The last 12 months have been a whirlwind in Miami. The team started last season 1-7, before winning seven straight games and ending up at 9-8. It felt like a solid season, but the front office decided to move on from head coach Brian Flores, who subsequently accused owner Stephen Ross of trying to tank the team. Ross was later suspended for tampering, with the Dolphins also losing a 2023 first round pick. This team has already had a season’s worth of drama without stepping on the field.
Offseason additions and losses
Few teams can match Miami’s improvements this offseason. Watching them in 2021 it was evident that they needed to do a better job of building around Tua Tagovailoa, and they did just that. It started with the acquisition of one of the best left tackles in football in the form of Terron Armstead on a five-year, $75 million deal. Just two days later they pulled off one of the biggest trades of the year, acquiring Tyreek Hill from the Chiefs in exchange for five draft picks.
These moves understandably made all of the headlines, but there were some interesting signings that went under the radar. They picked up Connor Williams on a two-year $14 million deal from Dallas, providing a significant upgrade along the interior of their offensive line. They also acquired Williams’ former Cowboys teammate Cedrick Wilson to become their WR3. Running back was another big area of need addressed, with the likes of Chase Edmonds, Raheem Mostert, and Sony Michel all landing in Miami.
2022 NFL Draft
| Pick | Player |
| 3.102 | Channing Tindall – LB, Georgia |
| 4.125 | Erik Ezukanma – WR, Texas Tech |
| 7.224 | Cameron Goode – LB, California |
| 7.247 | Skylar Thompson – QB, Kansas State |
The Tyreek Hill trade left Miami with remarkably little draft capital to work with and their four selections were the fewest of any team in this draft. That said, they did do a very good job with what they had. Channing Tindall was excellent at Georgia and should have gone much higher in the draft. Ezukanma offers a complementary skillset to Hill and Waddle, with great ball tracking and contested catch ability.
Offense
Whilst Brian Flores brought some steel to the Dolphins’ defense, their offense has struggled to click in recent years. This failure and the lack of top level play from Tua Tagovailoa was no doubt a big factor in the decision to bring in Mike McDaniel as their new head coach this offseason. McDaniel headed up one of the league’s most potent offenses in San Francisco and he didn’t waste any time in adding talent to the Dolphins’ roster, landing one of the league’s best tackles in Terron Armstead and one of the game’s most dynamic receivers in Tyreek Hill.
Though the synergy has perhaps been overstated at this point, there is reason to believe that McDaniel can get the best out of Tua. He might not have the strongest arm, but he is a good quick game thrower who is comfortable running play action. Both of these are key ingredients of McDaniel’s offense. In 2021, Tua ranked 10th in PFF grades on play action dropbacks. McDaniel will ask his quarterback to test defenses horizontally rather than vertically, with an emphasis on yards after catch. In Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle he has two of the best YAC weapons in the business.
All of the pieces are seemingly in place for the Dolphins to succeed in 2021. With new receivers, a revamped backfield, and an improved offensive line, there are no more excuses for Tua. He needs to take the step up in 2022, and the Dolphins success, or lack thereof, will hinge on whether he does improve. Tua ranked just 32nd in big-time throw rate in 2021, behind the likes of Tyrod Taylor and his new backup, Teddy Bridgewater. Both he and the Dolphins cannot afford for that to be the case again in 2022.
Defense
The one reliable aspect of the Dolphins franchise over the last few seasons has been their defense. Under Brian Flores they established a reputation for their man-heavy approach and deployment of exotic blitz packages. That is no doubt part of the reason that Mike McDaniel made the rare move to keep much of Miami’s defensive staff in place. Josh Boyer will be in his third year as the team’s defensive coordinator, and the bulk of their positional coaches have remained in post.
There is plenty of talent on the field too. In Xavien Howard and Byron Jones they have a very good cornerback tandem, with both capable of playing sticky man coverage and blanketing opposing receivers. Perhaps the most exciting player will be Jevon Holland, entering his second year in the NFL. Holland was one of the best safeties in the league as a rookie, and expectations are understandably high entering 2022.
The big question facing the unit next season is whether they can replicate the performances of previous seasons without Brian Flores at the helm. Like his mentor Bill Belichick, Flores took a very active role in the defensive side of the ball despite being a head coach, and was the architect of their success. Whether or not Josh Boyer is capable of replicating this on his own remains to be seen.
Prediction
Predicting the Dolphins’ performance in 2022 comes down to how confident you are about Tua taking the next step. All of the pieces are in place around him on offense and he finally has an offensive-minded head coach. If everything hits this is a team that could certainly churn out double digit wins. In reality, a repeat of last season’s 9-8 finish feels more likely.
