While the Miami Dolphins and the franchise’s supporters have not precisely been latest consultants on the matter, everybody concerned was reminded of simply how dangerous it feels to be ousted from the postseason when the workforce fell to the Buffalo Bills 34-31 of their January 15 wild card sport.
Rather than dwell on what may need been completed by a more healthy Dolphins workforce, let’s attempt to see the larger image by inspecting probably the most vital points of the 2022 marketing campaign, together with their potential impression subsequent season and past.
Besides having actually good years, Dolphins’ Wilkins and Sieler ranked amongst prime 4 in snaps by a DL, with Maxx Crosby and Aidan Hutchinson. Their sturdiness and stamina (doing an exhausting job) are very spectacular.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) January 17, 2023
Good: Defensive Line Dominance
The Dolphins are in an excellent place in terms of their defensive tackles. With Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler anchoring their entrance seven, Miami has a robust basis to construct upon in 2023. Not solely have been the Dolphins’ greatest boys productive in 2022, however they have been as sturdy as soccer gamers come, taking part in nearly all of the workforce’s snaps all season.
Wilkins, the workforce’s first-round decide in 2019, has already proven flashes of brilliance and is in line for an enormous payday this offseason, one that ought to preserve him in Miami for the remainder of this decade.
Sieler, who went undrafted in 2018 however has confirmed to be a useful asset for the workforce, has proven a novel mix of measurement and athleticism that permits him to be a disruptive power within the run sport.
Wilkins and Sieler are a tag workforce that ought to make life hell for opponents for years to come back.
Tua Tagovailoa anticipated again as Dolphins’ starter in 2023, per sources:https://t.co/LxvLOGzrpF
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 15, 2023
Ugly: Tua Tagovailoa’s Concussions
Any dialogue surrounding Tua Tagovailoa this offseason ought to first revolve round his means to remain on the sphere in 2023, and extra importantly, dwell a traditional life off it. After a season the place the pendulum swung between speak of successful the MVP Award to concern that the sequence of concussions he suffered would power him into retirement, there’s rather a lot to contemplate earlier than turning to matters like touchdowns, completions, passing yards, and contract extensions.
Tua confirmed final season that he is greater than able to being a franchise quarterback when wholesome. Unfortunately, it is unclear if his physique will permit him to proceed taking part in soccer yet another week, a lot much less yet another yr or past.
Xavien Howard’s contract is an enormous downside for the Dolphins going ahead
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) January 15, 2023
Bad: Xavien Howard
What a distinction a yr and a megacontract make when assessing a participant’s worth to a workforce. In Xavien Howard’s perplexing case, he is gone from an All-Pro taking part in for a brand new deal to a top-paid cornerback who — judging from his on-field efficiency this previous season — seemed like simply one other participant.
Xavien Howard seemed uninterested, misplaced, and at occasions downright lazy on the sphere in 2022. Many pointed to attainable accidents, nevertheless it appeared far more about perspective than means. After giving in to his calls for and handing their prime cornerback a five-year, $90 million contract final offseason, you possibly can guess the Dolphins will probably be in search of a workforce to take the deal off their arms.
Good: Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle
If there’s one single undeniably optimistic component to come back out of the Dolphins 2022 marketing campaign, it is that Miami has not solely fairly probably the most effective huge receiver duo within the NFL, however the most effective in Dolphins historical past. Yes, historical past.
Numbers do not lie. Hill ended the season with a stat line of 119 catches, 1,740 yards, and 7 touchdowns, whereas Waddle adopted up a record-breaking rookie marketing campaign with 75 catches, 1,356 yards, and eight TDs. Both had unbelievable years, however most who watched the pair play would agree they’re able to a lot extra, particularly with a completely wholesome Tua for 17 video games.
We have parted methods with defensive coordinator Josh Boyer and made further modifications to the teaching workers.
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) January 19, 2023
Ugly: Defensive Coordinator Needed
Well, that did not take lengthy. Days after their season led to a 34-31 shootout in Buffalo, the Dolphins parted methods with defensive coordinator Josh Boyer.
Boyer was a holdover from the Brian Flores period, which has to have made it awkward at occasions as Mike McDaniel and his incoming workers coached the workforce in a trend utterly reverse of their predecessors’ strategy. Regardless, the NFL is a outcomes league, and the Dolphins protection, which ranked close to the underside in a slew of classes, was inarguably missing.
With as a lot expertise because the Dolphins had on protection in 2022, the fixed want to attain 30-plus factors to win was unacceptable and searching ahead, it is clearly unsustainable.