Kelly: Ten pressing questions about the 2024 Miami Dolphins | Opinion

The last time the nation saw the Miami Dolphins the team ruined one of the best seasons in franchise history by playing like the frozen Phins in a 26-7 playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, who eventually won the Super Bowl.

The organization has spent seven months stewing about that disappointing finish to 2023, and working to rebuild the roster through free agency and the NFL Draft with the goal of ending the franchise’s 24-year streak of not winning a playoff game, which is the longest drought in the NFL going into this season.

Miami overcame the team’s cap crisis, and despite losing key free agents such as Christian Wilkins, Robert Hunt, Andrew Van Ginkel and Brandon Jones, and purging a couple more key starters such as Xavien Howard and Jerome Baker, it can be argued that this year’s overall roster is better than last year.

But the Dolphins still need to put it all together when training camp opens on Tuesday, and to do that Miami needs to address these 10 pressing issues.

How will the Dolphins address the early absence of Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb?

If Phillips and Chubb, the Dolphins’ starting edge rushers, remain on the physically unable to perform list when the 53-man roster is produced they will be forced to sit out at least the first four games. When the regular season arrives Phillips will be nine months into rehabbing his Achilles injury, which requires a nine-to 12-month rehabilitation, and Chubb will be eight months into rehabbing his knee (ACL) injury (9-12 months). Until they are cleared to play, and get back being impactful, Miami will lean on rookies Chop Robinson and Mohamed Kamara to fill the void. If the rookies struggle setting the edge the Dolphins might use Calais Campbell (105.5 career sacks, which is third among active players) in that role.

How will Dolphins win more vs. two-man coverage?

That’s why Odell Beckham Jr. and Jonnu Smith were added, to help the Dolphins win more often when the rest of the offensive players benefit from single coverage when opposing defenders put a cornerback and safety on Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, which happened quite last season, especially on third downs. Beckham is still elite when it comes to bringing down contested passes, and Smith was the top yards-after-catch producer when it came to tight ends last season.

How can Dolphins sustain last year’s forceful rushing attack?

Last season the Dolphins finished second in rushing yards per game (135.8) and first in yards per attempt (5.1) courtesy of Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane’s outside zone runs, which helped the Dolphins produce the most big plays in the NFL last season. Fortifying the interior of the offensive line should help, and the addition of Aaron Brewer, an effective second-level blocking center, could allow Miami to turn up the volume on inside zone runs. Miami’s balance, and ability to stretch the field, provided the ground game and assist, so as long as the Dolphins can remain productive with the deep ball throws, and stay committed to the run, they should continue to have a top five ground game if Mostert and Achane can stay healthy.

How will Miami’s offense convert more third-and-short situations?

Despite having one of the NFL’s most productive rushing attacks, the Dolphins ran the ball on third-and-3 on 4 percent of last season’s plays. On third-and-2 they ran the ball 27 percent of those short-yardage plays, and on third-and-1 Miami attempted to convert a first down running the ball on 48 percent of those opportunities. The Dolphins need to be able to lean on the running game in those critical situations, and might need to rely on Pro Bowl fullback Alec Ingold or tailbacks Jeff Wilson Jr., Jaylen Wright or Chris Brooks for those tough yards to gain yards more than they did last season,

How will Miami keep Terron Armstead healthy?

Armstead’s a force of nature, a five-time Pro Bowler who is one of the most technically sound offensive linemen in the NFL. But the biggest criticism about Armstead, who will turn 33 next week, is that he can’t stay healthy, and there’s validity there. This offseason he leaned on stem cell therapy to help his body heal, and we will see if the new age medical approach works. The Dolphins drafted Patrick Paul in the second round, and re-signed Kendall Lamm, so Miami’s covered when it comes to possible replacements. A smart approach would be to hold Armstead out of all contact work until the regular season arrives, and maybe that wlll enable him to play 1,000 regular-season snaps for the first time in his career.

How can Dolphins improve the interior of the O-line?

Last year’s interior of the offensive line was gutted by injuries. Everyone of the season opening interior starters missed seven or more games because of injuries. And what makes matters worse is Miami downgraded at center, going from a healthy Connor Williams to Brewer. Miami lso re–signed Isaiah Wynn, who has played in every game once in his six year career and begins camp on the PUP, and didn’t adequately replace Hunt, who signed a $100 million contract with the Carolina Panthers. The Dolphins need Wynn, Brewer, Liam Eichenberg, Robert Jones and Jack Driscoll to have career seasons for Miami’s interior line to actually be an improvement from last year’s starting unit.

How can Dolphins secondary defend crossing routes better?

The one Achilles heel of the zone coverage Miami used last season is that it’s susceptible to crossing routes, especially from slot receivers who simply run to open zones. Miami failed to stop that play all of 2023 in Vic Fangio’s defense, and unfortunately Anthony Weaver’s defense plans to utilize a ton of zone coverage as well. Miami could fend off crossing routes better by having Jalen Ramsey and Jevon Holland work inside more, serving as nickel and dime defenders, putting them closer to the trenches.

How will Miami overcome the departure of Christian Wilkins?

Wilkins, who signed a massive deal ($28 million a season for the next three years) with the Raiders as a free agent, wasn’t just Miami’s top run defender, and a nine sack producer in 2023. He was a three-time captain, and the top alpha in last year’s locker room. The Dolphins need Calais Campbell, a six-time Pro Bowler who has been a captain for most of his previous 16 seasons, to join this team and instantly become a vocal leader, and the tone setter for the defensive line.

How can the Dolphins defense produce more turnovers?

The Dolphins finished 2023 with a top 10 defense, and ranked 12th in turnover differential (plus-2). But Miami did so on the back of the defensive front, which set a franchise record with 56 sacks. Clearly the secondary plays a part in their success, but it would be ideal if Miami produced more than 15 interceptions and 15 forced fumbles in 2024. To achieve that Miami will need to mix up the looks and coverages more often in an effort to force quarterbacks into making mistakes. Good think Weaver’s scheme is supposedly less rigid than Fangio’s bend, but don’t break approach. Having Ramsey shadow the opposition’s best receiver every Sunday should help force quarterbacks to move off their first read more often.

How can Dolphins avoid the December and January collapse that has spoiled the past two seasons?

In 2022 the Dolphins lost five of the season’s final six games, and were eliminated by Buffalo in the first round of the playoffs. And the Dolphins were 3-3 in the closing stretch of 2023 before losing to Kansas City in the first round of last season’s playoffs. Those troublesome dismounts had one thing in common, and that’s injuries. The Dolphins need to find a way to keep the team’s starting quarterback, offensive line, and key playmakers and defenders healthy for the final stretch of games, and that might require limiting their snap count in training camp, regular season games, and end of year practices.