Wednesday Dolphins Mailbag: Pass Rush, O-Line, Cold Considerations, and More

Wednesday edition of a week-long supersized SI Fan Nation All Dolphins mailbag:

From Steven Piper (via email):

Greetings Alain, Steve from western MA here. Yes, a Dolphins Fan in Patriots territory. I refuse to use Twitter or Facebook, so I was really glad to see an email address added recently. I read your articles whenever they are posted on FanNation, you have become my fav read because I feel you tell it like you see it, good, bad or ugly, and most of the time I wholeheartedly agree with your observations. My questions: 1. In light of the secondary having health issues, is the defensive scheme not conducive to allowing pass rushers to get sacks? 2. Since Gesicki is more receiver, why don't the Fins utilize him more as a receiver than as a traditional tight end? 3. (Non Fin category) In the NFL's prodigious stat categories, why isn't there a tipped ball stat for interceptions?

Hey Steve, glad we could find a way to get you involved in the mailbag. I probably should have gone the email route earlier. Anyway, on to your questions. I certainly wouldn’t say the scheme doesn’t allow for pass rushers to get sacks, though I would say a lot of the pass rush generated the previous two seasons came off those all-out blitzes that were made possible by having two stud corners with X and Byron Jones. The scheme is designed for the outside guys to get sacks, whether it be Phillips, Ingram, Ogbah (before he went on IR) and now Chubb and it’s up to them to get home. The Dolphins aren’t lining up Gesicki at wide receiver because their offense is based on speed and he would slow things down lining up outside. Lastly, I could not agree with you that there should be a stat category on tipped passes that lead to INTs. It’s not like those aren’t charted in the gamebooks anyway. Good call.

From Rick Buzzell (via email):

Alain, I'm not buying that we are a Super Bowl contender just yet as there will come a time when we need a big kick at the end of the game and I don't have much faith. It's a two-year struggle, not something new. I also believe defense is too inconsistent with all the injuries. I do think, however, we are finally building a team that isn't far away but I’m concerned with our ability to sign all of our key players and role players back as we continue adding to the mix. Tua, Wilkins, Hunt, just to name a few. We have some bad contracts out there with Jones being number 1 with no way to unload them. Will we have the salary cap space to keep this team intact over the next five years??

Hey Rick, when it comes to the salary cap, there’s usually a way. First off, there is a way to unload Byron Jones for the Dolphins in 2023, and that’s with a post-June 1 designation, which would save $14 million of cap space (per overthecap.com). The Dolphins don’t need to do anything with Tua next offseason if they don’t want to because he’s under contract for 2023 with the fifth-year option for 2024. Wilkins likely will get a long-term contract, but it can be structured in a way to make it cap-friendly at the beginning. Same with Hunt.

From Charlie (via email):

Alain, I have been a Dolphins fan since I was 6 years old. Almost the entire existence of the team. It is finally fun to be a Dolphins fan again. I am wondering if part of the reason the defense has been having a rough time the last three games has more to do with being too predictable. I know that they can’t use the 0 deep look as much because of the secondary injuries, but if we could just throw a couple into the mix each game maybe they are less predictable. What do you think? Just a quick follow-up question. Do you think the real difference may be the fact that we aren’t getting turnovers as often on defense?

Hey Charlie, the defense has had the bulk of the injuries and those have taken a toll, no doubt. If/when the Dolphins get Byron Jones back, that could change a lot of things and as Bradley Chubb gets more and more acclimated, that also should help the pass rush. And the turnovers tend to come with QBs being pressured, so maybe that’s in the cards for the rest of the season.

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FOR EVEN MORE COVERAGE ON THE MIAMI DOLPHINS, CHECK OUT SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S MIAMI DOLPHINS PAGE ON SI.COM.

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From Michael D (via email):

Hi Alain, a longtime Aussie fan of the Dolphins coming at you from Downunder! Your page is easily the most accessible place to get great information and opinions on the Dolphins, so well done to SI and yourself. 2 questions... does the aerial show offense remind you a bit of Marino's connections with Duper and Clayton? Tua at least has the quick release, but not quite the arm yet... but seeing the shorter Hill and Waddle flying all over the place making big chunk circus plays is giving me some deja vu of the good 'ol days. Also, have you considered going all in and changing your name to Alain Porpoise?

