The Miami Dolphins shipped out numerous players over the course of the past year, so much so that the roster that Miami entered the 2019 season with was two-thirds new players. That turnover, in many instances, was necessary in order for a successful rebuild, even if that meant a downgrade for 2019 on the field.
But how are these former Dolphins faring in life with a new team in 2019? Many are finding more team success, but are those wins coming at the hands of their own performances?
OT Laremy Tunsil, Houston Texans
Tunsil will forever be looked back on as fans remember this rebuilding project. The kickback the Dolphins faced for trading Tunsil was significant, mostly because the Dolphins offensive line has been bad for the better part of a decade. Tunsil was seen as the only staple and a potential future All-Pro player — trading him was a polarizing decision, to say the least.
Tunsil’s Texans currently sit at 8-5 and tied for first place in the AFC South — has Tunsil helped to stabilize the offensive line? Yes and no. Deshaun Watson is still getting sacked at an alarming rate (8.0% of his pass attempts). Tunsil, after being credited with one sack allowed in 2018, is currently credited with three sacks conceded in 2019, plus the NFL’s second highest total of penalties attributed with 13.
Laremy Tunsil has 10 false starts this season, team-high 14 penalties overall with one declined
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) December 8, 2019
Tunsil’s pass protection skills are sorely missed here in Miami — he’d be the team’s best offensive player if he were still on the roster. But Tunsil isn’t exactly living up to the All-Pro standard fans thrust upon him once he was traded to Houston at the end of the summer.
QB Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
Ryan Tannehill was traded to Tennessee in the spring for a future 4th-round pick. After seven years of trying to make the leap and advance his game to the next level in South Florida, Tannehill has taken quite nicely to Nashville. He’s now 6-1 as the team’s starter and has the 8-5 Titans positioned to overtake the Houston Texans for the AFC South crown. If the Titans sweep the Texans over the next two weeks, Tennessee wins the division.
Make no mistake, the turnaround in Tennessee is all about Tannehill, too. He’s found the right mix of aggression to keep the Titans producing chunk plays and scoring points.
The unfortunate reality for Miami? Tannehill’s story had played out. There was no future for him with two straight coaching staffs failing to pull out this play for Ryan. It shouldn’t be considered Tannehill’s fault that the organization, roster and locker room were so broken that the only thing that could fix it was a hard reset — but Dolphins fans may look back and wonder “what if” if Tannehill’s blistering pace in Tennessee continues.
RB Kenyan Drake, Arizona Cardinals
Drake isn’t finding any more team success in Arizona than he did in Miami. Drake was traded to Arizona at the deadline and promptly rushed for 110 yards against the San Francisco 49ers. When Drake announced himself to the world as a member of the Cardinals that night, there was a sense of “here we go again” among Dolphins fans. Another player traded away that is going to thrive elsewhere, right?
Not exactly. Drake played 6 games in Miami this season and averaged 5.0 yards per touch. In 5 games with the Cardinals, Drake is averaging 4.7 yards per touch, and that is despite averaging over 7 yards per carry in that game against the 49ers.
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