Will Vic Fangio join Miami Dolphins coaching staff?

The Miami Dolphins have made some moves with their coaching staff on the offensive side of the ball but they have yet to touch defense.

Matt Burke is still the Dolphins defensive coordinator and the question is for how long? Many believe that Burke should be either fired or reassigned. Let’s face it the Dolphins defense was not very good this year. Others believe he is an up and coming coach and that Miami should just ride it out.

Both are right or at least have a good argument to make.

Miami ranked 16th overall in 2017 but a slow start hindered a higher ranking. They were 16th against the pass and 14th against the run. It was a good climb from the bottom where they started and sat for the early part of the season.

This makes a case for the retention of Matt Burke. Thus far there is no word from South Florida that a coaching change will come on the defensive side of the ball. Burke wrapped his first year as a defensive coordinator after spending 2016 as the teams linebacker coach.

Miami however needs some innovation and some veteran coaching on that side of the ball. Adam Gase has a grip on the offense that he will not relinquish but handing over the defense to a coach with limited experience is doing himself no favors.

This is where the other side of the argument comes in. While Burke’s defense improved, it was never showing signs of becoming great. The best performance was against New England but let downs the following two weeks against Kansas City and Buffalo showed why the Dolphins have a long way, a very long way to go.

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This year there are plenty of options to replace Burke as the DC. For starters, John Fox, a former defensive coordinator, is looking for work. Of course there is a big connection between Gase and Fox whom he coached under in Denver and again in Chicago. Fox gave Gase his first OC job.

Fox has more than just DC experience of course, he has been a head coach for three NFL teams and has taken two of those teams, Carolina and Denver, to the Super Bowl. Gase could use some of that experience in pre-game preparation as well as during games.

If Fox isn’t available, Vic Fangio might be. A highly respected defensive coach, Gase worked with Fangio in Chicago and the two are reportedly good friends. Fangio’s contract with the Bears expired today and he reportedly has an interview with the Green Bay Packers. Miami fans should know soon if Gase has interest.

Other names on the market are also former NFL head coaches. They include Mike Pettine who coached the Browns. While the Browns didn’t really go anywhere under Pettine he managed to improve their defense. Former Colts head coach Chuck Pagano is also looking for work and is a former DC as is former Oakland Raider coach Jack Del Rio.

All of those names have a considerable amount more of experience than Burke. Rumors do continue to build that Gase wants the Dolphins to transition to a 3-4 defense by the 2019 season. There is nothing coming out of Miami on this but if true, it might be a good opportunity to start transitioning now with a new defensive coordinator.

Gase has said there is no timetable for coaching changes that they are evaluating and have not made decisions on anyone’s future yet. Aside from the addition of Dowell Loggains, the reassignment of Clyde Christensen, and the hiring of Jeremiah Washburn.

So for now Miami fans wait and wonder if the defense will get a makeover that will bring more experience to the Dolphins.