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  Miami Dolphins 2003 Team Page
Winning in December Is Key

Was it really such a long time ago that the Dolphins had two stud WRs on their roster? "The Marx Brothers" -- That is Marks, Clayton (left) and Duper (right) are both set to be inducted into the Dolphin Honor Roll this season.

Coaching/Organization

RATING:
8

   

Dave Wannstedt has done a good job of keeping this team afloat talent-wise through the salary cap era with his brand of controlled conservatism in personnel decisions. Rick Spielman, the Senior Vice President of Player Personnel and Football Operations, deserves a good part of this credit as well. 

The ethos is thus: keep the talented, known quantities you have developed, don't spend money on high priced free agents, buy solid, mid-priced free agents, and upgrade the team through the draft. But like any good ethos, there are exceptions and diversions. One such diversion was the failed attempt to sign C Olin Kreutz prior to the 2002 season. The Wannstedt/Spielman regime saw this, however, as more of an attempt to sign back one of their own guys (Both men had worked in Chicago with Kreutz). The other diversions from the formula were the acquisitions of Ricky Williams last year and Junior Seau this off-season. 

Ricky Williams' addition to the Miami Dolphins was nothing less than a simple toss of the dice for the front office. The Saints insisted on more than just the low first round pick Miami possessed, so Miami essentially built a performance clause into the trade.  If Williams would run for more than 1500 yards for the Dolphins, the team would pony up a second first round pick as part of the performance clause. Since Ricky easily exceeded this performance clause the Dolphins had to ante up their first round pick this year.  Before pulling the trigger on the trade, the Dolphins took the same approach to researching him as they would a high draft pick, doing all the research through their security department and finally deciding that he was definitely worth trading for. 

Junior Seau's acquisition, believe it or not, is somewhat more of a stray from the ethos. With Ricky Williams they gave up two first round picks; their primary payment was through the draft because of the unique nature of Williams' contract (thanks to Master P). With Junior Seau, the Dolphins gave the Chargers just a conditional 6th rounder. However, what the Dolphins primarily gave up was salary cap space...to an aged veteran whose viability in the Dolphins' scheme has been called into question. We shall see if this gamble pays off as well as the gamble for Ricky Williams. 

As for the organization, most fans and football experts alike would agree that the Dolphins entire organization is top notch. Eddie Jones, the President of the Miami Dolphins, who has once again decided that he loves the game too much to leave it now is staying on with the team. However, key front office man, Tom Braatz, who served as the Director of College Scouting is leaving. While neither will significantly affect the 2003 season, they are both guys you would like to see stick around and at least they're batting .500 there.

Dave Wannstedt is on the hot seat as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Denying or downplaying that would be like saying "I don't think J-Lo's butt is that big." The Dolphins had far too much talent in 2002 to have found themselves at home watching Ricky Lake on Sundays during the month of January. 

The Dolphins had one of the best runners in the league and an offensive line that ranked 7th in fewest sacks allowed, while pushing the pile for the 2nd most rushing yards total in the NFL (merely 5 yards behind the leader). They had a top 5 defense, an innovative offensive coordinator widely regarded as one of the best in the biz, and yet they barely won more games than they lost. This year we should expect to see a few tweaks in scheme and philosophy (this coaching staff is too conservative to go for any outright changes). 

Dave Wannstedt talked with his buddy Bill Cowher at some point during the off-season and they both came to realize what the term "balance" means for an offense. Both men cut their teeth in the old school philosophy of running the ball and playing good defense. Wannstedt admits he had forgotten what a good passing game can mean to a team so we'll see if the tweaks are focused on the passing game. QB Coach Mike Shula left to take on a head coaching position at Alabama, so Norv Turner will be filling in as QB Coach in addition to his Offensive Coordinator duties. 

Don't be surprised if the Dolphins hire someone to focus on the running game specifically to help alleviate Norv of some of the additional responsibilities. Joe Brodskey's name has come up as a possible candidate. At any rate, Norv Turner seems to be taking a page from the Dick Vermeil book of offense, focusing in on his biggest playmakers and finding ways to get them the ball. Ricky Williams will continue to be emphasized and Norv is changing the playbook to find ways to funnel the ball to their two biggest playmakers in the passing game: Chris Chambers and Randy McMichael. 

