Camp countdown
Team’s older players will be key to overall success in 2018
Dolphins bank against NFL view of decline after age 30.
Editor's note: With the start of Miami Dolphins’ training camp seven days away, the South Florida Sun Sentinel looks at some of the team's top storylines on the eve of the 2018 season.
As much as the Dolphins say they’re a young team, and they are, there’s huge responsibility on the 30-something crowd. In fact, their collective performance might be a bigger key to the season than the youngsters’ performance.
A large number of the Dolphins’ projected 22 starters, possibly as many as nine, are comprised of members of the 2015, ’16, ’17 and ’18 draft classes.
However, the 30-somethings could have as many as six of the 22 starters as well as three key contributors. We’ll find out this season whether that’s a recipe for success or not.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who turns 30 on July 27, leads the way. Tannehill, who posted a career-best 93.5 passer rating in 2016, is returning from a left knee injury that’s caused him to miss Miami’s last 20 games, including playoffs.
But accompanying Tannehill as 30-something projected starters are guard Josh Sitton (34), center Daniel Kilgore (30), wide receiver Danny Amendola (32), defensive end Cameron Wake (36) and safety Reshad Jones (30).
Running back Frank Gore (35) and defensive end William Hayes (33) will also be key contributors along with long snapper John Denney (39), who has an important, albeit limited role.
Interestingly, Miami added four of those 30-somethings this offseason among Sitton, Kilgore, Amendola and Gore. And the Dolphins re-signed
Hayes, who was a free agent.
So clearly age isn’t considered much of a factor to Miami in relation to these players’ performances.
But the commonly held perception in pro sports, and especially the NFL, is 30 is the age of delineation. It’s the age where performance starts to decline, years of injuries begin to take a toll, and sometimes football isn’t the top priority.
Miami experienced this recently among players such as defensive end Mario Williams (31), running back Arian Foster (30), linebacker Lawrence Timmons (31) and quarterback Jay Cutler (34). Each of those, for varying reasons, was disappointing in their showing with the Dolphins.
This year’s 30-somethings might be the key to Miami’s season.
Tannehill, of course, leads the offense and generally speaking he’ll need to have a Pro Bowl-type season to spark this unit. But he needs solid performances from Sitton, the four-time Pro Bowl selection, and Daniels up front, and Amendola in the slot. Miami’s offense, 28th in scoring last season at 17.6 points per game, needs all the help it can get. And that includes Gore, a likely future Hall of Fame selection, who will be needed as a solid backup behind
starter Kenyan Drake.
Defensively, Wake is coming off back-to-back double-digit sack seasons and Jones is one year removed from a Pro Bowl berth, so there’s a measure of comfort in their projected performances. They might be the two best players on the team regardless of position. Hayes, valued as a runstuffer, will likely also play defensive tackle, something he did on occasion last season, as Miami tries to compensate for the loss of Ndamukong Suh, so his value is elevated.
Good performances from Tannehill, Wake, Jones, Amendola, Sitton and Daniels won’t guarantee the Dolphins will make the playoffs. But disappointing performances from those players almost guarantees the Dolphins won’t make the playoffs.
Training camp practice schedule: Thursday, July 26 (8:30 a.m.); Friday, July 27 (8:30 a.m.); Saturday, July 28 (8:30 a.m.); Sunday, July 29 (8:30 a.m.); Monday, July 30 (8:30 a.m.); Wednesday, Aug. 1 (8:30 a.m.); Thursday, Aug. 2 (8:30 a.m.); Friday, Aug. 3 (8:30 a.m.); Saturday, Aug. 4 (11 a.m. scrimmage at Hard Rock Stadium); Monday, Aug. 6 (8:30 a.m.); Tuesday, Aug. 7 (8 a.m.); Sunday, Aug. 12 (8:30 a.m.); Monday, Aug. 13 (8:30 a.m.); Tuesday, Aug. 14 (8:30 a.m.)