By: Cody Molla (@cmolla1)

The rumors have been swirling for months now and every NFL fan has heard about it. Deshaun Watson to the Miami Dolphins. It has been reported the Dolphins do have an interest in Deshaun Watson. Most teams should have an interest in Watson. Watson was recently ranked the 18^th overall player in the NFL Top 100. Landing him behind five other quarterbacks only. Watsons rank is not a fluke. His skillset places him amongst the best at the position across the NFL. He led the NFL in passing yards last year with 4823 yards. Nearly 100 more yards than Patrick Mahomes. Watson also added over 400 rushing yards and threw for 33 touchdowns to seven interceptions. He single handily won the Texans four games it seemed like. For all the greatness on the field, the major issue right now is his pending allegations with 22 civil lawsuits for sexual misconduct.

The Miami Dolphins current quarterback Tua Tagovailoa just left last week with a rib injury. Surely the Watson talks have picked up steam again. Hence this exact article. The biggest reason the Dolphins haven’t traded for him yet is the asking price. Dolphins team owner Stephen Ross does not involve himself in football operations however he has been reported saying the price is too much, but he does want Grier (Dolphins GM) to find a way to get Watson. Ross has for years wanted to find a franchise quarterback in Miami.

What if they paid the price of three first round and two second round picks? The obvious plus is you have Deshaun Watson. Watson is 26 years old, has four years of starting under his belt, nearly 15,000 passing yards, over 100 touchdowns, and three games of playoff experience. Those three games of playoff experience match the Dolphins total playoff games since 2001. Watson is a great player! The cons of doing this trade are you lose five premium draft picks. The Dolphins have recently been able to acquire those premium picks in recent trades with the Texans. The current football management of the Dolphins cherishes those picks and believes in rebuilding through the draft. The jury is out so far on the result.

Can a team be built that way? There is one current NFL team that is using this model. The LA Rams. With the recent acquisition of Matthew Stafford, the Rams are set to go seven consecutive years without a first round pick. They drafted Goff first overall in 2016 and tentatively have no first round pick till 2024. Goffs rookie year the Rams went 4-12. Made a coaching change in 2017, and have gone 45-22 including this year since. That includes three playoff appearances and a super bowl loss. It is possible to have success even with a player like Jared Goff at quarterback. Watson is way better than Goff. It is not solely based on quarterback however as the Rams have had one of if not the best defensive player in Aaron Donald as an anchor, a good offensive line, and strong defensive play. How would the Dolphins compare? An atrocious offensive line, with key defensive players like Xavien Howard and a strong defense all around.

The Dolphins recently had three first-round picks in the 2020 draft. They drafted Tua, Austin Jackson (OL), and Noah Igbenoghene (DB). As a Dolphins fan, I would trade these three players for Watson right now if Watson was guaranteed to suit up and play right away with no penalty. That’s not the case. Still, giving up these three players and getting Watson could be a great deal. The key here is the three picks are a lot of draft capital, high draft picks do not translate to a great player. Tua has had success so far as the Miami Dolphins quarterback. Austin Jackson is still learning a tough position to play at offensive tackle and has flashed but struggled, Igbenoghene hasn’t really done much of anything in-game and has been inactive for two games starting 2021 as a coach decision. Yes, the Dolphins DBs are deep and loaded but you would want a first round pick to be active on game day in some capacity.

It’s tough to say whether the pros outweigh the cons in this situation. Just because the Dolphins acquire Watson doesn’t make them super bowl bound or even playoff bound. With the given situation at the offensive line, Watson would be doing more running for his life and making insane plays on the run multiple times a drive. The Dolphins have brought in coaches and players specifically for Tua this year. The current build would fit Watson as he is a great player however it would seem a little odd to sell a player you put many chips in the pot for. What message does it send to the team as well? Yes the NFL is a cutthroat business and it’s a what have you done for me now league. However, after making such a big deal about Tua and doing all they have it would send mixed signals to others. It may as well fire up the rest of the locker room too knowing the organization is looking to win and improve.

Ultimately I don’t see a trade in season for Watson happening. The Dolphins will likely wait till the off season to do anything. They will once again have the most cap room of all NFL teams. They can see how this year plays out with Tua and his broken ribs. They also will get to see how the lawsuit develops and if and what punishment the NFL imposes on Watson as well. The legal dilemma adds a wrench to this case and will hold the key to Watsons NFL future. Any team with Watson at quarterback will be at an advantage.

The post Should the Dolphins trade for QB Deshaun Watson? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

It’s here! After getting a taste of NFL football back from the Thursday night game football fans can’t wait for a full NFL Sunday.

One of those games in the late window Sunday is the Dolphins vs Patriots. The Miami Dolphins look to build off a strong 2020 season while the Patriots are a team who struggled last year but has a reloaded roster in an AFC East clash.

This game is full of interesting storylines and a few key matchup’s that will decide this game. For starters, we can focus on the quarterback matchup. The Miami Dolphins are starting Tua Tagovailoa, former Alabama quarterback, in his second season. The Patriots are starting rookie Mac Jones also a former Alabama quarterback. The Dolphins head coach Brian Flores in his third year previously spent 10 seasons as a Patriots assistant and has brought many “Patriot” things to the Dolphins. There are multiple players on each roster who have spent time on the opponent’s team. Even a matchup of twins. Along with all this familiarity comes multiple meetings a year for these two teams who are well acquainted with one another.

The Patriots cut Cam Newton a few weeks ago and named Mac Jones the starter for the regular season. The Patriots drafted Mac Jones in the first round with the 15^th overall pick. Jones will be in for a tough debut as he faces a Dolphins defense that forced the most turnovers in the NFL last season. Led by corner Xavien Howard who picked off 10 passes last season. Mac Jones cast of weapons will include Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Jonnu Smith, and Hunter Henry. The backfield will rotate with players like Damien Harris, JJ Taylor, James White, and Rhamondre Stevenson might even see touches.

A large part of the expert football world is picking the Patriots to win this game because of the quarterbacks for each team. I’m not sure why but many claim Mac Jones is the more stable and experienced quarterback even though Mac Jones has never played a meaningful down of NFL football. Brian Flores will throw the kitchen sink at the rookie. The Dolphins defense will give Mac Jones fits and will be much different than the vanilla defensive schemes Jones saw in the pre-season, often vs backups. People seem to forget the Dolphins won six of nine starts with Tua. Tua outplayed Kyler Murray, Justin Herbert, and lost to the Chiefs by six points in his first season. A season in which he had limited training camp due to a serious hip injury in college. Now, Tua has nine NFL starts under his belt, a full off season with receivers his built chemistry and continuity with, and a playbook he knows. Yes, the Patriots defense is rebuilt from last year but you tell me who is the more “proven” quarterback?

Both of these coaches are defensive-minded and well-versed in scheming. Bill Belichick s one of the best ever. His track record is long and proven and he is one of if not the best game planners in the NFL. Brian Flores is quickly joining this group of good game planning coaches. Flores has created an elite defense and will be ready to cause havoc for the rookie. Last year Flores’s scheme caused problems for rookie Justin Herbert. Herbert was constantly put under pressure and forced into one interception.

In the second meeting last year Tua was successful versus the Belichick scheme. Tua completed 20/26 passes for 145 yards and an interception. He did rush for two touchdowns, as the Dolphins rushed for 250 yards and three touchdowns total. Tua also played this game down his four top receiving weapons. Durham Smythe and Lynn Bowden were the top playmakers for the Fins in this game. Tua will come into this game with a full complement of weapons and look to get them active!

These weapons will be DeVante Parker, rookie Jaylen Waddle, Albert Wilson, Preston Williams, and Mike Gesicki. The running backs included dual-threat Myles Gaskin, Malcolm Brown, and Salvon Ahmed. The Patriots are without corner Stephon Gilmore who is on PUP to start the year. Meaning JC Jackson will likely be locked up with Parker. Parker has had much success vs Gilmore in recent matchups so the one with Jackson will be a key this game. The other key matchup for this Dolphins offense comes from the guys upfront. A unit that struggled last season at times. They are still young and will be tested right away this year. The Patriots added some edge rushers with serious talent. In particular Matthew Judon. Judon will lineup on Tuas blindside. Which may be versus recent acquisition Greg Little. Austin Jackson is currently on the Covid list and may be unable to play for Miami. This would be a blow to the  Miami line and an advantage for Judon and Uche coming off the edge.

The Dolphins game plan will include a lot of ground attack but we will see Tua in an expanded role compared to last year. Look for Gesicki and Waddle to see lots of targets short and in the intermediate area. Parker and Gesicki will see one on one jump ball passes. Tua will get to throw some deep shots this game as well. Something everyone wants to see. The addition of Albert Wilson and Will Fuller V will help all around too however Fuller V is out for this game serving his suspension for PEDs. I expect Tua and the Dolphins to score enough to win this game.

