Miami Dolphins: Outlook for the 2016 season
Joe Philbin started the 2015 season as the coach of Miami, but after accumulating a record of 1-3, he was replaced by interim coach Dan Campbell, who did not improve the situation. The Dolphins finished with a record of 6-10, failing to make the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season. To get out of mediocrity in the short term, the team from Florida has trusted Adam Gase as their coach. Gase is one of the young masterminds in the NFL (he is 38 years old) and has assisted quarterbacks like Tim Tebow, Peyton Manning, and Jay Cutler.
His first mission will be to take QB Ryan Tannehill to the next level. Tannehill has been the most consistent player on the team since Dan Marino, but he has not lived up to his multi-million dollar contract. The quarterback had similar numbers to 2014 (4,208 yards, 24 TDs, and 12 interceptions), but the offense dropped from 14th in the league to 26th in yards, so he needs to be more consistent. Tannehill also needs help from his offensive line, which allowed 45 sacks.
To relieve the pressure, the Dolphins will no longer have Lamar Miller as their running back. Miller went to Houston, and although Gase tried to recruit C.J. Anderson, the Denver Broncos matched the offer to keep him on their squad. The starting position will be contested by Arian Foster, who only played in four games with the Texans in 2015, and Jay Ajayi, who had 187 yards in his rookie season.
In the receiving corps, Tannehill has a star in Jarvis Landry, who recorded 1,157 yards, 110 receptions, and four touchdowns, earning him a Pro Bowl nomination. Kenny Stills didn't shine in his first season but could take advantage of Gase's open offense. DeVante Parker and Jordan Cameron are also threats. On the offensive line, Branden Albert and Mike Pouncey made it to the Pro Bowl, and the Dolphins acquired one of the best talents in the draft, Laremy Tunsil, who had his draft stock drop after a couple of incidents on social media. The objective is to give the quarterback more time to exploit deep routes.
On the defensive side, there are more doubts than certainties. Ndamukong Suh did not live up to his contract and only recorded six sacks and 61 tackles. The Dolphins lost Olivier Vernon, who went to the Giants, and his replacement, Mario Williams, is on the decline. The star is Cameron Wake, who was absent for more than half of the season.
Kiko Alonso arrived among the linebackers after a forgettable year in Philadelphia, where he had no sacks, while Jelani Jenkins missed three games in 2015. In the secondary, Brent Grimes, who was named to the Pro Bowl, went to Tampa Bay. He will be replaced by Byron Maxwell, another former Eagle who had a rough season. On the other side, rookie Xavien Howard and Tony Lippett are competing to be starters. As for the safeties, Reshad Jones is one of the best at his position, but there are doubts about Isa Abdul-Quddus, who received a big contract despite having only two interceptions in five years in the NFL.
Tannehill could return to his 2014 form, but there are many defensive issues, so it will be another year without playoffs.