The Miami Dolphins’ final stretch of play in 2020 will have a very different feel to it then the team that was on display just one year ago at the tail end of the 2019 campaign. In 2019, the Dolphins were perceived as a team void of talent but yet still brilliantly capable of brewing an upset if you didn’t take them seriously on any given Sunday. This year, the narrative is quite different — the Dolphins own the No. 1 scoring defense in the NFL and have plenty of quality players on defense, plus an embarrassment of riches and youth on the offensive side of the ball that largely just needs time to develop.
But one area where the Dolphins, even amid their youth, will need reinforcements is at wide receiver. The Dolphins endured some losses there this summer due to opt outs from Allen Hurns and Albert Wilson only to then see Preston Williams succumb to injury for the second straight season midway through the year. Shortly thereafter, Jakeem Grant and DeVante Parker both suffered hamstring issues and Miami was forced to take the field with an uninspiring group in Week 15 against the New England Patriots.
Miami still won, 22-12.
But as we forecast this Dolphins franchise forward and assess what the team needs, wide receiver ranks near the top of the list. And whether the new faces come via free agency or the NFL Draft, the Dolphins are going to need heavy reinforcements here. How extensive?
In order to answer that question Miami must first define which players currently under contract are expected to be back and in what role.
DeVanter Parker should be considered a lock to return. He has yet to show the same chemistry with Tua Tagovailoa that we saw him develop with Ryan Fitzpatrick and therefore Parker may be destined for a WR1A or WR1B role in the offense instead of an undisputed WR1 title. Rookie Lynn Bowden Jr. is making a strong case to not only return, but for Miami to put more and more on his plate moving forward. The former college quarterback was a late addition to the Dolphins’ rookie class but as he’s been weaned into action, his toughness and versatility pair well with his athletic ability to afford the Dolphins a younger, cheaper, healthier version of what Albert Wilson is capable of.
That’s two. The Dolphins other receivers under contract on the 53-man roster?
- Jakeem Grant
- Mack Hollins
- Isaiah Ford (elevated from practice squad)
- Malcolm Perry
- Preston Williams (on injured reserve)
The Dolphins should expect at least one of their bottom of the depth chart receivers to hold a significant special teams role. That could qualify either Hollins or Grant for that spot on the overhauled depth chart. Grant is an explosive player but catching the football and durability have been problematic; so Miami must instead ask themselves if they’re comfortable with the idea of Grant’s cap hit (at least $4.75M in each of the next three seasons) for a special teams return on investment. The Dolphins told us what they think of Isaiah Ford when they traded him to New England at the trade deadline. Malcolm Perry suddenly finds himself competing with Bowden Jr. for reps as the versatile piece of the puzzle. Miami could feasibly keep both, but the 7th-round investment in Perry shouldn’t prevent the Dolphins from jumping at a clear upgrade if one presents itself.
As for Preston Williams, Miami must be honest with themselves about his forecast. He’s cheap, but he’s also entering into a contract year. He’s physically talented but makes frustrating misplays of the ball. He’s big and physical but he’s also struggled with durability. There’s a case to be made to keep Williams just as there is a case to be made to upgrade his spot on the roster; especially when you consider the redundancy of him and Parker as players. Williams doesn’t offer special teams value either, which is always a tough sell for teams.
Miami’s ideal wide receiver room in 2021 would probably look something like this:
- WR1A (Rookie/free agent)
- WR1B (DeVante Parker)
- Slot (Rookie/free agent)
- Gadget player (Lynn Bowden Jr.)
- WR5 (Preston Williams or rookie/free agent)
- WR6 & Specialist (Mack Hollins or Jakeem Grant)
It will be a much different looking group for Tua Tagovailoa in 2021. And that is, of course, a great thing when you consider the promise Tagovailoa has shown thus far with so many injuries at hand.