Josh McDaniels will certainly have plays dialed up to help Mac Jones through his first start. I think they keep the game simple with a run first attack and throw a lot off of play-action. The Patriots starting mac Jones is a favor for the Dolphins who probably spent prep time focusing on Cam Newton. The Dolphins struggle with rushing quarterbacks. This will not be a problem with Jones taking snaps. The revolving door of Patriots running backs will surely be in use in this game. Damien Harris is expected to be a breakout this year but JJ Taylor has some juice in him as well. James White will be the passing down back. The two big tight end additions will be Mac Jones main targets along with Meyers. The tight ends will be matchup vs veteran safeties and rookie Jevon Holland. This will be the key matchups.

I see this game playing out tight and close till the end. Both teams will have a strong defense. I give the advantage offensively to the Dolphins. They focused on building around Tua, and they succeeded in getting weapons. The Dolphins also have the best kicker in the NFL which may play an important role late in the game. Look it up if you don’t think Sanders has surpassed Tucker in the recent year. I think the Dolphins win a close game 27-20. Tua throws for 200 yards and two touchdowns. Jaylen Waddle scores in his debut.

Based on the odds Vegas has the game projected 23-20 in favor of New England. I think the Dolphins can beat Mac Jones and their rivals as they look to improve on their 2020 success and make the postseason this year. Two meetings with the Patriots will be critical and this is the first step. An improved Tua and offense combined with a strong defense get the job done.

The post Previewing the Dolphins at Patriots matchup: Who will come out on top? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Cody Molla (@Cmolla1)

Football is back! NFL preseason is wrapping up, NCAA Football is kicking off and soon the real NFL season starts. This 2021 NFL season will feature seven coaches making their head coaching debut in the NFL. Nearly a quarter of the league will be under the new direction on the field. Many of these new guys have previous NFL coordinator experience and coaching experience in the NFL. One in particular however has none. Urban Meyer, new Head Coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Meyer has a historic collegiate coaching career. One of the most prolific coaches in recent history and ever in college football. In 17 seasons Meyer has a record of 187-32. A winning percentage of .853 across a few years at Bowling Green University, University of Utah, University of Florida, and Ohio State University. We all know his success from the last two stops. To summarize his career, he won two BCS titles at Florida, won the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship with Ohio State, became the first coach to lead a BCS non-AQ conference team to a BCS bowl at Utah, coached a Heisman Trophy winner at Florida with Tim Tebow, and coached a number one overall pick in the NFL draft with Alex Smith.

The biggest question is how will his previous college success translate to the NFL and what does it mean for future NFL coaching candidates? Meyer’s success or failure will have an impact on future coaching candidates across the NFL. Meyer is notorious for the spread offense. It’s what he ran at all of his college stops. We know the NFL game is not like the college game. Does Meyer try and force the spread offense as Chip Kelly did in his NFL tenure? Does he adapt to the NFL game? Either way, the Urban Meyer coaching experience will impact how the NFL views coaches purely from the college ranks. We will dive into three coaching candidates from the college ranks that could make the jump to the NFL in a near NFL coaching carousel.

Lincoln Riley ”“ Oklahoma

Riley has been a head coach for four years in his young career. He took over as head coach at OU in 2017. He has compiled a record of 45-8 good for a .849 winning percentage. In his first three seasons, Riley and the Sooners lost in the semifinal of the college football playoff. Last year was his first bowl win in the Cotton Bowl, it was not part of the college football playoff.

Despite his limited experience as a head coach, his hat was in the ring for becoming the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys prior to the 2020 season. Riley is currently 37 years old. The NFL has not shied away from young coaches and Riley is one of the candidates for a future NFL job. Sean McVay took the Rams to the super bowl at age 33, the youngest age ever for an NFL coach. The Browns recently hired Kevin Stefanski who is 37 as well and went to the playoffs in his first season. The Arizona Cardinals also hired Kingsbury before turning 40 and after having a losing record as a college head coach!

The reason Lincoln has been linked to the Cowboys job was because of his close ties with Jerry Jones. The two got close after Riley had done some recruiting of Jerry’s grandson John Stephen Jones. Besides his connections, Riley has groomed some successful college players who have become bright stars in the NFL. Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray played under Riley at OU. Both of them won the Heisman trophy then became number one overall picks in the NFL draft the next year. Continuing the success at quarterback is Jalen Hurts. Not as much buzz in his NFL game as the other two but he is likely to start for the Eagles in his second year as an NFL player after playing for Riley at Oklahoma to close his college career. The Eagles were also rumored to be interested in Riley going into the coaching search knowing Hurts success with Riley in the past.

For the immediate future, Riley has the Heisman favorite as his quarterback in Spencer Rattler. Another successful college year is ahead for the Sooners and Riley which will likely leave him a top candidate for the NFL in 2022. I doubt he leaves for the NFL in 2022. However, come 2023 and the years after I can see him making the jump to the NFL. He will always be a candidate for the Dallas Cowboys.

Based on what I’ve seen in hard knocks Mike McCarthy is not going to be the head coach much longer. Even with a winning season, it’s Super Bowl or bust for Jerry Jones. If Jerry sees a way to improve the team he will do it, replacing the head coach is very easy for him.

Riley seems to be enjoying his time at OU and will likely want to win a championship before making the jump. Riley is one of the best quarterback coaches in the nation right now and seems to have a knack for coaching players to be successful at that position in the NFL.

Matt Campbell ”“ Iowa State

Campbell was a candidate that intrigued a few NFL franchises in the last hiring season. He reportedly turned down a large offer from the Lions. He was also rumored to be of interest from the New York Jets.

Campbell has never had NFL coaching experience but has been a college head coach since 2011. He was given his first head coach job at the University of Toledo in 2011. He coached there till 2015 and went 35-15. He was the head coach for two bowl game wins, one his first game as the interim head coach in 2011 and one as the official head coach in 2014. In his last two years with the Rockets he was tied for first place in the MAC.

Campbell was named head coach at Iowa State in 2015 and has been there ever since. An impressive season last year included winning the Big 12 conference, a win in the Fiesta Bowl, for a 9-3 season, and a nine by their name to finish the year. Campbell is 35-28 at Iowa State. After struggling his first year the Cyclones have had a winning season every year since.

Campbell is a three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year Winner. He likely plans on being at Iowa St. for some time after turning down the contract from the Lions he signed an extension through 2028 with the Cyclones. I think he will be at Iowa St. until they are the team to beat in the Big 12.

Last year was their breakout season. The roster has lots of young talent that Campbell has recruited to his program and will likely want to see that building of a program pay off. The Cyclones are a strong team and for the next few years Campbell will continue to build his resume at Iowa St. He will also continue to be a candidate in the back of NFL minds. He is likely not willing to make the NFL jump for another year or two but may soon after that.

Jim Harbaugh- Michigan

Harbaugh has had success in the NFL and college ranks as a head coach. His only tenure as an NFL head coach was in 2011-2014 with the 49ers. Harbaughs NFL experience with the 49ers may have ended sour but it was sweet the first three seasons.

The 49ers would make three straight NFC Championships, winning one in 2012 where the lost in the Super Bowl to the Baltimore Ravens. It is impressive that their season ended three straight years to the Super Bowl champs. He compiled a record of 44-19-1 in the regular season and a playoff record of 5-3.

His college head coaching career started back in 2004 at the University of San Diego. At the time a Division One FCS school where he went 29-6 in three seasons.  Following the success at San Diego, he was hired by Stanford.

At Stanford, Harbaugh struggled to win games in 2007 and 2008. The Cardinal finished in 7^th and 6^th in the conference. However, with the emergence of Andrew Luck, Stanford became a conference title contender and finished second in 2009 with an 8-5 overall record then second again in 2010 with a 12-1 record and Orange Bowl win.

From Stanford, he made the jump to the NFL. After the NFL he returned to coach at his alma mater The University of Michigan. Hired in 2015, Big Blue was expected to compete for national championships. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been that way for Harbaugh. Harbaugh has only won one of five bowl games. The lone win was a Citrus Bowl victory in 2015.

Harbaugh has been average at Michigan. Never making a conference title game appearance and an 0-5 record vs rival Ohio State. We all thought the program at Michigan would explode onto the scene yet it has yet to detonate and even flare. Three ten win seasons and four times finishing in the top 20 rankings isn’t good enough in these circumstances. A rather disappointing 2020 season left Harbaughs status in the air.

With many NFL jobs opened up the return was widely thought to happen. Jim comes with a fiery, combative, and demanding personality. Because of this, he rubs people the wrong way and his stays at his previous stops have been cut short. Is this something NFL executives are holding against him?

His football knowledge and experience certainly qualify him as a head coach candidate for NFL teams. I think a bounce back year at Michigan would be satisfying enough for Jim. He certainly would love to do it to make Paul Finebaum eat his words and keep quiet.

Harbaugh is a name we hear every coach search season I think he finally returns back to the NFL after this year. He has a wide range of connections from his own NFL playing days, his coaching days, and his brother. It would be cool to see the brothers square off in another Super Bowl down the line!

Honorable Mention  

PJ Fleck- Minnesota

Luke Fickell- Cincinnati

Pat Fitzgerald- Northwestern

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By: Cody Molla (@Cmolla1)

Far removed from dominating the division in the 70s and early 80s the Dolphins have won 4 division titles since 1985, and only two since 2000. The franchise and fans have their eyes focused on winning a division title and making a splash in the postseason. There is hype and expectations for the Miami Dolphins coming off a 10-6 season last year. Improvement is expected all around, and with that improvement do they win the AFC East?

