Andrew Van Ginkel gave Miami Dolphins fans more reasons to miss him in Week 1

While the Miami Dolphins struggled early against the Jacksonville Jaguars to open the season, former Miami linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel was giving his new team's fans a reason to cheer and Dolphins fans another reason to miss him.

Miami opted to let Van Ginkel leave via free agency even though his contract was easy enough to match. Van Ginkel was not only a fan-favorite in Miami, but he also played multiple roles for the team. Now, his move to Minnesota is already looking genius for the Vikings:

Andrew Van Ginkel wasted no time putting on a show for the Vikings

In Miami, Van Ginkel wasn't the best linebacker on the team, but no one played harder. His touchdown against the Giants wasn't his first and probably won't be his last. Meanwhile, the Dolphins are hoping that their revamped defense can continue to improve.

The Dolphins could have kept AVG, which may have lessened the need for free-agent defensive ends. Miami signed Shaq Barrett to a free-agent contract only to watch him retire. Van Ginkel played inside linebacker and outside and lined up as a defensive end when Jaelan Phillips went down last season. The versatility and strong play wasn't enough to convince the Dolphins to re-sign him. This offseason, he reunited with Brian Flores, the new DC for Minnesota.

The Dolphins drafted Chop Robinson and then Mohamed Kamara, who was not part of the Dolphins' active 53 on Sunday. While the Dolphins' defense was trying to find a rhythm vs. Jacksonville, AVG was doing his typical AVG stuff.

By the end of Week 1, the Dolphins' defense had improved considerably. David Long Jr.'s play was hard to miss. He made tackles all over the field—he finished with five total—but was integral in keeping the Jaguars' offense from making big plays.

Van Ginkel will always hold a special place in the hearts of Dolphins fans, and watching him thrive in Minnesota is a tough pill to swallow. However, Anthony Weaver's defense was impressive, especially in the second half when they dominated the Jaguars.