Tua this… Tyreek Hill that… there’s been a lot of buzz in Miami, this off-season. But to be honest, there’s SO much more than meets the eye.
First and foremost, it’s been thoroughly recorded that I’m not the biggest Tua fan in the world. I’ve even gone so far this off-season to debate either I’d prefer to start Cam Newton; Colin Kapernick; or Carson Wentz over Tua. And if we’re being honest, they should have scrapped any Tua plans and gone after Matt Ryan to run this excellent offense in the making… but, I digress.
They’re 2022 Draft was… meh. They picked up an ILB in the 3rd round. And a big (physically) WR in Erik Ezukanma. Never hurts to have a David Boston-type receiver as a target to hit when the secondary is obsessed with where #10 (Tyreek Hill) is on the field. Let’s get into the real fun stuff though.
So… let’s set it up this way… in case you didn’t realize it, Miami was 9-8 last year. They only missed the AFC Wildcard playoffs by a couple of spots (Pittsburgh got it, Indianapolis was above them). Also, they were the 16th overall ranked defense in the NFL. Not amazing, but that’s 1 spot higher than the AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals. Food for thought.
Regardless of your thoughts on Tua, the real story in Dade County is what they have going on on the offensive side of the ball. Obviously, the Tyreek Hill acquisition was huge. How he seems to be warming up to Tua is the best case scenario.
But one of the biggest things I’m excited to see play out is the addition of Raheem Mostert. He’s played a giant role in San Francisco, seemingly taking the torch from Frank Gore. San Francisco opted to go with the younger model. So their trash is Miami’s treasure. And one that could end up making the Pro Bowl, if they design the right offense for him.
In addition to the killer pick ups, they already have the excellent offensive weapons of Mike Gesicki (TE) and 2nd-year WR Jaylen Waddle. I hate to say the same thing that literally everyone else in the sports world is saying, but if Tua can’t score 30+ points per game with this offense…
The biggest key thing to keep an eye out for will be their offensive line. PFF.com ranked the Dolphins’ offensive line #32 overall in the NFL, following the conclusion of last year’s regular season. They signed a lot of new names for the trenches, but none that make you jump up and scream, “hallelujah!!” if you’re a Dolphins fan. But again, when it comes to success with a lesser-than-effective O-line, please see 2021 Cincinnati Bengals.
So all in all, the Dolphins aren’t winning the AFC East. No one’s getting past Allen and Co. Even the most diehard fans can accept that. But with this powerhouse offense, all Tua has to do is remember what color jersey they’re wearing each week, and they should walk their way into a 6 or 7 seed this year.
From there though, who knows…
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