Breaking Down Miami Dolphins Likely Opening-Game Starting Lineup

The Miami Dolphins have approached the 2015 offseason unlike years before. Instead of throwing their money at all of their issues, they only threw money at one of the holes on their roster.

The result is a year in which the Dolphins look to be relying on the strength of their scouting department, hoping that young players can step up into starting roles after being drafted to do so in the past. There are young players starting at running back, wide receiver, offensive line, linebacker and in the secondary. That being said, don't call it a transition year.

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross was asked if he is getting antsy for winning results, given all of the money he's spent on the team and stadium. He offered a three-word answer: "You're goddamn right."

He was later asked if he hopes this year is a payoff for the team, given all of the patience he's shown with this regime. He offered another three-word answer: "I'm expecting it."

There's a lot of pressure on the Dolphins to get it right this year. When it comes to their starting lineup, though, there's not a lot they could do wrong. 

Quarterback

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Ryan Tannehill

Seventy-seven million dollars later, this is about as obvious as getting cake on your birthday. And when the Dolphins blow out their candles, they'd better wish for quarterback Ryan Tannehill to continue to grow into a franchise-caliber quarterback.

They have no reason to think that he will get complacent or that his growth will be stunted by their sudden investment. After all, Tannehill's numbers have improved in all the key areas each year in the NFL: touchdown-interception ratio, completion percentage and passer rating. 

The only question is how quickly Tannehill can get on the same page with a brand-new cast of skill position players around him. Make no mistake; the Dolphins have upgraded dramatically at wide receiver and at tight end, but they need those new players to all learn the playbook and build rapport with Tannehill quickly.

If the Dolphins' first preseason game against the Chicago Bears is any indication, they are off to a good start. Tannehill went 6-of-7 for 56 yards and a touchdown, overcoming a pair of false start penalties to lead his team to six points. That's as good a start as the Dolphins could have hoped for from their franchise quarterback. 

Running Back

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Lamar Miller

In case anyone forgot what Lamar Miller is capable of, he was quick to remind everyone with a 27-yard scamper against the Chicago Bears. Miller found the open cutback lane off the right tackle, hit the accelerator and didn't stop until he was brought down from behind by a safety. 

That's exactly what the Dolphins need from Miller. Their zone-blocking scheme is built for a back with Miller's particular skill set, and he showed exactly how dangerous he can be in that system last year with 216 carries for 1,099 yards (5.1 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns. 

The Dolphins drafted Jay Ajayi in the fifth round this year, hoping to find a back that could spell Miller and/or replace him down the line. Thus far, Ajayi has been a disappointment and has missed time with a hamstring injury. At some point, the Dolphins may have a one-two punch in their backfield that features both Miller and Ajayi. Just don't expect the veteran to cede his starting spot to the rookie. 

Wide Receiver

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DeVante Parker, Kenny Stills, Jarvis Landry

The Dolphins are banged up at wide receiver. DeVante Parker (foot) and Kenny Stills (calf) are both nursing injuries. Parker will not play until the regular season, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, but Stills' timetable is still a mystery. 

If healthy, though, both men would be in the starting lineup virtually without question. 

As we saw Thursday night against the Chicago Bears, so will second-year slot receiver Jarvis Landry. Tannehill's favorite target a year ago, Landry hauled in two passes for 11 yards and a touchdown in one series' worth of work in the Dolphins' preseason opener. 

These three receivers pose a perfect trio to fill all the traditional roles: Parker is the deep threat on the boundary (X receiver), Stills is the intermediate threat with deep-ball ability who can also play in the slot (Z) and Landry is the shifty threat over the middle (slot). If all three can build rapport with Ryan Tannehill, the Dolphins offense could continue making strides in 2015.

That being said, Stills and Parker are now both facing the uphill battle of getting healthy and learning the playbook while getting on the same page with Tannehill. 

Tight End

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Jordan Cameron

The Dolphins upgraded at tight end. 

It may sound preposterous, given the exorbitant sum handed to former Dolphins tight end Charles Clay (five years, $38 million, $24.5 million guaranteed) by the Buffalo Bills. It may sound even more unbelievable, given the fact that former Cleveland Browns tight end Jordan Cameron has missed seven games over the past two seasons to injury and has a history of concussions. 

If Cameron can stay healthy, though, the Dolphins got a low-risk, high-reward bargain (two years, $15 million, $5 million guaranteed).

Besides, Cameron helps the offense in a way that Clay never did: he gives them a legitimate jump-ball threat in the red zone. The 6'5", 249-pound former basketball player has all the post-up moves you can imagine thanks to his hoops experience. Those moves will be put to use by a Dolphins offense that has not had such a red-zone threat at any point in Ryan Tannehill's three-year career. 

