Between now and the end of August, TGS will offer up a quick snapshot of every NFL team heading into the 2016 regular season. Today, the Miami Dolphins.
2015 in a nutshell: Head coach Joe Philbin is fired after a 1-3 start, but that doesn’t do much to change the course of yet another non-winning season as the Dolphins rank 27th in scoring and finish 6-10.
Why 2016 could be different: Adam Gase has taken over as head coach and they have high hopes for top pick Laremy Tunsil. But they also suffered some major losses in free agency.
Major additions: Gase, Tunsil and free-agent acquisitions Mario Williams and Isa Abdul-Quddus, both of whom are expected to start a play big roles on defense. They also traded for Byron Maxwell and Kiko Alonso, who should also start on D.
Major losses: Veteran starters Olivier Vernon, Brent Grimes, Lamar Miller and Derrick Shelby are all gone, so it’s hard to argue they didn’t take a step backward in free agency.
Breakout watch: Quarterback Ryan Tannehill really needs a big second season from wide receiver DeVante Parker after the 2015 No. 14 overall pick struggled in limited action as a rookie.
Position to watch: They’re attempting to replace Miller with 2015 fifth-round pick Jay Ajayi and/or veteran Pro Bowler Arian Foster, but both players have a lot to prove. That puts a lot of pressure on a running game that was relatively productive in 2015.
Prediction: I just don’t think this team got any better, and the 28-year-old Tannehill appeared to hit a wall in his fourth pro season. They’re the worst team in the AFC East, so I’m thinking they win five games, six max.
