Now that the mud has settled on a 2023 season that began with a lot promise, followers can begin to ask how this Miami Dolphins squad can recover from the proverbial hump in 2024. Most followers have concepts on how the Dolphins may be higher subsequent season and we goal to research a few of the extra common ones. We began with the obvious place group to enhance, the tight finish room. Now let’s check out one which was a staff power in 2023, however might be present process a significant overhaul over the following couple of seasons: Inside Defensive Line.
Why This Place Issues
Every little thing that you simply need to do on protection begins with the fellows up entrance. They play an enormous half in run protection, whether or not that’s consuming blocks to maintain second stage defenders clear or knifing into the backfield to carry down ball carriers. In case your protection can’t maintain up on the level of assault, you’ll have a tough time slowing down the very best and most balanced offenses within the NFL.
Whereas run protection has at all times been an enormous a part of an inside gamers job, the very best gamers on the place as we speak may get after the quarterback. Inside strain is one of the simplest ways to disrupt a quarterback and a staff’s passing recreation. The most effective inside go rushers drive groups to double staff them on passing performs which then opens issues up for the remainder of the defensive position. The most effective inside go rushers as we speak are guys like Aaron Donald (nonetheless), Chris Jones, Ed Oliver, Justin Madubuike, and Quinnen Williams… amongst a number of others.
The place Are They Now?
For just a few years now one of many strengths of this protection has been the defensive inside. Since drafting Christian Wilkins quantity 13 total in 2019, he’s been the nook stone of this group. The opposite fundamental guys at that place have been Zach Sieler (who was added through the 2020 tank season) and Raekwon Davis who was a second spherical decide in 2020. Lets check out the snap counts from the defensive inside in 2023 and their pertinent stats:
Christian Wilkins: 895 def snaps / 65 tackles / 58 pressures / 9 sacks
Zach Sieler: 857 def snaps / 63 tackles / 56 pressures / 10 sacks
Raekwon Davis: 499 def snaps / 28 tackles / 23 pressures / 1 sack
Da’Shawn Hand: 199 def snaps / 17 tackles / 9 pressures / 1 sack
Brandon Pili: 29 def snaps / 2 tackles / 1 strain / 0 sacks
Christian Wilkins’ immense worth as a teammate and run defender is just about unquestioned. The dangle up between him and Miami should come all the way down to what he’s (and may be) as a go rusher.
Listed here are all of his sacks (each 1/2 and full) from 2023 with a few of my ideas ⏬ pic.twitter.com/IWcAO0HKmi
— George Forder (@GeorgeForder3) February 22, 2024
This was a productive group in 2023, however they’re extraordinarily high heavy. All of it begins and ends with Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler. Raekwon Davis confirmed a ton of promise his rookie season, however by no means actually developed previous being a very good/stable participant on the defensive position. Hand is a journeyman and Pili is a UDFA with some potential upside however is essentially an unknown.
Choices This Offseason
The one gamers underneath contract for 2024 are Zach Sieler and Brandon Pili, so there may be potential for this group to look considerably completely different this season. Essentially the most logical choice at this level is to tag Wilkins (if you happen to can’t get a deal performed) and search for some second tier gamers that may present depth to your two fundamental workhorses. Lets have a look at what choices they’ll have.
Free Company
As said earlier than, probably the most logical factor to do is carry again Wilkins. If you happen to can’t come to an settlement on a long run deal, you could have the franchise tag at your disposal. If (for no matter purpose) Wilkins doesn’t keep in Miami, there are some attention-grabbing gamers obtainable in free company. Chris Jones, Justin Madubuike, Christian Wilkins, Leonard Williams, and DJ Reader headline a reasonably deep group this offseason.
Chris Jones is the very best of this group and is more likely to demand someplace round $30 million a season-which makes him an unlikely choice. Justin Madubuike is a notch beneath Wilkins as a run defenders however can be a fairly clear step ahead as a go rusher and will find yourself with a contract in the identical neighborhood as Wilkins. Leonard Williams is a stable throughout choice that may price lower than Wilkins however may replicate his snap rely and productiveness. Grover Stewart and DJ Reader are each improbable run defenders however most likely can’t play as a lot as Wilkins or be as productive within the passing recreation. If you happen to don’t carry again Wilkins, there are alternatives there.
If you happen to do carry again Wilkins there are additionally depth gamers that would make sense so as to add. You could possibly carry again Raekwon Davis for familiarities sake, however you even have Javon Kinlaw, Maurice Hurst, DaQuan Jones, Teair Tart, and Sheldon Rankins that would probably be added for a reduction. Once more, this can be a high heavy group and they might profit from including somebody who may be productive whereas spelling Wilkins and Sieler.
NFL Draft
With a few of the different wants on this roster, it might be shocking to see them add one of many high inside defenders from this draft. This turns into doubly true if/when the Dolphins discover a strategy to carry again Christian Wilkins for this upcoming season. Meaning we’re potential day three/UDFA gamers in the event that they select so as to add to this place group. Possibly somebody like a Tyler Davis (Clemson), Mekhi Wingo (LSU), or Khristian Boyd (UNI) might be attention-grabbing choices, particularly if Miami trades again and picks up some mid spherical picks. Following the NFL mix, we’ll have a a lot better thought about who might be obtainable for them afterward within the draft. I wouldn’t count on them so as to add to the defensive inside on day one/two although.
Remaining Ideas
A lot of this place group hinges on Christian Wilkins. He’s performed a loopy quantity of snaps (particularly over the past two seasons) for a defensive lineman and has remained productive at that elevated snap rely. I can inform you one factor for certain: that isn’t simple to switch. Even when Christian is perhaps a notch beneath the highest inside rushers, his availability, run protection, and management are going to make him one of many highest paid defensive gamers within the league. The excellent news is that they received Sieler locked up on a staff pleasant deal. So the place do they go from right here?
Discover a strategy to carry again Christian Wilkins for the 2024 season, even when which means utilizing the franchise tag. It might be a good suggestion so as to add one of many second or third tier of free brokers to assist even out this place group. So far as the draft is worried, there’s a good likelihood that a few of the high stage inside defenders will likely be there at 21 (Jer’Zhan Newton & Byron Murphy), however it wouldn’t make a ton of sense when you could have different positions that desperately want an infusion of expertise ( you inside offensive line). If a prospect you want slips to day three, perhaps you pull the set off, however that’s about so far as I might go.
