Nov 11, 2012; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush (22) on the bench in the fourth quarter in a game against the Tennessee Titans at Sun Life Stadium. The Titans defeated the Dolphins 37-3.Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

 For the first time in years, the Dolphins will not have to answer quarterback questions during the 2013 offseason.  Unless people ask how good Ryan Tannehill can be in year two?

Instead, other positions will be widely speculated about on both sides of the football for the Miami Dolphins.  Let’s look at a variety of positions the Dolphins will have to address as they begin the process of compiling players that will make up the 2013 Miami Dolphins.

1. Wide Receiver- Most football minds would and have agreed that the Dolphins need a #1 receiver and like yesterday.  Three players have been thrown into the discussion of who Miami is targeting through Free agency.

Mike Wallace, Dwayne Bowe, and Greg Jennings top the wish list for GM Jeff Ireland during the 2013 free agency.  With talks of the Kansas City Chiefs possibly putting the franchise tag on Bowe, Wallace and Jennings seem like the front-runners to land the top receiver gig in South Beach.

Greg Jennings has played under Dolphins’ Coach Joe Philbin and is familiar with his system.  That alone leads me to believe that Greg Jennings will be the most likely choice for Miami.

If Ireland can reel in Jennings, Miami will have a formidable wide receiver crew with Brian Hartline coming off a career season while Bess continues to be one of the best slot receivers, year in and year out.  Miami and the brass will have to lock Hartline up with a contract though as he is a free agent.

2. Cornerback- The definite low spot for Miami’s 2012 season was undoubtedly the play, or lack there of, from their secondary.  Richard Marshall went down early in the season with a back injury as Nolan Carroll and others tried to step in for him.

They tried, but ultimately they failed horribly to stop the pass as almost every opponent racked up huge yards through the air.  Heck, Andrew Luck set a rookie record against Miami for passing yards in a game.

So to nobody’s surprise, Jeff Ireland and Joe Philbin will positively be looking for a corner in the draft or in free agency.  They might be looking for two corners if Sean Smith isn’t brought back for 2013.

Dee Milliner would be the most logical choice if the Dolphins chose to get their CB in the draft.  Milliner who is fresh off a national championship run with the University of Alabama, is the highest touted corner for the 2013 draft.

Milliner possesses great ball skills, has great technique, and is a fantastic tackler.  He can come in right away and contribute to the secondary for Miami which would greatly help the stout run defense Miami already possesses.

If Milliner is not available when the Dolphins pick in the middle of the 1st round, here are some possible alternatives via free agency or the draft.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will hit free agency and the Philadelphia Eagles will have to decide what to do with him as a new regime is in town.

Brent Grimes is another free agent CB from the Atlanta Falcons, but most believe the Falcons will want to lock him up.

Aquib Talib from the New England Patriots had a quality year with the Dolphins’ rival, but New England will have to likely pony up some money to keep him there.

Desmond Trufant from the University of Washington is another likely 1st round cornerback along with Xavier Rhodes from Florida State University.  If Milliner gets snatched up before Miami can grab him, they might go after one of these two young men to address their dire situation at cornerback.

Running Back: The biggest off-season question surrounding the Dolphins has been the speculation of free agent running back Reggie Bush.  Bush, who was easily Miami’s best offensive weapon the past two seasons, would most likely want a significant pay day from Miami.

Bush has reiterated several times that he would like to stay in Miami to finish some “unfinished business” but many believe that Ireland and the Dolphin brass aren’t going to be willing to overpay for Reggie.  We will have to wait and find out what really will happen with #22, but i’m sure it will be a tough decision as he is one of the fan favorites for the Dolphins.

I believe they should not overpay him to an extreme, but I believe Bush’s play-making abilities and his leadership should earn him a reasonable contract. Miami also needs to quit trading away explosive, rare players who they think are “asking too much” because other teams are willing to pay for that guy and it has recently worked out for a couple different teams (Brandon Marshall/Bears, Vontae Davis/Colts).

If they let  Bush go in hopes that Lamar Miller or Daniel Thomas can carry the load, I believe they will set themselves up for a lot of criticism if it turns south.  Miami cannot keep “rebuilding” with moves such as the Brandon Marshall, Vontae Davis, and possibly Reggie Bush leaving because they have a talented defense with a lot of veterans that believe their chance to win is now.

Also, Lamar Miller might be a good running back but it is not a certainty. Daniel Thomas gets hurt way too much and is very inconsistent.  We need a proven runner to compliment the rest of the offense.

It’s not rebuilding when you never build a competitive team because of too many roster shake ups. Keep Bush and I believe he will have his best season yet, let him go and watch someone else reap the rewards because you couldn’t see paying him a couple extra million.

