A Review of the Dolphins Performance

I am still disappointed how the season ended for the Dolphins. They had a terrific season overall after a miserable 1-15. I do take some solace in the fact that the Ravens beat up the #1 seed Titans.

For Dolfans, it is time to enjoy the playoffs and start thinking about next season. Here are my grades and analysis of the team by unit:

QB (A-) Pennington, Henne, and Beck are the three for next season. The question is how to get playing time for Henne to develop and eventually take over. Pennington probably has one more season left so you have to get Henne prepared to take over. (Note: I only gave QB an A- because of Pennington's inability to throw the deep ball.)
RB (A) We should be set with Brown, Williams, and Cobbs. This is really the strength of the team. The three of them are the reason that the "wildcat" formation worked. It allowed the Dolphins to involve all three simultaneously. FB Polite did a good job in short yardage situations and was adequate as a lead blocker. No changes are needed unless somebody retires again...
WR (C+) This was one of the major weaknesses on the on the team. When you see your 3rd string RB Cobbs (who is a good player) lined up at WR you know there are problems. Ginn, Bess, and Camarillo are keepers, but there is no big physical WR to make plays. Wilford was supposed to fill that role but he was a bust as a free agent signing. I expect this position to be addressed in the draft. There are some impact WRs in the draft this year.
TE (B+) Fasano was a steal from the Cowboys and Martin showed why the previous regime brought him in to replace McMichael. They were the downfield passing threats on the team. The only change might be upgrading the 3rd TE to help in blocking situations.
OL (B+) This unit was as responsible for the turn around as Pennington. They provided good running lanes and kept the QB standing up most of the time. However depth is a big concern as well as resigning Carey. The depth problems showed as Smiley and Thomas were lost to injuries. Jake Long was as advertised and should be an anchor at LT for years to come. I expect the team to draft one or two players for this unit.
DL (B) The rookies Langford and Merling played well at times. They should be solid contributers in the future. The veterans played as expected. Future replacements for Ferguson and Holliday need to be brought and developed. I am not sure they are on the roster today.
LB (B-) This unit is a mixed bag and needs to be addressed. Porter showed why he is a fearsome pass rusher, but he will be 32 next season. Crowder is a free agent and might be let go. His numbers looked good but he did not make plays. Adodele was a nice pick up from the Cowboys. Roth should probably go back to DE because he is a liability trying to cover TEs. Torbor, Anderson, and Moses added depth and helped on special teams. This is the unit most likely to be addressed through free agency with several good players becoming available.
DB (B) This unit really improved during the season but needs to addressed. Will Allen and Goodman did a good job but both are past 30 now. Jason Allen still looks lost on the field at times and probably will never live up to being a #1 pick. Bell and Hill are good at S, but we could use someone who is either more physical and/or creates more turnovers. Most of the key players are late 20s and early 30s and several are free agents. I believe the draft is the best way to infuse some new youthful talent. I expect this unit to have the most changes in the offseason.
ST (D) The kickers were good. The returners were okay. The blocking on returns cost us field position (and at least one TD) because of penalties on multiple occasions. The coverage at times was scary allowing too many big returns. Continuing to bring in young players through he draft will help with kick coverage. Bess, Cobbs, and Ginn should be fine for returners. The draft might bring in a CB/KR to add depth and skills.

In terms of priority, the Dolphins need to address the DB and WR positions first followed by LB and then OL. I expect most of this to be addressed through the draft. Parcells places an emphasis on the line of scrimmage so I expect the team to rate those needs higher.

The leadership will not mortgage the future through free agent signings. Free agency was okay overall with Pennington and Smiley being key contributors, but otherwise they did not have significant impact. Some more trades like Fasano / Adoleye could also add some depth. But those are hard to do in the NFL with the salary cap and the emphasis on youth.

More rookie free agents like Bess and Thomas will also be brought in to try and find more diamonds in the rough. Ireland is good talent evaluator and will probably find another player or two this way.

Parcells, Ireland, and Sprano have this team headed in the right direction. Next season will be tougher since they won 11 games this years, but we can look forward to another year of contending for the playoffs.