The hype for this year comes off a strong 2020 season and strong offseason. However, the Dolphins aren’t the only team improved within the division. The Buffalo Bills return their core from last season that played in the AFC Championship game. The New England Patriots return players on defense that opted out of last season and have returned their quarterback for a second straight year who is more comfortable in his position within the offense. The New York Jets are completely turned over and though they don’t pose a threat to win the division in anyone’s eyes, they do have a chance to spoil someone’s season.

The biggest factor in winning the AFC East for the Miami Dolphins is to win their divisional games. Last year the Dolphins went 3-3 in the six division games. They swept the Jets, split with New England, and were swept by Buffalo. The Bills in perspective went 6-0. Winning division games is like winning two games in the standings, not only does it directly give you a game up on your rivals but it gives you tie-breakers which may play a role in deciding a competitive division winner. Yes! The AFC East is now a competitive division. The Patriots are no longer a juggernaut and three teams have playoff expectations placed on them.

To be division winners the Miami Dolphins will need to be 4-2 minimum in the six division games. More likely than not a record of 3-1 in games versus the Bills and Patriots would be necessary as well. This will be tested early in the season as their first two games are with New England and Buffalo.

These rivalry games will be competitive and a handful of key plays need to be made to seal the wins. Last year in a tight opener vs the Patriots the defense failed to stop Cam Newton and the Patriots run game. The Dolphins have the tools to do so this time around and score points to put New England away. As they did in the second meeting last year.

The first Bills game was completive but the Dolphins failed to contain the big pass plays from Josh Allen to his receivers. Part of this was an injured secondary that improved as the season went on. A slow start to the season this year will likely lead to the Dolphins failing to win the division again. A fast start and improved play is expected and will be key to winning the 2021 division crown.

After one game of 2021 preseason, the national narrative on Tua has piggybacked on their 2020 takes. In the preseason opener, Tagovailoa finished with a stat line of 8-11, 99 yards, and one interception. Tua played in three possessions in the first quarter and got the Dolphins inside the red zone twice on his final two drives. After having a full offseason knowledge of the playbook I saw an improved Tua in limited action. For those who didn’t watch the game and only saw the highlights you likely saw the big reception to Gesicki for 50 yards and the interception that drew large criticism. Yes, the interception was a poor decision. Whenever you throw a bit off rhythm late over the middle in the NFL bad things happen. What would the narrative be if that pass was completed for a touchdown?

What you didn’t see shown in all those highlights was a three and out to start the game, due to a dropped first down on a good corner route ball thrown by Tua that should’ve extended the drive. On the next two drives, Tua showed confidence, aggressive throws, and a handle on the playbook. These are all things he lacked in his rookie season. Tua has now had a full offseason, shown health from the hip injury, and an improved arsenal of weapons.

The Dolphins focused on making improvements around Tua and giving him weapons. Another reason I think Tua’s game is improved enough to win the division is that not all the offensive starters played in the preseason game. Tua defendants will tell you about the lack of weapons last year and how he was throwing to fringe NFL receivers. He did a lot of that in this preseason game and his improvements were noticeable.

Tua is a Drew Brees prototype of quarterback more than the playmaking strong-arm type like Mahomes, Rodgers, and Watson to some effect. Tua’s strengths are being accurate, on rhythm, and hitting receivers in stride allowing them to make the plays with their athleticism. He is not going to throw passes that travel 60 plus yards in the air downfield and cross body. The offense is built around Tua and it has the ability to score points as well as move down the field efficiently and often. Tua is the focus and key for the Dolphins offensive success and a division title.

On the other side of the ball, a huge part of the defense has officially been returned. After requesting a trade last month, All-Pro CB Xavien Howard and the Miami Dolphins came to an agreement on a restructured contract. Howard is coming off the best season in his career thus far and although 10 interceptions is hard to replicate I expect another strong season from X-man. The key will be health. Since coming into the league in 2016 he has 22 interceptions, the second-most in that span. He trails Marcus Peters by one despite playing 19 fewer games in that span. He has missed many games due to knee and ankle injuries.

With Howard, the Dolphins secondary is set up to be one of the best across the NFL. Playing opposite Howard is Byron Jones, who is a top 15 corner in his own right and could be a top 10 layer at his position. Along with the two highly regarded outside corners is a talented slot corner in Justin Coleman who is making his dolphin debut this year, upcoming player Noah Igbinoghene, rookie Jevon Holland, veterans Eric Rowe, Jason McCourty, and fellow youngsters in Nik Needham and Brandon Jones. The backend of the Dolphins defense is solid.

The third focus for the Dolphins winning the division is line play on both sides of the ball. The offensive line is the bigger focus. The preseason game versus the Bears didn’t show improvement on the offensive line. In fact, it prompted a trade for another offensive lineman. The Dolphins traded for Greg Little to seek another quality player. The offensive line struggled to protect Tua and open up running lanes consistently last year. Without an offensive line, it doesn’t matter what skill players you have. Look at the Chiefs superbowl performance. I don’t expect the offensive line to be one of the worst in the league but a slight improvement in all the young players will be a huge dividend. How much they’ve learned and improved needs to be seen.  

On defense, the line needs to create pressure and get to the quarterback more consistently. With the good coverage if the pressure gets home early and often the Dolphins defense will have a lot of turnovers and spend limited time on the field. First-round pick Jaelen Phillips was brought in to help with this area of concern.

The Dolphins return to a division title is in sight. A lot of the load falls on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. I believe Tua’s improvement from year one will surprise a lot of people and the addition of playmakers will help this offense a lot. With a strong defense and potent offense, the Dolphins have the capability of winning 12 games. The first two will be the tone setters and the pivotal ones to earn the title of AFC East Champ.

The post Why the Dolphins can really win the AFC East appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Cody Molla

Believe it or not, the NFL season is under two months away from the kickoff of its “Biggest Season Ever”. This is the motto the NFL is marketing as we approach the 2021 season that is newly expanded to 17 games this year. This expansion follows the NFL expanding the playoff field last season to seven teams per conference. As a result of the playoff expansion for the first time in the Wild Card era a team finished with 10 wins and was in eighth place in their conference. That team was the Miami Dolphins.

Surprising the league and fans all around the Miami Dolphins under then second-year head coach, Brian Flores and a two-quarterback system fell a game short of the playoffs last season. 2020 was a major bright spot for the Miami Dolphins who have been in a rebuild. They found something with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa despite his benchings down the stretch. Myles Gaskin emerged as a serviceable back for the offense along with emerging pass catchers in Mike Gesicki and the continued improvement of DeVante Parker. The strength of the team last season was the defense. Performing as a top defense all year really kept the Dolphins in games and won games with big turnovers and scores.

Heading into 2021 the Miami Dolphins needed to improve the offense. The Dolphins off-season was focused on building around Tua. They added a speedy deep threat in Will Fuller via free agency. Fuller bolsters the receiving core and adds a playmaker which they lacked last year. The Dolphins added some veterans to their offensive line in free agency as well. Adding Matt Skura who has played guard and center for the Ravens, as well as tackle DJ Fluker who played for Baltimore in 2020. Other offensive free agents include running back Malcolm Brown for depth and Jacoby Brissett who is a seasoned veteran backup quarterback. Losing Fitzpatrick Brissett is a solid addition. He has shown the ability to win games when given the opportunity. He also will have familiarity with the coaching staff from his early days in New England.

The offensive additions continued in the NFL Draft. With the sixth overall pick, Miami reunited former Crimson Tide teammate of Tua with wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. Waddle missed most of his last season at Bama after suffering an ankle injury. Over his college career, he caught 106 passes for 1999 yards and 17 touchdowns. Waddle is an explosive impact player. He has sub 4.4 40 speed. He can play inside and outside, his hands and physicality allow him to win 50-50 balls even at 5’10 180 pounds.

The Dolphins also used one of their early-round picks on a tackle. Liam Eichenberg out of Notre Dame is better in the run game than pass protection but will likely see reps throughout his rookie season. The Dolphins also drafted a tackle in the seventh round in Larnel Coleman. Coleman is going to need to be coached up but will likely spend a majority of his rookie year developing.

Other skill players drafted include TE Hunter Long. Mike Gesicki broke out last year but the Dolphins added another offensive threat at the tight end position. The Dolphins also addressed the running back position with Gerrid Doaks in the seventh round. Doaks is a big back, bruiser running style from Cincinnati. Doaks also showed some good things in pass protection last year as Cincinnati was one of the better group of five schools last year.

The changes in offensive coaching will help this offense improve as well. Chan Gailey is no longer the OC and instead, there will be a tandem at OC between George Godsey and Eric Studesville. Both have much NFL coaching experience and will look to excel in new roles. Dolphins also have a new QB coach in Charlie Frye. Frye has a good connection with Tua and was his coach and mentor back when Tua attended the Elite 11 Quarterback camp. These moves will help Tua and the Dolphins offensive development as a whole.

