6 Biggest in-House Questions Miami Dolphins Must Address in 2011

Even though the NFL free-agency period does not officially begin until later this week, the floodgates have already opened.

Trade talk and free-agent speculation have infested virtually all sports talk nationwide, and fans have grown rabid and consumed over which players their respective teams will reel in.

The Dolphins have more at stake than most of the other 31 NFL teams this week.

They are reportedly in pursuit of a few marquee free agents who, if signed, could cement Miami as a playoff contender. Predictably, all attention is 100 percent keen on free agency.

But while the masses focus on external transactions, everybody is neglecting the internal issues this team must answer.

Miami could sign anybody it pleases, but if it fails to solve the following six issues, then the playoffs will be a pipe dream.

Who Will Play Quarterback?

The single biggest question Miami must answer is the same one that it's had to answer every season since Dan Marino retired in 1999: Who will play quarterback?

Incumbent Chad Henne, Kyle Orton or Matt Hasselbeck looked like the three possibilities yesterday. However, Hasselbeck is now bound for Tennessee, and the Broncos are reportedly demanding, according to The Denver Post, at least a second-round pick for Orton—an absurd price for a marginally successful quarterback.

So, barring any surprises, Chad Henne will probably get another shot at captaining the Dolphins offense. Rest assured, the 'Fins will bring in a veteran quarterback, but quality options are quickly diminishing.

Can Lousaka Polite Rebound from a Suspect 2010 Season?

Miami's running back situation has been discussed at length, but if Lousaka Polite doesn't revamp his play, it might not matter who is running behind him.

The Dolphins' makeshift offensive line was at fault for most of the team's rushing struggles last season, but Polite must shoulder some of the blame as well. Polite was a fraction of his former self in 2010, failing to replicate the rushing and blocking prowess that made him a household name in 2009.

Even though Polite hardly touches the football, his success is vital—when he thrives, so does the Dolphins running game. In order to ease the transition for Daniel Thomas, Polite must be at his best in 2011, or he will be cut.

Will Brian Daboll Be an Upgrade from Dan Henning?

The general sentiment around Miami after the team hired Brian Daboll as their offensive coordinator was disappointment. After all, he didn't exactly manufacture an exciting product in Cleveland, and the community was yearning for a sexier name after struggling through the Dan Henning era.

To make matters worse, Daboll also employs a similar philosophy to Henning. They both emphasize a ground-and-pound style of play, one which was excruciatingly counterproductive for the 'Fins in 2010.

To his credit, Daboll did lead a Browns offense largely devoid of talent to victories over the Patriots and Saints behind a rookie quarterback.

It isn't Daboll's fault that his team lacked talent, but it is difficult to get behind a coordinator without a true string of successes.

Can the Offensive Line Mesh in Such a Limited Time Frame?

Tony Sparano's mishandling of the offensive line was largely responsible for offense's demise last season. The line failed due to an overall lack of skill, but a lack of cohesion may have undermined them as well.

The Dolphins parted with Justin Smiley, Jake Grove and Donald Thomas just a few weeks before the start of the season, leaving their replacements with minimal time to mesh.

Even though three starters will return, Miami must plug in Mike Pouncey and either John Jerry, Nate Garner or a free-agent acquisition at right guard.

It might not sound drastic, but these two will have to mesh with the rest of the line in a matter of weeks rather than months.

Who Will Complement Karlos Dansby?

Channing Crowder has provided the Dolphins defense with an invaluable mixture of swagger, leadership and football I.Q. over the past few seasons.

His intangibles cannot be measured in statistics, and you have to give him credit for continually retaining his starting job from all of the potential replacements brought in over the years (Tim Dobbins, Reggie Torbor, etc.).

But while Crowder's intangibles increase, his physical abilities decay. At the ripe age of 27, Crowder plays like he is in his mid-30s. He has minimal pass coverage skills, and more notably, cannot stay healthy. Fortunately, the Dolphins have a pair of linebackers who could be ready to seize his role.

A.J. Edds and Tim Dobbins both have plenty of potential, but both remain untested and unproven.

Karlos Dansby needs one of these two to step up so that he can have freedom to rush the passer and utilize his full skill set.

Can Chris Clemons Make Sufficient Strides in His Second Year as a Starter?

With two budding cornerbacks, one of the NFL's most ferocious sack artists and one of the league's deepest and most talented defensive lines, the Dolphins defense is on the cusp of elite. But before they can get there, free safety Chris Clemons must step up.

Clemons served as Miami's starting safety last season and fought through growing pains through much of it. He was often a liability down the middle of the field but still managed to hold his own and enjoy a decent season.

Miami has a pair of youngsters waiting in the wings Jonathan Amaya, Reshad Jones), but neither will likely provide an upgrade from Clemons.

Entering his second season as the presumed starter, Clemons needs to make great strides in order to solidify this defense's spot amongst the league's best.