Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Kelly: Flores gets help with defense
Dolphins’ makeover gives Flores the tools he needs to make defense respectable
The Miami Dolphins were terrible on defense last season.
The unit that coach Brian Flores’ specializes in couldn’t stop the run, or pressure the quarterback. It failed to cover elite receivers and tight ends downfield, allowing a leaguehigh 39 passing touchdowns, and didn’t create many turnovers (only the Raiders and Chargers had fewer).
There wasn’t one aspect of the game Flores’ hybrid defense excelled in, which explains why the unit got a massive makeover this offseason via free agency and the NFL draft.
In this second part of a two-part series, we examine who the projected starters are on defense, which young defensive players need the biggest investment, dissect who the long shots are to make the 53-man regular-season roster, and project what problems each unit
might face in 2020.
Defensive line
Projected starters: Shaq Lawson and Emmanuel Ogbah, two freeagent signees, will likely start at end for the Dolphins, and Davon Godchaux and Christian Wilkins will serve as starting defensive tackles for a second straight season unless Raekwon Davis, this year’s third-round draft pick, beats one of them out.
The future: All four of Miami’s starting defensive linemen are in their early to late 20s, which means the Dolphins have a solid nucleus on the defensive line if everyone performs at a high level. And the addition of Davis, Jason Strowbridge and Curtis Weaver in the draft gives Miami a solid second-unit, if the rookies turn out to be decent.
Roster long shot: Avery Moss started eight of the 11 games he played last season, but only contributed 25 tackles. He’ll need to have a strong camp to remain the run-down specialist at defensive end.
The breakdown: Miami has worked to build a defensive front that fits Flores’ hybrid scheme better. To achieve this Miami put a lot of faith in Ogbah and Lawson to fix last season’s problems. Ogbah was a full-time starter during his first three seasons in Cleveland, but his best season was his rookie year (53 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 16 quarterback hits). Lawson was only a starter for one of the four seasons he spent in Buffalo, so expect growing pains.
The problem: The Dolphins were bad last season when it came to stopping the run, allowing 135 rushing yards per game (ranked 27th), and pressuring opposing quarterbacks (1.4 sacks per game, which
was last in the NFL). The hope is that Lawson and Ogbah are better edge setters, and pass rushers than what Miami had last season. If they stay at their previous production pace, Lawson and Ogbah will collectively contribute 11 sacks in 2020, which means the Dolphins will need more sack production from their defensive tackles, linebackers and safeties.
Linebacker
Projected starters: Kyle Van Noy was signed as a free agent because his diverse skill set makes him the perfect piece to allow Miami’s hybrid defense to become fluid. He’ll likely be paired with Jerome Baker as the other every-down linebacker, and Vince Biegel, Raekwon McMillan, Elandon Roberts, Andrew Van Ginkel and Trent Harris will likely compete for numerous linebacker roles.
The future: Baker, Biegel, McMillan and Van Ginkel are all young linebackers who haven’t reached their full potential. It is possible that each could turn the volume up on their contributions when they become more comfortable in Miami’s scheme. However, McMillan is entering the final year of his rookie contract and there is a possibility the former Ohio State standout could be phased out of Miami’s plans if his pass coverage doesn’t improve.
Roster long shot: Former CFL standout Sam Eguavoen began last year as a starter, but his struggles led to his demotion in the middle of the season. The addition of Elandon Roberts and Kamu Grugier-Hill means Eguavoen will need to cement himself as a special teams standout to extend his South Florida stay.
The breakdown: The Dolphins will need linebackers to serve as pressure players, and cover specialists to make Flores’ hybrid defense work at an optimal level. It helps that Van Noy can do it all — rush the quarterback, drop back into coverage, stuff the run — but the Dolphins need Baker, Biegel, McMillan and Van Ginkel to become more impactful if Miami intends on having a top-10 defense this season.
The problem: The Dolphins don’t have a linebacker who can sniff out run plays quickly enough to make tackles behind, or at the line of scrimmage. Without that type of linebacker, this defense might continue to get pushed around, and that would be problematic when Miami’s trailing in games and needs to get the ball back in a timely fashion.
Cornerback
Projected starters: Xavien Howard and Byron Jones should provide the Dolphins one of the NFL’s best cornerback duos. Both have the skill set to shadow the opposition’s best receiver. Jones is a physical press specialist, and when healthy Howard has been a ball-hawk, pulling down 12 interceptions in 40 games.
The future: Nik Needham, an undrafted player from UTEP, had an impressive rookie season, contributing 54 tackles, two interceptions and forcing two fumbles in the 12 games he played in 2019. He was one of Miami’s pleasant surprises last season, and needs to pick up where he left off. The Dolphins also selected former Auburn standout Noah Igbinoghene with the 30th pick in the 2020 draft, and he has the makeup and skill set to become a starter once the game starts to slow down.
Roster long shot: Cordrea Tankersley, the Dolphins 2017 third-round pick, last played meaningful snaps on defense three years ago. He has been fighting back from a knee injury that has cost him nearly two seasons, and its hard to envision him making Miami’s 53-man roster.
The breakdown: The Dolphins have a ton of cornerbacks, but very little depth established behind Howard and Jones. Only playing time solves that problem, so it will be interesting to see how the youngsters evolve in time.
The problem: The Dolphins have plenty of athletes who can manage the boundary cornerback role, but few have established themselves as respectable nickel cornerbacks, and that’s a problem considering that position is on the field for 700-800 snaps a season. Jamal Perry played the nickel role last season, but will likely have competition from Needham, Igbinoghene, or one of the former cornerbacks turned into safeties.
Safety
Projected starters: Bobby McCain and Eric Rowe, two cornerbacks who transitioned to safety last season, should be viewed as the front-runners to start at free and strong safety because of their experience level, and understanding of Miami’s defense.
The future: Brandon Jones, the former Texas standout the Dolphins selected in the third round of April’s draft, has the intelligence and physicality needed to be an NFL starter. However, there is usually a learning curve for safeties that requires some patience.
Roster long shot: Steven Parker started four of the 14 games he played for Miami after being claimed off the waiver wire early last season. He’ll need to contribute more than last year’s 20 tackles and two interceptions to extend his South Florida stay.
The breakdown: The Dolphins will be embarking on the second season of McCain and Rowe’s conversion from cornerback to safety, and the jury is still out on how well the transition is going because neither can be viewed as physical players. Adrian Colbert can be developed more, and free-agent additions Clayton Fejedelem and Kavon Frazier should be solid role players if they survive the final roster trimming.
The problem: Cutting Reshad Jones, who had been a reliable starter and consistent big play maker for a decade, means the Dolphins could lack the type of impact player — sacks, interceptions, forced fumbles, fumble recovers and interceptions returned for scores — Jones was know for being. Someone must step up and serve as a hammer in Miami’s secondary, creating a presence in the defensive backfield offenses must identify before each snap.