Entering training camp, the Miami Dolphins’ new-look offense was supposed to feature a lot of spacing of the field, offering a unique blend of size and athleticism in their skill groups in an effort to pose a conflict to opposing defenses: do you play them with heavier personnel groups to counter the run or play them with more defensive backs to counter the spacing on the field?
Miami figured to work predominantly from ’11 personnel’, which would have featured three wide receivers, one tight end and one running back on the field at the same time. That would likely have looked something like:
WR (X) — DeVante Parker
WR (Slot) — Albert Wilson
WR (Z) — Preston Williams
TE (Y) — Mike Gesicki
RB — Jordan Howard
This personnel would have allowed the Dolphins to have a shifty slot receiver (Wilson) featured amongst a slew of big, powerful skill players. Miami, in times of needing an extra seal block on the edge, could call upon either Parker or Williams to step down and seal on a linebacker or safety on the second level to further gain a numbers advantage and done so without conceding the threat of Wilson’s quickness on the field.
But Albert Wilson will not play for the Dolphins this season after opting out amid concerns regarding the coronavirus. Neither will the team’s next best slot option, Allen Hurns.
Which means the Dolphins may have to call an audible regarding which personnel they run the most of their reps out of this coming season. And given Mike Gesicki’s prowess in the slot, it may make the most sense for Miami to transition Gesicki into the slot and tack on another tight end to take his place — which makes the addition of Adam Shaheen via trade so much more impactful for Miami. If the Dolphins were to look to implement 12 personnel as their “base” offensive look, it would likely look like this:
WR (X) — DeVante Parker
WR (Z) — Preston Williams
TE (Flex) — Mike Gesicki
TE (Y) — Adam Shaheen
RB — Jordan Howard
Gesicki was already one of the most productive tight ends from the slot last season, so this puts him in an optimal spot for success and it allows Miami to keep their spacing issues while also getting better run blocking from the Y role via Shaheen, who offers more lower body power and comfort with his hand in the dirt than Gesicki. The Dolphins will miss the short area agility in the slot, but this 12-personnel grouping will actually allow Miami to be more productive with their blocks in the run game, which will need to be leaned on even harder if the Dolphins are going to play a well balanced offensive style in 2020.