It’s finally game week.
The Dolphins got off to one of the worst starts in NFL history last year, losing their first seven games (many of them in lopsided fashion), before concluding the season with a 5-4 record to finish 5-11 overall. This year, Miami is facing a tough early schedule that features four playoff contenders from 2019 in the first five games, but the Dolphins are hoping to get off to a much stronger start, and there are reasons to believe they’re capable of doing so.
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The initial 53-man roster is sprinkled with ex-Patriots, including a few key veterans who are expected to lead the team under coach Brian Flores and new offensive and defensive coordinators Chan Gailey and Josh Boyer.
Let’s analyze Miami’s depth chart — the first edition of the 2020 season — heading into Week 1 against the Patriots.
Quarterback (2)
Starter: Ryan Fitzpatrick
Backup: Tua Tagovailoa
Analysis: The decision to wait this long to name the starting quarterback was more a form of gamesmanship from coach Brian Flores as he preps to take on his former team. All along, Fitzpatrick has had a firm grasp on the starting job, though he said at the beginning of training camp he knows he’s a placeholder while rookie Tua Tagovailoa looms behind him. Among many players on the roster, there’s a sense of comfort when it comes to Fitzpatrick. He’s the oldest player on the team and showed he’s capable of winning some games, leading the team’s surge late last season. He has earned the respect of his teammates. That is a good sign moving forward as Tagovailoa is groomed by Fitzpatrick this season. When it comes to Miami’s Week 1 opponent, Fitzpatrick will be challenged by one of the toughest defenses in the league. Don’t forget, though, Fitzpatrick did lead the Dolphins to a clutch, 27-24, victory over the Patriots in last season’s finale. After the win, Fitzpatrick was seen joyously marching off the field while carrying safety Walt Aikens on his shoulders. Could that momentum carry into the season opener at Gillette Stadium?
Running back (4)
Starter: Jordan Howard
Backups: Matt Breida, Myles Gaskin, Patrick Laird
Analysis: This wasn’t a knock to Breida’s talent or his performance in training camp. In fact, this position might better be regarded as 1A and 1B. From what we’ve gathered throughout camp and in conversations with coaches, both Howard and Breida are expected to split the workload pretty evenly. The team even figures to involve Gaskin, who had a strong camp, and Laird as a pass-catching threat.
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Fullback (1)
Starter: Chandler Cox
Analysis: It was a bit surprising to see Cox, a seventh-round pick in 2019, make the final cuts for two reasons. No. 1: Gailey’s play-calling doesn’t normally involve the fullback much. No. 2: The Dolphins already have another fullback on the roster, by the way of linebacker Elandon Roberts, who was used as a fullback in New England. But Cox is on the team and that means the coaching staff sees a future for him, most likely in a blocking role for the running backs.
Tight end (3)
Starter: Durham Smythe
Backups: Mike Gesicki, Adam Shaheen
Analysis: This might’ve been the biggest surprise to fans when the first depth chart was released, but Smythe had an impressive camp and appeared to finish with more catches during team periods than Gesicki and Shaheen … combined. Smythe also brings an added level of physicality with his ability to pass block and run block. Gesicki will still likely receive extended looks as a receiver, especially on third downs and in the red zone. Gesicki finished second on the team in touchdowns last year with five to go with 51 catches and 570 receiving yards. Shaheen, acquired via trade with the Bears, is still learning the playbook, but tight ends coach George Godsey praised his work ethic recently. Godsey also has familiarity with Shaheen’s tendencies from when he coached against him as part of the Lions’ coaching staff in 2017 and ’18.
Wide receiver (7)
Starters: DeVante Parker, Preston Williams, Jakeem Grant
Backups: Isaiah Ford, Mack Hollins, Malcolm Perry, Lynn Bowden Jr.
Analysis: One of Parker’s best performances last year occurred during Week 17 when he torched eventual NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore for a season-high 137 receiving yards. Gilmore and Parker will be at it again on Sunday, and the Patriots, along with every other NFL team, have an abundance of film on Parker following his breakout season. With teams giving more attention to Parker, that should allow other receivers to get open against single coverage. Williams showed his talent last year before tearing his ACL, but exactly how ready are Grant, Ford, Perry, Hollins and the recently acquired Bowden? There will be plenty of reps to go around with Albert Wilson and Allen Hurns both opting out, but it’s more about who now takes advantage of the extended looks behind Parker and Williams.
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Offensive line (9)
Starters: LT Austin Jackson, LG Ereck Flowers, C Ted Karras, RG Solomon Kindley, RT Jesse Davis
Backups: Robert Hunt, Julie’n Davenport, Adam Pankey, Michael Deiter
Analysis: The decision to go with Kindley at right guard and Jackson at left tackle is a testament to their hard work and dedication over the span of just a few weeks. The offensive line experienced the most turnover of any position group after a forgettable 2019 season in which Miami allowed the most sacks among NFL teams while finishing last in rushing yardage. The veteran additions of Karras and Flowers should provide some stability given both of their track records and Karras’ familiarity with Flores. Karras was one of three ex-Patriots (Kyle Van Noy and Elandon Roberts) who were named team captains this year.
