Breaking Down All the New Faces on the 2015 Miami Dolphins
Rookie draft picks, free-agent signings and trade acquisitions; offensive linemen, cornerbacks and wide receiver; and everything in between.
The Miami Dolphins have made a lot of additions to their roster this offseason, and with mandatory minicamp and training camp right around the corner, they've probably finished most of their work in that area.
Now, it's time for those pickups to not only fill a spot on the Dolphins roster but to take one. In order to do so, some of them may have to prove they're a better choice than someone who was already on the roster last year. Others are simply out to prove that they can be an upgrade over someone who has since left the team.
Either way, these are the new faces on the Dolphins roster.
DeVante Parker
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The Dolphins gutted their wide receiver corps from last season's group of undersized veterans and are transitioning to a group of younger, more athletic options for Ryan Tannehill in the passing game.
With time, rookie first-round pick DeVante Parker could be the cornerstone of that group.
The key words are "with time." Yes, Parker is one of the most NFL-ready wide receivers in this year's draft class, but there's uncertainty over his availability for Week 1. For now, though, all signs point to him being ready to go for Week 1, according to general manager Mike Tannenbaum, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
That being said, when Parker returns to the field, the Dolphins will finally have a big-bodied (6'3", 209 pounds, 33 ¼" arms) vertical threat (4.45-second 40-yard dash at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine) who has the natural leaping ability, soft hands and wide catch radius that are often associated with a true X receiver. The Dolphins haven't had one of those since Brandon Marshall left the fold in 2012.
Greg Jennings
2 of 10
When news broke that DeVante Parker had surgery on his foot, the focus immediately shifted to an under-the-radar veteran free-agent signing: Greg Jennings. With Parker set to be available for Week 1, Jennings' role may not grow as substantially as it seemed it might.
To say his physical gifts have eroded would be an understatement. From 2009 to 2011, Jennings notched 211 catches for 3,327 yards and 25 touchdowns. From 2012 to 2014, he pulled in 163 catches for 1,912 yards and 14 touchdowns.
That being said, the Dolphins couldn't pass up the opportunity to sign an experienced receiver who is familiar with head coach Joe Philbin from their time together with the Green Bay Packers.
The Dolphins aren't expecting him to rediscover the old magic he had with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but if Jennings can at least be a reliable target when called upon in spot duty, he'll be of value to the Dolphins offense.
Kenny Stills
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The Dolphins acquired former New Orleans Saints wide receiver Kenny Stills by trading away linebacker Dannell Ellerbe.
In doing so, they hope that Stills can be an upgrade over Brian Hartline as a fit in offensive coordinator Bill Lazor's system and that Jelani Jenkins can continue to man the spot he filled for an injured Ellerbe last season.
As for Stills, the former Saints pass-catcher doesn't have DeVante Parker's size—he's 6'0" and 194 pounds as opposed to 6'3" and 209 pounds—but he does have similar big-play ability, albeit in a different way. Stills will most closely approximate Brian Hartline's role as a Z receiver, running routes on the perimeter or in the slot and doing the bulk of his damage on short or intermediate patterns.
Between Stills, Parker and second-year receiver Jarvis Landry, the Dolphins have assembled a formidable starting trio of receivers.
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Ndamukong Suh
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With a six-year contract worth more than $114 million and with nearly $60 million guaranteed, former Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was the prize pony of the 2015 free-agency frenzy. And with his signing, the Dolphins defensive line instantly becomes one of the best in football.
Suh has been one of the league's most disruptive interior defensive linemen since entering the NFL in 2010. The four-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro has ranked in the top five in pass-rushing productivity in each of the past three years, according to Pro Football Focus.
Lining up next to a disruptive defensive end like Cameron Wake is a defensive tackle's dream, and lining up next to a dominant defensive tackle like Suh must be an ideal situation for Wake. The two star defensive linemen should feed off each other, along with Olivier Vernon and Earl Mitchell, Jordan Phillips or C.J. Mosley on the other side.
With the losses of Jared Odrick and Randy Starks, the Dolphins needed to find starting-quality defensive tackles to plug into their defense.
Brice McCain
5 of 10
The Dolphins have been searching for the right pieces to their secondary ever since Joe Philbin became head coach and Kevin Coyle became defensive coordinator back in 2012.
With the addition of former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Brice McCain, the coaches hope they've finally found their solution in the slot. At 5'9" and 187 pounds, the Dolphins probably aren't expecting McCain to line up on the perimeter and guard big-bodied X receivers (although they ask similar things of the similarly 5'10", 190-pound Brent Grimes).
But why should they? McCain has been one of the best slot cover cornerbacks in the league over the past few years and particularly in 2014. According to Pro Football Focus, he yielded one reception per 12.8 coverage snaps he played in the slot and was only targeted on one in every 8.1 coverage snaps in the slot, which were both the fifth-best out of 61 qualifying cornerbacks. His 8.3 yards per coverage snap in the slot were ninth-best.
