The Miami Dolphins list of team needs is rather extensive. Two positions generally not regarded as a need for the Dolphins? Wide receiver and defensive tackle. After all, Miami boasts a number of recently extended wide receivers and two young stalwarts in Davon Godchaux and Christian Wilkins along the defensive front.
The perception of a lack of need here is understanding — but it also isn’t entirely accurate. The Dolphins will have a potential need at slot wide receiver if they end up cutting wide receiver Albert Wilson. And at defensive tackle, both Godchaux and Wilkins are effective B-gap defenders — but the lack of a true nose tackle on the roster is something the Dolphins would be wise to address.
Enter Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Michael Pierce.
Pierce doesn’t bring sexy stats to the table, but he does bring A+ run defending skills at the heart of the defense. At 6-foot tall and a listed 340 pounds, Pierce is an anchor that interior offensive linemen simply cannot move. And he’d be an excellent, if unspectacular, addition to Miami’s defensive front.
When the Dolphins need to go into pass rush mode, Pierce is probably the first player off the field. But his presence encourages double teams in the middle because of his power, which makes life easier on both Wilkins and Godchaux. And as a true space eater in the middle of the field, Pierce would make life easier on LBs Raekwon McMillan and Jerome Baker as well.
What would Pierce cost on the open market? He’s probably going to command upwards of $8M per season, given he’s a niche defender but one of the best in the game at what he does. That price tag, plus Baltimore feeling as though he’s already out the door, makes him a sensible target for the Dolphins.
[vertical-gallery id=420233]