Hey Michael, love the Alain Porpoise suggestion! Good one. Yeah, I do get Marino/Duper/Clayton vibes with Tua/Tyreek/Waddle in that the trio almost seems unstoppable once they get going. I’d actually make the argument this offense might be more dangerous because of the potential of the running game. One thing for sure, it sure is a fun offense to watch, just like it was during the 1980s.

From Dan K. (via email):

Is the O-line better with Robert Jones and Shell over Eichenberg and Austin Jackson Are you surprised that Jeff Wilson has had such a big impact on the run game?

Hey Dan, two good questions. First, no, not surprised at all by the impact of Jeff Wilson. Remember that he worked with Mike McDaniel for four years, so he was very familiar with the scheme and I’m not sure folks realized just what a good back this guy is. It’s just that the 49ers like to use a lot of backs, but then they got enamored with the idea of adding Christian McCaffrey. As for the O-line, yeah, I kind of like the Jones/Shell combo better than Eichenberg/Jackson, but to be very honest the three studs up front are Armstead, Williams and Hunt.

From Michael McDonald (@via email):

Hello Alain. Mondays are so much better this year! How much longer will McDaniel tolerate these missed kicks? I know in the past you've stated that because of contract ramifications it would be too costly to cut Sanders yet. My argument is: How much is a lost game or two worth? Most any kicker off the street will at least make 95% of your extra points and 29-yard FGs. If nothing else, bring in some competition as a wake-up. It would be a shame for a missed easy kick to cost this (finally) really good team playoff seeding or a trip to the playoffs. Progressive Rock question: Your opinion of The Alan Parsons Project?

Hey Mike, I get your frustration with Jason Sanders, I really do. The question I would ask is this: What are the chances you’re going to find somebody on the street at this time who’s going to represent a clear upgrade? And that’s besides, yes, the salary-cap ramifications of dumping Sanders. Having said that, I think the leash absolutely is getting shorter, but the Dolphins really don’t want to have to make this move. That’s the bottom line. And I really, really The Alan Parsons Project. “You Don’t Believe” and “Let’s Talk About Me” would be two favorites.

From Earl Gottfried (@via email):

Hey Alain, it is looking like Austin Jackson may be on the outside looking in with the way the O-line is seemingly starting to jell. Do you think they will "force" him into action or stand pat? The Browns’ Amari Cooper was missing in action Sunday. Was the Dolphin D too good in coverage or was he playing decoy?

Hey Earl, Mike McDaniel stated emphatically that Austin Jackson is the starting right tackle, but he’s also smart enough to understand there’s no point in making a move for the sake of making a move. And with the O-line coming off maybe its best game of the year against Cleveland, I don’t see how you make a switch at this time. As for Cooper, he most definitely was not a decoy for the Browns. Give kudos to Xavien Howard for making him a non-factor.

From Anthony Berardo (@berardo_anthony):

I am mildly concerned the O will travel well to cold weather but only mildly. I think they will be fine. Especially since run game came alive w/ Wilson. But it’s a question. So, should Ross build a practice field in a blast freezer to re-create those conditions to practice in?

Hey Anthony, hasn’t Ross built enough things already? So, no. But they can turn the A/C up really high in the indoor practice facility to make it really cold. And I’m sure they could bring in wind blowers to simulate wind, too. Getting snow in there, though, would be a lot trickier.

From keith (@Keithrogue1):

With 2 cold weather games on the schedule ahead, has Coach McD started preparing Tua to wear a glove or some unknown ways how to throw in the cold?

Hey Keith, it’s not the cold that could be an issue for the passing game, it would be rain and/or wind. And there will be circumstances that will affect both teams, and the way around that is to go to a shorter passing game and focus on the running game a little more. I’m certainly not expecting Tua to start wearing a glove for the cold-weather games at Buffalo and New England, but maybe we’ll ask that question when we get there.

From Reza Hariri (@Therealrezpect1):

Do you see Miami adding a D lineman or making do with Ingram/Phillips/AVG & Chubb?

Hey Reza, well, Ogbah was kind of unique in that he was the one like pure 4-3 defensive end on the roster, whereas the four players you mentioned are more like 3-4 outside linebackers (edge defenders, if you prefer). I think ideally the Dolphins find somebody else to replace Ogbah and fill that role as pass rusher on the line.

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