The buzz on what the Miami Dolphins are getting with their offensive additions
A Dolphins offense that badly needed augmenting so far hasn’t added a single player who will likely be on the field during the game’s defining moments.
But if you’re in a glass-half-full kind-of-mood, here’s that perspective: Miami added one of the league’s better backup quarterbacks, a speedy receiver with special teams value, a backup running back who’s competent and another Bengals core special teams player!
A look at what the Dolphins have added on offense this week:
QUARTERBACK JACOBY BRISSETT
The contract: One year for $5 million, with as much as $2.5 million more in incentives.
The metrics: Brissett went from really, really good in the first half of 2019 to well below average during the second half, a plunge that propelled the Colts to replace him with Phillip Rivers as their starter in 2020.
In leading the Colts to a 5-2 start in 2019, Brissett completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 1,590 yards, 14 touchdowns, three interceptions and a 99.3 passer rating.
But then he sustained an MCL sprain in Game 8. What followed was disappointing: Over the final eight games, he had four touchdowns, three interceptions, a 56.4 percent completion percentage and a 75 passer rating. So it’s unclear which Brissett the Dolphins are getting.
Last season, he completed just 2 of 8 passes for 17 yards in very limited duty.
And this gives pause for thought: He averaged only 196 passing yards per game in 2019 - which is below average - but 5.5 yards after catch (11th best in the NFL), meaning the majority of his yards came after the receiver caught the ball. Keep in mind the Dolphins were 30th in the league in yards after catch last season.
During the two years he started (15 games each in 2017 and 2019), Pro Football Focus rated him 30th and 31st among quarterbacks, and his teams were 4-11 and 7-8. But he was 19th in QBR in 2019.
The view here: At that money, Brissett was the best available value option to be Tua Tagovailoa’s backup. Brissett is smart, respected and considered a good leader.
His 84.1 career passer rating is higher than Ryan Fitzpatrick’s 82.3 million, though Fitzpatrick has been better since midway in 2019. (Washington is paying Fitzpatrick $10 million guaranteed.)
And Brissett is capable with his legs in short-yardage situations; he came off the bench for three rushing touchdowns last season. He was sacked an NFL-high 57 times in 2017 but has rushed for 583 yards (3.7 yards per carry) and 12 touchdowns in his career.
Quotable: Brian Flores made clear his high regard for Brissett before a Dolphins-Colts game in 2019.
“Leader,” Flores said. That’s the first kind of thing from my standpoint that you could see right off the bat. Guys gravitate to him. That’s the one thing that’s stood out to me.
“I really like Jacoby. … When I was there [in New England with Brissett], we had some injuries where he had to start a game early and I thought he went in and did a really good job. You could see the leadership and you could see the ability to handle the offense and operate an offense at a young age.
“He’s got a lot of the QB qualities you are looking for from an operation [and] leadership [standpoint]. Guys rally around him — he’s got a lot of those qualities. I’m not surprised that he’s gone in there and done a really nice job for them.”...
Former Dolphins executive Bill Parcells raved about Brissett to Armando Salguero a couple years ago, noting “Jacoby’s a big, strong, kid. He’s got a good arm. He has very good personal discipline. I love him.”
Colts coach Frank Reich said, a couple of years ago, that Brissett is “an elite leader. The guys know this guy has authentic, deep leadership qualities that you would stack up against anybody in any industry. This guy is a phenomenal leader. And physically as a player he can make all the throws, he’s got a very good command of our offense.”
RUNNING BACK MALCOLM BROWN
The contract: One year for $1.75 million, with a $200,000 signing bonus. If he’s cut, he’s guaranteed $1.55 million.
The metrics: He started only two games in six years with the Rams and was used on 42 percent of the Rams’ offensive snaps last season, mostly in obvious passing and third-down situations. That 42 percent was by far his highest offensive usage in six years with the Rams; he had never before topped 20 percent.
His 4.0 career per carry average (4.1 last year) is solid, and he’s considered a physical, capable blocker.
On 50 occasions in his career, Brown has been handed the ball when his team needed between 1 and 3 yards for a first down (or touchdown), per Profootballreference. He has converted 27 of those, with a 2.2 average per carry on those 50 carries and nine touchdowns. That’s adequate, not extraordinary.
And this was somewhat discouraging: He averaged only 2.18 yards after contact last season, which was 115th of 142 NFL players who carried the ball. Dolphins running back Myles Gaskin was 83rd at 2.5, Salvon Ahmed 107th at 2.3. Brown averaged 2.64 yards after contact in 2019, so the hope is he gets back to that.
He ranked above average as a pass blocker last season, allowing no sacks, two hits and six pressures in 69 pass blocking chances.
Though he’s a competent receiver, he has been thrown only 61 passes in six years, with 43 catches for a 7.6 average. Gaskin has a 9.1 average on 41 career catches, by comparison.
After playing between 28 and 38 percent of the Rams’ special teams snaps for each of four consecutive seasons, that number dropped to five percent last season, as his role on offense increased.
