While we are less than a week into free agency, most Miami Dolphins fans are expecting a big splash to push Miami into the contender category of the league. This idea that Miami can throw money at all the top free agents and expect results in the coming year is inspired by other teams going all-in with their roster. But is Miami in a position to go all-in like other teams?
Realistically, Miami is on year 3 of their rebuild with the following facts surrounding the rebuild.
• Miami didn’t put faith in their quarterback right away, leaving to questions if Tua Tagovailoa is their guy.
• Miami is introducing a new coaching staff and scheme midway through this rebuild, essentially going in a different direction with Mike McDaniel.
• Miami has spent a lot of draft pick capital on a team that has underperformed. They have to evaluate if they missed on some of these picks or if the previous regime did not attempt to develop these prospects properly.
Miami still doesn’t know what they have with the talent they have. The hiring of Mike McDaniel is intended to find that answer and then point the Miami Dolphins in the direction the team needs to go. With these facts in mind, it’s hard to justify spending money on premium free agents in an attempt to contend.
There is a huge question that Miami has to check off before they consider locking up expensive talent.
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AN OFFENSIVE IDENTITY
We assume that Mike McDaniel will install a heavy running game/screen game as he did in San Francisco. However, Miami isn’t the same team that San Francisco is personnel-wise. The 49’ers had Deebo Samuel, a multi versatile weapon, George Kittle, an elite pass-catching and run blocking tight end, and a solid offensive line that could impose their will on the defensive line to create holes for the running game. Their scheme in San Francisco was possible due to their personnel.
That doesn’t mean he can’t install a running/ screen game, but it might not be the focal of the offense as we saw in San Francisco. Jaylen Waddle, Cedric Wilson Jr, Devante Parker, Mike Gesicki, and Preston Williams offer a vertical threat. With Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert in the backfield, there is a potential that defenses may not know what’s coming their way. They have to respect the weapons on the outside, respect the screen game and the run. Theoretically, teams have to respect all three elements of the offense. They cannot stack the box/ overwhelm the offensive line with extensive pressure due to Miami’s possibilities and weapons compared to previous years.
Once Mike McDaniel decides what Miami’s identity is, Miami can consider adding another star/ big signing that fits the scheme as necessary. Miami isn’t as close as, “let’s dump all of our cap into all the stars available to push us over the edge,” but they aren’t “we need to fill holes everywhere” either.