If McCain can remain a talented slot cornerback, the Dolphins may only need one more cornerback to step up in order to fill out a top-notch trio of corners for sub-packages.
Jordan Phillips
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The Dolphins used the 52nd pick on Oklahoma defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, making him only the second true defensive tackle to be drafted by the Dolphins since 1998—and that's if you want to count Jared Odrick, who was technically drafted as a defensive end for the Dolphins' 3-4 back in 2010.
If Miami brought in Ndamukong Suh to be a disruptive interior lineman who can get after the quarterback and stop running backs dead in their tracks, then the team selected Phillips to be a gap-stuffer who can force multiple blockers to take him on in order to prevent him from bullying any one particular offensive lineman.
Phillips started only 17 games at Oklahoma but earned second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2013 after starting in all 13 games. For now, it appears Earl Mitchell will start next to Suh on the defensive line. That could change with time, though; if Phillips can prove wrong the scouts who said he was a "flash player," according to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, he can eventually move into a starting role.
Jordan Cameron
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The Dolphins may have lost out on tight end Charles Clay, but they picked up real quick on tight end Jordan Cameron. Their offense may not miss a beat as a result of their proactive approach to the tight end position.
Cameron may not be much of a blocker, but he is a 6'4", 259-pound pass-catching tight end who has an innate ability to win jump balls because of his background as a basketball player at Miami. As a result, the possibilities are endless as to how he can help open up the Dolphins' red-zone offense. The Dolphins can get him matched up on linebackers who aren't quick enough and/or on safeties who aren't big enough to cover him.
If a defense opts to put two defenders on him, that will only open up a one-on-one matchup elsewhere on the field, and if Ryan Tannehill can take advantage, the coverage could roll away from Cameron, and the vicious cycle could continue.
The Dolphins needed to upgrade their red-zone offense last year, and adding Cameron was a perfect way to do it. He reeled in 11 of the 19 red-zone throws in his direction, accounting for all seven of his touchdowns in 2013. In fact, he was basically the only red-zone threat the Cleveland Browns had that year—they scored only 20 red-zone touchdowns in 2013.
Jamil Douglas
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The Dolphins have been searching for a true fit at guard for their zone-blocking scheme ever since Joe Philbin became the head coach in 2012. Now, with the fourth-round selection of Arizona State lineman Jamil Douglas, they may finally have found one.
At 6'4", 304 pounds, Douglas may not be the most physically imposing interior lineman, but he has the skill set he needs to fit into the system. According to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, he can "turn [the] corner and find targets" as a pulling guard, which is something the Dolphins have lacked. In fact, the only reason they had someone in that role last year was because Mike Pouncey made the switch from center to guard.
The two-time All-Pac 12 selection (first-team in 2014, second-team in 2013) has the talent to push both Billy Turner and Dallas Thomas for one of the two starting guard spots. The Dolphins typically don't like to put their rookies into the starting lineup, but Douglas may be one of the few who can warrant an exception to the rule.
He is already impressing the coaching staff, according to Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post, and he's the right fit for the offense.
C.J. Mosley
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If nothing else, the Dolphins have made sure that defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh will have a smooth transition to the defense. By signing defensive tackle C.J. Mosley from the Detroit Lions, the Dolphins have not only added to their depth on the interior of the defensive, line but they've also given Suh a familiar face to work with.
Mosley isn't just a familiar face, though, and he's not just good depth; he's a well-rounded defensive tackle who can make an impact on all three downs. The 6'2", 312-pounder earned positive grades from Pro Football Focus in both run and pass defense and earned an overall grade that ranked him 26th out of 81 qualifying defensive tackles.
Mosley, a 10-year veteran, has been a rotational player throughout his career and has never notched more than three sacks in a season. The Dolphins don't need him to dominate; they only need him to supplement what they already have.
Jay Ajayi
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Last year, Lamar Miller suddenly emerged as a bell cow for the Dolphins' running game because Miami's top option—Knowshon Moreno—went down with an injury and Miami had no other suitable alternatives. This year, Miller will not have to bear the full burden of the running game.
With their fifth-round selection of Boise State running back Jay Ajayi, the Dolphins added another insurance option for this year, and for the future, since 2015 is a contract year for Miller.
Ajayi dominated at the collegiate level and finished his Boise State career ranked in the top 10 in nine categories, including rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns, 100- and 200-yard rushing games, rushing yards, yards per carry, rushing attempts and all-purpose yards.
He may not have a career long enough in the NFL to reach those lofty heights with the Dolphins, considering his predraft diagnosis of "bone-on-bone" in his knee, according to NFL Network's Mike Mayock, but he is a well-rounded back who can contribute immediately to the offense. If the Dolphins like what they see, Ajayi could be a solid three-year option for their offense.
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