It has been a crazy few days, hasn’t it? So many mind-blowing trades and free agency signing one is left wondering where do the Dolphins stand after one week? The short answer is it is too early to say. But one thing is for sure, many of the AFC teams are adding pieces that make them playoff contenders, and that might be problematic for the Dolphins. AFC WEST in a short time became the best division in football, with all four teams having legitimate chances at competing for a title. Miami Dolphins’ divisional rival, Buffalo, is also filling their roster with elite talent. So what have the Dolphins done so far to combat their AFC opponents?

For starters, they signed/re-signed nineteen players in the last two weeks.

As for the defense, the theme seems to be to “bring the band back together.” They have brought Emmanuel Ogbah, Nik Needham, Duke Riley, Elandon Roberts, Brennan Scarlett, Sheldrick Redwine, Elijah Campbell, and Sam Eguavoen back. While the Dolphins had the ninth-ranked defense last year, one is left wondering how much involvement Brian Flores had in the game plan. Conflicting reports state that after the one and seven starts Flores took over and turned the unit around. It is also worth noting that the Dolphins faced subpar competition in the second part of the year. In any case, the past is the past, and returning defensive coordinator, Josh Boyer figures to try and replicate the success of his players from the 2021 season.

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The Dolphins’ approach seems to be different on offense. The team has signed seven new additions, franchise-tagged tight end Mike Gesecki, and re-signed wide receiver Preston Williams to a one-year prove-it deal. The strategy seems to bring faces that fit Mike McDaniel’s outside zone run offense. Running backs Chase Edmonds, and Raheem Mostert is the perfect fit for the crime. However, both have durability issues. New wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. will be primarily used in the slot, allowing for Jaylen Waddle to be moved on the outside. However, Wilson was the fourth-best receiver on the Dallas Cowboys, which poses a question about his future productivity. 

So far, the sole offensive line addition is ex Dallas Cowboys guard Connor Williams. While he is an instant upgrade at the position, he was very inconsistent in 2021 and had a league-leading 11 holding penalties. There should undoubtedly be more additions on the line. Still, based on previous comments from Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins would most likely try and coach the current group up, which features the likes of Liam Eichenberg, Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt and Michael Dieter, amongst others. 

Tight end Mike Gesecki got the franchise tag. He has been one of the most productive offensive players since his arrival in 2018, but many questions are raised about his pass blocking abilities and whether he fits the new system.

It is essential to say that it’s still early in the process, and the picture is incomplete because the Dolphins still have 22 available spots on the 90 man roster. Between that and expected cuts throughout the spring, we can not say how the Miami Dolphins stack against the other AFC teams.Â