Dolphins viewed as marginally improved by NFL insiders F
or an outside view of the Dolphins roster, we spoke with two longtime NFL front office executives (who requested anonymity) and former NFL scout Matt Williamson (who hosts the “Locked on the NFL” podcast) for some input:
QUARTERBACK
Williamson: “I love Tua [ Ta
govailoa], absolutely phenomenal prospect. They were smart not to fall for a game of chicken and move up to No. 3 in the draft. I wouldn’t rush him but he will play sooner than later. You need to get your franchise quarterback out there once you’re 3-5.”
Executive 1: “It’s a formidable group. But people should remember that Ryan Fitzpatrick never puts together two really good years. With Tua, he’s obviously talented. But besides the injuries, what would concern me a bit is the people he was throwing to at Alabama, the backs and the line he had; he’s not going to get that quality with the Dolphins compared to the competition. I’m still surprised Josh Rosen hasn’t done anything.”
Executive 2: “To me, there’s no question they’ll go with Fitzpatrick. He has years in Chan
Gailey’s system and incumbents have such an advantage with no offseason program. I would play Josh Rosen a lot in preseason to try to trade him.”
RUNNING BACK
Williamson: “Their running backs for the future are still in college. If you are rebuilding, running back is the last piece of the puzzle I would be looking to fill. They got two stopgap guys who run hard with [ Jordan]
Howard and [ Matt] Breida.
They’re adequate there.”
Executive 1: “They’re below average there.”
Executive 2: “That has a chance to be a good group. Howard is a good, physical runner and hopefully his hands improve. Breida is serviceable, a decent rotational guy.” He said there’s no high-end third down back on the roster and that Kalen Bal
lage is far more physically gifted than the production would indicate.
WIDE RECEIVER
Williamson: “I like them; De
Vante Parker and Preston Williams are a very solid outside tandem with size. Preston Williams has first-round traits. Parker played like a first-round receiver last season. I’m not sure who the dynamic slot guy is; there’s no one super shifty.”
Executive 1: “Average group at best. I want to see Parker do this for a second year. Preston Williams can be a legitimate No. 2. The rest are just guys.”
Executive 2: “It’s a solid group, a winning group. I worry about
Albert Wilson and Jakeem Grant; can they stay healthy and productive for 16 games? Wilson has been breaking down. Preston Williams has the ability to be a long-term starter.”
TIGHT END
Williamson: “Mike Gesicki is improving, and they made the right choice not drafting a tight end; it was a bad tight end group. You have another year to see what Gesicki becomes before” 2021.
Executive 1: “Gesicki is essentially a big receiver. Not sure his blocking will ever be good enough, but they didn’t use a lot to block. They can get by there.”
OFFENSIVE LINE
Williamson: “I like Austin
Jackson and Robert Hunt.
Jackson has a lot of upside. Hunt is a big, physical masher. I’m not sure I like Ereck Flowers for $10 million a year, but he’s an upgrade. Probably a wash at center with Ted Karras [replacing] Daniel Kilgore; maybe a slight improvement. They want to be extremely big and physical and bash you, and they’re taking steps.”
Executive 1: “I would be worried about that group for this year. It’s going to take the kids [Jackson, Hunt] time to develop. Where are you going to get the development this year with no OTAs and minicamps?”
Executive 2: “OK group, not great. I’m not a big Ereck Flowers guy. Mental toughness is the question for me with him; maybe he’s benefitted from experience and learned.
“Austin Jackson has a lot of tools, and for the next five years, I really like that pick. But to put him or Robert Hunt out there opening day without an offseason [on-field] program is a lot to ask for a rookie. I’m a Jesse
Davis fan. You can win with guys like that. He’s adequate if you keep him at tackle. Not ideal, but adequate. You have the luxury of time with Hunt; big, strong, powerful guy. Going from Kilgore to Karras is a wash.”
DEFENSIVE LINE
Williamson: “The defensive ends [ Emmanuel Ogbah, Shaq Lawson] are place holders. They’re not very dynamic, but they’re very physical — which is a trend with this team — and they’re good against the run. It’s a bunch of Robins, not Batmans. The defensive tackles [ Christian Wilkins, Davon Godchaux, Raekwon Davis, Zach Sieler] are a good young group; the arrow is pointing up.”
Executive 1: “That’s a formidable group. Ogbah and Lawson are good two good signings. It will be interesting what Davis can do; he was highly touted but didn’t have a great year [at Alabama]. Wilkins is a load.”
Executive 2: “They’re decent. With Ogbah and Lawson, neither has been great, but they’re tough, versatile guys. I like Ogbah better; he’s been the more consistent guy. Shaq has been hurt, but it says something that his college position coach wanted him.” (That’s Dolphins defensive line coach Marion Hobby, who coached Lawson at Clemson.)
“I’m comfortable with their defensive tackles, if Raekwon Davis works out. It’s a good group. Davon Godchaux is good enough [to start at nose tackle] on a good team if you don’t overload him. You need to rotate him” with a comparable player.
LINEBACKER
Williamson: “There’s versatility there but there’s no dynamic sideline to sideline guy. I like
Kyle Van Noy but he’s not super fast; he’s more a line of scrimmage run stuffer than someone who’s going to cover a lot of ground on the second level. Je
rome Baker is promising [but you want to see more].”
He isn’t sure what Miami can get from Elandon Roberts or
Kamu Grugier-Hill, and Raekwon McMillan remains a rundown only player. “They might need to address this next year.”
Executive 1: “I know they paid Van Noy a lot, and he will help, but the rest are all average or slightly above average players.”
Executive 2: “I like Van Noy; the rest of the guys are OK. Raekwon is a solid two-down player. Jerome Baker is a B player; he can run and he has the most athleticism of the group but I don’t think he’s ever going to be a Pro Bowl guy. Roberts and Grugier-Hill are backups and
special teams players.”
CORNERBACKS
Williamson: “That’s obviously the strength of the team, and they have the players to play man-to-man.” He said he likes the Noah Igbinoghene pick because “the first round was about getting high value premium positions — corner, left tackle. So you might as well build on a strength, which they did.”
Executive 1: “That’s the part of their team which is playoff-caliber.”
Executive 2: “That’s obviously a really good group. I think Igbinoghene has a really good chance to start opening day [in nickel packages with Xavien
Howard and Byron Jones].”
SAFETIES
Williamson: “Pedestrian group. I know [ Eric] Rowe played well, and maybe a guy emerges [among Bobby McCain, Adrian Colbert, Kavon Frazier, Brandon Jones]. Not sure there’s a No. 1 in that group.”
Executive 1: “Average group.” He questioned whether Rowe/ McCain will be strong enough against the run.
Executive 2: Going with converted corners Rowe and McCain, “there are parts of it I like, the idea of having as many corners on the field as possible. You could say they’re [vulnerable] against the run [with two corners at safety], but nobody is going to be patient enough to keep running the ball. McCain is a really good nickel; I would put him back at corner.”
OVERALL
Williamson: “I would put their over/under at 51⁄ [wins] because the Jets and Bills have gotten better. But they have a very good plan and a good coach, and they have their quarterback. They’re ahead of schedule” in the rebuild.
Executive 1: “Maybe they get to six wins. To me, they haven’t improved much offensively keeping in mind that the young tackles need time to develop. They’re a little better at running back.”
Executive 2: He said he sees this a six-win team, maybe seven.