Miami Dolphins: Christmas and holiday wishlist for the offense
As the 2021 season continues, the Miami Dolphins are playing more like the team fans expected when the season started. While their play on the field has improved, and the work continues, I wanted to put together a wishlist of sorts for what the team needed to continue working on.
Quarterback – Tua Tagovailoa is the team’s quarterback. Flirtations with Watson, Rodgers, and other big names via the trade route should not continue. Let’s see how our quarterback continues to develop and work on other areas of the team.
Running Back – Although some want to see a workhorse back the likes of Ezekiel Elliot or Christian McCaffery, I would rather see the team utilize a rotation of 2 or 3 backs as they have been. With Myles Gaskin and Duke Johnson (after the last game against the Jets), I’d rather see our continued use of our committee.
Gaskin is having his best season of his career rushing 580 yards so far while also accounting for 217 yards receiving and tallying seven total toucchdowns. Duke Johnson is coming off a great game running for 125 yards and two scores in the game against the Jets. Verdict – Keep what we have and show them that running the ball is important to the team and the teams success
Offensive line – The offensive line as a unit has improved with the unit playing arguably their best game this past Sunday against the Jets. That being said, that effort should be the norm as opposed to the outlier. With notable names like Brandon Scherff and Eric Fisher set to become free agents, the remainder of the schedule could serve as a tryout for the current line to play its best football and show what they can do.
Still bringing in some big-name veterans in the off-season could be in the cards to help what is a young line. Verdict – Let’s shore up the offensive line as it’s been a continued area of need, not as high profile as other positions but vital to the success of the team.
Wide Receivers – DeVante Parker, Preston Williams, Mack Hollins, Jaylen Waddle, and Mike Gesicki have shown that they are great targets for Tagovailoa when on the field. The issue has been having them on the field at the same time. This off-season, bringing Gesicki back should be a priority as he has been constantly improved as a receiver during his time with the Dolphins. Williams, Hollins, Will Fuller, and Albert Wilson are all slated to be free agents after the season.
Hollins is having his best season with a career-high in touchdowns and 43 yards shy of his career-best. With big names slated to hit free agency throughout the league, bringing in a veteran to the group would be a needed boost to the offense. With players like Davante Adams, Allen Robinson, Jamison Crowder, and JuJu Smith-Schuster as potential free agents, adding them to a lineup that includes Parker, Waddle, Gesicki, and Hollins could be the needed option. Verdict – Letting some of the current receivers go into free agency in favor of bringing in a big-name free agent (such as Adams, or Robinson) could help the unit as a group as well as give Tagovailoa a true number 1 receiver.