It’s no secret the offensive success hinges on the quarterback. There are big expectations for Tua this year going into his second year. He won his first three starts in the NFL and finished his first year 6-3 overall. As a Dolphins fan, it was clear the play calls were basic when he was in the game last year. Tua explains why here, in this piece from Adam Beasley, Podcast: Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa’s candid comments | Miami Herald. Tua has been healthy throughout this offseason and will be able to fully develop his game and knowledge of the offense. This work is already showing as he has been excellent throughout the first week of training camp.

For all the improvement the Dolphins made on offense the defense needs to match their production last year. It may look gloomy on the outside right now for that as the Dolphins star CB Xavien Howard has publically expressed demanding a trade. Howard pulled down 10 interceptions last year, covered the best receiver on opposing offenses, and was named a First Team All Pro last season. That is a massive piece to the Dolphins defense. If Howard is no longer a Dolphin Miami will have Byron Jones and Noah Igbinoghene as the starting CBs.

Igbinoghene struggled as a rookie last season in limited action. However, he has elite speed and size. He has developed well going into his second year and will be needed with or without Howard this season. Noah will have a key role in returning the Dolphins to a top defense. Still, in transition from a receiver and good athlete to a true corner, this year is a big step in his development. He is potentially playing behind one of the top corner duos in the league and will need to play the slot. The Slot corner position was also addressed in free agency with former Seahawk Justin Coleman.

The Dolphins identity in 2020 was on defense. They finished as the sixth best scoring defense despite giving up 56 in the final week of the season. The Dolphins standout defensive play started in the secondary. Howard, new addition Byron Jones played CB 2, and veterans Eric Rowe, Bobby McCain, and rookie Brandon Jones contributed with playmaking in the secondary. The linebackers played the run very well with Elandon Roberts playing inside with Jerome Baker. Baker struggled at times in coverage and covering gaps in the run but it was passable play. The edge rushers didn’t get home at an elite rate but when they did convert their pressures into sacks turnovers were created. The combination of Van Ginkel, Ogbah, Van Noy, and Lawson forced nine fumbles on 25 sacks. The other key defensive stat was Miami was the best third-down team on defense allowing just over 31% conversions.

Miami spent two top picks on the defense. They used their own first round pick on edge rusher Jaelan Phillips. Phillips is a disruptive, explosive player from the University of Miami. Phillips gave up football in 2018 but he returned to “The U” and rebuilt himself. He has a high motor and the Dolphins need his pass rush and disruptiveness to succeed again.

The other high pick on the defensive side of the ball is safety Jevon Holland from the University of Oregon. Holland will replace McCain likely who was released. Holland plays aggressive and attacks. His versatility is also a plus and something Flores likes in his defense. Holland can play in the box and play the run as well as contest catches and cover.

The Dolphins also traded Shaq Lawson and in return received Bernardrick McKinney. McKinney missed a lot of last season with a shoulder injury but has proven his ability to play inside linebacker as a pro bowler in 2018. McKinney shores up the inside linebacker position and his versatility will replace the loss of Van Noy and Lawson.

If Miami can keep up the solid third-down defense, limit the big plays which they were among the league’s worst in 2020, and increase the pressure on quarterbacks the league’s best defense is attainable. This all starts with creating pressure. Wilkins and Davis on the interior line played well. Davis played the run well but didn’t create many pressures. Wilkins was the opposite, creating pressure but lacking in-run defense. A better balance and consistency from these two will anchor the defense.

Another key defender will be rookie Jaelen Phillips. The pass rush is the key to keeping this defense strong. They can cover! The coverage will get even better as the pass rush improves and the secondary can get more turnovers on rushed passes and attack the ball if they are covering for three to four seconds rather than five to six per play.

One of the most improved defenses in 2020 offers a lot of room for improvement in 2021 and will play a monster role in getting the Dolphins to the post season in 2021.

Dolphin’s fans are ready to get over the hump and end the playoff win drought that’s currently existed since the 2000 NFL season. Since the 2000 Wildcard round win the Dolphins have lost four straight playoff games. The next round in 2000, and loses in wildcard weekend in 2001, 2008, and 2016. With some bias, the drought ends this year.

Taking a look at the schedule the Dolphins opponents have a combined record of 128-144 in 2020. This .471 winning percentage is tied for the fifth lowest. This schedule is based on playing a second place schedule and having matchups with the NFC South. I am not a big fan of predicting records solely on last year’s opponent’s records as a lot of things change in the NFL. Players return from injury and new injuries arrive, Players move teams, coaches, and schemes also change.

Looking at the schedule, 2021 Miami Dolphins Schedule | FBSchedules.com the Dolphins will face a few playoff contenders early and the schedule eases up as we approach December. For the second straight year the Dolphins first two games are identical.

Opening at New England versus division rival Patriots and following that with a home game vs another division rival in the Buffalo Bills. These two games will be very critical. The Patriots are going to be improved from a down year last season. Cam Newton returns at quarterback and the Patriots return players on defense who missed last year via opt-out. The Buffalo Bills swept the Dolphins last season and established themselves as Super Bowl contenders with Josh Allen’s development. The Bills are also favored to win the AFC East. A 0-2 start would not be ideal but that is what happened last year. The loss to the Patriots is one that left them short of the playoffs. There is no need to add motivation to a week one game vs a division rival but that may be an added point by Coach Flores. I see the Dolphins starting 1-0. The next game vs Buffalo will be a tough game. The Dolphins failed to play competitively last year vs the Bills but fall short in a competitive Week 2 game.

The next stretch of games starts at the Las Vegas Raiders the teams matched up for a league-best game last season in which Miami won miraculously. Followed by the Colts, Buccaneers, Jaguars, and Falcons. At this point, the Dolphins will be 4-3. As a fan, I’d like to say 5-2 but I think a loss to the Bucs and Colts is possible.

The next game will close out the series with the Bills. This one will be in Buffalo on Halloween. The Bills Mafia will be rocking and I think another pivotal game here which the Bills win.

From Buffalo, the next five games leading to the bye are home vs Houston, home on TNF vs the Ravens, at the Jets, and two home games vs Carolina and the Giants. A 5-0 stretch here fuels the playoff push and puts the Dolphins at 9-4 heading into the bye.

Following the bye, the Dolphins win at home vs the Jets, lose a Monday night game in New Orleans, losing a tough game vs the Titans, and close out the season with a win at home against New England. This puts the Dolphins at 11-6 and good enough for a wildcard spot in the AFC.

As mentioned before Tua and company end the playoff win drought with a first weekend win and then lose in the divisional round.

This would be bitter-sweet as a fan. I feel the Dolphins do have the potential and capability to make it to a conference championship. I believe Tua can spread the ball around to playmakers, hit the deep pass consistently, and take care of the ball exceptionally well. The defense with or without Howard is good enough to create turnovers, generate more pressure than last season, and can improve on their marks from last year. The NFL season is as unpredictable as any sport. I think the Dolphins window of wins ranges between 9-12. Only time will tell. But I feel confident the Dolphins improve on their 2020 record and win 11 games and a playoff game this season! FinsUP!

The post Predicting the Dolphins Record for 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Miami Dolphins are set to be competitive in 2021 after a 10-6 season last year, an offseason focused on setting up young quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for success and retaining the core of a top defense in the NFL last year. The success of the Dolphins really will depend on the growth in Tua from his rookie year to now. A big reason that a giant step for the Dolphins can be made is the weapons are in place for Tua. Even though Tua had a 6-3 record last year his numbers were not great and the personnel on the field was sub-par by NFL standards. With the addition of Fuller and Waddle to the receiving corps and Hunter Long as a threat, the weapons at Tuas disposal are no longer an excuse.

Who are these weapons? As it is early in the offseason process the Dolphins receiving room is very crowded at the moment. DeVante Parker, Will Fuller V, and Jaylen Waddle are the only true guarantees to be on the final 53 man roster. NFL teams normally carry six wide receivers on the final 53. This leaves Preston Williams, Lynn Bowden Jr., Jakeem Grant, Malcolm Perry, Albert Wilson, Allen Hurns, Robert Foster, and Mack Hollins as the top candidates for the final three wide receiver spots. There is a likelihood more than three make it due to special teams roles and the versatility of Bowden and Perry to play all offensive skill positions.

The Dolphins have a depth at the position and will wait as long as possible to make cuts trades and decisions with this group. Of course, injuries will happen and this will make decisions a bit easier but these aren’t just camp bodies and these veterans know what it takes and means to be on the roster come opening day.

Given perfect health, my picks for the six guys that will be on the active roster for the majority of the season are Parker, Fuller V, Waddle, Williams, Bowden Jr., and Foster.

Allen Hurns and Albert Wilson were both part of the 2019 Dolphins and opted out in 2020. Wilson made plays in 2019 before injuring his hip. Early reports say Wilson is back in good health and looking like a speedy guy who can make guys miss in space. However, the Dolphins save $2.9 million if he is cut and $3.9 million if traded. Hurns enjoyed a hometown return in 2019 however the Dolphins have better options moving into 2021 and will also save just over a million with his departure. Jakeem Grant has been a pro bowl returner and brings excellent speed however his unreliable hands and inconsistent offensive play make him a cut candidate. Dolphins save $4 million trading or cutting Jakeem. Speed needy teams will surely be in the market for Grant. Hollins is also a causality of the talented receiver room after keeping the Fins season alive late in 2020 with heroic catches.

