We are approximately one month away from Training camp, and I for one, am more excited about this Dolphin team than I have been in quite a long time. I understand that all of the critics expect this team to be one of the worst in football, but I do not. I believe this team is going to be at least a 10 win team. Let me explain:
- The quarterback position will be dramatically improved this season. Let’s face it; Jay Cutler was awful last year. He was not a leader, and he flat out did not care about the guys around him. If Ryan Tannehill can stay healthy (crossing my fingers as I write this), the offense will skyrocket this season. His teammates have stated that RT17 is their leader, and he is ready to take that all elusive “Next Step” as a football player.
- Kenyan Drake will be a much better fit for this team than Jay Ajayi. Kenyan is one of the guys on this roster that every time he touches the ball, you believe he can take it to the house. Also, he led the league last year in yards averaged after contact, at 3.4. He is a very exciting back, and with a full year of him being the featured back, the sky is the limit for this kid.
- The Offensive line will be the backbone of this team. The organization made 2 outstanding moves this offseason in landing Daniel Kilgore and Josh Sitton. These 2 guys are going to be much-needed leadership and toughness to that position group. You also bring back Ja’Wuan James, which helps sure up the Right Tackle position. If you can have Laremy Tunsil take a step in the right direction at left tackle, that will help tremendously as well.
- Albert Wilson and Danny Amendola will provide quality depth at the Wide Receiver Position. I hated Amendola while he was in New England (rightfully so), but now that he in Miami, I could not be more excited to have him. He is the perfect guy for RT17 to rely on, and he will have a big year. Wilson is a very intriguing guy for this offense. Adam Gase will look to utilize him all over the field, and with his speed, he can be very dangerous.
- Raekwon McMillan is back and will be a star. This kid has is it all. His teammates rave about his ability to lead, and the coaching staff backs that up as well. If he can stay healthy, he has the chance to be one of the best linebackers this franchise has seen in quite a long time.
- The Miami secondary has a chance to be one of the best in the league. If you look at the cornerback position, you start with Xavien Howard. This kid has what it takes to become a true shutdown corner in this league. You then move onto Bobby McCain, who just got PAID, but rightfully so. McCain showed that he is one of the best slot corners in the league, and that level of play should not diminish going into the season. The team has quality depth in Cordea Tankersley and Tony Lippett (coming back from a season-ending injury). Last, but certainly not least, the safety position. The team pounced on Minkah Fitzpatrick in the 2018 draft, and that was an A+ pick. You pair him with Reshad Jones and T.J. McDonald., and these 3 can cause havoc all over the field.
- Adam Gase will finally show the rest of the league what he can do with a full year of having his Quarterback. Adam worked this offseason to create a new culture in his locker room. Well, mission accomplished! He was able to get rid of previous team leaders (Ndamukong Suh, Mike Pouncey, Jarvis Landry), and replaced them with his guys. This is the first year where you can see what type of team he wants, and he filled the roster with the guys he feels like can get it done. The verdict is out, but I believe it is going to work out.
First some of the reasons you gave as to why the team is a 10+ win team are massive question marks. Do we really know Raekwon McMillian is a beast at LB? Having production from the slot position at WR has not been an issue since before Tannehill was drafted its the outside spots that have plagued this team since Chris Chambers left and has not been filled since. The Offensive line is not a backbone of this team since the 70s. Josh Sitton has missed time with injuries the past 2 season and is only getting older and Daniel Kilgore was up and down in SF is why they traded him so cheap. I get it I am also excited have been since I could walk with the Dolphins my only team ever and will ever be. My reasons they might be a 10 win team are.
1. The secondary with Tank Jones McCain Fitzpatrick are growing in confidence with guys who could make tremendous improvements in McTyer M.Smith and Davis this unit is finally deep and ultra young.
2.The TE position went from old and slow to young and dynamic its a shame Gase ignored the talent he had last year in staying loyal to his friend and guy Julius Thomas who I aptly named The Sloth. Gray can do it all include running it in short yardage situations. A guy who I thought after the London fiasco that could and should of gotten on the field was Thomas Duarte from UCLA he could of gave us that middle field threat he actually got 1st team practice reps with Gase saying he was almost uncoverable by our own defense but never put him on the field. Gesicki Smythe and Derby offer different nuances to the spot and will be interesting to see which 3 make the team or if we keep 4 due to depth and talent.
3. Jakeem Grant I dont think will allow to be held down anymore yes held down and could finally be the outside threat and be our Tyreek Hill if we only use him finally. A guy I am excited about and I pray hard he can stay healthy and blow up in training camp is Francis Owusu all the same traits and talents of Parker with way better work ethic and way better hands than Parker. Owusu paired with Grant outside I think allows Gase to keep Stills in the slot with Amendola and finally gives him the matchup nightmares he has craved since being hired.
4. I think the DT spot is going to be the bright spot in the trenches with Taylor getting a roll finally to stop the run allowing Godchaux and Phillips to disrupt the line of scrimmage which will be the shock of the year since everyone believes DT to be the achilles heel of this defense.
5. This RB corps is probably the best in the league next to the Saints with Drake Gore Ballage and Howell. Drake Gore and Gesicki will finally fix the 3rd down woes of this franchise the past 2 decades all Tannehill has to do is not f*** this up.