Left Tackle: Jake Long has dropped off the “elite” list for left tackles this past season, but surely is going to want the elite money.  One report stated that the front office gave him a “low ball” offer which doesn’t signify much hope in a deal being able to be worked out.

It is still way too early to tell if Long and the Dolphins can come to a deal, but here are some players to keep in mind if Miami and #77 part ways.

 Ryan Clady from the Denver Broncos and Sebastian Vollmer from the New England Patriots are two big name free agent tackles.

Vollmer is a right tackle who would allow Miami’s Jonathan Martin to move back to his natural left tackle position.

Tight end and safety are other areas that are in question for Miami. Anthony Fasano had one of his best years in 2012 so I wouldn’t be surprised for Joe Philbin to keep Fasano at that position for 2013.

Safety is hazy as of yet, so I won’t get into that situation right now.

So these are just a few positions Jeff Ireland and Joe Philbin will have to figure out in the coming months.  If Miami can land some big fish so to speak, it could propel them from mediocre to a serious contender. 

Recently though, Miami has not hooked any of the big name players or coaches they have pursued.  That needs to change this off-season if the 2013 Miami Dolphins want to end their 4 year drought of missing the playoffs.

Jan 5, 2013; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings (85) during the NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field. The Packers won 24-10. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

2012 was another mediocre year for the Miami Dolphins.  At times, this young team showed glimpses of a very solid football team.  Other times though, they looked like the same predictable and boring Dolphins we have become accustomed to over the past four years.

Unforeseen losses like the blowout suffered against the sub-par Tennessee Titans and  a poor outing against the Buffalo Bills in their only prime-time spot this year left fans angry and confused.  Losses like these and their inconsistent play week in and week out were keys to missing out on the postseason for the 4th straight season.

Their overall play is the reason why many in the football world including Miami, knows they have to add key players either through free agency starting in March and pick well in the draft in April to have any hope at the postseason next year.

The Dolphins are two position players away from being a legitimate contender for years to come.  Cornerback and wide receiver are the two major areas of concern that GM Jeff Ireland will need to address to both save his job for the future and to give South Florida and Dolphins fans everywhere what they have been longing for…… A consistent winner.

Wide receiver seems to be the only hiccup in the progression of Joe Philbin’s up-tempo offense that he would like to rev- up a bit next season. With good complementary receivers like Brian Hartline and Davone Bess, Miami is just one deep threat away from changing the whole auro about their mediocre offensive output.

Free agency is where I believe the Dolphins need to and will strike to get that game changing wide receiver. 2013 free agency has a handful of great free agent pass catchers to choose from. A do it all receiver like Greg Jennings from the Green Bay Packers, the physical and talented Dwayne Bowe from the Kansas City Chiefs (who is also a Miami native), and speedster Mike Wallace from the Pittsburg Steelers all have what it takes to be the Dolphin’s #1 wideout in 2013.

Greg Jennings (Aaron Rodger’s right hand man) seems to be the most relevant so far in discussions about just who Miami will bring in. Jennings will be looking for a big pay day when free agency starts. Green Bay has an abundance of talented wide receivers and they might just not want to pay a boat load for Jennings when they could spend elsewhere.

Jennings’ sister also has hinted at Jennings leaving the cold confines of Green Bay and “taking his talents to South Beach.” In my opinion, Jennings seems like the best fit for Miami and is a proven performer. Dwayne Bowe is a beast when he wants to be, but rumors over the last two years have painted Bowe as a selfish player who plays when he wants and Miami doesn’t put up with that…. i.e. Brandon Marshall and Chad Johnson.

Mike Wallace is a great deep threat and would help to stretch the field which Miami has been lacking forever.  I don’t think Miami will pursue Wallace like they will Jennings for a couple reasons.  Jennings knows Philbin’s system and has played under Philbin with great success.  Another reason is simply because Greg Jennings is a more complete receiver, not just a sprinter.

No matter what happens though, it is almost a certainty that Miami will  pay big money for a wideout as they have the highest cap space out of any team this year.  I don’t believe it would be a good decision for Jeff Ireland and the Dolphins to try and draft their future great wideout when your team is only a couple pieces away from contending and also when you have great free agent wideouts available.

Miami’s other key position that they desperately need to address is cornerback. Nolan Carroll stepped in for the injured Richard Marshall early in the season and proceeded to get torched by almost every team he faced. Miami mixed in anyone they could find to try and play the corner opposite of Sean Smith, but with some horrible results.

Miami’s cornerbacks probably are as a whole the worst in the league. With such a talented run defense and front 7, the 2012 secondary of the Dolphins truly was their Achilles to a more successful season.

