Dolphins Mailbag: Tua, Gesicki, McCourty, and Much More
From Chris Roney (@ChrisRoney0):
With Howard back officially can Jason McCourty slide back to safety with Holland and Needham, Bonds and Perry/Coleman are CBs behind him and Jones? Leaving Igbinoghene out was not an oversight. When the Bears go after him coaches will have 0 confidence left there.
Hey Chris, in the first practice after Howard restructured his contract, McCourty still lined up at cornerback, but he was listed as the first-team safety alongside Eric Rowe on the first depth chart. My guess is McCourty will see most of his snaps in 2021 at cornerback and it wouldn’t surprised me one bit if he ended up as the starter.
From Reza Hariri (@Therealrezpect1):
Who are the players you think can steal a roster spot or cement one with a good week of practice and game vs. Chicago. Also has McCourty been an upgrade over McCain?
Hey Reza, I truly don’t believe anybody can cement or steal anything this week because there still will be too much left after the game at Soldier Field. As for McCourty being an impact over McCain, it’s too early to say, though he’s got the same kind of leadership qualities and experience as McCain, who wouldn’t have been let go had he been a high-impact player.
From Michael Holland (@msg_holland):
Who is the next player to shake the Dolphins down?
Hey Michael, I’m going to start by taking issue with the term “shake down.” The NFL is business and both sides use leverage, so Xavien Howard shouldn’t be blamed for exercising the leverage he had. Under you definition, the only players who can “shake down” a front office are those with leverage and those the team can’t afford to lose. I’m not sure there’s anybody else on the roster who fits that description.
From CSC (@HawksSposFins):
2 part question: is or will Tua be a legitimate QB? And why does he have so many haters?
The first question depends on your definition of “legitimate.” He is a legitimate NFL quarterback? He is a legitimate franchise quarterback? Not at this point. And I’m not sure he has so many haters, as those who question his ceiling as an NFL quarterback. And for some fans, anybody who dares question what Tua will become in the NFL is seen as a “hater.”
From Herman Cueva Zuniga (@hermancueva7):
Admire your work a lot! For you, which of the assistant coaches has done the best job with his players? Why?
Herman, first off, thanks much. Truly appreciate that. As for the second question, the only thing I can go by is what we’ve seen the past couple of seasons and which units might have performed beyond their talent level because that’s how I measure the quality of an assistant coach. For me, I think I’d point to DB coach Gerald Alexander based on the work of the secondary in 2020.
From Fernando (@nzargie):
Are there any outstanding free agents that you think the #MiamiDolphins should be looking at? Particular in terms of Offensive Tackles?
Hi Fernando, I actually checked on that for the story I did Monday on the offensive tackle depth issue with the Dolphins and there just isn’t much out there unless the Dolphins are willing big money to Mitchell Schwartz to come in as a starting right tackle (assuming his back issues are completely over). In terms of a good, solid backup, I just flat-out didn’t see anything.
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From Mercury22 (@mercury22):
Which player do you think will grow/improve the most from last season to this coming season?
Hi Mercury (loved watching when the Dolphins were winning Super Bowls!). For the Dolphins’ sake, it would be awesome if the answer was Tua because that would mean a playoff berth and maybe Super Bowl contention. The most likely breakout candidate, though, is Robert Hunt, who I think has the physical traits to become a dominant guard in the NFL.
From Chad Kowaleski (@KowaleskiChad):
How frustrating is it, as a reporter, that the NFL lets teams withhold (lie about) injury info. Williams (still on PUP) was thought to be minor in November 2022 and now Hunter Long being carted off the field with no update seems ridiculous. The league should address this, no?
Hi Chad, the answer to your question is very. What makes it even more frustrating is that some teams are very forthcoming with their injury report, to the point of providing a complete rundown before practice of which player is out from that practice, what the injury is, and the timetable for a return. The situation with Preston Williams last year truly was bizarre. I think I can speak for every reporter when I say I would love it if the league mandated teams being more forthcoming with training camp injuries, bringing it at least to the same level as the regular season.
From TimboSlicer (SlicerTimbo):
Future plans for Gesicki this season?
Hey Timbo, I’m confused by your question because you have “future” and “this season” in the same sentence. So I’ll address both. Gesicki absolutely figures to be a big part of the offense in 2021, though maybe not quite to the same degree as last year after the additions of Jaylen Waddle and Will Fuller V. As for the future, that one is hard to predict because he’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason and the Dolphins have a lot of depth at tight end. So I don’t think his return in 2022 is a slam dunk.
From Kamen S (@imjust_kamen):
Based on what you have seen, is this defensive line better or this OL that bad?
No, I don’t think the defensive line is THAT bad, though I would say it has to be considered a concern at this stage of camp. As for the defensive line, it absolutely is better with the additions of Adam Butler and John Jenkins and the continued development of Raekwon Davis.
From Fins in 20 (@CharlieHuth87):
Any prediction on how many diamonds are going to be in the Miami Dolphins Super Bowl rings?
Ha! Love your confidence! The Dolphins made big strides last year, but let’s see first if they can bust to the door into the playoffs before we’re talking Super Bowl.
