NBC’s Cris Collinsworth sizes up Miami Dolphins and their offseason acquisitions
Cris Collinsworth, NBC’s lead Sunday night football analyst, hasn’t had a chance to call a Dolphins game since 2017 and has worked only two Dolphins games since 2010.
In the eyes of the NFL and network television, the Dolphins simply have not been good or appealing enough to crack what’s considered the NFL’s marquee prime-time package.
And even with the addition of star receiver Tyreek Hill, it would be a mild surprise if the Dolphins receive an appearance on the Sunday night schedule this season.
But during a recent chat at the NFL owners meetings in Palm Beach, Collinsworth said “I grew up a Dolphins fan, so I’m waiting for that moment” when the franchise is back to prominence.
He shared some thoughts on the Dolphins’ offseason and where they stand:
▪ On the addition of Hill: “Tyreek Hill is clearly one of the two best receivers in the game [with Las Vegas’ Davante Adams]. And both of them moved [teams] this year.
“So you’re going to get a great test of what really matters. Some of the catch-and-run skills that Tyreek has is going to fit the Dolphins pretty well with Tua [Tagovailoa].”
Collinsworth then ventured off on a relevant tangent.
“It drives me crazy,” he said. “I hear it all the time when you watch these pro workouts. The quarterbacks all do the same thing. They run around. They run to their left and prove how far they can throw the football, which comes into play about once a year.
“It’s a precise game. Tua can throw the ball plenty far enough to bring in Tyreek Hill and all the speedsters he has on that team.”
▪ On Tagovailoa: “It’s a big year for Tua. No question. We have to see it for a whole year. He has to stay healthy and staying healthy is an art playing the quarterback position. Some of these guys can take off and not get hurt. The Josh Allens of the world. Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, they’re big enough [to withstand hits and remain healthy]. Tua is not that.
“He’s going to have to protect himself and understand that for 17 games, part of his job is staying on the field. When you’ve gotten someone that good playing next to him [Terron Armstead, it should be easier to achieve that].”
▪ On the other new skill position players besides Hill: “Raheem Mostert can fly. Chase Edmonds is quick and very solid. Mostert gives them a chance to play the outside zone stuff to get all the way to the edge. The first thing you have to do is break down the edge of the defenses. If they can get that, [new left tackle] Terron Armstead is a great athlete and will be able to get in front of some of that. That combination needs to be pretty good.”
▪ On the offensive line: “Maybe the most significant [of all their moves], they got the best offensive lineman available with Terron Armstead. You start with a cornerstone. We had Anthony Munoz when I played; it’s like, ‘Anthony, you take out that guy’ and now you have four guys figure out how to block those three. And for the first time in a long, long time, the Dolphins are going to have that.”
▪ On new coach Mike McDaniel: “If he just takes the [Kyle] Shanahan system and runs with it [that would be ideal]. He’s a salesman. You don’t have to talk to him for five minutes to know he will get you a little excited. As a young, new coach, if you win they buy in and they do whatever you want. But you’ve got to get there. They’ve got the players to get there. But they’re in a really tough conference.”
▪ On whether he views the Dolphins as a wild card contender: “The answer is yes. My problem is I’ve got 13 teams in the playoffs right now in the AFC.
“I’ve never seen this in my life. You include all four in the West, all four in the North, three in East; I’m not ready to include the Jets. And [you need to include] Tennessee and Indy [as playoff contenders]. All the quarterbacks moved to the AFC. It’s tough.
“I think the Dolphins are piecing something together. The problem is they may have to beat the best team in football next year. The Bills, you can make a pretty strong argument, how they lost to Kansas City is borderline unbelievable. And New England made the playoffs too last year.”
▪ In case you missed this, a brief recap of the major NFL TV changes this offseason: Mike Tirico is succeeding Al Michaels as Collinsworth’s partner on NBC’s Sunday night games; Joe Buck and Troy Aikman moved from Fox to ESPN’s “Monday Night Football”; Amazon hired Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit to do Thursday night NFL games, with Herbstreit also remaining ABC/ESPN’s lead college football voice; and Fox is promoting Kevin Burkhardt to replace Buck as its lead NFL voice.
Former Miami Hurricanes tight end Greg Olsen, Burkhardt’s partner on Fox’s No. 2 team last season, said last week that he has not been told if he will be promoted to the lead team.
Tirico, Collinsworth and Olsen were the only national network game announcers spotted at the owners meetings in Palm Beach.
GRIER ON PARKER
In Tuesday’s formal announcement of the DeVante Parker trade with New England, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier expressed appreciation for the veteran receiver.
“From the day we drafted DeVante and he became a Miami Dolphin, he has epitomized everything we desire in a player - excellence on the field, a great teammate, and a model citizen in the community,” Grier said in a statement released by the team.
“We are thankful for everything he has given this organization over the past seven seasons and wish him continued success. He will always be an important piece of our franchise history.”
As widely reported Saturday, the Dolphins traded Parker and a 2022 fifth-round pick to New England for a 2023 third-round pick.
This story was originally published April 5, 2022 at 3:27 PM.