Malcolm Perry’s versatility allows him to make the roster but I believe he will split his time with the running back group. He surely will play both spots and if not on the 53 man roster is a practice squad candidate.

Tuas sophomore season is poised for a breakout. I believe Tua will throw for just over 4000 yards and nearly 30 touchdowns. 12 quarterbacks threw for over 4000 yards in the NFL last year. Tua was drafted to be a top quarterback and being amongst the top in passing yards is not out of reality. Tua racked up 1800 yards in nine starts last year. As we know he wasn’t in the entire game for those starts. With 17 games on the NFL schedule, we will see Tua eclipse the 4000-yard mark.

The leading receiver for the Miami Dolphins will be DeVante Parker. Parker is entering his seventh NFL season. He broke out in 2019 with 72 catches, 1202 yards, and 9 touchdowns. Last year he caught 63 passes for 793 yards and four touchdowns. “Unc” as he is known, has the ability to be the main option in an offense. At 6’3 Parker can jump and win contested 50/50 passes. He is a crafty route runner who can use his frame to get inside on slants and excel on the mid-level routes. Parkers biggest issue in his career has been health. A plethora of lower-body injuries have forced him to play hurt and significantly hurt his production and miss games entirely. When Parker is fully healthy, he is tough to cover and can put up big numbers!

As a Dolphins fan when watching the game it’s easy to tell when he’s healthy and when he is hurt. A prime example of what healthy Parker can do is the final regular season game of 2019. A matchup versus the New England Patriots pit Parker with 2019 Defensive Player of the year Stephon Gilmore. Parker torched Gilmore that game and posted eight catches for 137 yards on 11 targets.

With Tua last year the chemistry wasn’t quite there. A whole offseason of work and preparation will help this connection. More weapons in the offense takes less focus off Parker and will give him more one on one matchups in which he excels. I think Parker will eclipse the 1000 yard mark for the second time in his career and finish with 7 touchdowns.

An entirely healthy season for Parker is unlikely. He played through injuries for the first time last year and I expect he will play in 15 games this year. Parker will catch 83 passes for 1,100 and 7 touchdowns.

In terms of fantasy football, Parker will be a solid number two receiver who can be had at a decent value. Many people will likely pass on him thinking Fuller V and Waddle will be the flashier picks. Parker also somewhat burned fantasy players last year after his big year so recency bias will be a factor as well.

The new free agent splash for the Miami Dolphins is Will Fuller V. The Dolphins signed Fuller to a one year $10.6 million contract. Fuller was a first round pick back in 2016. Spent his first five NFL seasons with the Houston Texans.

Fuller is coming off a career year in 2020. Before being suspended for PEDs Fuller totaled 53 catches, 879 yards, and 8 touchdowns. Playing only in 11 games Fuller tallied career highs in catches, yards, and touchdowns. Fuller was handed a six game suspension. It will carry over into 2021 for the opening week.

Fuller is a big play threat with big time speed. The knock on Fuller is injuries. Never having played a full seasons schedule in his career he signed this contract looking to prove 2020 wasn’t a fluke. He wants to prove his health and production to the rest of the NFL.

Fuller can truly stretch the field as he had the sixth-best yards per reception last year at 16.6. Until last year Fuller played alongside one of the NFL’s best receivers in De’Andre Hopkins. Sans Hopkins, Fuller proved he can be a lead option in the passing game and produce. Combined with Parker, Fuller will see one on one options and be open for homerun plays.

Many people have questioned Tua’s ability to throw the deep ball. This article by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald breaks down some of those questions. Some things to highlight are that Tua was hurt by the highest percentage of deep ball drops across the league. I always think of the Jakeem Grant drop of a 90 yard touchdown vs the Bengals.

Barry also points out the Dolphins inability to create separation which was the worst in the NFL as well. The addition of speed with Fuller and Waddle will allow Tua to hit on more deep throws, which he was successful with at Alabama. The success on throws at Alabama can be credited to the skill of players being among the best in the country but Tua was able to be accurate which he was also in his NFL rookie year.

With Fullers one game suspension he is set to play 16 games. I don’t think he will be fully healthy for all of them. I think Fuller will improve his career numbers but by a slim margin. Fuller playing 14-15 games will catch 80 passes for 900 yards and 6 touchdowns. Fuller and Parker will be a solid duo and complementary to one another. Fuller stretches the field while Parker takes up the intermediate.

The other big addition to this Dolphins offense is top pick in 2021, Jaylen Waddle. Waddle is another playmaker with elite speed. Scouts have given the Tyreek Hill comp. Others have linked him to Tyler Lockett. Both productive speedy playmakers in the NFL.

Waddle is set to see lots of snaps as a rookie. He can play inside and outside. Despite missing a lot of his final collegiate season due to injury Waddle was selected sixth overall. Waddle showed his elite speed and playmaking ability over his career at Alabama.

Waddle will have familiarity with his quarterback as both were Crimson Tide contributors in 2019. This familiarity is sure to allow for success and has expectations for Waddle immediately in his NFL career. In a trio with Fuller and Parker, Waddle if left as an afterthought will cause problems for defenses.

Waddle’s ability is legit. He could ultimately be the most talented receiver on the roster with his ability to score from anywhere on the field, outrun the defense, play physical and play make. Waddle comes from a group of receivers including Jeudy, Ruggs, and Smith from Alabama. Some think he is the fastest out of all of them. The point is the talent is true and the upside is very intriguing.

I think Waddle will be used in a variety of roles his rookie year including receiver, return man, and wildcat option. In terms of receiving numbers, I see 700 yards on 60 catches and four touchdowns for Waddle in his rookie year. With health a concern for Parker and Fuller Waddle could see a lot more playing time and feature as the main pass catcher. I think Waddle will have a slow start to the season but be a valuable option from the midseason point on.

In terms of fantasy football, Waddle is a flex and wide receiver three until proven otherwise for redraft leagues. If Waddle does have the slow start don’t panic if you drafted him. If you didn’t draft him and someone is antsy to move him, acquire him if you need help and he could be a difference maker. In dynasty leagues, if you have Waddle you are holding all the way through this rookie season and hoping he turns into a Tyreek Hill.

The fourth receiver for the Dolphins will be Preston Williams. I love Preston Williams as a fan. The third year receiver stands at 6’5 218 lbs. He hasn’t played past week 8 in his short career due to injuries. Theme for Dolphins receivers. But, Preston has the ability to make plays and produce in his role. Williams biggest concern outside of health is consistency catching the ball. Williams easily could have a handful more touchdowns to his career numbers but has just dropped passes. His athleticism coming into 2021 following his injuries has yet to be seen but Williams is a Brandon Marshall type of player.

Getting injured on a touchdown grab versus the Cardinals last year ended Williams season. 2020 saw Preston average 16 yards per catch with totals of 18 catches, 288 yards, and four touchdowns. The lack of ability at the receiver position put Williams as the wide receiver two heading into 2020. Before getting hurt he showed the most chemistry with Tua. He will likely serve as a reserve to an outside receiver position moving forward.

This means a season high in snap count Week 1 if healthy due to Fullers suspension. As a primary substitute for the outside Williams should catch 40 balls for 450 yards and 3 touchdowns. Preston could see a few goal line fades given his size. But he needs to show he can catch the ball much more consistently to earn snaps in this offense. The depth of the position is greater and moving into his third year will need to bring that chemistry he had with Tua from 2020 to a higher level to see a starter’s role.

The fifth receiver that will contribute to the offense is Lynn Bowden Jr. Bowden a former college quarterback out of necessity at the University of Kentucky showed some juice in his rookie year with the Miami Dolphins. Drafted 80^th overall in 2020 by the Raiders, Bowden was traded to Miami where he led the team in receiving for a few games down the stretch.

Bowden can make guys miss and can play all over the field. He had 28 catches for 211 yards in 2020. He caught over five passes in three of the final four games last season including a team high 82 yards versus the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 14, where the Dolphins lost by six.

Bowden is likely to be a gadget player who is used in the slot and wildcat on offense. His production will be limited but it will be slightly greater than his rookie year. Not sure if it all comes in the receiving game but he should catch 25 passes for 250 yards or so. I expect more touches to come via reverses and sweeps. Maybe he converts some touch passes for big gains or even scores. Bowden shouldn’t be a fantasy option unless injuries pile up and he is needed like last season.

The final receiver on the roster is a sleeper pick to make the roster. Robert Foster will be more of a special teams player than an offensive choice. Foster has produced as a receiver in the NFL though. In his rookie season in 2018, he caught 27 passes for 541 yards and three touchdowns. With a yards per catch of 20 yards, Foster was able to use his 4.1 speed to cash in on big plays. Since then Foster has just five catches for over 100 yards.

The reason he makes the team is his speed and his Alabama connection. Foster was a senior at Alabama during Tuas freshman year. Foster was not a feature receiver at ”˜Bama and often worked with the second team offense. Do you know who else worked with the second team offense? Tua! Splitting time with Hurts, Tua threw balls to Foster and that connection will pay off as Foster gets the final receiver spot for 2021. Minimal production from Foster but he could catch a handful of passes and see some deep ball targets with his speed.

