Miami Dolphins rebuild leaves plenty to look forward to in 2019

The Miami Dolphins might not be that good when kickoff starts in September since they’re rebuilding, but let me assure you, there are reasons for optimism.

Now maybe that optimism isn’t necessarily a reason to believe that the Dolphins will be a surprise team in the playoffs, but the potential represents greener pastures that the organization is moving toward.

The Miami Dolphins have been pegged nationally to not be very good and understood by many fans to be going through a bit of a rough patch for the upcoming season. But don’t let that completely deflate you; there are still a few things to look forward to for the 2019 season, especially with training camp just around the corner.

Let’s start with the pinnacle of the Miami Dolphins, Xavien Howard. Howard is the best player on the team, and since his contract was extended earlier this year, it’s a sigh of relief that he’ll be spending many more of his prime years in Miami.

Howard could still get his name out there even more with another year under his belt and could become the best corner in the league, undisputably.  There’s still that kind of potential to tap into.

Nipping at Howard’s heels is Laremy Tunsil, who I expect to reach a similar level this year. Tunsil is still not the household name for the position that we want him to be, but I expect that to change after this season.

Another potential upside is the backfield. I’m very intrigued by the top 2 names on the depth chart: Kenyan Drake and Kalen Ballage. I believe they have the opportunity to shine in a 1-2 punch.

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And throwing in Myles Gaskin into the fray could make for a surprisingly enjoyable unit to watch come football season.

Drake has the talent, but he was never maximized in the previous era, so 2019 is a big year for him to come into his own.

Even if Drake helps command the offense, I don’t think Ballage or Gaskins will be ignored, though. And don’t forget about the already-fan-favorite Chandler Cox. The Dolphins are poised to have some secret talent in the backfield and how they move all their chess pieces could be a really fun experience.

It’ll also be encouraging and exciting to see the development of second-year players like Jerome Baker, Mike Gesicki, and Minkah Fitzpatrick.

The two defensive players I mentioned are especially noteworthy. Fitzpatrick could really become a special player, and although Baker isn’t nearly on the same level, I could see him becoming a force in his own right.

While it’s hard to spin a rebuild, there’s still talent on this roster. Sure, there might be less talent on it than other teams, as it stands. But 2019 might be the year of looking for and enjoying the small victories; they’ll eventually turn into big ones, though.