So much talent is gone from 2016 playoff team and it’s been an ongoing theme for main stream media to bash the Dolphins one way or another these days. This year’s offseason narrative has all been about the exodus of guys like Ndamukong Suh, Mike Pouncey, and Jarvis Landry. Ajayi was well was traded mid-way through the season last year, but there has been little talk about what improvements have been made to this roster. Not many have mentioned that since Miami traded Ajayi, who was great during that 2016 playoff run, the team got better offensively behind the more versatile Kenyon Drake.
Sure, Mike Pouncey was a pro bowl type player when he was healthy and in the game. Problem was he wasn’t and hasn’t been healthy since 2015. He was still the vocal leader along that line, so that will be missed. The Dolphins though are hopeful that Kilgore who was very good in San Francisco and former pro bowl guard Josh Sitton can pair up and provide veteran leadership and durability on that line.
Now how does one replace 112 catches and nine touchdowns? Well first let’s point out the nine scores were all under ten yards so now tell me that the new guys in Danny Amendola, Albert Wilson, and Mike Gesicki can’t combine for nine touchdowns? That’s more about Adam Gase and the offensive scheme that it was about Juice going up and making a catch. Cutler was just force feeding him last year much like Tannehill did his first few years but during that playoff run Landry started seeing fewer targets.
So, for the departure of Suh, yes, he was a top talent and demanded a lot of attention when he was on the field. You can’t replace that, but the defense didn’t benefit from him being here and his salary was a huge cap killer. Heavy rotation from the guys currently on the roster and hopefully the addition of Robert Quinn will provide a spark in the pass rush. Yes, Miami lost some talent but how the they replaced those guys made the team deeper and stronger.
