{"id":21603,"date":"2022-03-05T19:13:36","date_gmt":"2022-03-06T00:13:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/?p=21603"},"modified":"2022-03-05T19:13:38","modified_gmt":"2022-03-06T00:13:38","slug":"taking-stock-2022-miami-dolphins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/nfl\/taking-stock-2022-miami-dolphins\/","title":{"rendered":"TAKING STOCK: 2022 MIAMI DOLPHINS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BY ADAM GREENE<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s been quite the offseason for the Miami Dolphins. They parted ways with Brian flores, a head coach that led the team to two consecutive winning seasons with a quarterback he apparently hated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, that\u2019s led to all sorts of new problems for the NFL, with Flores filing a lawsuit that\u2019s tangled up the New York Giants at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MIAMI<\/strong> DOLPHINS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2021-22 Record: 9-<\/strong>8, third place AFC East<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Playoffs: <\/strong>N\/A<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NOW WHAT?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Flores out the door, the Dolphins hired former San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. McDaniel helped Kyle Shanahan craft one of the most prolific rushing offenses in the league in his time in The Bay. He doesn\u2019t have the same running back corps he had in San Fran, but that\u2019s an easy fix. Low round draft picks and scrap heap guys turning into dominant backs were a staple of McDaniel\u2019s offense with the 49ers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It should be a boon for third year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who found himself in Flores\u2019 doghouse apparently by just not being Justin Herbert. But Tags us no bum and shouldn\u2019t be given up on just yet. Plus, the Shanahan offense doesn\u2019t need great QB play to succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FREE AGENCY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tight end Mike Gesicki needs to be a top priority to keep out of Miami\u2019s pending free agents. If San Francisco\u2019s offense is any indication, then TE is a super important piece of the puzzle and Gesicki is coming off two consecutive great years. Last season he caught a career high 73 passes for 780 yards and two touchdowns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dolphins need another running back, if not two, and if they want to add a free agent, there are plenty of options. A guy like James Conner would blow an offense like this wide open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To make that work, they need some offensive line upgrades, especially in the middle. This seems like the perfect time for McDaniel to rob his former team and sign Laken Tomlinson and maybe grab Ethan Pocic from the Seattle Seahawks and Austin Corbett from the Los Angeles Rams while he\u2019s at it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DRAFT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miami traded what would turn into the No. 15 overall pick to the Philadelphia Eagles, but thanks to the McDaniel\u2019s former team, the 49ers, they hold the No. 29 overall pick via the Trey Lance trade. In my mock draft<\/a>, I had them selecting Jaxson Kirkland, offensive lineman out of Washington at No. 29. I can\u2019t see any way McDaniel won\u2019t load up his offense up front with his first and probably second rounders as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AFC EAST<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Buffalo Bills will probably have a stranglehold on the AFC East for the foreseeable future and the resurgence of the New England Patriots can\u2019t make anyone feel great. Miami has managed to win 19 games over the last two seasons and should be able to build on that. The division title is probably out of reach, but the Dolphins were right in the Wild Card hunt until Christmas and could get over the hump if McDaniel can push Tagovailoa and the offense to the next level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connect with us our socials on Twitter<\/a> and Instagram<\/a> for the latest sports news, viral moments, betting odds and the occasional memes.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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