Exploring the Miami Dolphins’ changes at linebacker and how the newcomers look
Often, when a team makes major changes at a position, the reasons — subpar performance — are as clear as the eyes can see.
But the Dolphins’ significant changes at linebacker and on the edge don’t follow that pattern. To the naked eye, Kyle Van Noy and Shaq Lawson were, at the very least, competent last season.
The Dolphins’ decision to jettison those two — a year after signing lucrative contracts in free agency — surprised both players and outside observers.
And so now the Dolphins will try a new linebacker unit with two incumbent young players coming off very good seasons in major roles (Jerome Baker, Andrew Van Ginkel); a highly regarded first-round rookie who was perhaps the best pass rusher in the draft (Jaelan Phillips); two returning veterans coming off major injuries (Elandon Roberts and Vince Biegel); and several veteran imports (Benardrick McKinney, Duke Riley, Brennan Scarlett and Shaquem Griffin).
Calvin Munson and Sam Eguavoen — and practice squad player Kylan Johnson — also return.
Why did the Dolphins make major changes to the linebacker room?
Coach Brian Flores declined to specifically explain when asked last week but said:
“We made a couple of additions to the linebacker room — Duke Riley, McKinney and we like the group. ... They’ve all got a different skill set that we can potentially use. Hopefully, [we’ll] have a solid group.”
The remaining centerpieces are Baker — one of only two NFL linebackers to produce 100 tackles and seven sacks last season; Van Ginkel, who was a revelation last season and been very good in training camp; and Phillips, who is slowly working his way back from a lower-body injury.
With Roberts on the physically unable to perform list, Baker is working alongside a new inside linebacker in McKinney, a 2018 Pro Bowl player who missed 12 games for Houston last season with a shoulder injury.
“Right now is when we get our chemistry to see how we work together,” Baker said. “He’s a great person.”
This is a prove-it year for McKinney, because the Dolphins forced him to take a pay cut (from $7.4 million to $3 million) while eliminating the final two years of his contract (2022 and 2023).
The good news: He has averaged 98.6 tackles per season in his NFL career, excluding his injury-shortened 2020. He had 105 tackles in 2018 and then 101 tackles in 2019. And he has been strong against the run during training camp. The bad news: Pass coverage isn’t a forte.
“I just want to prove to myself I still can play,” McKinney said.
Linebackers coach Anthony Campanile likes that McKinney is “a real physical guy. He’s got variety to his game, big enough guy to play different spots. [He and Baker] complement each other well.”
As for Baker, he already has gone from decent starter to good starter. The question is whether he can evolve from good to great, or Pro Bowl quality.
“I just want to get better than I was last year,” he said after receiving a three-year, $39 million extension this offseason.
The release of Van Noy creates more opportunity for Van Ginkel, who filled the stats sheet last year with 48 tackles, 5.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss, one fumble recovery (for a touchdown), two forced fumbles and 19 quarterback pressures. Pro Football Focus rated him 12th of 108 qualifying edge players last season.
Last season, Van Ginkel played 479 snaps (46 percent of Miami’s defensive snaps), compared with 571 for outside linebacker/defensive end Lawson and 811 for Van Noy.
Look for Van Ginkel’s snaps to rise after the Dolphins parted ways with Van Noy; Van Ginkel had an interception and tackle for loss in Thursday’s practice against the Bears.
“I saw the potential he had in training camp,” defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah said. “I’m proud of him. He’s got to take another step.”
Van Ginkel “is a pro’s pro,” outside linebacker coach Rob Leonard said. “Love where he’s at. More is expected from him as a communicator, as a leader” in his third year.
Phillips looked good before his injury early in camp, generating a strong pass rush. He returned to practice on Wednesday but didn’t do much Thursday.
“He’s a big, physical guy,” Ogbah said of Phillips. “I’m looking at him like, ‘Damn he’s a big dude.’ He’s got great speed and will help me a lot on the other side of me. He’s going to demand some double teams, which will help me out a lot.”
Besides adding starters in McKinney and (at some point) Phillips and moving on from Van Noy and Lawson and Kamu Grugier-Hill, a new cast of backups also arrived:
▪ Griffin has been a very good special teams player and has flashed at linebacker in training camp but is very much on the bubble. He played just five, nine and 10 percent of Seattle’s defensive snaps in his first three NFL seasons.
“You feel energy 30 seconds being around the guy,” Flores said. “He’s done an exceptional job dealing with adversity and overcoming adversity.”
His left hand was amputated when he was 4 because of amniotic band syndrome, a condition causing his fingers on his left hand not to fully develop.
▪ Riley — a former Falcons third-round pick from LSU — signed for one year for $1.127 million with $637,500 guaranteed.
Primarily playing outside linebacker, he had 55 tackles, a forced fumble, an interception and half a sack in 13 games, including five starts last season, while playing a career-high 569 snaps on defense (52 percent of the Eagles’ defensive snaps).
“Duke is a run-and-hit guy, high-effort guy,” Campanile said.
Pro Football Focus rated him 38th of 83 linebackers last season. In pass coverage, Riley permitted a 93.8 passer rating in his coverage area.
“My speed is one of my assets,” he said. “I had a couple other options, but I love everything about Miami.”
▪ Scarlett — who signed for one year for $1.27 million with $637,5000 guaranteed — had 28 tackles in 11 games, including four starts, for Houston last season. He rushed the passer 70 times last season and had no sacks and three hurries.
He has just 5.5 sacks in four seasons, with 3.5 of those coming in 2019. But he has produced at least four sacks in camp and worked some with the first team with Phillips out.
Among returnees, don’t overlook Eguavoen, who has had a strong camp. “Sam is physical at the point of attack, has pass rush ability,” Campanile said. “He’s improved in pass coverage. He’s improved by leaps and bounds in my time here.”
As for Biegel, “coming off a torn Achilles is a big injury,” Leonard said. “Time will tell with that. He’s done well so far.”
This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 4:16 PM.
