Who has chance for breakout season?
Spotlight will fall on Drake, Parker, Harris and the quarterbacks
Can Kenyan Drake finally be an every-down running back, capable of rushing for 1,000 yards?
Will DeVante Parker stay healthy and be a major receiving threat for new quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen in the passing game?
Can Charles Harris benefit from a change in scheme under new coach Brian Flores and elevate his game as the Dolphins are relatively thin at the defensive end position?
Questions like these remain for most of the players returning to the Dolphins roster and a few newcomers for the 2019 season. Whether each player is able to make progress toward reaching their potential could be instrumental to their futures in Miami during the Dolphins’ rebuild moving forward.
The Dolphins hope Drake, who led Miami with 1,012 yards from scrimmage last year, can be a threat in the running game and catching passes out of the backfield to fuel the offense. Drake, who is entering his fourth season, could also have the incentive of being in a contract year.
Flores and his coaching staff have praised the offseason work by Parker and Harris, and will likely continue to do so throughout the season, in order to help their confidence and inspire better play.
Along with Harris, who will be returning to a 3-4 defense that turned him into Miami’s firstround pick in 2017, the Dolphins hope to overcome their deficiencies on the defensive line behind defensive tackles Vincent Taylor, Akeem Spence, rookie Christian Wilkins and newcomer Tank Carradine, while newcomers Nate Orchard and Adolphus
With the NFL season fast approaching, the South Florida Sun Sentinel takes a look at 10 storylines to watch for in a 10-part series ahead of the Dolphins’ first day of training camp on Thursday.
Washington could make a difference as edge rushers.
Behind the defensive line, the Dolphins have two of their more well-equipped units on defense.
Third-year linebacker Raekwon McMillan and second-year standout Jerome Baker could make another stride in their second seasons together as starters alongside sevenyear veteran Kiko Alonso. Miami will also need some contributions from newcomers like CFL veteran Sam Eguavoen and rookie Andrew Van Ginkel.
In the secondary, newcomers and former New England Patriots who worked directly with Flores in Eric Rowe and Jomal Wiltz hope to earn playing time opposite Xavien Howard as a starting cornerback — a role Torry McTyer, Cornell Armstrong and Cordrea Tankersley have shared in recent years. That group of players hope to join Miami’s secondary core of Howard, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Reshad Jones, T.J. McDonald and Bobby McCain.
Offensively, Miami’s group of receivers behind Parker like Kenny Stills, Albert Wilson and Jakeem Grant lack overall size, but offer dynamic playmaking ability.
The Dolphins need Wilson (hip) and Grant (left foot) to return to form following season-ending injuries, while Stills needs to acclimate himself as a slot receiver while remaining one of the best-downfield threats in the NFL.
Undrafted rookie receiver Preston Williams, who had 96 catches for 1,345 yards with 14 touchdowns last year at Colorado State, could also compete for a roster spot.
Behind starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil, the Dolphins hope three-year veteran Jesse Davis can make the transition from right guard back to right tackle, which he played in college.
Still, Tunsil and Davis remain as the only returning starters on the offensive line which needs a new left guard, new center and new right guard.
Tight end may be the biggest question mark on the Dolphins roster outside of quarterback, where second-year players Mike Gesicki and Durham Smythe will compete with veterans Dwayne Allen, Nick O’Leary and Clive Walford for playing time.
The Dolphins will surely have some roster turnover during the season due to injuries, but the contributions from these players at their position groups could determine how much progress occurs during the first year of Miami’s extensive rebuild under Flores and general manager Chris Grier.