After missing the NFL Playoffs for the fifth straight season, the Dolphins fired their head coach, Brian Flores. With the most cap space in the NFL available in 2022, this is what the Dolphins need to do this off-season in order to compete in the future.
The first priority should be hiring Mike McDaniel, the San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator and run game coordinator. McDaniel, a disciple of offensive guru Kyle Shanahan, has been with Shanahan since 2011. Since 2019, his offenses have rushed for an average of 2,120 yards, 132.5 yards per game, and 21.3 touchdowns.
There is no better combination than a strong rushing offense and a powerful defense. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will benefit greatly from the hiring of McDaniel. In Tagovailoa’s two seasons as quarterback of the Dolphins, the team hasn’t established any type of effective run game. Since 2019, the team has rushed for a combined 4,412 yards and just 37 touchdowns in 49 games. That equates to just 90 rushing yards per game, a disappointing amount.
The inability to run the football puts more pressure on the quarterback to throw. Without having to worry about the Dolphins rushing attack, defenses have been able to key on stopping the passing game. How can a young quarterback develop with absolutely no help in the running game? Hiring McDaniel will do a lot for Tagovailoa’s development.
Another priority is getting a wide receiver to go alongside Jaylen Waddle. All the options behind him can be described as lackluster. Devante Parker can’t stay healthy, playing just 46% of snaps in 2021. Parker signed a four-year, $40 million deal in 2019 and is a candidate to be cut in the off-season. Nobody of any substance is behind those two.
This leads me to my next point: Get Calvin Ridley. According to a report from Mike Garafolo and Steve Wyche, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley is likely to be on the way out of Atlanta in hopes of a fresh start after taking most of the year off due to prioritizing his mental health. The 27-year-old receiver is one of the best at his position in the NFL, and he grew up in Fort Lauderdale, so coming home may be a good option for him to better his mental health. I don’t care what it costs, the Dolphins need to give the Falcons whatever pick they want for him without hesitation.
The Dolphins need to, for once, invest in their offense. As mentioned before, the Dolphins’ run game has been one of the worst in the NFL for a long time. This is a two-part issue; the team is never willing to invest a large amount of money or draft capital into a running back and general manager Chris Grier cannot draft good offensive linemen, and he refuses to pay good ones that are in free agency. Some of the most elite linemen in the NFL will be available this off-season. Running back is led by one of the best of the decade, Melvin Gordon. Gordon would return to elite level play in McDaniel’s system with great offensive linemen.
If the Dolphins follow my recommendations, they have a chance to be a very good team and compete for Super Bowl championships in the near future. Time will tell if Grier decides to do something, but one must wonder if someone can continuously make the same mistakes repeatedly.