Jeff Ireland and Joe Philbin need to use their 12th draft pick in April and select the best cornerback available.  Dee Milliner from Alabama is the concensus best cornerback coming out of college and has the capability of coming in and making an immediate contribution.

All you would have to do is watch Milliner in the national championship game against Notre Dame.  For some reason, the Irish challenged him early and often but never got the best of the talented corner for the Crimson Tide as he defended the ball well in the air and never let his man get seperation.

Milliner also averaged a little more than 4 tackles a game for Alabama as he is a very strong tackler who helps tremendously in the run game.  Just imagine, the Dolphins would now have a cornerback, yes cornerback to improve their already stellar run defense. Yes, if Dee Milliner is there at #12…..PICK HIM!

So, those are the two key positions that Miami must get right this time.  This team is too close and too talented at most other positions to have another losing season.  Jeff Ireland and Joe Philbin need to be on the same page before free agency starts if they hope to turn things around.  If for once, the Miami Dolphin front office gets key players to “take their talents to South Beach,” I have a feeling Dolphins fans will be much happier with the results this time next year.

  Over the past couple of months I have heard a few reports that GM Jeff Ireland is not likely to re-sign Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush.  With very few true leaders on this 5-8 Dolphin team, I think it is vital for Miami to resign the hardest working, most devoted member of their team if they are truly trying to build toward a championship.Reggie’s numbers this year were impressive during the first three weeks until he suffered a mild knee injury against the New York Jets.  Many attribute his lack of production during the ladder part of this season to why they think he wont be back, but it isn’t all about the numbers when trying to lead a team.

Watching Bush against the San Francisco 49ers in person this past Sunday only reaffirmed how focused he is and how badly he wants to see this team win. Reggie was the only offensive player in my opinion that was going a 100% every play, even when he didn’t touch the ball.   He suffered a crowd roaring hit on the sideline and could have stayed down and milked it, but as the leader Bush got up went back to the huddle and got the next play like a true professional and more importantly a man.

These little things Bush does are so vital for a young team full of players looking for the right way to do things.  Most NFL fans can attest to this especially during the past couple of weeks where we’ve seen Kansas City Chief and Dallas Cowboys players embarrassing the league.

Another reason Miami can’t lose Reggie is simple.  You dealt your best play-maker from a year ago in Brandon Marshall (still don’t understand that move) so losing Reggie would only add to the already stagnant offense we have seen this season from the Dolphins.

Many experts and NFL analysts repeatedly said the Dolphins were one playmaker away from being a contender in the AFC not only this year, but beyond.  That is why Jeff Ireland can’t be stingy with Bush and maybe overpay him just a little bit to keep him. 

I know, I know, Jeff Ireland probably wont because he acts like it’s his money he’s spending.  Ireland really needs to think long and hard about letting Reggie go though because all who are familiar with the Dolphins this season can only imagine how good they could have been if we had Brandon Marshall and also Chad Johnson.  I believe a lot better than 5-8.

We also know how much worse Miami could have been if we didn’t have Reggie Bush in the lineup.  Bush only has 5 touchdowns, but this stat is skewed a bit.  He scored most of his touchdowns from outside the 20 this year and hardly got the nod on goal-line or red-zone situations.  Simply put, he makes plays on a team that hardly ever scores on long yardage plays.

Our depth at the position is decent, but I don’t think Daniel Thomas can handle the load by himself with his turnover trouble and his knack for concussions. Lamar Miller seems promising, but is still unproven.

Another key area to look at when making a decision such as this is if Reggie Bush wants to be in Miami and he has made clear he does.  Bush was quoted by Fox Sports saying, “I would love to be back here,” when asked if he would like to return to the Dolphins next year.

“I really enjoy building something special,” Bush added.  “I want to bring a Super Bowl to Miami and kind of restore some of that greatness about the Miami Dolphins.  So I look forward to it.  It’s like a project almost.  You kind of want to build something from scratch.  That’s the same thing we did in New Orleans; we built that team from scratch.  I look forward to doing the same thing.”

That is all any fan of any team wants to hear from one of their stars.  Reggie actually loves Miami when so many others have been so negative the past few years when referring to the Miami Dolphins organization.

To me it is a no-brainer to keep Reggie while he is in the prime of his career.  He is one of the most electric players in the game, he fills seats in Miami and elsewhere, and he is the most proven leader on that team.  When many players around the league are overpaid, I don’t believe it would be a mistake to overpay slightly for a play-maker and leader like Reggie Bush.  Ireland, please be smart and think this one through before you pull the trigger.