Miami Dolphins: 5 Players Who Need Monster Seasons
Everyone is looking to the Miami Dolphins to have a big season with the waves they made in the offseason. They’ve regrouped, solidified their troops, and have enough weapons to make a run. Too bad champions of the offseason doesn’t always translate on the field. If Miami wants to succeed this year, here are a few players not named Tua Tagovailoa who could only help their cause by having breakout seasons:
TE – Mike Gesicki
Gesicki has been one of the bright sides of the Miami Dolphins, but he’s also been wildly inconsistent. The flash of brilliance shows up on game days with big plays and big catches, but other times he fades into the background. Having been given the franchise tag, the Dolphins are only borrowing Gesicki for the season. If he wants that long-term contract he’s gotta prove he’s not the Ferrari you take out once in a while, he’s the Cadillac you show off every day. He can be a flashy player all he wants, but the Dolphins need him to be a gamechanger. With how limited the Dolphins’ offense was, maybe 2022 will be his year.
DB – Noah Igbinoghene
Maybe the Miami Dolphins reached here with Igbinoghene in the first round in 2020. He hasn’t exactly played up to his potential despite having an all-star cast around him. He’s been buried on the depth chart and used sparingly. The problem with Igbinoghene is he has the work ethic and talent, but he’s still green when it comes to the position. Maybe he was a developmental player all along that Miami didn’t want to see slip away, but he has to elevate his game this year or risk being labeled a bust.
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RB – All of Them
It doesn’t matter who the starter is, or if the Dolphins go-to running back by committee. The only way the offense is going to work is balance. Just because the Miami Dolphins have a roster full of talented wide receivers, doesn’t mean that they’ll have their way with defenses. Just ask the Buffalo Bills how that faired for them against the tougher teams in the NFL last year. Teams sat back on passing routes and let Buffalo sling it underneath, but they were held back with an inconsistent run game. Mike McDaniel brings the promise of a hyped-up run game, but if these backs don’t execute it’ll be harder for WRs to make big plays.
WR – Cedrick Wilson
When it comes down to it, defenses are going to key in on Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. In order to take pressure off of those two playmakers, someone else needs to step up and take advantage of their opportunities. Wilson might get enough mismatches to play to his strengths, but he needs to take advantage of every opportunity. He needs to be consistent and prove he’s just as much of a threat as the rest of the WR group. If he can, the plays will open up mismatches for the other two.
OL – Austin Jackson
After bouncing around trying to find his place, it seems the Miami Dolphins will be shifting Jackson back to RT. Miami beefed up their offensive line this offseason with Connor Williams and Terron Armstead, but what they really need is the players, like Jackson, to live up to their potential. There needs to be a point where things just click with these guys and they turn the corner. Too much of their season relies on health and consistency. The Dolphins can’t afford to gamble without a backup plan and they need these investments to start paying off.
Of course, there are the bigger names and playmakers the Miami Dolphins need to step up. If you shuffle past those players and look at who has the potential to be great but hasn’t yet, each of these guys needs to have a breakout season.
Rick ODonnell aka Caveman Rick has many years covering the Miami Dolphins, Sports, and all sorts of movies and television.
