Miami Dolphins: Offseason Priorities 2023 Edition

The Miami Dolphins had a season to be proud of despite their ups and downs. Even though they didn’t make it out of the first round of the playoffs, they played the Buffalo Bills with about as much heart as a team with a third-string QB against an NFL powerhouse could. If anything the 2022-2023 season proved the Dolphins were just going to roll over at let anyone run away with the division. With that being said, there’s plenty to be fixed in the offseason so let’s dive right in.

Defensive Coordinator

Miami took a big swing in bringing in Mike McDaniel as the head coach tasked with turning the team around. He was an offense guy, and their defense was the team’s strength, leading them to bring back Josh Boyer as defensive coordinator. Injury after injury may have piled up hurting the team’s success but there was a larger issue. It wasn’t that Josh Boyer was a bad defensive coordinator. There were plenty of times he made great halftime adjustments, but that was the problem.

Too often this year, the Miami Dolphins came out flat in the first half and seemed underprepared. With the great effort of the team to never give up, at times they overcame deficits. Unfortunately for Boyer, if the Miami Dolphins want to compete for a Super Bowl, they have to show up in all four quarters which was almost never the case. McDaniel is a scheme guy and complex schemes take preparations and at times over-prepping your guys. You can’t come out flat against elite AFC talent.

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Running back

The Miami Dolphins had an improved rushing attack but their backfield was patchwork at best. They’ve got guys in there who have served their purpose but they need a long-term answer. The NFL might treat running backs like the least important part of an offense but a consistent one can be a game changer. If the Dolphins had a running quarterback it might be different, but they need a guy out of the backfield who can push the defense back on their heels. Someone who wouldn’t allow them to crowd the line as they push for 3-4 yards. They need that back that can push 5-7 yards multiple times in a drive.

Offensive line

Another offseason, another talk about the offensive line. The Dolphins have been trying to address the line for years now and have come up with mixed results. Did the offensive line improve this year? Sure. However, but how many times were their quarterbacks hammered into the dirt and how many injuries did they rack up? Tua Tagovailoa seemed to have turned a corner this year and if he really is their guy as much as they say, they need to do everything in their power to protect their investment. The offense was stale without him, they need him or the next guy safe and under center all 17 games.

The Miami Dolphins might not have made strides in the win column this year, but the progress is there. Now they just need to go out and turn it up a notch, starting with their offseason.