Meanwhile, on the defensive side of the ball don't be surprised if Jim Bates changes things up to utilize the additions of Junior Seau and Sammy Knight. The football X's and O's think-tank seems to think that those two additions could signal more use of the scheme that Jimmy Johnson first installed in Dallas and in Miami before switching to primarily Cover 2 Man Under, which is what the Dolphins ran in 2002. The scheme in question would be the Cover 4, or 'Quarters' defense. If we do see an increase in 'Quarters' defense, expect a sharp increase in turnovers created by the Dolphins accompanied perhaps, by a few more 'big plays' given up. None of us can really get inside Jim Bates' head here; however, we can tell you with 100% certainty that he is attempting to modify his scheme to take advantage of Junior Seau's unique abilities. What the final product will look like is anyone's guess.

 
Off-Season Moves
 

Free Agency

KEY GAINS KEY LOSSES
WR Derrius Thompson WR Dedric Ward
CB Terrell Buckley LB Twan Russell
TE Marco Battaglia CB Ray Green
DT Jeff Zgonia WR Albert Johnson
KR Charlie Rogers TE Desmond Clark
S Sammy Knight TE Jed Weaver
QB Brian Griese DT Jermaine Haley
LB Junior Seau OT Marcus Spriggs
  LB Derrick Rodgers

 

Draft Highlights

While it will take some time (maybe even YEARS) to fairly evaluate the Dolphins' recent draft, we would like to at least look at what we did and didn't like about their selections.
RD(PK) NAME POS SCHOOL
2(17) EDDIE MOORE OLB TENNESSEE
3(14) WADE SMITH OT MEMPHIS
3(23) TAYLOR WHITLEY OG TEXAS A&M
5(21) DONALD LEE TE MISSISSIPPI STATE
5(34) J.R. TOLVER WR SAN DIEGO STATE
6(8) COREY JENKINS  SS SOUTH CAROLINA
6(36) TIM PROVOST OT SAN JOSE STATE
6(40) YEREMIAH BELL CB EASTERN KENTUCKY
7(34) DAVERN WILLIAMS DT TROY STATE

The Commish Likes

  • First of all, in fairness to the Dolphins, the reason that they were without a first round pick is because they traded the pick to the Saints for the rights to Ricky Williams. At some point we have to stop slapping the Dolphins on the back for having pulled the trigger to trade two first round picks for Ricky Williams. Considering he led the NFL in rushing last season, the trade was more than worthwhile.
  • OT Wade Smith. He wasn't the most well known guy in the draft, but he has extremely quick feet for an OT. This is a guy who ran sub 5.0 at 300+ pounds in the 40-yard dash. He will need to make use of his quick feet to overcome other limitations such as strength. He's drawn some attention from the veterans so far in Dolphins Mini-Camp, where he has showcased his quick feet.  The Dolphins have been pleased with his performance as the Defensive Ends had been throwing every move they have at him and he had done a good job matching them step for step. Supposedly he has yet to be beaten cleanly. Keep in mind, however, that the pads are not on yet, and the Dolphins would like to see him get bull rushed a few times before they could think of pronouncing him as the surprise starter at LT.  Nonetheless, it would not surprise us a whole lot to see him thrust in as the starting Left Tackle in Game 1.  
  • WR JR Tolver. He caught 128 balls for 1,784 yards and 13 TDs at San Diego State....in one season. Most of the NFL ignored this production juggernaut, dismissing him partly because of the college he attended. Supposedly, Norv Turner himself attended this kid's private workout, and it says an awful lot that the Dolphins opted not to do as everyone thought they would and draft a big, fast WR on Day 1. Instead they aimed for this guy later in the draft. Tolver was flying low under radar before and during the draft, but since then he has been making a big splash in the Dolphins Mini-Camps. He has twisted his body like a pretzel and made incredible catches.  In fact, Dave Wannstedt himself said he couldn’t think of one practice where Tolver did not make a great play. Keep an eye on him as the Dolphins may have found themselves yet another draft day surprise (see Todd Wade, Chris Chambers, Randy McMichael). 
  • TE Donald Lee. With this pick the Dolphins thought they just found a guy who was supposed to be one of the best blocking Tight Ends in the draft. What they really found was a guy who was miscast in the Mississippi State offense. After watching this kid run some routes and catch the ball, you notice athleticism and ability...the kind that he showed when he got the chance in the East-West Shrine Game. He pulled in MVP honors in that game for his 100+ yard performance, and so far at Mini-Camp, Lee is looking impressively athletic to onlookers. One thing the Dolphins needed in this draft was to find a quality blocking TE, and it looks like they've done it. He may not end up a super-star, but you have to learn to appreciate it when a team has a relatively small yet integral hole to fill, and they manage to fill it. 

