Scoreboard

Aug 31, 2015

New-look Dolphins swimming for success

This is a make-or-break year for Joe Philbin and his Miami Dolphins. Will a revamped defence led by Ndamukong Suh and a new-look offence with the improving Ryan Tannehill at the helm be enough for a return to the playoffs for the first time since 2008?

Ndamukong Suh

This is a make-or-break year for Joe Philbin and his Miami Dolphins, a team that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2000 or had more than eight wins in the past six seasons. Owner Stephen Ross kept the faith with Philbin and his coaching staff, as well as extending quarterback Ryan Tannehill with a monstrous six-year, $95-million deal and bringing in a number of free agents, including the offseason’s biggest prize in defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

With Tannehill poised for a breakthrough with a new slate of options and an already strong defensive line even better, will this be the year that the Dolphins return to the postseason?

Jarvis Landry
Offence

Notables: QB Ryan Tannehill, WR Jarvis Landry, RB Lamar Miller, WR DeVante Parker, RT Branden Albert

2014 RANK

  • PASS YARDS/GAME
    350.1 (14th)
  • RUSH YARDS/GAME
    117.0 (12th)
  • POINTS/GAME
    24.3 (11th)
Cam Wake
Defence:

DT Ndamukong Suh, DE Cameron Wake, CB Brent Grimes, SS Reshad Jones

2014 STATS

  • PASS YARDS ALLOWED
    222.3 (6th)
  • RUSH YARDS ALLOWED
    121.4 (24th)
  • POINTS ALLOWED
    23.3 (20th)

 

Ryan Tannehill

Offensive Breakdown

Roster Turnover

Fresh off of his new deal, Tannehill has looked primed for a big year throughout the preseason. After bringing his completion percentage up from 60.4 to 66.4 last season and his passer rating from 81.7 to 92.8, the 27-year-old pivot has completed over 80 per cent of his passes in exhibition games.

Jarvis Landry, who caught 84 passes for 758 yards and five touchdowns in his rookie season, has emerged as Tannehill’s favourite target. Small and speedy, Landry has a knack for getting himself open and breaking tackles. If all goes well, the former LSU Tiger shouldn’t have any trouble eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark in his sophomore season.

The Mike Wallace experiment is mercifully over. Never able to live up to the five-year, $60-million deal signed two seasons ago, the wide receiver has been jettisoned to the Minnesota Vikings. In his stead comes Kenny Stills from the New Orleans Saints. The 23 year old can expect more than the 85 attempts that came his way from Drew Brees a season ago (he had 63 receptions for 931 yards).

First-round pick DeVante Parker (14th overall out of Louisville) isn’t expected to be ready for Week 1 after offseason foot surgery. Tall with great hands, if Parker is up to the physical rigours of the pro game, he could be a star for years to come.

Questions remain on the offensive line with left tackle Branden Albert likely out until Week 3 with a knee injury and centre Mike Pouncey slowed by a knee injury of his own. The team hopes right tackle Ja’Wuan James can build upon his impressive rookie campaign.

Running back Lamar Miller has featured heavily in the preseason and an increase in touches should result in the fourth-year back besting the 1,099 yards he recorded a season ago.

Player to Watch: Jordan Cameron

When the Dolphins chose not to match the hefty offer sheet given to tight end Charles Clay by the Buffalo Bills, the team turned to the biggest risk/biggest reward option available in Jordan Cameron. A tall, fast player with good hands, the 27-year-old Cameron is a Pro Bowl talent when healthy, but how often will that be?

 

CAMERON'S INJURY WOES

YEAR GAMES MISSED REASON
2011 8 Hamstring
2012 2 Concussion
2013 1 Concussion
2015 6 Shoulder; concussion

 

Cameron operates in the same area as Landry, but each provides completely different option. If the pair is able to develop a rapport, it could give opposing defences fits. A healthy Jordan Cameron could prove to be one of the steals of free agency. 

 

Brent Grimes

 

Defensive Breakdown

King ‘Kong

The Dolphins made Ndamukong Suh the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history, and the prospect of adding the hulking 28 year old to what was already a fine defensive line is an exciting one. One of football’s most disruptive forces (sometimes to the detriment of his own team), Suh will link up with Pro Bowl DE Cameron Wake, who has averaged over 11 sacks a season over the past five years, and Olivier Vernon, a defensive end in his contract year. The 24-year-old Vernon has recorded 18 sacks over the past two seasons and could be looking at significant money in the offseason.

The biggest beneficiary to Suh’s arrival could be DT Earl Mitchell. In his second year with the Dolphins, Mitchell should find himself freed up when there is double coverage on Suh like he has this preseason.

There are still a number of works in progress for the Dolphins when it comes to the linebacker corps and in the secondary.

It’s probably safe to call DE Dion Jordan a bust. The third-overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft out of Oregon, Jordan will miss the entire season for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy for a third time in just over a year. Kelvin Sheppard has played most of the preseason at ILB and played well, which could force last year’s incumbent, Koa Misi, back to the strong side where he spent 2013. Jelani Jenkins had a fine season last year, but might have already hit his ceiling.

In a secondary anchored by Pro Bowl CB Brent Grimes and safety Reshad Jones, injuries have thrown the rest of the group’s make-up in question. Safety Louis Delmas is out for the season again after tearing his right ACL for a second straight year. Jamar Taylor, the favourite for the other corner job, has been limited in camp by a quadriceps injury. Brice McCain, who could feature at nickel, comes over from the Pittsburgh Steelers and will compete with Zack Bowman (signed from the New York Giants) and Will Davis for the other corner job in Taylor’s absence.

DeVante Parker

Draft Review

With Parker injured for much of his last year at Louisville, he was a bit of a reach at 14th overall, but could prove to be a steal if he can remain healthy. Jamil Douglas has the chance to start at left guard, while Brit Jay Ajayi should slot in behind Miller in the back.
 

2015 DRAFT CLASS

 
ROUND OVERALL SELECTION PLAYER POSITION COLLEGE HEIGHT WEIGHT
1 14 DeVante Parker WR Louisville 6’3 209
2 52 Jordan Phillips DT Oklahoma 6’5 329
4 114 Jamil Douglas OG Arizona State 6’4 305
5 145 Bobby McCain CB Memphis 5’9 195
5 149 Jay Ajayi RB Boise State 6’0 221
5 150 Cedric Thompson S Minnesota 6’0 208
5 156 Tony Lippett WR Michigan State 6’2 192