Rounding Up Miami Dolphins' Offseason Buzz, Post-Minicamps
There are still a lot of balls up in the air as the Miami Dolphins prepare for training camp in a month, but as we get closer to the beginning of that grueling stretch, some of those balls could begin to fall into place.
There are positional battles that still need to be sorted out, there are backups who could step into starting roles and starters who could be falling into backup roles, there are rookies looking to make a name for themselves and veterans looking to prove they still have what it takes to play in the NFL.
The offseason reports run this full spectrum for the Dolphins.
With so much happening all at once, it can be hard to keep track of everything that's being reported, especially when some reports are conflicting. So, here's a rundown of all the latest news around the Dolphins.
Ryan Tannehill Wants Miami Dolphins to Target Evan Mathis
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The Dolphins have some instability on the offensive line, and quarterback Ryan Tannehill knows full well just how deep that instability runs.
According to Fansided, Mathis' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told SportsXtra he heard Tannehill went to the Dolphins front office and asked it to sign the veteran guard. The Dolphins are reportedly interested in Mathis, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, so there could be some fire underneath this smoke.
Yes, the Dolphins have figured out their two tackle spots with Branden Albert and Ja'Wuan James, and the center spot remains a fixed component with Mike Pouncey in the middle, but the guard spots remain very much up in the air. Veterans Dallas Thomas and Billy Turner are expected to be given every opportunity to earn the two starting spots, but rookie Jamil Douglas could push for a spot as well (more on that later).
Mathis has been one of the best guards in football for a while. According to Pro Football Focus, he finished as one of the top two guards in the league in each of the past four years. He has yielded five sacks in that time (56 games). If he can bring that kind of protection to the Dolphins, Tannehill would be a happy man.
Jamil Douglas Could Start for Dolphins
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As mentioned in the previous slide, there may be two veterans competing for starting spots on the Dolphins offensive line, but a rookie could be in line to push one of them aside for the job.
James Walker of ESPN.com thinks that Arizona State's Jamil Douglas could be the rookie who has the best chance to start for the Dolphins. It makes perfect sense, too. As Walker points out, Douglas was one of a few backups who earned more opportunities with the top offensive line as organized team activities rolled on.
"Incumbents Dallas Thomas and Billy Turner began the offseason with the first team in organized team activities and minicamp. However, by the end of minicamp, several players such as Thomas, Turner, Douglas and Jeff Linkenbach were all sharing reps with the first team.
Douglas played most of his college career on the left side, which means he is competing directly with Thomas at left guard. Although it is difficult to evaluate offensive line play without pads, Douglas has shown solid strength and the ability to hold at the point of attack, which were weaknesses for the Dolphins' interior offensive line in the past.
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Douglas has the skill set of athleticism and light feet that make him a perfect fit in the Dolphins' zone-blocking scheme. If given a fair shake to start, there's no reason he can't earn the starting job as a rookie.
Mike Tannenbaum Made Greg Jennings Feel Better About Coming to Miami
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Leaving an old team can be hard, but it can be even harder when you're unsure of how you'll fit in with your new team.
That was a primary concern for wide receiver Greg Jennings upon leaving the Minnesota Vikings, but Dolphins vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum helped put those concerns to rest. Jennings said at a charity golf event, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com:
"There were just a few things I had that I wanted to share with him personally, because everybody has a pitch. Everybody has an angle. Shoot straight, because I'm going to shoot straight. Every visit, I shared my heart. This is what I'm looking for: I'm looking to be a leader in the locker room. I'm looking to be respected as a man of God, as a football player. Those are the things that are really important to me -- and moreso, who I am, not what I can provide. Those were some of the things we cleared up. That's really Mike and I.
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It sounds like Jennings' primary concerns were how he'd fit in with his teammates, not necessarily how he'd fit into the system. The Dolphins have quite a deep group of receivers between DeVante Parker, Kenny Stills and Jarvis Landry, and although Jennings could earn some playing time while Parker rehabs from foot surgery, Jennings' role in the offense is not likely to be very big.
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Rishard Matthews Wants a Bigger Role
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It seems as if Rishard Matthews has been on the outs with the Dolphins for years. Between reports from the Miami Herald of him not getting along with Joe Philbin and him requesting a trade or a release a few months ago, no one should be surprised that the Dolphins added one body after another to their wide receiver depth chart this offseason.
That being said, Matthews is a competitive person, and no one should be surprised that he isn't content being the fourth or fifth receiver on the depth chart, either. According to Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post, Matthews wants a bigger role despite the Dolphins having added so much depth at the wide receiver spot.
Matthews had a solid stretch for the Dolphins back in 2013 when Brandon Gibson went down with a season-ending knee injury. He finished that season with 41 catches for 448 yards and two touchdowns. His best fit is as a slot receiver to chew up cushion underneath and make tough catches over the middle, but he also has the size (6'0", 215 lbs) to be competitive on the outside.
The Dolphins have an embarrassment of riches at wide receiver, but unless someone gets injured, Matthews is not likely to be the focal point of the offense.
Offensive Line Remains a Work in Progress
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If you haven't figured it out at this point in the slideshow, the offensive line has been a huge storyline for the Dolphins this offseason. That's not much of a diversion from last offseason, when it was also the biggest storyline.
According to Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post, the Dolphins offensive line is "still a work in progress," with different pieces shuffling in and out as head coach Joe Philbin tries to find the combination that works best.
As Abramson points out, the Dolphins have been without starting left tackle Branden Albert since the middle of last season, and his absence has contributed somewhat to the unrest on the offensive line.
The bigger issue is at the guard spots, where the Dolphins are dealing with a combination of inexperience (rookie Jamil Douglas), a lack of talent (Dallas Thomas) and uncertainty over positional and scheme fit (Jeff Linkenbach and Billy Turner).
The Dolphins only need two of the four guards to step up in order to solve their woes, but for now, it looks like they'll need to hope that the answers reveal themselves in training camp.
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