The Commish Doesn't Like

  • Where's the flash? The glitz? The glamour? The whole of Dolfandom reacted very strongly in the negative when LB Eddie Moore was drafted in the 2nd round. Most have since grown a little more comfortable with Moore as time has passed.  However, this entire draft will now be called into question for years to come because of the Dolphins' surprising decision to pass up on the following players: WR Tyrone Calico and  WR Kelly Washington.  Both have blazing speed and play-making ability, and it was a widely held opinion entering the draft that the Dolphins needed another young, big play WR.  Instead they chose to grab a guy who will help on Special Teams while pushing 3rd year LB Morlon Greenwood for the starting job at strong side linebacker.  Not the greatest of value picks. Don't get us wrong, we don't dislike Eddie Moore, what we dislike here is the Dolphins' not giving the fans much of the flash, glitz, or glamour or even drafting for value as Moore doesn't appear to have been the best available player.
  • Taylor Whitley could end up a pretty good offensive lineman. He's a guy who the Dolphins had targeted for a while, since he was on the same offensive line as Seth McKinney, the Dolphins 3rd rounder circa 2002 out of Texas A&M. Seth and Taylor have remained good friends and the possibility of them eventually playing alongside each other again is mildly entertaining. But the Dolphins could have gone for something more than mildly entertaining with this pick, especially after having just gone with two bread and butter type picks with LB Eddie Moore and OT Wade Smith. For example, the following players were available: QBs Dave Ragone and Chris Simms, RB Justin Fargas and RB Lee Suggs, WRs Brandon Lloyd, Billy McMullen, and Sam Aiken, and Safety Julian Battle. As far as the need for Battle, the Dolphins ended up acquiring Sammy Knight for relatively cheap later on in free agency, but first, how could they know that negotiations would work out without a hitch? Second, Sammy Knight has pronounced speed limitations which call his viability for this defensive scheme very much into question. A youngster like Julian Battle, who does not have speed limitations, could have solidified the safety position for the present and the future, maybe even a little more than the acquisition of Sammy Knight.
  • Our first reaction to the Dolphins' draft was a barely passing grade -- er, actually a failing grade that was brought up a bit thanks to our factoring in the Ricky Williams trade. In light of developments that have occurred since the draft, we were perhaps a bit harsh on them. Nevertheless, our observation that the Dolphins did not obtain the best value with most of their selections, remains a valid one. S Corey Jenkins, CB Yeremiah Bell, and DT Davern Williams were all players that we figured would be undrafted Free Agents. The Dolphins obviously felt otherwise.
  Offense
 

Quarterback

RATING:
7

   

The Dolphins are one of the very few teams in the NFL that can say that they have two starting caliber quarterbacks on their team. Not only do they have Jay Fiedler, who is their uncontested starter right now, but they also have former Broncos Quarterback Brian Griese

Both players are the types of quarterbacks that aren’t necessarily superstars, but have the talent to win games with the right players around them. If Jay Fiedler can stay healthy this season, the Dolphins have a great chance of making the playoffs and going beyond that. 

Fiedler’s importance to the Dolphins can be found just going back to last year when he led the Dolphins to a 5-1 record before breaking his thumb. It was when Fiedler went down that Miami’s season started going down the tube like doughnuts down Anna Nicole Smith’s mouth. Fiedler is a tough, smart, gutsy, and collective quarterback that makes very accurate short passes, but struggles throwing downfield. What many people don’t give Fiedler enough credit for is his ability to throw extremely accurate while on the run. While Jay might not have the biggest arm in the league, he has enough overall talent to manage without the cannon of an arm.  Besides, he seems to perform well in crunch time during the regular season too. 

