Dolphins 2016 defensive tackle preview: Earl Mitchell

Veteran defensive tackle Earl Mitchell enters his 3^rd year as a Miami Dolphin and, after a difficult 2015 season, he is expected to face a challenge to his starting role. 

Defensive tackle: Earl Mitchell

Earl Mitchell joined the Miami Dolphins in 2014, when the team signed him as a free agent after having played 4 seasons with the Houston Texans.  Mitchell was drafted by Houston in the 3^rd round of the 2010 draft, having entered the draft after graduating from the University of Arizona.  He is 6’3”, 310 pounds, and is 28 years old.  Mitchell has good but not great size, and is a high motor player.  He gives good effort in both the run and pass game, even playing nose tackle while with the Texans, but he will need to show more productivity this season in order to hold onto his starting position, since 2^nd year man Jordan Phillips is huge, strong and athletic, and may be a better fit playing next to Ndamukong Suh.  Mitchell needs to consistently beat the single team blocks that he faced last year when Suh and Cameron Wake were getting double teamed.  He needs to disrupt the pocket when the offense single teams him.

2016 preview

Mitchell will begin training camp as the starting defensive tackle, in tandem with Suh.  Under the Wide-9 attacking defense that the Dolphins intend to employ this season, Mitchell should be one-on-one with a guard in passing situations, so he needs to use his high-motor and quickness to disrupt the pocket.  If he can’t do that, and the Dolphins defense is getting gashed up the middle in the running game, and unable to pressure the passer, like it was last year, expect Mitchell to take a big share of the criticism.

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2015 review

After a strong preseason, when Mitchell and the rest of the starting defensive line looked like they would terrorize opposing quarterbacks, Mitchell was unable to carry his momentum into the regular season.  Per the Dolphins’ official website, Mitchell played in only 12 games in 2015 due to calf and back injuries.

2015 stats

According to NFL.com, Mitchell tallied 14 tackles and no sacks in 2015.  Those were the lowest totals in his career.

Previous teams

Mitchell played 4 seasons for the Texans, after being drafted with the 81^st pick of the 2010 draft.

2016 Forecast

Hopefully Mitchell can rebound from his difficult, injury-filled 2015 season, and rotate with Suh and Phillips to provide a strong middle of the field presence for the team.  The defensive tackles are the focal point of the Dolphins defense, and if they can provide a strong push up the middle, expect Cameron Wake and Mario Williams to do serious damage coming off the edges.  If Mitchell can stay healthy, and click in the new Wide-9 scheme, he should end up with 25 tackles and 4 sacks.