Offensive Line

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Rookie guard Jamil Douglas (above) could be starting for the Dolphins in Week 1.

LT: Branden Albert

LG: Jamil Douglas

C: Mike Pouncey

RG: Billy Turner

RT: Ja'Wuan James

There's no mystery among the tackles and center. If healthy, Branden Albert, Ja'Wuan James and Mike Pouncey will comprise 60 percent of the Dolphins' starting offensive line.

It's the other 40 percent that's still up for grabs. 

At the beginning of training camp, Dallas Thomas appeared to be a lock to start at left guard. Through two weeks and one preseason game, though, it appears that things are beginning to change.

Rookie guard Jamil Douglas is pushing for Thomas' spot. Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald reports that the rookie is the "Dolphins' best left guard" by a wide margin. At right guard, Turner is losing first-team reps to Jacques McClendon, who was a third-stringer just last week, per Beasley. 

Right now, these spots should be going to the best players for the job. That would be Douglas and Turner.

Defensive Line

Associated Press

Pro Bowl defensive linemen Cameron Wake (91, left) and Ndamukong Suh (93, right) will be two of the most important players on the entire Dolphins defense in 2015.

DE: Cameron Wake, Olivier Vernon

DT: Ndamukong Suh, Earl Mitchell

Some names have changed, others have remained, but one thing stays the same: the Dolphins have one of the most talented defensive lines in the NFL. 

The defensive tackle spots have been completely turned over from the starting lineups of last year; Jared Odrick and Randy Starks are both no longer with the team, and Ndamukong Suh was brought in to replace one while Earl Mitchell steps up from backup to starter to fill the other spot.

At defensive end, the incumbents have been Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon for years, and it remains that way in 2015. Over the past three seasons, Wake (2012, 2014) and Vernon (2013) have taken turns notching more than 10 sacks in a season. Why mess with success? 

Suh, on the other hand, has notched at least eight sacks in alternating seasons since entering the NFL as the Detroit Lions' first-round pick in 2010. The only thing that's left is for Mitchell to step up and become a reliable every-down player to anchor the middle of the Dolphins defensive line. 

Linebacker

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Linebackers Koa Misi (55, left) and Jelani Jenkins (53, right) will be counted on as every-down players in 2015.

OLB: Jelani Jenkins, Chris McCain

MLB: Koa Misi

Koa Misi, Jelani Jenkins and Chris McCain have been projected as the starting linebackers for months, and not much has changed here since the offseason. 

Over the first four years of his career, Misi has moved around the defense as an outside linebacker in both a 3-4 and a 4-3 defense, and he is now located in the middle of a 4-3 front. He could line up just about anywhere the Dolphins want him to at this point.

Jenkins was not projected to be a starter last year, but was thrust into a role as the primary weak-side linebacker by the injury of Dannell Ellerbe. He is expected to resume that role once again in 2015 after acing as a weak-side linebacker in 2014. 

McCain was primarily used as a defensive end in 2014, but he also played a little as a linebacker at the second level. That jack-of-all-trades role previously belonged to Dion Jordan, but Jordan will miss the entire 2015 season due to suspension. That leaves the path clear for McCain to continue earning the top reps with the defense as a strong-side linebacker. 

Secondary

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Cornerback Brent Grimes (21, left) and safety Reshad Jones (20, right) are the two best defensive backs on the Dolphins' roster.

CB: Brent Grimes, Jamar Taylor

S: Reshad Jones, Louis Delmas

The Dolphins do not have much of an issue when it comes to deciding on their starting left cornerback and their starting free safety. Those spots will go to Brent Grimes and Reshad Jones, respectively. The two incumbents are still the best defensive backs on the Dolphins roster.

At the right cornerback and strong safety spots, the Dolphins have taken some different approaches. Last year, veteran cornerback Cortland Finnegan was the answer on the right side, but he retired and has been replaced by Jamar Taylor, who spent the first two years of his career as a backup. At strong safety, veteran Louis Delmas gets his spot back, but could find himself competing with several young players for playing time through the 2015 season.

Taylor is the wild card of the group. The third-year cornerback has shown potential, and he has a ton of athleticism to work with as he showed at the 2013 scouting combine. That being said, combine numbers don't always translate to on-field success. Over the past two years, Taylor has yielded 37 completions on 53 throws in his direction (69.8 percent) for 436 yards with two touchdowns, no interceptions and no passes defensed, according to Pro Football Focus. He has allowed a passer rating of 107.1 on throws into his coverage. 

The Dolphins defense is predicated on getting pressure on the opposing quarterback, creating more errant passes for the secondary to pounce on and make plays on the ball. They have the personnel to execute that scheme, but the question is whether that personnel can succeed on an every-down basis.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained via team news release. All contract info courtesy of OverTheCap.com.