Miami Dolphins: The Offseason They Needed

By now, we’ve all seen who the Miami Dolphins drafted in the 2019 NFL Draft. They passed up a quarterback in the first round to draft a defender. They traded for Josh Rosen after trading down in the second round. They filled positions of need that left everyone wondering if they really were positions of need, double dipping in running back in the second round. Everyone is assumed the Dolphins are tanking this season, but in reality, 2019 might be the season we see start to see it all come together.

Even I wrote “Miami Dolphins: 0-16 Is on the Horizon” based on an already tough schedule, but that’s not to say the ground work hasn’t been laid in 2019. After looking back at their offseason, their draft picks and their undrafted free agents, Miami seems to have a solid look at the future.

First up, the Dolphins did what they rarely do and set up a soft-medium pace to offseason signings, most of their free agents join the team on 1-2 year contracts with minimal money owed. Call it what you will, but these bridge-the-gap type veterans allow the Dolphins to stockpile their cap space while they get the team back on track. These short term deals combined with the lack of household names furthered speculation that the Dolphins were indeed tanking for the 2020 draft.

However, what Miami accomplished here gives a better idea of what the new regime is all about. Yes, they signed a few journeyman vets who never stuck around to matter, but they also went out and got a number of players who have a lot to prove all at once. Expectations will be low, so any over performance will make them out to look like stars. They’ve got the right staff to help bring players along so for young veterans, this could be the turning point in their careers.

Then there was the draft and everyone wants to talk the draft. From Wilkins to the Rosen trade, this will be the new regime’s defining moment in most analysts minds. However, the bulk of this draft will be about what they didn’t do as opposed to what they did. Miami went about their drafted knowing they weren’t going to fix an entire roster in one season. They didn’t trade up to go after their prized possession. They didn’t trade back only to squander picks later on by trading up again. Sitting and waiting for their kind of player whether they were there or not, stuck to the less is more and really allows them to build a solid foundation for next year’s loaded draft class. Miami has always had young talent that they assumed throwing money at star veterans would push these players to get better.

Now, they’ll look for playmakers to step up and stand out and build their foundation around them. Instead of throwing money at free agents to get them over the hump, they’ll throw depth into depleted units so the midseason breakdown doesn’t hit as hard. Depth has been a struggle for the Dolphins for years, by conserving picks and cap space, they’ll be able to adjust for injuries.

Next the Dolphins need to fill a roster, being in the best position to add players via preseason cuts will allow them wiggle room as well. Miami only has 60 or so players on their current roster that allows them to carry up to 90. Now that the second wave of free agency can begin after the draft, even if they split it 50/50 between current free agents and future cuts, they’re in the best position to evaluate needs. They’ll be able to fill holes without cutting the talent they already have and in doing so allows them to focus more on developing players instead of cutting guys to fill other needs. A 50/50 split would give them 12-15 players to add depth right now, and 12-15 players who were bubble cuts from another team, who will be hungry to make a roster so long as they’re available before the 53-man cut down. Competition will be the new regime’s current motivator, but expectations and pressure to perform will be lifted from their shoulders. No one expects the Dolphins to be good this year, and in turn allows players the wiggle room to learn by growth instead of demand.

The Miami Dolphins may or may not perform better than expected, but at least the building blocks are there for future success. No one is putting them as favorites to win the Super Bowl this year, but if all goes well, they can surprise the league with consistent and solid play. Building back to the franchise that had the highest win % in the NFL won’t happen in a year, but we might look back at this season and say this is where it all started.