The view here: Brown is a serviceable player - Rams coach Sean McVay had high regard for his toughness and physicality - and he gives Miami the type of bigger back (222 pounds) that the roster had lacked. (Gaskin in 200, Ahmed 196).
But I’m not sure the point of adding a backup running back before the draft. If the Dolphins draft Najee Harris (229 pounds) or Javonte Williams (220 pounds) at pick 36, then there’s no need for Brown on the roster, because either Harris or Williams -- plus Gaskin and Ahmed - would suffice as a top three, with Patrick Laird, Jordan Scarlett and others competing for the fourth job.
Quotable: Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth: “He’s a guy that does nothing but step in and rise to the occasion every time we need him. He’s somebody that everybody in the locker room has an appreciation for, just the physicality he plays with and just the guy he is.”
WIDE RECEIVER ROBERT FOSTER
The contract: Not immediately available but a low-money deal.
The metrics: Undrafted out of Alabama, Foster had 30 catches for 603 yards and three touchdowns in two seasons with Buffalo, but his receiving yards and playing time both diminished dramatically from his rookie year in 2018 (541 yards and 43 percent of the Bills’ offensive snaps) to his second season in 2019 (64 yards and 20 percent of Buffalo’s offensive snaps).
The Bills waived Foster during the final cuts early last September and he joined Green Bay’s practice squad before Washington snagged him on Oct. 22. He caught two passes for 37 yards in four games, including two starts, over the final half of the season.
Foster, who’s 6-2 and 196 pounds, has enough value (speed/special teams acumen) to stick on the bottom of a roster, but he hasn’t been able to build on a very good rookie season, eventually bypassed by better players in Buffalo.
The view here: If you were expecting the Dolphins’ first receiver signing to be a starter, then you’re assuredly underwhelmed by this addition.
Foster likely replaces Mack Hollins as the Dolphins’ gunner on special teams, an important role and one that Foster has held in the past. His speed will be an asset; he ran a 4.41 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and the career 20.1 yards per catch average (albeit it on a modest 32 receptions) is impressive. And his Alabama experience with Tagovailoa can’t hurt.
But allocating another roster spot to a backup receiver is problematic. The Dolphins already have Albert Wilson, Jakeem Grant and Allen Hurns as backup receivers, with their No. 1 receiver DeVante Parker and Preston Williams also under contract. With Foster on board, that’s six receivers, and teams don’t usually carry more than that on their 53-man roster.
Miami assuredly will add a receiver high in the draft and could add another one later in the draft and during free agency. So adding another backup receiver creates a roster conundrum, even though Foster’s ability as a gunner has value.
The Dolphins remain in the same predicament as they were two months ago: Too many No. 4 and No. 5 receivers with comparable ability, albeit somewhat different skill sets.
Quotable: Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll held that job in Alabama in 2017, during Foster’s final college season, and endorsed Foster as an undrafted rookie free agent after Daboll was hired by Buffalo.
“Obviously, I was with him for a year, so you get to know your players,” Daboll said. “You get certain things when you’re around a person every day, whether it’s Robert or somebody else. If you’re around them, you’ll give your input in terms of work ethic, and character issues or anything like that. He’s a good kid, he’s a hard worker, he’s got good speed.”
Notable: Foster is lucky to be alive. As a high school student, when he was traveling to Florida for a 7-on-7 tournament, Foster and his friend, Darrell Turner, were leaving a restaurant in Durham, N.C., when they were approached by a man, Gabriel Gamez, who pulled out a gun and started firing.
Turner was killed, and Foster barely escaped being shot in the head. Gamez, a San Antonio security guard, was convicted of first-degree murder. Here are more details on that incident.
TIGHT END CETHAN CARTER
The contract: Three-year deal worth $8.25 million, and the contract could be worth as much as $8.7 million with incentives. That includes $2.7 million guaranteed.
The metrics: Has appeared in 46 games and started five, all for the Bengals. Very solid special teams player and blocker.
Pro Football Focus said he was the fourth-best pass blocking tight end in football last season; though he had only 22 chances, he didn’t allow a sack or pressure. PFF ranked him 59th of 137 tight ends as a run-blocker last season; he had 117 opportunities.
Carter has limited value as a receiver - with seven career catches for 66 yards - but has played 63, 68 and 69 percent of Cincinnati’s special teams snaps the past three years and excelled in that area.
The view here: What would an offseason be without the Dolphins adding a Bengals core special teamer? Last March, it was Clayton Fejedelem, who remains under contract with the Dolphins.
Not sure the need for Carter, with Miami set at tight end (Mike Gesicki, Durham Smythe, Adam Shaheen). One positive besides Carter’s special teams value: He can also play fullback, serving a role Chandler Cox handled in limited snaps last season (105) before his release.
Quotable: Longtime NFL front office executive Gil Brandt: “He’s an aggressive guy. He’s got small hands, which I don’t particularly like as a receiver, but I do think he is a good player.”
This story was originally published March 17, 2021 at 9:43 PM.
