Miami Dolphins: Already Getting a Jump on Next Season

The Miami Dolphins’ season started full of doubt and disarray and now has progressed into full on hope. After two of the ugliest football games ever played, the Dolphins are finding ways to win football games by any means necessary. Coming off their 0-7 start, the team has improved to 3-9 in the last 5 weeks. In most circles a three-win team isn’t anything to get excited about but it shows the team is developing.

Between players who were written off as busts, players that needed a fresh start, and players that were underdogs the Dolphins are developing talent that can contribute week in and week out. Now that the season is almost over and their roster is getting thinned out by injuries, Miami has turned to the waiver wire to claim not just stop gap players who can give the team the depth to keep going, but players who they might be able to develop going into next season.

This past week alone the Dolphins have signed 6 new players this week, CB Linden Stephens, T Zach Sieler, OL Even Brown, RB Zach Zenner, WR Mack Hollins, and WR Trevor Davis.* It’s not uncommon for teams to claim practice squad players mid-season to fill out the depth chart for injuries, but its not often a team signs so many in a single week and this may all be part of their plan.

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With Miami, the reason the team has turned a corner is the unlikely development of players who have stalled out in most experts eyes. Players like Mike Gesicki who’s only in his second year, and Devante Parker who was center of trade rumors all offseason have made sizable contributions in Miami’s winning formula. But their progress didn’t start when the season did, but rather once

The Dolphins are in an interesting spot both via their cap space and number of draft picks so they’ll be able to bring in a ton of talent in the offseason. However, not all of that talent will be able to come in and make an immediate impact. Bringing in young developing talent towards the end of this season with strengthen the Dolpplayers who have about into the coaching philosophies to show new comers the ropes.

By giving players who weren’t making it on other teams a chance, The Dolphins are furthering player/organization bonds of camaraderie for players who weren’t seen as “good enough” to make contributions to a team with little expectations. And that’s not a slight at the Dolphins as many analysts expected the team to go 0-16 this season. Making mistakes on young and developing team isn’t as scrutinized as when you play as a “Super Bowl favorite” team.

The Miami Dolphins have the benefit of low expectations and high knowledge coaches to develop young talent that will eventually be either the leaders or depth chart stars in their seasons to come. It only makes sense that they add new talent coming up on their weaker portion of their remaining games.