2020 Miami Dolphins expectations should stay muted
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins impressed a lot of naysayers by the end of last season and in 2020, expectations are likely to go up, they shouldn’t.
For the Miami Dolphins, 2020 is going to be a pivotal year in their rebuild as the players that are added through free agency and the draft are going to be cornerstone pieces of the roster. Finding the right players is important, getting them all working together for the same goal, in the same system will be the bigger challenge.
The Dolphins are not expected to compete for the post-season and they are not going to knock the Patriots off the AFC East perch, not this year. They will likely finish better than they did last season but where that win total lands is anyone’s guess. Six, seven, or eight wins is realistic but frankly, eight wins for now is the ceiling.
The Dolphins won five of their last six games in 2019 but already things have changed. The offensive system is going to change with Chan Gailey taking over. The offensive line is going to change some but Ryan Fitzpatrick is going to remain the quarterback in all likelihood. Fitzpatrick had a really good season, for Ryan Fitzpatrick, last year but Miami can’t expect him to lead the team to the post-season.
The bigger reason the Dolphins are likely to be average next season is simply due to the amount of new faces that will be dotting the roster. Free agency will provide veteran players that the team believes will help mold the team into a winner while the draft will provide more youth to anchor the future of the team.
Miami is already a young football team and they are not likely to add aging veterans in free agency but instead bank on top players who are coming off rookie deals and have proven consistency in the league while still having development opportunities. There will be one or two veterans who are not coming off the rookie contract but we should see those on the offensive line.
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Like 2019, the Dolphins will probably start off slow and as the season progresses, get better. They should finish the 2020 season like 2019 as well. A team that is showing a lot of growth and consistency. If the Dolphins can steal some games early, they won’t get eliminated from the playoff discussions until late in the season.
For fans, 2020 will be about growth and consistency. We should get a good look at the direction the team is going in and whether the team that was coached up by Brian Flores is a reality. He did very well last season and needs to continue this year. That all being said, it will be hard to sleep on the Dolphins. They are not close but they are getting closer if that makes sense and if Flores can milk the production from a lot better talent to match what he got from his lackluster roster last season, maybe they surprise. 2020 is going to be fun to watch but anyone hoping for a “Tank for Trevor” campaign, may want to rethink as the Dolphins are likely going to end up right smack in the middle. And there is nothing wrong with that.