too many tackles (eight) and wasn’t always in position to make a play….
He had just two sacks and 18 pressures in 321 pass rushing snaps, ranking him in the lower-third of defensive tackles in PFF’s pass efficiency metrics.
▪ The future: He might be offered a new contract because he’s still young and generally reliable, but whether the sides agree on money - and whether Miami views him as a longterm starter (as opposed to merely a rotation piece) - remain to be seen.
He would seemingly be more effective if he didn’t play as much. And at some point, the question is whether Miami would prefer a starting nose tackle who can be more disruptive; one prominent former Dolphins defender say Godchaux is simply not big enough or impactful enough to start at nose tackle on this defense when Miami is ready to compete for a playoff berth.
TACO CHARLTON
▪ Contract status: One season left at $1.8 million.
▪ The big picture: His five sacks led the team but his deficient run blocking fueled the coaching staff’s decision to make him inactive for three of the final four games. Overall, PFF ranked him 100th among 106 qualifying edge players.
▪ The good: After producing four sacks in his first 27 games in the league with Dallas, he had four in his first five games with Miami. He also forced two fumbles. He missed only one tackle.
▪ The not-so-good: In 146 plays defending the run, he had six stops, which PFF describes as tackles that constitute a loss for the offense. And though he had five sacks, PFF lowered his mark as a pass rusher because he had only 17 pressures in 215 pass rush chances. This explains why he was a healthy scratch five times in the final two months of the season.
▪ The future: Charlton likely will come to camp because he’s cheap and under contract, but he will need to be far better against the run to earn consistent playing time or even a roster spot. It’s difficult to envision a longterm future here after his December benching.
AVERY MOSS
▪ Contract status: One season remaining at $660,000 (non-guaranteed).
▪ The big picture: Given a chance to make his case as a starting defensive end, Moss missed time with an injury and didn’t make much of an impact, even though the staff initially felt he was one of Miami’s better edge setters. He had 25 tackles and one forced fumble in 11 games, including eight starts. He played in 11 games, starting two, for the Giants in 2017, his only previous year of NFL experience.
▪ The not-so-good: He had 10 stops in 182 chances against the run, a run stop percentage which PFF ranked 99th of 163. And PFF rated his pass rush efficiency among the worst in the league (zero sacks, three pressures in 143 pass rush chances).
▪ The future: Because he wasn’t as effective against the run as Miami hoped, Moss faces an uphill climb to make the roster in 2020.
JOHN JENKINS
▪ Contract status: Unrestricted free agent.
▪ The big picture: PFF ranked him 40th of 117 defensive tackles, making him one of Miami’s highest-graded players at any position. Had 34 tackles and a sack in 16 games, including five starts.
▪ The good: Ranked in the top half of the league in run stops percentage, with 21 stops, and was his overall stopping grades were among the best on the team.
▪ The not-so-good: Missed too many tackles (eight) and had just one sack and 12 pressures in 185 pass rush changes.
▪ The future: The Dolphins could bring him back on a minimum deal if they are unable to find an upgrade elsewhere. He said recently that the team has given him no indication if it wants to retain him.
ZACH SIELER
▪ Contract status: Signed for the next two seasons. Will earn $660,000 next season if makes the team.
▪ The big picture: Sieler intrigued the Dolphins with a breakout game against Cincinnati (seven tackles, one sack) before playing limited snaps against New England (one quarterback pressure).
▪ The good: Produced seven pressures in 50 pass rush chances and six stops in 57 plays defending the run. That’s high level stuff.
▪ The future: The former Ferris State walk-on has a chance to stick on the 2020 roster if he builds on his strong month with Miami.
OTHERS
Jonathan Ledbetter, considered one of the best undrafted run-stuffing defensive ends last April, impressed in preseason and had a sack in the opener but then went on injured reserve. The Dolphins will take another long look at him; he’s under contract two more years and due a non-guaranteed $510,000 next season...
Former UM standout Gerald Willis, under contract for next season, had two tackles in two games before finishing the year on injured reserve…. Defensive lineman Durval Queiroz Neto will be worth monitoring; the former the Brazilian footballer filled a special international slot on Miami’s 2019 practice squad as part of the NFL’s efforts to recruit more international talent to the game.
The Dolphins will look for defensive linemen in free agency and the NFL Draft.
Please check out our Monday NFL Free Agent tracker, a blog continuously updated by me and Adam Beasley.
Here’s part 1 of my series with a breakdown of every Dolphins offensive lineman.
Here’s part 2 of my series with a breakdown of every Dolphins wide receiver.
Here’s part 3 of my series with a breakdown of every Dolphins linebacker.
Here’s part 4 of my series with a breakdown of every Dolphins safety.
Here’s part 5 of my series with a breakdown of every Dolphins cornerback.
Note: We mentioned PFF’s run stop percentage metric earlier. Here’s PFF’s explanation for how that is calculated:
“A player gets credit for a run stop if the offense fails to produce a successful play:
A success/fail is about the percentage of the yards the offense gets towards a first down on a play.
On first down, the offense needs to get 45% of the way to a first down for a success, so anything less then 45% is a failure/stop. On a 1st and 10 for example, anything 4 yards or less would be a stop Second down, it’s 60 percent. On third and fourth down, it’s 100 percent, so if they get a first down, it’s a success, but counted as a failure otherwise.”
