Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Berrios analyzes new kickoff rules
New DT Tart clears up his end with Titans
Braxton Berrios may be one of the Miami Dolphins who has possibly the most unique adjustment to make this offseason.
The veteran wide receiver and return specialist, who enters his second season with the Dolphins after once starring for the Miami Hurricanes, is at the heart of the NFL’s biggest rule change in the 2024 offseason as a kick returner.
The changes involve a “landing zone” for kicks between the receiving team’s goal line and 20-yard line, keeps kickoffs at the kicking team’s 35-yard line but brings the remaining 10 players on that side to line up at the opponent’s 40-yard line while the receiving team mostly lines up in a “setup zone” between the 35- and 30-yard lines as a maximum of two returners can be in the landing zone.
“First and foremost, I love it,” said Berrios, who re-signed with Miami for another year this offseason, on Tuesday in a web conference call with reporters. “I think it brings back a really exciting play in the game where it was kind of eliminated the last few years, especially earlier in the season in the warmer conditions. Just been bouncing off each other strategies, what we think might, what we can see happening, what we think is the best way to go about it.
“I think Week 1, that opening kickoff of the season is going to be very interesting, all across the board.”
There’s a lot of uncertainty around the league over how it will play out once teams do it beginning with August’s preseason and then the upcoming regular season in September.
“My best guess is just that, a guess,” Berrios said. “That opening kickoff Week 1, there’s going to be a lot of trial and error. I don’t think we’ll see much in preseason. I think everybody’s going to pop it up and let your cover guys cover and see who can block on the return team. Week 1, everyone’s going to think they have the ace of cards up their sleeves.
“The zone is a lot tighter. There’s not as much drops on the kickoff return teams. You’re going to have to get on guys earlier. And the cover team, they’re going to have to make decisions quicker and with way less of a running head start.”
Berrios said he expects holes to open up.
The new kickoff rules resemble those utilized in the UFL and XFL, and Berrios said the Dolphins have studied tape from kickoffs in other leagues.
“That’s obviously the starting point for trying to figure out what’s going to happen,” Berrios said. “Seeing what other teams did, what worked, what didn’t. … One returner, two returners? All those things are questions.”
Berrios was pleased to return to the Dolphins this offseason, even as the team is openly looking to add another talented wideout to its receiving corps.
“Absolutely ecstatic to be back here,” he said. “That was the hope, and I’m really happy that it worked out.”
South Florida return
New Dolphins defensive tackle Teair Tart had his time with the Tennessee Titans come to a sudden end during the 2023 season when he was released.
“I think I just needed a culture change,” Tart said. “I think it was better to just not be part of that situation anymore and me, personally, I felt like I needed a culture change, honestly.”
Tart said he was the one that asked for his release late in the year, to then get picked up for two games with the Houston Texans before becoming a free agent this offseason.
“I never had work ethic questions, work ethic issues until I asked for a release,” Tart said. “You can expect me to be competitive, spirited. I’m not afraid to show emotion out there and really get after it.
“I’m really just excited for a new beginning. Tennessee’s the past.”
Tart returns to South Florida in his fifth professional season after the Philadelphia native stood out at FIU in college.
“The biggest reason why I signed back here is, obviously, a familiar area for me,” he said. “I went to college here, so it’s just really great to be back in a comfortable environment, a family environment.”
Tart says there was no role for him discussed with the Dolphins, but he would have a fair opportunity to play.
He knows he’s going to be in for a hot summer of workouts and then training camp in Miami Gardens before the season.
“I know one thing: You’re going to be in shape,” Tart said, as he recalled just how hot it was at FIU. “I remember the second week of camp, the turf got to like 148 degrees, and the glue started melting on the cleats. You start sliding across. You got to keep spraying ice cold water to keep the glue on the cleats from melting.”
Tart had eight tackles for loss with Tennessee last season in just 350 snaps, a high rate.
“Playing within the scheme and sometimes just taking the opportunity when it presents itself,” Tart said. “You need a lot of nasty to play D-line.”