Why the Miami Dolphins Front Office Should Be on the Hot Seat

In the wake of the Miami Dolphins' 1-2 start to the season, no one has been safe from scrutiny: not the players, the coaches or the front office.

While most of the blame has gone to the first two, the latter has largely escaped scrutiny. But as poorly as the Dolphins have played and coached, it's also reasonable to place blame at the feet of general manager Dennis Hickey and vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum. 

Give them credit for the shrewd moves to acquire top-end talent like defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, wide receivers Kenny Stills, DeVante Parker and Greg Jennings, cornerback Brice McCain and tight end Jordan Cameron. But most of those players have failed to live up to expectations. 

• Suh still has yet to log his first sack with the Dolphins.
• Stills, Parker and Jennings have combined for 11 receptions on 27 targets, 108 yards and no touchdowns through three games.
• McCain has been the target of opposing offenses and has allowed 14 receptions on 22 targets for 232 yards, one touchdown, one interception and a passer rating of 95.3, according to stats website Pro Football Focus.
• Cameron is the only signing who's been worth the price of admission, with 10 receptions for 151 yards, which both rank third on the team.

None of the Dolphins' signings have had the game-changing impact the front office was hoping for. The Dolphins entered the 2015 offseason with a clear list of needs: improve the offensive line, fix the leaky run defense, upgrade Ryan Tannehill's weapons and find a No. 2 cornerback opposite Brent Grimes.

Yet through three games in 2015, many of the same issues that plagued the Dolphins last year are rearing their ugly heads once again. 

The offensive line may be the biggest letdown of the group. The Dolphins are averaging 72.7 rushing yards per game on offense, and Tannehill is under pressure one in every three times he drops back to throw. This is a rebuilding project that's now two years in the making. The Dolphins have their starting tackles and center, but the guard spots have always been the biggest question mark.

Through three games, starting guards Jamil Douglas and Dallas Thomas have earned the lowest grades of any Dolphins offensive player, according to Pro Football Focus. 

Maybe the line will get better when left tackle Branden Albert returns from a hamstring injury that held him out of action in Week 3. The only way this group will realize its full potential is if the guard play improves dramatically and fast. 

Defensively, the Dolphins are giving up 145 rushing yards per game. Suh has taken a lot of the blame for the Dolphins' sluggish start on defense, but he's hardly the only one to blame for the problems against the run. He's being double-teamed and run out of the play by the opposing offensive line. 

The Dolphins completely retooled Tannehill's pass-catching weapons, but through three games, Jarvis Landry and Rishard Matthews are the two leading receivers—two holdovers from last year, not any of the players who were added in an effort to improve the offense.

McCain excelled as a slot cornerback in his previous stops, but because the Dolphins don't have a viable perimeter cornerback opposite Grimes, McCain was the best bet to line up on the boundary. So far, all that's resulted in is a massive bull's-eye on McCain's back and chest. 

There's still plenty of time for these pieces to work their way into the plus column. That's up to the coaches. Maybe McCain should make a permanent move to the slot, his more natural position at cornerback. Perhaps Suh should do the same thing, playing different positions to force the offensive line to identify where he is on each snap and to adjust accordingly. 

It's possible that a little defensive innovation could go a long way if coordinator Kevin Coyle is willing to put in the extra work. 

We'll find out if DeVante Parker can get worked into the offense more as he makes up for the time he missed this preseason while dealing with foot surgery. We'll also find out if the offensive line can snap back into shape after the return of Albert.

One thing is certain: Dolphins owner Stephen Ross had playoff expectations for this team, and unless some of the signings start to pay off, his team will be watching from home for the seventh straight year.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats obtained via Pro Football Focus.