The Miami Dolphins will play their eighth football game of the season this upcoming weekend in Arizona against the Cardinals, guaranteed to be at least .500 and well in the thick of the chase for the postseason after stringing together a stretch of wins over the month of October and the start of November. Over the past month, it has been easy to forget that this is a rebuilding franchise that still has plenty of work ahead of them to become the Super Bowl contender they aspire to be.
But there’s plenty of work to be done yet. And as much as the next two months is about chasing the postseason, it’s also going to center around continuing to evaluate this roster and identifying the most pressing issues.
What stands out through the first eight weeks of the 2020 season for the Dolphins? Here are the most pressing issues on the defense entering the mid-way point on the schedule.
Middle Linebacker
The Dolphins’ current middle linebacker situation showcases Elandon Roberts and, at times, Jerome Baker. Baker played one hell of a game against the Rams and has the range to be an impactful player. Baker has a future with this team, but the more you play him in space or as a pressure player with his quickness, the more success you should expect to have. Playing him as a true inside (MIKE) linebacker isn’t where he’s best suited to play; Miami needs someone with some pop there.
That’s where Elandon Roberts comes in; as he’s effectively taken on the Raekwon McMillan role in the Dolphins’ defense. But imagine if Miami has a player with the physicality of Roberts and McMillan but also has more versatility to stay on the field in 3rd down situations. That’s a player the Dolphins currently don’t have — and finding one would be adding a whole new element to their defensive structure.