The Dolphins have significantly improved the receiving options. We didn’t include the tight ends in this piece but it should be noted Gesicki will see a lot of targets and yards along with Hunter Long. Both are big pass catchers who can mismatch with linebackers and win underneath as the speed takes the top off the defense.

Expect Parker, Fuller V, and Waddle to see the bulk of passes and have very good seasons as Tua eclipses 4000 yards and completes over 350 passes. These three guys should be fantasy football options every week when healthy. If these guys have injuries the secondary receivers could be in line for spot starts as flex players and produce. We’ve seen Tua have success with Bowden and Williams in limited options.  

A full off season, a greater understanding of the playbook, and momentum from 2020 with no question of relief from Fitzpatrick sets Tua and the Dolphins offense up to become a successful passing attack and one to watch heading into 2021.

The post Early Expectations For The Miami Dolphins WRs in 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Believe it or not, the NFL regular season is 15 weeks away. There is still a lot of roster movement to be expected but the key players are likely on their 2021 teams. With the draft behind us and the schedule released many have tossed their hat into the ring on upcoming predictions. As we all know “Any Given Sunday” is real and predicting the NFL season is chaos. Look back at the 2020 season when the Jaguars won the opening week of the season vs the Colts as proof.

One of the 2020 breakout teams was the Miami Dolphins. Could they emerge as a top AFC contender this year? Under Brian Flores in his second year, the Dolphins improved greatly from 5-11 to 10-6 and barely missing the playoffs. Many will remember the season for the QB swapping in game of then rookie Tua Tagovailoa and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Ryan Fitzpatrick would close out games late in the season and bring the Dolphins back in deficits and or close games out offensively. The game that sticks out the most is Week 16, 26-25 win against the Raiders where Fitzpatrick threw up a prayer to Mack Hollins while getting his facemask pulled. Patrick Mahomes called it “the greatest no look pass of all time”.

The Dolphins started the season 1-3 and brought Tua in to start after six games where he was a year removed of a career threatening hip injury and saw limited work in OTAs and the offseason due to injury and Covid. Flores showed he can lead the team and behind solid defensive play and the Dolphins found themselves on the door of the playoffs. The Dolphins made improvements to the offense this offseason and kept a strong core on defense.

This is a strong foundation moving into 2021. The Miami Dolphins will look to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016 and be a contender in the AFC. Could they even earn a one seed heading into the NFL playoffs? Most sportsbooks currently have the Dolphins from +1400 to +1600 to win the AFC. Which is currently tied with the Patriots for the fifth best odds. For comparison, the AFC favorites are the Chiefs around +250 and the AFC East rival Bills at +600. The oddsmakers do see the Fins as potential dark horse candidates to top the AFC.

Why should you bet the Dolphins to do so? They have a leader in Brian Flores. Flores won four super bowls in his time with New England. Combined with Chris Grier, the GM the Dolphins have built a roster in a “Patriots style”. Meaning players that can play multiple positions defensively. Guys that play their role. Not too flashy and guys that play football.

The changes in offensive coaching will help this offense improve as well. Chan Gailey is no longer the OC and instead, there will be a tandem at OC between George Godsey and Eric Studesville. Both have much NFL coaching experience and will look to excel in new roles. Dolphins also have a new QB coach in Charlie Frye. Frye has a good connection with Tua and was his coach and mentor back when Tua attended the Elite 11 Quarterback camp. These moves will help Tua and the Dolphins offensive development as a whole.

It’s no secret the offensive success hinges on the quarterback. There are expectations for Tua this year going into his second year. He won his first three starts in the NFL and finished his first year 6-3 overall. As mentioned before that was with little prep preseason and a lack of knowledge of the playbook. Last week in OTAs, Tua mentioned the play calling last year and the situation from the huddle to the line of scrimmage pre play last year. As a Dolphins fan, it was clear the play calls were basic when he was in the game. Tua explains why here, in this piece from Adam Beasley.

The Dolphins off season was focused on building around Tua. The added a speedy deep threat in Will Fuller via free agency. Fuller bolsters the receiving core and adds a playmaker which they lacked last year. The Dolphins added some veterans to their offensive line in free agency as well. Adding Matt Skura who has played guard and center for the Ravens, as well as tackle DJ Fluker who played for Baltimore in 2020. Other offensive free agents include running back Malcolm Brown for depth and Jacoby Brissett who is a seasoned veteran backup quarterback. Losing Fitzpatrick Brissett is a solid addition. He has shown the ability to win games when given the opportunity. He also will have familiarity with the coaching staff from his early days in New England.

The offensive additions continued in the NFL Draft. With the sixth overall pick, Miami reunited former Crimson Tide teammate of Tua with wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. Waddle missed most of his last season at Bama after suffering an ankle injury. Over his college career, he caught 106 passes for 1999 yards and 17 touchdowns. Waddle is an explosive impact player. He has sub 4.4 40 speed. He can play inside and outside, his hands and physicality allow him to win 50-50 balls even at 5’10 180 pounds.

The Dolphins also used one of their early round picks on a tackle. Liam Eichenberg out of Notre Dame is better in the run game than pass protection but will likely see reps throughout his rookie season. The Dolphins also drafted a tackle in the seventh round in Larnel Coleman. Coleman is going to need to be coached up but will likely spend a majority of his rookie year developing.

Other skill players drafted include TE Hunter Long. Mike Gesicki brokeout last year but the Dolphins added another offensive threat at the tight end position. I told you “Patriots like roster” We all know the dominance of Gronkowski and Hernandez together could we see a new TE duo run the AFC? The Dolphins finally addressed the running back position with Gerrid Doaks in the seventh round. Doaks is a big back, bruiser running style from Cincinnati. Doaks also showed some good things in pass protection last year as Cincinnati was one of the better group of five schools last year.

What is returning offensively for the Dolphins? The offensive line returns its young core which played average at best in their best games and below average in a lot of spots. They were inconsistent but that is expected from a lot of rookies who got valuable experience with Fitzpatrick and from a double digit win season. The three rookies in 2020 Hunt, Jackson, and Kindley all flashed. They will be counted upon this year in combination with Skura as the main core upfront. The line play should improve from last season and needs to be average at worst to win the top seed in the AFC.

We know Tua is playing quarterback when healthy. Tua will protect the ball and deliver it with accuracy. To be the best in the AFC that’s going to require Tua to connect on deep passes, continue to use his mobility to extend plays and convert third downs and just bring confidence to the offense each play.

2020 finished with Myles Gaskin as the lead back in the Dolphins offense. That role is still his as we move into 2021. Gaskin beat out veterans early last year and earned his role. In 10 games last year Gaskin averaged 97 yards from scrimmage. He missed time with a knee issue and Covid. When Gaskin was out Salvon Ahmed stepped up in his role. Ahmed was efficient in his first two games and earned touches throughout the close of the season. Ahmed even eclipsed the 100-yard rush mark to be the first Dolphin to do so in two years in a win versus the Patriots last year.  

The bottom line is the Dolphins see the running back position by committee. Again taking a Patriots approach in using guys in the best role. The additions of Doaks and Brown will likely see the goal line work as bigger backs. The duo of Gaskin and Ahmed will move the ball between the 20s and they can each catch the ball and make guys miss in space. Gaskin will lead the committee and should see the bulk of the work overall. These guys don’t stand out as stars but they are capable of getting the job done. They proved it in 2020.

DeVante Parker broke out in 2019. 2020 was a bit disappointing for Parker who struggled with injuries in the lower extremities as always. Parker has the potential to be a game changer when healthy. Over his career, he’s produced greatly when healthy. He beat 2019 Defensive Player of the Year, Gilmore consistently when healthy. He finished 2020 with 63 catches and nearly 800 yards. His dip in production is also attributed to Tua. Tua didn’t give him the 50-50 balls Fitzpatrick did. Tua also wasn’t aggressive in targeting down the field where Parker ran many of his routes. The familiarity with the playbook and one another will improve Parkers production this year. Paired with Fuller, Waddle, and Gesicki the defense can’t solely focus on DVP. Parker is primed for his best year as a pro if healthy.

Mike Gesicki will be the other focus player as a pass catcher this season. He’s coming off a career year in which he caught 53 passes for 703 yards and six touchdowns. Gesicki is a miss match for Linebackers and safeties with his size. He’s able to box out and win the jump balls and has a massive catch radius. He consistently caught many bad passes and kept drives going. He would have much better touchdown numbers but the Dolphins used a multiple TE look in the red zone and as a unit between Gesicki, Smythe, and Shaheen they caught 11 touchdowns.

The Dolphins offense is set to produce and be better then 2020. The highlighted guys in combination with Malcolm Perry, Jakeem Grant, Lynn Bowden, and Preston Williams can be tough to defend. Perry and Bowden can play any position on offense including quarterback! They will surely get gadget plays that can strike for homeruns at any time. Grant is a speed threat who can get into space and outrun everyone as we’ve seen on special teams. Preston Williams is a sneaky fourth or fifth option on offense. Williams built up chemistry with Tua until he was injured and out for the year. If healthy Preston has the size and speed to be a Brandon Marshall type of player unfortunately inconsistent hands and injuries have plagued him.

