South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Make room for mentors
THAT’S WHAT DOLPHINS NEED TO ENSURE THEIR INCOMING PLAYMAKERS PLAY THE RIGHT WAY
Playmakers. Playmakers. Playmakers. Playmakers.
You don’t honestly think there’s another way to start a column about the Miami Dolphins big offseason needs, do you? Playmakers. What else is there to say? DeVonta Smith. Ja’Marr Chase. Travis Etienne. Najee Harris. Rashod Bateman.
Assuming the fork in the offseason road isn’t open for Houston quarterback DeShaun Watson (I’d throw four first-round draft picks to try), the percolating questions are: whether to take Smith with the third pick (yes); where to jump in the running-back line (second round); and how many receivers this team should draft (two sounds about right.)
This leads to an equally substantive need as this offense loads up on youth. It can be appreciated by understanding how the receiving room isn’t constructed for probably two top rookies coming into the fold.
No? Get in the wayback machine to understand how this worked on good Dolphins teams — meaning let’s go beyond the past 20 years that have only
taught how not to do things. Start in the distant past, 1970, when Paul Warfield arrived as the best of his era and treated receiving like a science.
Warfield ran the same first four steps on any pattern to keep the defensive back guessing. He counted aloud in training camp his first five steps every year and re-measured them to assure he knew where the 5- and 10-yard breakoffs were.
Warfield kept a notebook on every defense. He studied film for hours to find the loose boards in the secondary. He spent time after practice with quarterback Bob Griese so they knew what the other thought.
Warfield then taught everything he knew to rookie Nat Moore starting in 1974.
Moore, in turn, taught all he knew to Mark Duper and Mark Clayton in 1983.
Duper, Clayton and, by then, Irving Fryar were the veteran voices for O.J. McDuffie a decade later.
Watching a training camp practice with Duper several years ago, he said, “Ask those receivers if they’re running five steps or 5 yards on their patterns?”
I asked. “Five steps,’’ one told me.
Duper said, “Hard to learn that way.”
Do you see a prime issue with this getting-younger team? And, yes, times have changed with free agency, the salary cap and the millenial player.
But the idea doesn’t. Take the all-important quarterback position. The Dolphins haven’t settled that position since Dan Marino. Through Marino’s first five years, Don Strock helped him to read defenses, review strategies, occasionally find a good tee time — basically, he helped Marino to not just play quarterback but to be a NFL quarterback.
After Marino’s first game and before the media came in, Strock told Marino: “Go get a shower, get dressed, get that handsome face beaming — and cool down and collect your thoughts because your words matter. And do that every game.”
Bob Griese gave Strock that advice too.
Everyone talks about “leadership” around sports these days. Who’s the leader? Is he a good leader? What makes him a good leader?
It’s the silliest conversation. Any player who talks well in front of the television lights is taken to be a leader.
The Dolphins are too raw at prime spots on offense to talk only about leaders. They need mentors on offense. They need veterans to show the kids how to be pros. That’s the real shame in Ryan Fitzpatrick playing so well last season that he won’t be coming back next year unless there’s another surprise.
Fitzpatrick was the perfect guy to teach Tua Tagovailoa, as every game seemed to divulge some new lesson. He was perfect except for one thing: He was better than Tagovailoa. The team rallied to him more.
But for Tua to grow properly, he’ll need a mentor in reserve who can not only help him but run the run-pass-option offense.
That’s a tough combination to find. Andy Dalton is a veteran free agent. Immobile Joe Flacco is available, but as opposite a quarterback to Tua as you’ll find. Anyone calling to bring Chad Henne full circle?
Then there’s the receiving room. It’s a mess if you want a talented mentor.
DeVante Parker is the top player, but he’s the king of the sandlot game — throw it up and he’ll go get it. No crisp routes. Not much reading defense.
Is there anyone like that on the roster? Well, Isaiah Ford, assuming he makes the team.
So there too the Dolphins need a mentor as much as a leader if they’re going to get Smith or Chase — whomever — on the proper rookie learning curve.
Will Fuller fills the speed need if Green Bay doesn’t grab him. Allen Robinson is good, but he’s a big body like Parker and Preston Williams.
Everyone knows the word of this offseason: playmakers. Here’s an accompanying one: mentors.
This offense won’t grow up fast without them.