After revamping the roster in the offseason, there is a sense of excitement surrounding the Miami Dolphins that’s been missing for the past decade. That excitement mainly stems from the fact that is appears the Dolphins have finally found their franchise quarterback in Ryan Tannehill, who the team signed to a long-term contract extension in the spring. However, with that renewed feeling of excitement amongst team personnel and fans, also comes much higher expectations for the 2015 campaign.
Owner Stephen Ross has already made it clear that he expects to see a winning season, telling the players right from the start of training camp that 8-8 isn’t good enough, and he’s right. On paper, the Dolphins have a roster that should challenge for the AFC East division crown and at the very least secure a wild card berth. Ryan Tannehill has been given one of the better receiving cores in the league to work with, consisting of Jarvis Landry, as well as newcomers Kenny Stills, DeVante Parker and Greg Jennings. Tannehill also now has a real red-zone target in tight end Jordan Cameron, not to mention Lamar Miller in the backfield, who continues to show improvement with each passing season. While the team made several notable moves to ensure they have a high powered offense, the signing of Ndamukong Suh should no doubt bolster a defensive line that already featured Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon.
Despite the improved roster, there remains some areas of concern that could derail the 2015 season for the Dolphins. The offensive line sits at the top of the least where left tackle Branden Albert’s status for Week 1 is in doubt and there is not a proven NFL offensive guard on the roster. The success (or failure) of Dallas Thomas, Billy Turner, and Jamil Douglas will have an impact on the season, but its a risk the Dolphins have decided they are willing to take. That risk can be mitigated, however by signing free agent guard Evan Mathis. At cornerback there are several question marks with the exception of Brent Grimes. Miami will be relying on several young players to have breakout seasons, especially Jamar Taylor. The new extra point rules are sure to make having a top tier kicker a necessity to be successful in the league, meaning Caleb Sturgis will have to start performing on a consistent basis to keep his job.
Overall, the Dolphins are entering the 2015 season with a pretty good roster, the best they have had in quite some time. It’s no longer enough to ‘hope’ that the Dolphins make the playoffs, they should clinch a playing berth. Anything less and this season is a failure.
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