Saturday Dolphins Mailbag: O-line Optimism, Moving on From Myles, Tua Topics, and More
Part 2 of the latest SI Fan Nation All Dolphins mailbag:
From Ricardo Hernandez (@Ricardo96451182):
Being that the what-could’ve-been element will always be present, going into the next season who would you rather be, the Dolphins or the Browns?
Hey Ricardo, that is a very, very good question because I expect both teams to be among those fighting for playoff spots in the AFC. The great unknown in all of this is the status of Deshaun Watson when it comes to a potential suspension. It does seem likely that he will get some sort of suspension, but nobody knows for sure how long it would be. Based on that uncertainty, it’s certainly reasonable to go with the Dolphins as the choice here, but bad P.R. aside, the Browns will have the most important piece in place once that suspension ends.
From JayCee (@bajanstyle):
Do you think the Fins are done in free agency with linebacker and O-line?
Hey JayCee, I’ve learned never to say never when it comes to the Dolphins making moves, though I suspect the heavy lifting (so to speak) is over.
From EVERYTHING305 (@EverythingCANE):
How will DeVante’s trade impact Tua?
There might some minor impact because Parker was so good at making contested catches, particularly down the sideline, and also at using his big frame to shield defenders and get himself open on quick slants. Bottom line, it’s never good for a quarterback to lose a quality wide receiver, but the effects could be minimized by a lot of quick passing and the speed added with the acquisitions of Tyreek Hill and Cedrick Wilson Jr.
From FantasyFanPanel (@XLifeisagambleX):
Will Tua play a NFL style offense… or is he stuck on RPO heading into year 3?
Howdy, if we’re using the 49ers offense as a model, which makes sense considering that’s what Mike McDaniel is familiar with, this will not be an RPO offense. That said, it would be easy to imagine McDaniel incorporating some of it with Tua as his new quarterback.
From mr. mojo risin’ (@dennisgriffin7):
Do you expect Gaskin to be released before minicamps? With new backs and Ahmed signing 1 yr deal recently, doesn’t appear to be room for Myles and would free up $2M more in cap space.
Hey Dennis, zero chance (or .0001 percent chance). First, understand that the Dolphins signed Salvon Ahmed to the league minimum after tendering him as an exclusive-rights free agent. It’s not like there’s a big commitment there. More importantly, Gaskin is a better running back than Ahmed. Lastly, teams generally don't release players before minicamps.
From Rob (@RobSchaefer8283):
With Miami pushing all chips in this year and not having much in draft capital, why wouldn't Mami be bringing in solid veterans on 1 year deals to push this team where it needs to be with all this excess money under the cap?
Hey Rob, it’s not quite that simple. The Dolphins still need to sign their draft class (however small it is) and they also will want to keep some wiggle room heading into the season in case injuries cause some needs at some point. It’s really not great business to use up all your cap space heading into the regular season and I don’t expect the Dolphins to do it.
From Dave (@angryvet59):
What, in your opinion, is the difference in player attitude going into 1st season w/ Coach McDaniel vs last year w/ Coach Flo ? Enjoy your work Alain!
Hey Dave, first off, thanks. Secondly, player attitude always is going to be positive at this time of year because it’s a new year, fresh start and the work isn’t rigorous (strength and conditioning, rehab and meetings for this week and next week). As for what’s going to happen once practices start or once training camp starts, too early to tell, but based on all testimonials it’s safe to say that Mike McDaniel appears to be a lot more of a player’s coach than his predecessor. But also understand that players are professionals, and if a coach can coach the issue of personality takes a back seat. It's when a coach doesn't prove himself to his players and is abrasive that problems arise.
From Rich McQuillen (@rkmcqullen):
In Dan Marino's rookie year in 1983, he had 3 Pro Bowlers on the O-line. After Keuchenberg he was replaced by Pro Bowler Roy Foster in 1985. There is only one Dan Marino, but maybe some day we can try this triple Pro Bowl O-line model again. … According to PFF, our O-line ranked 32nd in 2019, 28th in 2020, and 32nd in 2021. With a revolving door at LT (Dieter/Davis/Davenport/Webb-2019, AJ-2020, Liam-2021). I'm very excited about Terron and Connor joining the team. Do you think it's enough to get us to 16th in 2022?
The offensive line absolutely should be much improved in 2022, even though it wasn’t the worst in the league based on advanced stats from other sources. It more than likely won’t have three Pro Bowl selections on it, though that obviously would be awesome. Quick fun fact: The only in the 2000s the Dolphins had more than one offensive lineman selected to the Pro Bowl in a year was 2015 when both Branden Albert and Mike Pouncey got the nod. Anyway, if the 2022 group could end up being middle of the pack, that would be excellent. And, yes, I do believe that’s attainable.
