MIAMI – The Miami Dolphins were supposed to compete for the AFC East title in 2021 after winning 10 games in 2020; instead, they missed the playoffs for a disappointing fifth straight season.
The team fired coach Brian Flores and hired 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, ushering in a “groundbreaking” era, as owner Stephen Ross put it.
“We hope you will work with us and [general manager] Chris [Grier] in creating a team that will win Super Bowls,” Ross said. “First, we have to start winning our conference games and our division games, and hopefully get to the Super Bowl.”
Miami has more than $60 million in salary-cap space to work with this offseason, most of which should be spent retaining its free agents and adding top players to its offense to support quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. who enters a decisive third. season.
From there, it’s the McDaniel show. He has been described as an innovative playmaker, known for his innovative thinking.
That’s a good thing for the Dolphins; with the Bills and Patriots in their division, they’ll need a little creativity to break through and make the playoffs.
Projected Salary Cap Space: $61.3 million
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Top free agents: TE Mike Gesicki, DE Emmanuel Ogbah, CB Nik Needham, WR Mack Hollins
Possible court candidates: Last season’s starting right tackle Jesse Davis had the NFL’s 188th best pass block win rate in 2021 among 200 qualified offensive linemen. Miami can save $3.6 million by releasing Davis and filling the job with a top free agent.
The great question: How will Miami optimize this cap space? Offensive tackle Terron Armstead? Wide receiver Chris Godwin? Maybe even wide receiver Davante Adams? It’s wishful thinking, but the Dolphins have an attractive amount of cap space and should be spending big after narrowly missing out on a playoff spot in 2021. There are some big-name free agents at tackle, which is their biggest need, and marquee playmakers at wide receiver, too. There’s also the matter of Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard, who will want a restructured contract and pay raise this offseason. With strong free agency and a strong draft, the Dolphins can catapult themselves to the next level in the AFC.
Best Off-Season Stage: Miami gets a top-notch offensive tackle and a top wide receiver, or gets a trade for Atlanta wide receiver Calvin Ridley. He also re-signs Howard, Ogbah, Needham and Hollins to keep the core of his defense and special teams intact.
Worst case out of season: The cream of the crop of free agency this year isn’t for sale in McDaniel, and the Dolphins can’t sign someone who makes a difference. They also lose Ogbah and are forced to trade Howard after failing to come to terms.
Preview of the NFL draft, from ESPN analyst Jordan Reid: Putting Tagovailoa in an environment to succeed should be a priority in the 2022 draft. Adding another wide receiver and continuing to add protection for him are likely scenarios. The Dolphins could also look to build the defensive line.
Main needs: OL, WR, DL
First option: No. 29
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