7 Offensive Free Agents Miami Should Slap the Hood On

 When I look at the Miami Dolphins’ roster, I do not see a lot of holes. I do not see a lot of stars. But I don’t see a turnstile left tackle for instance.

I know that’s not a popular take among Dolphins fans. What I think the Dolphins lack and no one really gets excited to talk about is depth. But… scrolling through the internet, it comes to my attention that I am not a tape hound. And wouldn’t know what the Dolphins are looking for schematically, anyway.

So what I’ve decided to do is look at 7 offensive players I think the Dolphins might but probably won’t target. Let’s do some Fantasy-style wish-casting.

Miami’s most pressing need is a dynamic running back who can impact a defense. Bryan Baldinger, with one of his BaldysBreakdown tweets, described Aaron Jones as someone who “makes your offensive line look better”.

I played Guard in PeeWee. That doesn’t give me any kind of authority to talk like I know what I’m talking about. But I can tell you from experience that having a runner behind you who can get ahead of you quickly is a big deal. Guards are typically smaller than the linemen they’re defending - that’s why offenses try to get them to the second level to engage linebackers. Not having to tangle with that guy any longer than necessary makes you look good, and it keeps your offensive ahead of the chains.

Aaron Jones is the first name I’d target if I were the Dolphins. In fact, if this were one of my Madden teams, I’d offer him a lucrative one-year deal. My questions would be why Mike McCarthy and Matt LeFluer seemed to think the offense was better when Jones was on the bench, when the eye test says it was better when he wasn’t.

If Miami signs Aaron Jones, I don’t know it means they don’t go after a runner in the draft. I think it does mean they will have made a splash. I wouldn’t get my hopes up.

I wrote in yesterday’s piece that I expect them to target an offensive lineman early in this process, and I think they already got him in Isaiah Wilson from the Titans. Sure, he’s a knucklehead, but he’s a knucklehead on a rookie contract. I’m calling this an accurate prediction.

If they were going to dip into all three spots on the line to add depth and competition, however, they don’t need to look further than Joe Thuney and Corey Linsley, Center and Guard respectively.

These are big names. Everyone’s talking about them. It’s not often you get to see actually good offensive linemen hit the market in their primes. That’s what you’ve got, here, and they’re going to cost a pretty penny. I don’t imagine, with Miami’s meat and potatoes mindset with their offensive linemen - they’ve got a bunch of young guys all learning the position - and Jessie Davis, who continues to consistently grade out as among the best at whatever position they play him.

That’s three.

Once we start casting our gaze upon the wide receiver market, things start to look a little more intersting from a conversation perspective.You’ve got several wide receivers I personally have been watching with interest available this year. So I’m going to finish with four of them. Say the Dolphins just want to give one year deals to all these guys and totally start over at the positions. With these names, you’d have all four receiver positions covered.

In no particular order: Kenny Golladay, Corey Davis, Nelson Agholor, and Curtis Samuel.

Watching Golladay’s 2019 highlights, I’m reminded that he did not have Stafford throwing to him. Yet he managed to pull in more than 1100 yards and 11 touchdowns. From some guy named Blough. That’s a big deal to me. I know he was injured, but putting up number 1 receiver numbers from a guy who probably should never actually see a snap in his professional career in a major acocomplishment.

The book is already out on him: tall, lean, with skinny hips. Runs well. Is somehow wide open on an absurd number of these plays. If Miami is really sniffing around Kenny Golladay, I expect to hear trade rumors for DeVante Parker. The two have very similar skillsets, but I see Golladay exploding off the film farm more often - with a lesser quarterback.

Corey Davis is not a good route runner. He’s a visibly big body on the field, but he does not seem much interested in using it. That’s a problem to me, but coachable. not sure how Flores will get out of him what Vrabel couldn’t. I’m also not entirely sure how he is an upgrade over either Parker or Preston Williams. They’re both more physical from what I’ve seen. And Williams is definitely cheaper.

Curtis Samuel is interesting to me. Watching him play reminds me of guys like Golden Tate, Percy Harvin, or Jarvis Landry. Former running back in college, he doesn’t have the size of Golladay or Davis, but he has got physicality Miami simply does not have at the WR position. Albert Wilson and Jakeem Grant are absolutely not that guy. They flash, but they aren’t going to lower a shoulder and win against a linebacker.

I actually like Curtis Samuel to Miami a lot. Give him three years, let him compete with Wilson and Grant. My money is on him eliminating both from the roster.

Nelson Agholor was drafted in the same class as DeVante Parker. Is he an upgrade, though? Tall and lean with slim hips, the first thing that jumps out to me when I’m watching his tape is that he lacks concentration. He’ll run a perfect route, create yards of separation, then drop the ball.

That’s seven names I think the Dolphins could target. After spending the day watching their tape and listening to smarter people than I talk about them, I’m not convinced I’m wrong - Miami should just sign a few guys I’m completely ignorant of, shore up some depth on defense, and get to the draft with as much cap space as possible.

I think Aaron Jones and Curtis Samuel are fits for Tua’s skillset. I don’t think that, outside of a few names on either side of this opinion, offensive linemen matter as names as much as we would like them to. Blocking is a coaching trait - playcalling, scheme versus defensive alignment, et cetera. Dudes do what they’re told to.

Overall, I appreciate the opportunity to try this exercise. We’ll know their plan in a few days. I think for my next piece I’ll be thinking about what Miami can do moving forward to make this Tua’s team. (Because I don’t think Watson would be a good idea. We can talk about why anothe time.)_