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What if the 2020 Dolphins Were on 'Hard Knocks'?

Examining the story lines that HBO might have explored had the Miami Dolphins been selected to appear this summer on the annual series
Alain Poupart|
What if the 2020 Dolphins Were on 'Hard Knocks'?
What if the 2020 Dolphins Were on 'Hard Knocks'?

The Miami Dolphins were not selected to appear on the annual HBO training camp series "Hard Knocks" for 2020, the honor instead going to the two Los Angeles teams, the Chargers and the Rams.

But what if it had been the Dolphins selected? What would the show have looked like?

At first glance, there certainly would have been some obvious story lines.

• Tua's first NFL camp: Of course we have to start with the rookie from the University of Alabama because he's clearly the star attraction on the team and the one who, as the saying goes, moves the needle. There's no question Dolphins fans, and countless others, would have tuned in to get every morsel of behind-the-scenes look at his development.

• Flores' follow-up: Head coach Brian Flores worked wonders getting a talent-challenged team to win five games in 2019 and clearly got his players to buy in to what he was selling. So it clearly would be interesting to see the inner workings of Flores' interactions with his players.

• Gailey's return: Speaking of coaches, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey is back in the NFL for the first time since 2016 and he's been reunited with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, with whom he spent five seasons in Buffalo and with the Jets. Gailey also is back in Miami after working for the Dolphins at the beginning of the millennium.

• Fitzpatrick's beard: Because of his great personality, Fitzpatrick would be great television regardless, but you just know his beard would be good for at least part of an episode.

• DeVante's demeanor: DeVante Parker has been getting pretty — how shall we put it? — bold on social media with his interactions with Michael Thomas and Stephon Gilmore. It's clear Parker is feeling good about his breakthrough 2019 season, so it would be interesting to see how that translates to training camp.

• The O-line development: The Dolphins have three draft picks on the offensive line and their development, both for the short and the long term, is crucial to the success of the team.

• Ballage's battle: Running back Kalen Ballage was great in camp last summer, but had a historically difficult season before watching the Dolphins bring in two veterans at his position. It's a big summer for him, maybe even one that could determine whether he's on the 2020 roster.

• Williams watch: Wide receiver Preston Williams was a rookie sensation last year until he tore his ACL against the Jets in early November. Watching the progress of his recovery this summer no doubt would be interesting.

• The "other" QB: With all the attention on Tua and Fitzpatrick (and his beard), let's not forget about Josh Rosen. How he deals with the addition of another first-round quarterback on his team and what the Dolphins do with him will be worth watching.

• The money men: New cornerback Byron Jones replaced Xavien Howard as the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL when he signed with the Dolphins. Wonder if the two will take money at all this summer.

• "The Intern" returns: Patrick Laird became a folk hero of sorts last year after making the team as a rookie free agent, so it'll be interesting to see how his role can develop and also whether there will be another "intern" like him this summer.

• Cordrea's comeback: It's easy to forget about cornerback Cordrea Tankersley because he hasn't played since the middle of the 2018 season, but let's not forget he's a former third-round pick who started 11 games as a rookie. So his comeback attempt is worthy of attention.

• From Brazil to the NFL: The journey of Brazilian import Durval Queiroz Neto continues after he spent all of 2019 on the practice squad. The Dolphins obviously feel it's worth continuing to watch his development since they brought him back for a second season, so that makes it worthwhile for us too.

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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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