The Miami Dolphins are facing their first big decision of the 2021 season. When the Dolphins ultimately fell short of their bid to rebound from a 1-3 start to secure postseason play, the team began moving forward with a self assessment and, ultimately, a change at the offensive coordinator position for the second consecutive offseason under Brian Flores.
Yesterday, Miami’s shortlist of interviews was reported — it included several in-house candidates but also a number of intriguing candidates on the outside looking in.
List of Dolphins interview candidates, per source
Dolphins RB coach Eric Studesville
Dolphins QB coach George Godsey
Clemson OC Tony Elliott
Chargers QB coach Pep Hamilton
49ers run game coordinator Mike McDaniel
Steelers QB coach Matt Canada— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) January 14, 2021
The backgrounds and past offenses of each of Miami’s candidates were unique — from San Francisco running game coordinator Mike McDaniel to Steelers QB coach Matt Canada. The paths each of these coaches has taken to get to this point in time can help indicate just how good of a fit each may be for the Miami Dolphins in 2021. And if the Dolphins go “off the reservation” from a scheme fit, it may indicate additional changes coming to a Dolphins offense that scored points admirably in 2020 but is still finding their identity.
Consider the offensive line as a key variable. Miami’s significant investments into the line last offseason should not be overlooked — and the end result was a line that was one of the biggest in the NFL. Back in May, we investigated the trends along the offensive line for the Chris Grier/Brian Flores regime:
“In all, the Flores/Grier regime has been responsible for bringing in the following notable offensive linemen over the last 16 months:
- iOL Michael Deiter (2019 3rd-RD)
- OT Austin Jackson (2020 1st-RD)
- OL Robert Hunt (2020 2nd-RD)
- iOL Solomon Kindley (2020 4th-RD)
- OT Julien Davenport (2019 trade)
- iOL Ted Karras (2020 free agency)
- OL Ereck Flowers (2020 free agency)
Much like on the defensive side of the ball, density is a frequent variable in the Dolphins’ offensive line. Of all seven linemen added to the Dolphins’ roster over the last sixteen months, the average weight is 320.7 pounds — and it may even be higher for what the likes of Michael Deiter (credited at 309 pounds) came through at the NFL Combine in 2019. This team has embraced the concept of “beef” up front and they want big bodies that are capable of moving opposing defenders from point A to point B against their will.”
Why does this matter? Because the Dolphins’ offensive line had issues at times securing blocks on the back side and climbing to the second level to cut off pursuit to the football. It was one of the big issues the team had in creating chunk gains on the ground in the first three quarters of the season. Some of that comes from experience and technique with hands. But some of that comes down to athletic ability and range as a blocker. Miami’s average weight on the starting five by the end of the season was 328.8 pounds — forecasting this group into playing in a “Shanahan style rushing attack”, which would be assumed to be in the cards with a hypothetical hire of Mike McDaniel (although that isn’t necessarily a guarantee) would probably require some significant tweaks to the offensive line to help the group have the range needed to thrive in a wide/outside zone heavy offensive attack.
So keep an eye on this hire. The more different the background of the coach who gets the job is, the more work and reconstruction would should anticipate along Miami’s offensive front — regardless of the investments made into the offensive line in 2020.