Breaking Down the Dolphins Offensive Depth Chart
The second round of free agency has officially begun and the Miami Dolphins appear to be patching holes in the roster.
Last week the Dolphins added a veteran tight end in Tyler Kroft and signing an offensive lineman in Isaiah Wynn who provides position flexibility.
Dolphins be surprised if Miami continues tinkering with the offense, taking advantage of veteran free agents still looking for new teams.
Here’s a look at the offensive side of Miami’s depth chart heading into June's OTA practices.
DOLPHINS QUARTERBACKS (4)
Tua Tagovailoa, Mike White, Skyar Thompson, James Blackman (R)
Miami will spend a fourth season investigating if Tagovailoa, who owns a 21-13 record as an NFL starter the past three seasons, has what it takes to lead Miami to an AFC Championship game. He had an impressive five-game stretch last year where Miami went 5-0 and he threw 11 touchdowns with no interceptions. But the rest of the season he went 3-5 with 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions when concussions didn’t sideline him. Miami signed White, a 27-year-old South Florida native, to a two-year, $8 million deal, hoping that he’ll be an upgrade over Teddy Bridgewater, who struggled to stay healthy last season. But unlike Bridgewater, White doesn’t have a proven track record as an NFL starter. He delivered a 2-5 record in his seven starts for the Jets with a 75.4 passer rating. Thompson, a 2022 seventh-round pick, had a passer rating of 76.3 from the stints he had filling in last season as an injury replacement. Blackman should be viewed as little more than an extra arm in the offseason program.
DOLPHINS RUNNING BACKS (6)
Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson, Devon Achane (R), Myles Gaskin, Salvon Ahmed, Chris Brooks (R)
Only one team in the NFL (Tampa Bay) attempted fewer carries than the Dolphins last season, which means there’s plenty of room for improvement from the rushing attack. Nonetheless, the Dolphins brought back every free agent tailback from the NFL’s 25th-most effective rushing attack in 2022 when it comes to yards per game (99.2). Miami averaged 4.3 yards per attempt (which tied for 18th-best), and the hope is that Mostert and Wilson, who collectively rushed for 1,283 yards and scored six rushing touchdowns on 265 attempts last season, can lead a unit that produces a more efficient ground game. Achane, the Dolphins’ 2023 third-round pick, has the speed (4.32 time in the 40-yard dash) to deliver big runs, and despite his small stature he’s an effective runner between the tackles. Gaskin, Ahmed and Brooks are all fighting for the final tailback spots on the 53-man roster, and/or practice squad jobs.
DOLPHINS WIDE RECEIVERS (11)
Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Braxton Berrios, Robbie Chosen, Cedrick Wilson Jr., Erik Ezukanma, River Cracraft, Braylon Sanders, Freddie Swain, Chris Coleman (R), Daewood Davis (R)
Hill and Waddle had a dynamic season together, producing 3,066 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns on 194 receptions, and leading the way for the NFL’s fourth-best passing attack in 2022. It’s hard to believe that pair can’t deliver another dynamic year, especially if another receiver steps forward and becomes a reliable third option. Miami signed Berrios, whose tenure with the Jets showed he has some potential as a slot receiver and return specialist, and added Anderson, who has started 86 of the 111 games he’s played, late in the free agent process. Half of Berrios' career yardage is a byproduct of after-the-catch moves, and Anderson is a respected deep ball threat, who has a history of opening up the field for others. Wilson, who was a massive disappointment as a free agent signing last season, and Ezukanma, a 2022 fourth-round pick who barely played last year, need to step up their production to survive the one and only roster cut.
DOLPHINS TIGHT ENDS/FULLBACKS (8)
Tight ends Durham Smythe, Eric Saubert, Tyler Kroft, Tanner Conner, Elijah Higgins (R), Julian Hill (R); fullbacks Alec Ingold, John Lovett
Smythe, who started 15 games last season and 56 during his five-year career with the Dolphins, is a solid in-line tight end. That’s why Miami signed him to a 2-year extension. But he’ll never be mistaken as a route-running, seam-threatening weapon. He caught 15 passes for 129 yards and scored one touchdown in his 557 offensive snaps last season. Miami signed Saubert, who has started 15 games in his six NFL seasons, and Kroft, who started 52 games in eight seasons, to a one-year deals for the NFL minimum, and they'll likely compete for the second tight end role. Higgins, a 2023 sixth-round pick, and Conner, who like Higgins is a converted college receiver, are being groomed to fill Mike Gesicki’s former role as a hybrid slot receiver, an F weapon. Ingold started 14 games, handling 418 offensive snaps, and is expected to be an integral part of Miami’s offense again.
DOLPHINS OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (15)
Tackles: Terron Armstead, Austin Jackson, Isaiah Wynn, Kendall Lamm, Geron Christian, Kion Smith, Ryan Hayes (R), James Tunstall (R); Guards: Robert Hunt, Liam Eichenberg, Robert Jones, Lester Cotton; Centers: Connor Williams, Dan Feeney, Alama Uluave (R)
When healthy, Armstead gives the Dolphins a pillar of granite at the left tackle spot. His presence allows Miami to slide their protection to weaker areas. Problem is, he’s never played a full season in his 10-year career, and at 32 the odds of him doing so this season are slim. That’s why having a good swing tackle is key. Miami's recent addition of Wynn, a former first-round pick who started 43 games the past four seasons for the Patriots, addresses that void because most of his starts have come at left tackle. He'll also push Eichenberg and Jackson, two players who have struggled during their NFL careers, for their starting roles at left guard and right tackle. Jones and Feeney could unseat Eichenberg for the left guard spot if a player’s draft status isn’t factored into the competition. Jackson, a 2020 first-round pick who struggled to stay healthy, will likely get every opportunity possible to remain the starting right tackle. Only in-game struggles will likely dislodge him. Dolphins be surprised if the Dolphins sign another veteran offensive linemen or two before training camp opens in late July.
