If this Miami Dolphins team earns a playoff berth, you’ll find one of the major reasons in an obvious place, but a place few choose to look.
Go beyond the likes of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, left tackle Terron Armstead, cornerback Xavien Howard, defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, edge rusher Bradley Chubb and the other starters.
Look at guys such as Brandon Shell, an injury replacement at right tackle, cornerbacks Keion Crossen and Kader Kohou, linebacker Duke Riley, wide receiver Trent Sherfield and players of that ilk.
The conclusion: It appears this Dolphins team has quality depth.
“The proof is in the pudding,” coach Mike McDaniel said.
We’ll see if the depth holds up for the rest of the season, and if it results in a playoff berth, an AFC East title, a playoff victory, or more.
We’re just past the halfway through the season, and the most important months, December and January, are still ahead so we can’t make any final decisions.
Let’s just say things are promising, and credit goes to general manager Chris Grier, the front office and scouting department.
No team goes through a season relying solely on its 22 starters. You need rotational players. You need special teams players. You need replacements for injured starters. You need quality contributions from a large number of players on your 53-man active roster to get a playoff berth.
Teams that are strong among Nos. 23-53 make life much easier on themselves, and we’re seeing signs of that with these Dolphins.
“We’ve gone through lineup changes as much as anything I’ve been around,” McDaniel said.
But the Dolphins haven’t stumbled.
Quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater and Skylar Thompson were ready to answer the call. As it turned out, neither of them completed a game they started, and both had to make a reserve appearance. But they were ready. And others such as safety Clayton Fejedelem, linebacker Sam Eguavoen and defensive tackle John Jenkins have been ready to contribute when called upon whether it’s from scrimmage or on special teams.
So at this point, you’d have to say the Dolphins have shown quality depth by almost any standard you’d use to apply the term.
“Quality depth to me,” McDaniel said, “is when as a team you’re able to function in a certain standard, and when a certain piece is gone are you still able to function at that standard?”
Recall cornerbacks Noah Igbinoghene and Justin Bethel getting interceptions in the Pittsburgh game. Think back to wide receiver River Cracraft’s two touchdowns this season. Reflect on left guard Robert Jones stepping in for injured starter Liam Eichenberg at Detroit, and then making a start last Sunday at Chicago. Remember left tackle Greg Little subbing in for Armstead against the New York Jets.
These are examples of the Dolphins’ depth doing the spectacular as well as the routine. This team finds ways to win, and its depth is part of that winning formula.
Previous Dolphins teams usually lacked quality depth somewhere, say, offensive line or edge rusher or cornerback. Either the rotation was lacking, or the injury replacements were inadequate, or whatever.
Inevitably, they’d finish around .500, or, more recently, with winning records but no playoff berths.
Of course, the rest of the season, and whether this team gets to the playoffs will be widely viewed as a referendum on McDaniel, Tagovailoa, Hill, Waddle, Armstead, Howard, Chubb, Grier and all the other big names in the organization.
But lots of the heavy lifting will be in the hands of Nos. 23-53 on the roster.
Don’t overlook their role in the Dolphins’ success, or if it turns out that way, their lack of success.
At this point, though, the Dolphins’ depth has been a big key to their 6-3 start. It seems the roster was put together with a lot of thought toward more than the top 22 players, and it’s shown.
“When teams are able to continue to progress and get better when people are out, then that’s a sign of some strong depth on your entire roster,” McDaniel said.
“I feel pretty good about our team.”
