5 Biggest Needs Miami Dolphins Have Yet to Address This Offseason

For the past three years, the Miami Dolphins have taken an aggressive approach to free agency that would make even the New York Yankees proud. 

With one big signing after another, the Dolphins prove they are not afraid to address their biggest needs with the biggest contracts on the market. In 2013, it was wide receiver Mike Wallace; in 2014, it was cornerback Brent Grimes.

This offseason, it was defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

And with a few needs left to go, Joe Philbin, Dennis Hickey and Mike Tannenbaum may not be done yet. With roughly $9.4 million in salary-cap space, according to OverTheCap.com, they can still throw money at some of their biggest needs. 

There aren't many (if any) high-profile free agents available, but the Dolphins do still have some high-profile needs left to address. Here's a look at some of the bigger ones.

Linebacker

Gary Wiepert/Associated Press

Philip Wheeler and Dannell Ellerbe may have earned the nickname Milli Vanilli for their dreadlocked appearance, but I don't know that anyone in Miami will necessarily be singing "Girl, I'm Gonna Miss You" anytime soon. And no, they can't "Blame It On the Rain," either. 

The Dolphins made the right choice to move in a new direction at linebacker; the big cap hits due to each ($4.4 million due to Wheeler, $9.85 million due to Ellerbe, according to Spotrac.com) were not necessarily bad in and of themselves—but if either one of the two had lived up to those numbers, we probably wouldn't be having this discussion.

Koa Misi is the lone holdover among starting linebackers in 2015, and as it stands at the moment, some combination of young linebackers Jordan Tripp, Jelani Jenkins, Kelvin Sheppard and Dion Jordan will start with Misi.

Unless the Dolphins are confident in those young players, they may need to add a veteran to the mix. 

Strong Safety

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

With both Jimmy Wilson and Louis Delmas gone, the Dolphins have a big void to fill at one of the two safety spots. Reshad Jones has played both free safety and strong safety for the Dolphins, and so they can take their pick of which position to address. 

He was a free safety as a rookie in 2010 and again in 2011, before moving to strong safety in 2012 and 2013, and then back to free safety in 2014. 

Jones' positional flexibility is the Dolphins' personnel flexibility. Thanks to his ability to play both safety spots, the team can choose which of the two spots to add and let Jones fill in at the other spot.

He first established himself as a star in the NFL at strong safety, but he's coming off one of the best seasons of his career as a free safety. A strong safety may be easier to find and with the supreme importance of coverage abilities at free safety (and how hard it is to find players who are capable of carrying out those responsibilities), it may be easier for them to find a strong safety. 

Running Back

Chris Trotman/Getty Images

In 2014, Lamar Miller became the lead back in the Dolphins offense by accident. In 2015, he could be the starter on purpose. 

An ACL injury to Knowshon Moreno knocked the veteran running back out of the season in Week 6, opening up the gate for Miller to storm off for 1,099 rushing yards and 1,374 yards from scrimmage on the season. Now, with only Miller, Damien Williams and Mike Gillislee in the backfield, the Dolphins have made it clear that Miller is the lead back going forward. 

Williams and Gillislee aren't necessarily bad backup backs, but the Dolphins still need to find a true between-the-tackles hammer to get short yardage and take the beating on first and second downs. Daniel Thomas was that option last year, but now that he's gone, the Dolphins will need to look to free agency or the draft to find another. 

Backup Quarterback

Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

For the past four seasons, the Dolphins have had one of the best, most experienced backup quarterbacks in the league in Matt Moore. 

To be clear, Moore may still come back. According to Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald, Moore could still re-sign with the team—but only if he gets fair market value. The opening of free agency is nearly two weeks old, and the Dolphins still haven't given him an offer that compelled him to put pen to paper.

The backup quarterback spot may be even more important this year than in the past, with questions around the long-term future of Ryan Tannehill with the team. The Dolphins must choose whether or not to exercise the fifth-year option in his contract to keep him around for the 2016 season, and if they don't, he will be a free agent following the 2015 season. 

Defensive Tackle

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

Whoa, whoa, whoa, back up the bus. The Dolphins backed up a Brink's truck to sign defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh this offseason, but after parting ways with defensive tackles Randy Starks and Jared Odrick, they still have a hole to fill on their defensive line. 

They signed defensive tackle Earl Mitchell last offseason, and he played 543 snaps, according to ProFootballFocus.com, but he's spent much of his career coming off the bench rather than in the starting lineup. The Dolphins may feel that Mitchell is ready for the spotlight, but they'd be wise to cover their bases.  

With a line featuring Suh, Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon, the Dolphins will surely field an imposing front four regardless of who is lining up on the inside, but considering Mitchell's experience as a backup, they may look to find a starter elsewhere.