Miami Dolphins: Is There Trouble Ahead With Lack Of This Position?

Regarding elite playoff contenders, NFL teams have one thing in common. If you look down the board, each and every team that makes a deep playoff run has a great cast of characters who make big plays on game day but one thing stands out the most between them. Every team who makes a push for the Super Bowl in the postseason all have one thing in common, a top-tier tight end. The Miami Dolphins have a ridiculous amount of talent at the receiver position, but an elite tight end is something they’ve ignored for years.

It’s not just up for opinion, as the proof is in the pudding. Take a look at the career of Tom Brady and how much Rob Gronkowski elevates his game. The same can be said of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. The 49ers had 3 quarterbacks start last year and every single one of them was productive with help from their WR and George Kittle. Time and time again it’s been proven that contenders always have a great tight end in-house.

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If you don’t think TE is a big deal, take a look at the Buffalo Bills. How many times were they playoff contenders with a running back like LeSean McCoy? How great do they look on paper when every WR is performing in a playoff game and Stefon Diggs going off? Their explosive attack is there yet they always seem to fall just short. Granted a coin flip probably cost them their best chance two years ago, but in those tough games, a big TE would really help get the job done. Dawson Knox might be a recognizable name, but he hasn’t moved the needle quite yet.

So why have the Miami Dolphins ignored this position for so long? If Mike Gesicki was their best hope, they did little to give themselves an insurance policy if he wasn’t. Okay, they may have had role players in the mix like Durham Smythe, Adam Shaheen, and Hunter Long but was Gesicki’s job ever in danger to those guys? No, probably not. Even as the Dolphins have moved on from Gesicki they still don’t have an elite replacement. Why is getting the tight end position so hard for them when they’ve struggled at quarterback for years? It would seem having a dump-off guy who can move the chains would be a top priority.

Productivity might not dip for the Dolphins as there are plenty of receiving options. They have a lot of speed on the field so the stat line with rack up with yards, However, at the end of the day, tight ends keep the chains moving and get the ball over the goal line. If Miami can’t fix this position soon, don’t look for them to be competitors any time soon.