With the 2023 NFL season still months away, everyone is in roster assessment and evaluation mode before the teams do battle on game days
For the Miami Dolphins, general manager Chris Grier has put together an impressive group full of potential Pro Bowl players and up-and-coming stars.
Pro Football Focus recently released their roster rankings for the upcoming season, and the Dolphins were listed at No. 10. Ahead of them were the Los Angeles Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles.
Each team was then given their biggest strength, weakness, an X-Factor, a rookie to watch and the over/under on their win totals.
Strength: Wide receiver
“There might not be a better receiving duo in the league than Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Last season, both receivers went over 1,400 yards receiving and at least seven touchdowns while sporting 80.0-plus receiving grades.”
Weakness: Offensive Line
“The Dolphins’ offensive line was a mess in 2022, earning a combined 59.3 pass-blocking grade as a unit — the fourth-worst mark in the NFL. And they haven’t done much in the offseason to improve upon it. A healthy Terron Armstead should boost that number, but it’s a primary concern heading into 2023.”
X-Factor: Tua Tagovailoa
“Tua Tagovailoa took a massive leap forward in year three, seeing his passing grade go up from an uninspiring 67.3 to an impressive 81.4 between 2021 and 2022. The problem has been injuries, as he got knocked out of games on multiple occasions, and the Dolphins’ offense suffered mightily as a result.”
Rookie to watch: De’Von Achane
“The Dolphins made only four picks in the 2023 draft, the most interesting being speedster Devon Achane out of Texas A&M. With two of the fastest receivers in the game on top of a running back who ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, the Dolphins could turn their games into track meets.”
Over/Under 9.5 win total: Over
“With a healthy Tua Tagovailoa, this Dolphins team has the roster to make a deep playoff run. However, their quarterback’s health remains the biggest question mark and could also be what keeps them out of the playoffs altogether.”
It’s hard to argue with any of these selections. A case could be made for cornerback to be a bigger strength than wide receiver, as they both have two All-Pro candidates, but, again, it’s close.
Offensive line is the clear weakness with left guard and right tackle being huge questions for 2023. Miami has recently brought in veterans Isaiah Wynn and Cedric Ogbuehi which could help the issue, but for now, it’s still a problem.
The team goes as far as Tagovailoa can take them, and his performance will depend on his health due to the guys in front of him. If he’s on the field, he can help take this team to the postseason and contend.
Achane has a dynamic play-making ability that catches the eye. In an offense that’s full of elite speed, the rookie just adds another option for Tagovailoa and Mike McDaniel.
And, when it comes to the total, we’ve already done a prediction following the schedule release, so we’re on the over train.