To cap of the offense, the Dolphins have an all pro caliber kicker in Jason Sanders. Sanders was truly one of the best kickers in the league last season and it wasn’t a fluke. “$anders” was 8/9 from 50 yards or more last year and didn’t miss an extra point all year.

Moving to the defensive side of the ball the Dolphins had a top 10 defense all around last year. The Dolphins had a Defensive Player of the Year candidate at CB in Xavien Howard. The Dolphins were successful in limiting opponents scoring. They were the sixth-best scoring defense last year averaging 21.1 points allowed. This includes giving up 56 to the Bills in Week 17. The Dolphins standout defensive play started in the secondary. Howard grabbed 10 interceptions, new addition Byron Jones played CB 2, and veterans Eric Rowe, Bobby McCain and rookie Brandon Jones contributed with playmaking in the secondary. The linebackers played the run very well with Elandon Roberts playing inside with Jerome Baker.

Baker struggled at times in coverage and covering gaps in the run but it was passable play. The edge rushers didn’t get home at an elite rate but when they did convert their pressures into sacks turnovers where created. The combination of Van Ginkel, Ogbah, Van Noy, and Lawson forced nine fumbles on 25 sacks. The other key defensive stat was Miami was the best third-down team on defense allowing just over 31% conversions.

Miami spent two top picks on the defense. They used their own first round pick on edge rusher Jaelan Phillips. Phillips is a disruptive, explosive player from the University of Miami. Phillips gave up football in 2018 but he returned to “The U” and rebuilt himself. He has a high motor and the Dolphins need his pass rush and disruptiveness to succeed again.

The other high pick on the defensive side of the ball is safety Jevon Holland from the University of Oregon. Holland will replace McCain likely who was released. Holland plays aggressive and attacks. His versatility is also a plus and something Flores likes in his defense. Holland can play in the box and play the run as well as contest catches and cover.

The Dolphins also traded Shaq Lawson and in return received Bernardrick McKinney. McKinney missed a lot of last season with a shoulder injury but has proven his ability to play inside linebacker as a pro bowler in 2018. McKinney shores up the inside linebacker position and his versatility will replace the loss of Van Noy and Lawson.

If Miami can keep up the solid third down defense, limit the big plays which they were among the leagues worst in in 2020, and increase the pressure on quarterbacks the league’s best defense is attainable. This all starts with creating pressure. Wilkins and Davis on the interior line played well. Davis played the run well but didn’t create many pressures. Wilkins was the opposite, creating pressure but lacking in run defense. A better balance and consistency from these two will anchor the defense.

A player that will play a key role in returning the Dolphins to a top defense will be second year corner Noah Igbinoghene. He saw limited play as the third corner last year. He has elite speed and can play a physical in your face style of coverage but just lacked a feel for corner last year. Still, in transition from a receiver and good athlete to a true corner, this year is a big step in his development. He is playing behind one of the top corner duos in the league and will need to play the slot. The Slot corner position was also addressed in free agency with former Seahawk Justin Coleman.

Another key defender will be rookie Jaelen Phillips. The pass rush is the key to keeping this defense strong. They can cover! The coverage will get even better as the pass rush improves and the secondary can get more turnovers on rushed passes and attack the ball if they are covering for three to four seconds rather than five to six per play.

It takes more than a talented roster to win the AFC. You have to win your games. The schedule currently for the Dolphins doesn’t look greatly difficult by 2020 results. The schedule features the NFC South including defending super bowl champs and the Saints sans Drew Brees. The tough nondivision games inside the AFC will be the Ravens and Colts. For the Dolphins to get the top seed in the AFC they will have to win all those games including a 4-2 at minimum record within the division. I predict the top seed in the AFC will have to win 14 games minimum.

With good health first and foremost the top seed is achievable. A repeat performance from the defense in terms of scoring and efficiency is needed and is achievable with the additions. The key to it all is Tua and the offense. If Tua develops into the superstar quarterback we all thought pre hip injury the weapons are there to put up big numbers and rival the Bills and Chiefs success.

Realistically I don’t see the Dolphins winning the AFCs top seed. However, they will be good and they should improve on their 10 wins from last year and make the playoffs. I’m a lifelong Dolphins fan of 25 years and willing to bet I’ve watched more Dolphins football than 99.5% of the people my age. The Dolphins are close to being the best team in the AFC. If it is this year that will surprise me but not be out of reality. Betting on them is not the Ludacris bet it was barely a year ago. Flores and Grier have the team headed in the right direction. Staying healthy and “Any Given Sunday” you never know. Nonetheless, the Dolphins are poised to be a sleeper to earn the top seed heading into the 2021 playoffs.

The post How the Dolphins can get the Top Seed in the AFC appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Anyone who watched the NFC Championship last year can remember the poor play of Packers cornerback Kevin King. After that performance it was largely assumed by many King had played his final game for the Packers. However, late in March, the Packers and King reached a one year deal. The deal costs the Packers just under two million against the cap but is worth up to six million dollars in incentives and bonuses for King.

The Packers may not have had much of a choice in resigning King when we look into their salary cap situation. They were relatively priced out of grabbing any corners in free agency and a resigning of King was low risk with plans to address the position in the draft. The Packers did take cornerback Eric Stokes with their first round pick.

What can we expect from Kevin King in 2021? He can’t be worse than the last time we saw him on the field right? Right! King is better than that last performance and moving forward he will have a role with the Packers defense as we head into OTAs. The Packers front office has prioritized keeping homegrown talent and believing in these guys to get to the super bowl. King is truly on a prove-it contract this year as he advertises for the future of his career in the NFL.

With the belief of the front office, King has shown when healthy he is a good number two corner. The Packers have a true superstar corner in Jaire Alexander. Alexander is one of if not the best corner in the league.

In 2020, Kings numbers dropped all across the board, games played, pass deflections, and interceptions. He started 11 games for a top ten pass defense last year. Even though the numbers may not pop he was successful within the Packers scheme. In 2019 he played in 15 games and was tied for third in interceptions with five and had 15 pass deflections. King has showed when healthy he can be productive. This will be the first key to having success in 2021.

As a result of his injuries his tackling has suffered, his ball skills suffered and his athleticism suffered. Getting healthy will improve all of these. Not only does health physically show it will help mentally. When you know your body is healthy you play with much more confidence. The ability to play confidently can lead to aggressive play-making. Some of which King will need moving forward. If King can play confident and aggressive his playmaking will appear much more effective in tackling, challenging contested passes, and allow him to be a better athlete. This will all hopefully allow him to return to his average to above average form we saw in his best career season in 2019.

Kevin King will return with familiarity in the defense and perhaps a new game plan and role for him will help him succeed. We know Jaire Alexander will lockdown his side on defense. This leaves King with the opposing teams secondary receivers. King will provide stability at the position for the Packers and comfortability within the scheme will allow King to play without as much thinking. If he went to a new team he’d have to learn all new scheme signals and play style. King may even be tasked with some slot work with the addition of Stokes and given his performance pre-season.

Kevin King is a serviceable cornerback in the NFL. His success is directly related to his health. He’s only played just over 60% of career games since being drafted. He had a good season in 2019 when healthy. In a duo with one of the best corners in the game, King can have success on a good team with a good scheme. King can prove his ability this year and set up the rest of his NFL career.

The post How Kevin King can bounce back from a poor 2020 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Chicago Bears are a storied franchise and have a long history as one of the founding teams in the NFL in 1920. The Bears have accumulated the most wins in NFL history slightly ahead of rival Green Bay Packers founded a year later. These two teams are longtime rivals and have had many battles in the “Black and Blue Division” better known now as the NFC North.

The NFC North as we know it today began in 2002. Since then the Chicago Bears have been named division champions four times, most recently in 2018. Their rival Green Bay Packers have won the North 11 times in that same span. Largely because of superior quarterback play from Favre and Rodgers. Since 2008 when Rodgers became the starter the Packers have really dominated this division including winning the title the last two years.

The Packers NFC North run is now in “Jeopardy!” in relation to the Aaron Rodgers saga. As many know Rodgers has drawn a line in the sand with management and wants things to change. If Rodgers leaves the Packers what does that mean for the NFC North? Do the Bears rise as the frontrunners for this division in the immediate future?

Respectfully we can rule out the Lions. They are in serious rebuild mode and now have downgraded significantly at quarterback going from Stafford to Goff.

The Vikings are in an interesting position. They are projected to win 8.5 games by Vegas oddsmakers. With an extra game in the upcoming season, this means they will be around .500 or so. The offense will be conducted through Kirk Cousins still. Who, if Rodgers leaves, is the best veteran quarterback in the division. Cousins has one playoff appearance and is not the guy the Vikings are paying him to be. Cousins received a massive contract from the Vikings in 2018 and is under contract for two more years. Cousins is 25-21-1 for Minnesota in his career.

