Is Sanders the Solution at Tight End?
INDIANAPOLIS — On the surface, tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders and the Miami Dolphins seem like a perfect match.
But is it that simple as Sanders loving the Dolphins and the idea of playing for them and Miami needing a receiving threat at tight end?
Well, not quite.
SANDERS MEETS THE DOLPHINS AT THE COMBINE
Sanders indicated at the combine Thursday that the Dolphins were among the teams with which he had a formal interview and he clearly came away happy with how things went.
"It was great meeting Mike McDaniel," Sanders said. "How you see him on TV, he's a real cool guy, laid-back guy, he's like that in person. So it was a great experience meeting him and talking to them."
Sanders was asked what he thought of the Dolphins' offensive system and his potential fit in it, and he was equally excited about that.
"I would love to be in there," he said. "They would set me up for success. I'd love to be a Miami Dolphin."
SANDERS AMONG THE TOP TIGHT END PROSPECTS
After playing at the University of Texas, Sanders arrived at the combine as perhaps the top tight end prospect not named Brock Bowers.
He projects as a likely second-round pick and could be someone the Dolphins consider with the 55th overall pick.
Sanders is the kind of receiving threat the Dolphins absolutely could use at tight end because they certainly didn't have that in 2023 when Durham Smythe, Julian Hill and Tyler Kroft failed to catch a single touchdown pass and averaged 10.1 yards per catch as a group.
In his third year at Texas, Sanders averaged 15.2 yards per catch and had three 100-yard receiving performances (including one against Alabama).
Sanders, who played defensive end and wide receiver in high school, points to his ability to create mismatches in the passing game as his biggest attribute but acknowledges he needs work as a blocker.
"For sure my run game they've be picking at," Sanders said of the teams that have interviewed him. "This is only my third year playing tight end and blocking with my hand in the ground, so I'm still getting used to it. I have a lot of work to do in my run game aspect. They definitely love my vertical passing ability like I'm a threat wherever I line up for the vertical passing ability."
And here's the rub when it comes to matching Sanders to the Dolphins — unless Mike McDaniel has had a change of heart or Sanders is that special of a receiver that his blocking shortcomings could be overlooked.
That certainly wasn't the case two years ago when Mike Gesicki, who certainly did have pass-catching ability even though he wasn't necessarily a downfield threat, became an absolute non-factor on offense.
Gesicki's sub-optimal blocking skills led to career-low production in his final season with the Dolphins, that coming after the Dolphins had given him the franchise tag and he signed it — before Tyreek Hill was acquired in the trade with Kansas City.
Then there's the issue of the Dolphins having needs all over their roster, needs that could or should supersede adding a receiving threat at tight end.
The bottom line is Sanders might be someone to watch when it comes to the Dolphins, but there are reasons to doubt it'll happen.