Defensive line (7)
Starters: Shaq Lawson, Christian Wilkins, Davon Godchaux, Emmanuel Ogbah
Backups: Jason Strowbridge, Raekwon Davis, Zach Sieler
Analysis: The Dolphins signed Lawson on a three-year, $30 million deal, which seemed to fly under the radar compared to Kyle Van Noy and Byron Jones’ contracts. But make no mistake about it, Lawson is here to be an immediate threat up front, and he’s coming off a career-best 6.5 sacks in 2019 with the Bills. The edges are a bit thin after linebacker Vince Biegel tore his Achilles earlier in camp and the team waived/injured fifth-round draft pick Curtis Weaver. Despite being injured for nearly half of last season, Ogbah still finished with 5.5 sacks, which tied a career high, for the Super Bowl-winning Chiefs. Over four NFL seasons, Ogbah has compiled 154 tackles and 18 sacks. Davis, with a massive frame at 6-foot-7, 313 pounds, has been active with his hands in practices. He’s batted down a few passes and frequently uses a karate chop-style move on first contact. Wilkins, Miami’s 13th overall pick from 2019, recorded 56 tackles and two sacks as a rookie. The Patriots have some uncertainty at right tackle following Marcus Cannon’s decision to opt out. The combination of Lawson, Ogbah, Van Noy, Kamu Grugier-Hill and Andrew Van Ginkel will try to take advantage on the edges at New England.
Linebacker (7)
Starters: Kyle Van Noy, Jerome Baker, Elandon Roberts
Backups: Kamu Grugier-Hill, Andrew Van Ginkel, Sam Eguaoven, Calvin Munson
Analysis: The Dolphins rotate between utilizing a 4-3 and 3-4 defense, so Grugier-Hill is expected to play frequently depending on the personnel packages. He’s capable of playing both inside and outside linebacker and should be an effective player for defensive coordinator Josh Boyer. Everybody has raved about Van Noy since his arrival; players frequently bring up the familiarity he has with Flores’ defensive scheme. His impact should be evident when the Dolphins travel this weekend to Foxborough, Mass., where Van Noy spent the past four seasons with the Patriots. “He brings instant leadership,” safety Eric Rowe said of Van Noy. While New England will look quite different with Cam Newton at quarterback instead of Tom Brady, a majority of the coaching staff is still in place with Bill Belichick as head coach. When the Dolphins struggled at the beginning of last season, a lot of the faults were pointed to the defense. This time around, the defense has Van Noy and Roberts leading the charge and there should be fewer early struggles.
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Cornerback (5)
Starters: Xavien Howard, Byron Jones, Noah Igbinoghene
Backups: Nik Needham, Jamal Perry
Analysis: The addition of Jones helps solidify one of the strongest units on the team. The secondary has top-tier potential, and if Howard is able to stay healthy, he and Jones could be one of the best cornerback duos in the league. Both Needham and Igbinoghene are listed as backups to Howard and Jones, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Igbinoghene line up right away at the nickel. The rookie from Auburn could very well end up shadowing Patriots receiver Julian Edelman in Week 1, which would be a prime test to his readiness and preparation.
Said Flores regarding the decision on who to start at nickel corner: “Talent, experience, ability to communicate — I think all of those things play a factor in who’s in at the nickel position or any of those sub kind of packages. We’ve had a lot of conversations about who’s going to be the nickel, who’s going to play the dime, who’s going to play defensive line in those situations.
“Julian Edelman is a great player. He’s in the slot primarily, but he also plays outside. We’ve seen him in the backfield also, so they move him around quite a bit. We’ve got to be prepared for really all of it and that’s what this week of preparation is all about, so hopefully we go out there and have a good week of practice. They’re going to show us things that we haven’t seen. There’s been no preseason games; but if we can communicate, if we can play with good fundamentals and technique, I think we’ll be OK.”
Safety (5)
Starters: Bobby McCain, Eric Rowe
Backups: Kavon Frazier, Clayton Fejedelem, Brandon Jones
Analysis: McCain had shoulder surgery in November but didn’t show any limitations in training camp. He often moved all around the field and logged big plays frequently, including a couple of interceptions and several pass breakups. Jones, not surprisingly, was listed as the third-string safety behind Frazier and Fejedelem. Similar to the wide receiver position, safety is one of the toughest positions for a rookie to adjust to in the NFL. If Jones is given any snaps, it will be intriguing to see how quickly or slowly it takes him to adapt. Luckily for him, there shouldn’t be much early pressure, barring injuries.
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Specialists (3)
Kicker: Jason Sanders
Punter: Matt Haack
Long snapper: Blake Ferguson
Kickoff/punt returner: Jakeem Grant
Backup returners: Preston Williams, Noah Igbinoghene, Malcolm Perry
Analysis: The three main specialists didn’t have any competition throughout camp, so everything had to come from within the group. Ferguson, a 2020 draft pick, looked great on some days and inconsistent other times. It’s a little surprising to see Williams listed as the second-team returner after his season-ending knee injury during a punt return in Week 9. But the Dolphins remain committed to finding the best option at returner, and Williams could still be a part of that. Newcomer Lynn Bowden Jr. is an intriguing return option if the Dolphins decide to test him out back there. He had two punt returns for touchdowns during the 2018 season for Kentucky.
(Photo of DeVante Parker being tackled by Stephon Gilmore: Adam Glanzman / Getty Images)