Miami Dolphins 2023 season will be determined by team health
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins road to the Super Bowl or a deep playoff run will be determined on several factors and injuries are one of them.
Since arriving in the NFL in 2015, Raheem Mostert has not played a full season.
Since 2018, Jeff Wilons, Jr. has yet to play an entire season, he almost made it last season.
Miami lost far too many players in 2022 and they have to find a way to avoid this in 2023. Miami will not live up to expectations if these five players are lost at the end of the year when the Dolphins should be competing for a playoff spot.
Tua Tagovailoa – As we said earlier, Tua is the make-or-break for the Dolphins offense and if he is out, the Dolphins offense will not come close to being as productive.
Xavien Howard – Jalen Ramsey makes the secondary better but as we learned last year, Miami’s defense is not as effective when Howard isn’t healthy. Last year, he missed time but he also played through injuries that reduced his productivity considerably. Ramsey’s addition would make the loss of Howard feel less of an issue but it wouldn’t be ideal.
RB’s – Miami can survive without Mostert or Wilson but as we learned last year, the offense becomes sluggish when both are out…of course Mike McDaniel’s propensity last season to abandon the run game was a problem as well. If the Dolphins lose both, it will be a draft pick, if Grier takes one, Salvon Ahmed, or Myles Gaskin. Miami will have to add a street free agent if both are lost long term.
Perhaps the biggest loss would come from the offensive line.
We know that at some point next season, Terron Armstead will be out. Miami can plan for that to happen because it happens every year. What they can’t afford is another lineman to go down. Losing any of the other lineman would be a problem simply because Miami is very thin along the line.
The experience and consistency is not good at right tackle or left guard and if Miami has to dip further into the mid-season free agent market, it won’t be good. That creates problems and potential injuries to happen to running back and quarterback.
Can Miami’s secondary survive more injuries?
Last year it was Trill Williams, Nik Needham, Byron Jones, Brandon Jones, and for a little while Xavien Howard. The Dolphins have added quite a bit to the secondary this year and can afford a few non-season ending injuries but let us be honest, the secondary rests on Howard and Ramsey.
The good news for Miami Dolphins fans
Last year, the Dolphins were decimated by injuries from one side of the ball to the other. They still managed to make the playoffs and came within 35 seconds of potentially eliminating the Bills in Buffalo.
Miami has the talent to win and if the majority of players can stay healthy and off the injury report, Miami can make a deep run and who knows, potentially a shot at the Super Bowl. Yes, they are that talented, but as we have seen over the last several years, injuries have been a big issue for Miami.