Defensively the Vikings were pretty bad last year across all metrics. However, they had some big injuries and a few COVID-19 opt-outs that hampered the defense. With the addition of Patrick Peterson, Xavier Woods, and Mackensie Alexander the secondary will be better. The front gets Danielle Hunter, Anthony Barr, and Michael Pierce back with the addition of Dalvin Tomlinson. The Vikings defense is poised for a bounce back and this will really help their team.

Windy City fans were not pleased with the Bears early in the offseason. Losing out in the faux Russel Wilson sweepstakes and signing Andy Dalton to lead the Bears offensively. Dalton will still likely start a bit of games in 2021 but the Bears offseason improved greatly via the NFL draft. With the steal of the first round and one of the best value picks of the night the Bears drafted Justin Fields at 11 overall after trading up.

The Bears will have two veterans in Dalton and Foles for Fields to learn from. We could see Fields after the Bears Week 10 bye in the newly released NFL schedule. Fields seems like the perfect fit for what Nagy wants to do on offense. Fields has the potential to be the best or second best quarterback in this class. He’s got all the tools and can be coached up to excel with the surrounding cast immediately.

Allen Robinson will be the top receiver for whoever is playing quarterback. Robinson is elite. The rest of the pass catchers include Darnell Mooney who broke out a little bit last year, Anthony Miller, Damiere Byrd, Jimmy Graham, Cole Kmet, and rookie Dazz Newsome. The running back room is very intriguing to me. Montgomery flashed and carried this offense to a playoff run late last year. He will look to prove he is the guy and follow up with a big season. Tarik Cohen will return after injury and the Bears have added Damien Williams who opted out of 2020. Williams’ last game was one in which he could’ve been named super bowl MVP with the Chiefs and he has familiarity with both Nagy (Kansas City 2017) and offensive coordinator Bill Lazor (Miami Dolphins 2014). The Bears also added two rookie backs who produced in college in Khalil Herbert from Virginia Tech and CJ Marable from Coastal Carolina.

The offense has guys to make plays. With one true superstar in Allen Robinson, the rest of the guys will need to step up and make plays when given the opportunity. Quarterback play could be rough with Dalton at times but he is capable of spreading the ball and putting points on the board. The offensive line is the weakest link on the offense and will be a problem.

When you think of the Bears you think of good defense. The Monsters of the Midway dominated the early 1940s, again in 1985, in 2006 the defense lead them to a Super Bowl appearance, and recently in 2018. The Bears defense will take a step back this year. Chuck Pagano retired following the 2020 season. The new defensive coordinator for the Bears is Sean Desai. Desai has been with the Bears on the defensive side of the ball since 2013. A familiar face in the building looks to carry over great schemes from Fangio and Pagano.

After starting 5-1 last year the defense regressed to a top 15 defense. This is likely where the Bears will finish this year as well. They will suffer a major loss at cornerback with the loss of Kyle Fuller. Veteran Desmond Trufant is tasked with filling Fullers’ shoes. Trufant is a former pro bowler back in 2015 and hasn’t played a full season since 2018. Eddie Jackson will be the best secondary player for the Bears, a former All-Pro in 2018. Jackson has 10 interceptions and six fumble recoveries in his career along with six touchdowns. Jackson has shown the ability to make game changing plays but had zero interceptions last year.

The defensive front is still in good hands. Roquan Smith patrols the middle of the field with veteran Trevathan. Mario Edwards and Robert Quinn can create pressure off the edge along with Khalil Mack. When healthy Akiem Hicks is a great Dalvin Cook stopper.

So what does this mean for the Bears in 2021 if Rodgers is not a Packer? Looking at their schedule the Bears have some tough games early combined with some winnable ones. Week 1 the Bears go on the road to play the first game in SoFi Stadium with fans vs the Rams. They play the Browns Week 3 as part of their tour versus the AFC North, and the Bucs in Week 7 both on the road. Those games look to be the testers early in the year. If they can get to the Week 10 bye at 5-5 with Fields ready to start the playoffs could be in reach. The final five games close with a meeting with the Pack at the frozen tundra and two games with Minnesota. If Rodgers is gone I see a 4-2 division record possible for the Bears, splitting with Green Bay and Minnesota while sweeping the Lions. Finding a way to 10 total wins gives them a chance at the playoffs and the division win with the expanded schedule.

The weakest spots will be the offensive line and cornerback. The offense should be better with the quarterbacks looking ahead. If not Nagy and crew will be fired. The defense can make plays and stay solid up front. If the corners step up and push the defense to a higher level the Bears will win the NFC North. A playoff return is in the cards for the Chicago Bears, bearing they play them right.

The post Who is the NFC North favorite if Rodgers leaves? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Cody Molla

There are a few big name free agents left unsigned after the 2021 NFL Draft. Teams will be looking to add veterans to their team moving forward. One of those big names is Le’Veon Bell. Bell is a few years removed from posting elite numbers which made him the best back in the league from 2013-2017.

The Atlanta Falcons will need to replace 89% of their running back touches from the 2020 season. After being ranked 27^th in rushing yards per game last year with nearly 96 yards per game and only 13 rushing touchdowns the Falcons are letting go of Todd Gurley, Ito Smith, and Brian Hill.

An addition of Bell to the Falcons would help the running back group currently with the Falcons as well as give Bell a chance to prove he’s still got the talent to make plays and be productive.

At age 29 Bell is likely not the feature back he once was. As the NFL has moved to a multi-back system this is beneficial for Bell. He can be productive as a compliment. Bell has only played 26 games since 2017. He’s eclipsed over 1000 rushing yards in that span with five rushing touchdowns and chipped in a touchdown on 600 yards receiving.

Bell signed with the Chiefs midway through the season last year. At the time the Chiefs were Super Bowl favorites and the addition of Bell sent the league into fury. Bell struggled in his nine games as a Chief. It is with this recent play that leaves the jury undecided on his NFL future.

Earlier this week Falcons running back coach Desmond Kitchings reported that it’s an open competition for snaps going into the off season workouts. Kitchings is making his NFL coaching debut this season. He is joining the staff of new head coach Arthur Smith after coaching in the NCAA ranks since 2004.

Kitchings has been a running backs coach for most of his career. When coaching at NC State from 2016-2018 he had three straight 1000 yard rushers. One of those being Nyheim Hines who has been productive in his NFL career thus far. Earlier in his career, he worked with Zac Stacy at Vanderbilt. Stacy nearly rushed for 1000 yards in a season in his rookie year at the NFL level. Kitchings also lead a heavy run attack at Air Force in 2011, which averaged over 300 rushing yards per game.

Arthur Smith is coming from a team with a heavy run game led by bulldozer Derrick Henry. Smith is likely going to want to establish the run to set up plays for Matt Ryan and a talented group of pass catchers including Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and top draft pick Kyle Pitts.

The Falcons current running back situation is not glamorous. They added Mike Davis and Cordarrelle Patterson via free agency. After not drafting a running back in the draft they signed undrafted players Javien Hawkins and Caleb Huntley. They also added Tony Brooks-James who has bounced around practice squads since 2019. The only returning Falcon in the running back room is Qadree Ollison who played 13 snaps in 2020.

Mike Davis is the favorite to be lead back in the offense. Davis is coming off a career year in which he filled in for McCaffrey for most of the season. Davis excelled in 2020. Davis surpassed 1000 all-purpose yards last season. Watching Davis last year the thing that stood out to me was the ability to extend plays and run through tackles. Davis can catch passes and make plays versus linebackers in the receiving game too. Even though Davis is likely to be the lead back he is not a feature back in the NFL.

The pairing of Bell and Davis could be a solid group for the Falcons. Both have similar abilities. This would add depth to the position and allow for the offense to be run all the time with no predictability pending the personnel.

The addition of Cordarrelle Patterson doesn’t impress or really add a true running back to the offense. Adding Bell would make him the lead complement back. Pattersons role is likely to be a return guy and see a handful of plays designed for him throughout the game. Patterson is still working on his transition from receiver to running back. Patterson has unique talent with size and speed that can produce homerun plays.

The other guys in the room will likely be on the outside looking in. The Falcons hope one can emerge similar to James Robinson for the Jaguars last year. A sleeper player and dark horse candidate to get offensive touches in the backfield is Avery Williams. Williams is a rookie CB drafted out of Boise St. Unknown to many Williams tied the NCAA record for return touchdowns in a career last season, with nine total. Six of those have come via punt including the record tying one.

The Falcons running back situation isn’t ideal and there is a need for another back. There is no way the Falcons go into the season with Patterson being the ideal running back two. Le’Veon Bell is a bit of a wildcard right now but his history has proven he is capable to be a playmaker and boost an offense. The ability to be patient and make guys miss in tight windows combined with his receiving skills makes him a fit for the Atlanta Falcons.

It would be wise for Bell to join the falcons as they have a lot of talent on offense. Teams will have a lot to cover and scheme for against a talented offense that can provide an opportunity to produce. The open competition means Bell could also win a starting job and see ample touches as the lead in a multi-back system. These opportunities combined with a staff that has shown the ability to generate a run game with many different players is a good fit for Bell. He can be acquired for a team friendly price and if he proves he still has it can set up the later part of his career in the NFL.  

The post Why The Falcons should sign RB Le’Veon Bell appeared first on Pro Football Mania.