With the 2021 NFL Draft over and the schedule officially being released, it’s time for my third annual 32 part series where the top three questions will be posed for each NFL team. Here are those three questions for the Miami Dolphins.
Be sure to check out all of Heller’s Three Burning Questions.
Will Tua Time Be Better in Year Two?
2020 first-round pick, Tua Tagovailoa, got the starting nod midseason despite veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick playing well and not deserving to be benched. Fitzpatrick had the team in good shape heading into their bye week when the switch was announced by head coach Brian Flores. Tagovailoa’s debut season was filled with ups and downs and inconsistency. For every great play, he seemed to have a pair of head-scratching ones. His season saw him benched in favor of Fitzpatrick and reinserted a handful of times as the season wore on. Fitzpatrick is now in Washington and former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett sits in the second spot on the depth chart.
The team added former Houston Texans receiver Will Fuller to their receiving weapons in free agency. To do Tua even one better, the team used their No. 6 overall pick on his former Alabama target, Jaylen Waddle. The familiarity with Waddle and the comrade Tua was able to build with the receivers he played with last season will help his sophomore season be more successful in South Beach than year one.
Will the Defense Hold Up?
Miami selected linebacker Jaelan Phillips 18th overall, they also selected safety Jevon Holland in the second round. A unit that was rather impressive last season, they finished with the sixth-ranked overall defense. Pro Bowler Xavien Howard led the team with a career-high 10 interceptions and 20 pass deflections. His success was aided by the front seven being able to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Will the Running Game be More Effective?
What has become the norm in South Beach, is the lack of a running game. The team hasn’t had a 1,000 yard running back since 2016 with Jay Ajayi. The team’s leading rusher in 2019 was their quarterback, Fitzpatrick, with just 243 yards. Last season, second-year running back Myles Gaskin looked to be on pace to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark, but injuries caused him to miss six games. He finished the season with 584 yards on the ground, tops on the team. If Gaskin can stay healthy, he could be a formidable one-two punch with former Rams running back Malcolm Brown, who the Dolphins signed in free agency.
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