In what has already been a tremendous offseason for the Miami Dolphins, some big moves are still on the way for general manager Chris Grier. Obviously, there's a lot of focus on the contract talks between Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and the front office.
However, there are some other uncertainties for fans to focus on right now as well. In this piece, we take a look at five questions the Dolphins must answer before camps sneaks up on us all:
5. Will the Dolphins solve their offensive line issues?
As fans, we can throw remotes at our walls or televisions, but Grier continues to take the approach that the Dolphins offensive line is perfectly fine just being tweaked and doesn't need to be overhauled. Unlike the fanbase, Grier gets to make those decisions.
The Dolpgins spent a second-round draft pick on Patrick Paul. Normally, this would excite the fans, but Paul still has to develop more and isn't penciled in as a starter for 2023, in fact, he isn't viewed as a starter until Terron Armstead retires. Yes, Paul is a left tackle. The Dolphins needed a guard.
In free agency, whether due to salary cap restraints or choice, the Dolphins only free-agent addition outside of bringing back some of last year's one-year players was Jack Driscoll. He will compete with the others for a roster spot.
The offensive line isn't broken, but there are questions surrounding it. Can Aaron Brewer handle the center job and stay healthy? He was at OTAs working with trainers and not on the practice field. If he can't go, the Dolphins' option is Liam Eichenberg and that isn't a great one.
With Robert Hunt gone, the Dolphins still don't have someone locked in to play right guard, and at left guard, they are hoping Isaiah Wynn can handle it. Wynn missed considerable time last year after being placed on IR with an injury. Of course, there is Armstead, who is a walking question mark from week to week. Elite when he is healthy, but he can't seem to stay healthy.
4. How many DTs will the Dolphins keep to replace Christian Wilkins?
When the Dolphins let Christian Wilkins leave in free agency, the answer was quantity over quality to find a replacement. Miami signed eight defensive tackles to compete during camp this year, but none stand out as being an unquestionable starter. Aside from Zach Sieler, who will stand up and make a case for the starting job next to him or the go-to guy in the rotation?
Again, this won't be solved in OTAs or minicamp, but the Dolphins will get an idea of who is going to practice harder to make an impression and get the early reps when camp rolls around. The Dolphins will likely have to carry more DTs than they have previously because of the unknowns with most of the players.
The majority of the guys Miami signed have been backups for most of their careers with a limited number of starts. Somewhere among them, the Dolphins will have to figure out who can not only make the roster, but make an impact on game days as well. Training camp will solve a lot of those questions, but clearly entering into the days before camp begins, this is going to be a question that fans will be watching closely for answers.
3. Who is going to provide depth at WR?
Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are on the outside, and maybe Odell Beckham Jr. and Waddle will switch off in the slot. It's an amazing thought when you think about it, but then you have to wonder what is going to happen behind them. What if Waddle gets hurt or Hill is lost again for any period of time? What then? The Dolphins have a top-level WR unit on the front end, but on the back end, spots are up for grabs.
Miami will enter training camp with these questions on their minds. Do they keep Malik Washington and Tahj Washingotn, the two rookie draft picks, or do they go with a veteran like River Cracraft? The question of Erik Ezukanma will come up as well. Have the Dolphins seen enough or do they still believe he is the answer to their WR depth? You could make an argument that Miami isn't sold on Ezukanma, considering they selected two wide receivers in this year's draft.
Miami's wide receivers room is going to be interesting, but the Dolphins need a game plan behind their top three, especially their top WRs. If either Hill or Waddle are lost for any period of time, they may not have the personnel to run the Mike McDaniel offense effectively. McDaniel will need to change his approach and become far more reliant on the rushing attack.
2. Do the Dolphins have a plan at safety?
Jevon Holland is in the final year of his contract, and Jordan Poyer is getting too old to play in the NFL. He is still serviceable, but his best years are behind him. The Dolphins like the tandem of those two, but they don't have any other options behind them.
Miami is working out Nik Needham and Elijah Campbell as safeties, with the hope they can convert one of them to provide depth. Patrick McMorris was a late Day 3 draft pick and won't be ready to assume a bigger role on the defense. He is considered a project for good reason.
If the Dolphins lose Holland again, they basically have no one who can step in and play that role. Miami has to address this, and free agency is dried up unless they can figure out a deal for Justin Simmons, which is unlikely. This is a big problem area for the Dolphins, and while they don't seem too concerned about it, they may be forced to deal with it at the worst time instead of getting ahead of the problem now.
1. Will Mike McDaniel turn the corner as a play-caller?
McDaniel has said he thought about putting the playbook down for someone else to make the calls, but he opted against it. Over the last two seasons, McDaniel has called some great games, but he has also called some that were not so good. He has to do better with the flow of the offense and the game. When a defense takes away his game plan, he has to have an answer to force them to switch up again - then counter that as well.
This is something that McDaniel is aware of, which is why he considered giving up those duties and the fact he changed his mind should be an early indication that he recognizes some of those faults, like sticking to the passing game too long, or not sticking to the run game when it is working well. Why does he abandon those aspects of the game when they are clicking?
Similar to what Jimmy Johnson once said, "Sometimes you just want to go to the cookie jar." In this case, that jar has Waddle and Hill hidden inside. They are far more exciting with a 10-to-15 yard pick up as opposed to a four-yard gain on the ground. Miami can win by putting points on the board, but they also have to win by controlling the tempo and the time of the game as well.