Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Dolphins think they are in position
A year ago the Miami Dolphins traded down in the first round of the NFL draft, sending their No. 8 pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for their No. 13 selection, as part of a deal to acquire linebacker Kiko Alonso and cornerback Byron Maxwell.
Having picked up a pair of veteran starters, the Dolphins weren’t pressured to select a linebacker or cornerback with their first pick, and ended up getting a starting guard/ tackle in Laremy Tunsil who unexpectedly fell to Miami.
Similar moves were made this offseason and the Dolphins think they might be in a better situation entering Thursday’s first round of the draft than they were a year ago.
“Some of the things we did earlier in the offseason were designed to give us the most flexibility heading into [the] draft,” Dolphins executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum said.
The Dolphins still have needs entering the draft — defensive end, defensive tackle and linebacker probably top the list.
But it could be argued moves such as re-signing guard Jermon Bushrod, signing guard Ted Larsen, re-signing defensive end Andre Branch, trading for defensive end William Hayes, signing linebacker Lawrence Timmons, trading for tight end Julius Thomas, signing tight end Anthony Fasano, re-signing wide receiver Kenny Stills, and acquiring safeties Nate Allen and T.J. McDonald give the Dolphins a plausible
NFL starter at every position.
Here’s how things could stack up on both sides of the ball:
Offense — Quarterback Ryan Tannehill; running back Jay Ajayi; tight end Julius Thomas; wide receivers Stills, Jarvis Landry and DeVante Parker; right tackle Ja’Wuan James; right guard Bushrod; center Mike Pouncey; left guard Larsen; and left tackle Tunsil
Defense — Ends Cameron Wake and Andre Branch; tackles Ndamukong Suh and Jordan Phillips; linebackers Timmons, Alonso and Donald Butler; cornerbacks Maxwell and Xavien Howard; and safeties Reshad Jones and Allen
One example of the Dolphins’ pre-draft preparation can be seen at guard, a major concern for years. The Dolphins have Bushrod and Larsen in the fold as starters, and have the option of getting an upgrade in the draft.
“One of the things we tried to do proactively is we re-signed Bushrod and signed Ted Larsen,” Tannenbaum said. “We wanted to add depth to that position, and if the right player, including offensive line [comes up in the first round], we would consider it.
“But adding those two guys before the draft was important to us.”
Another concern for the past couple of years has been linebacker. But adding Timmons, the hard-hitting free agent from Pittsburgh, and extending Alonso’s contract helps.
“Now you’ve got a couple of search-and-destroy guys, which is a big deal because they set the tone for your defense,” said NFL Network analyst Charles Davis.
And restructuring Koa Misi’s contract adds depth and a possible starter to the unit.
The Dolphins addressed their tight end losses of Jordan Cameron (retirement) and Dion Sims (left for Chicago in free agency) with Thomas and Fasano.
The Dolphins might have had the need for a speedy wide receiver, but they managed to keep Stills, who had a career-best nine touchdowns last season.
“Getting Stills back is a big deal,” Davis said.
At safety, the Dolphins return Jones, re-signed Michael Thomas and added Allen and McDonald, who must serve an eight-game suspension to start the season.
Throughout the process of filling out a starting lineup during the offseason the Dolphins avoided highpriced free agents such as Suh or wide receiver Mike Wallace, the big-name prizes of past free agent classes.
The Dolphins think their offseason moves grant them the freedom, especially in the first round, to pursue the “Best Player Available” on their draft board as opposed to drafting by need.
A number of starting positions could be tweaked or an upgraded, but the Dolphins hope their offseason moves allow them the freedom to stick to their philosophy of drafting the best talent available, regardless of position.
General manager Chris Grier offered an example.
“You always hear you can always find offensive linemen all throughout, guards especially, in the draft,” Grier said. “I think if you pass up on [former Dallas Hall of Fame guard] Larry Allen sitting there in the second round or something because you think you’ll get him later, that’s a huge mistake.”
Pouncey walking with cane
Dolphins center Mike Pouncey has been using a cane to walk for months, but pictures taken of him outside Aaron Hernandez’s private memorial service raise concern about his lingering hip injury.
Pouncey, who missed all but five games last season because of the injury, was spotted outside of Hernandez’s funeral walking with the assistance of a cane. Pouncey and Hernandez, who committed suicide while in prison last week, were close friends and college roommates at the University of Florida.
According to an NFL source, Pouncey, who has missed 19 games the past four seasons because of injuries, has used a cane or crutches regularly to assist the hip’s healing. Pouncey has been rehabbing at the team’s facility, and participated in the Dolphins’ first organized team activity session last week.
Pouncey has had both hips surgically repaired more than once since the 2014 season, and he did not undergo another surgical procedure after being shut down back in November.
Despite Pouncey using a cane, the Dolphins are confident that he will be healthy for the start of the 2017 season. The team says Pouncey is on schedule to participate in training camp, which begins in late July.