In Brian Griese’s case, he too has limitations but can probably launch a ball further than Fiedler. His problem is that he has trouble making smart decisions, especially when the game is on the line. The good thing for Griese is that in Miami, he doesn’t have the pressure he had up in Denver because he’s just the back up and not the heir apparent to John Elway.  Additionally, now that Marino is more of a distant memory in Miami, Griese won't have the pressure of replacing the legend that is Marino (like Jay Fiedler had to do).  That being said, if Griese is thrust into the starting job there is no doubt that people will compare him to his Hall of Fame father. 

While Griese’s arrival in Miami was big for the team, the player that has been shoved under the rug because of it has been Sage Rosenfels. Here’s a guy that has pretty good pocket presence, a good arm, and pretty good decision making skills. While this might not be Rosenfels' year to show his stuff, he does have the potential talent to be a starter in this league and he might get his chance to prove that next year when both Jay Fiedler and Brian Griese will need to restructure their current contracts drastically or be cut. Overall, the Dolphins have decent Quarterbacking that includes a high quality back-up QB, an up-and-coming third string QB, and an average starter.

 

Running Back

RATING:
8.5

   

Obviously this position is a strength for the Miami Dolphins because of Ricky Williams' presence. Ricky's 2003 outlook, if possible, could be a little better than in 2002. That might be wishful thinking considering the entire NFL knows about Ricky now, but he has cut his weight down even further. 

Ricky has power and everyone knows that, but he found in 2002 that his most dangerous weapon was his speed; speed that perhaps he didn't realize he had until 2002, when he started to find ways to learn to avoid tacklers downfield, rather than just trying to blow them up. For the first time since college, he is below 230 lbs. Eyewitness reports have him looking trimmer, faster, and more agile in Mini-Camp than he did last season. The coaches have made it a point this season to not have Ricky come off the field as much as in 2002, when he did not function in the 3rd down back role until mid-season.

Now, the only time Ricky will come off the field is when he's tired. Behind Ricky is a guy who is solid, but not exciting in Travis Minor. He's smallish, so running the same power game plan up the middle that they do with Ricky Williams would be problematic, but Minor also has a knack for getting a decent YPC. 

Robert Edwards no doubt owned one of the greatest comeback stories of 2002. He appears to have most of his speed back, and if he can stay healthy, this is the guy that can help back up Ricky. Robert Edwards will never return to his pre-injury form and staying healthy is a big fat question mark at this pointLikewise, the guy may have a hard time just keeping a roster spot because of it. 

Charlie Rogers was signed as the Dolphins return specialist (punts and kicks), after the Dolphins agreed in negotiations to let Rogers in on some offensive action. He's extremely small, leaving him open to be pummeled in an actual game, so his impact will mostly remain on Special Teams.

Leonard Henry was a 7th round pick a year ago that impressed the coaches enough to seriously consider giving him a roster spot. He spent the year on the practice squad and the Dolphins would like to be able to keep him around.

Fullback Rob Konrad decided to stay with the team that drafted him on the eve of free agency. He is fairly fluid in his flat routes and has above average hands for a fullback. As a lead blocker he's not the most powerful, but he knows which blocks to make and generally seals them pretty well. Deon Dyer is the type of fullback that can blow people up with blocks, but sometimes he blows and misses his assignment.  He has stone hands so it's doubtful that he'll be catching passes coming out of the backfield. As such, he is not the model Norv Turner fullback, and could find himself out of a job at the hands of Obafemi Ayanbadejo or Sedrick Irvin (a recent FB convert), who both make plays running and catching the ball.

 

Wide Receiver

RATING:
7

   

The Miami Dolphins' Wide Receiving corps is possibly their biggest weakness, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the receivers are bad. While the Dolphins don’t have a clear-cut superstar receiver yet, they do receivers that can get the job done. 

The player that has the biggest potential out of the whole group is Chris Chambers, who is also the team’s number one receiver. Chambers has it all physically, but the only thing plaguing him now is consistency. Chambers has the speed to get down field fast, in addition to having good hands which has helped him make tough positional, and diving catches. Even though the physical talent is there, if Chambers is to have a Pro Bowl year this season, he’s going to need to run routes better, and understand his quarterback better

The second receiver on the Dolphins roster is James McKnight, the fastest receiver on the team. While McKnight does not have the best hands in the NFL, he does have good speed. He is the Dolphins' primary threat to stretch the field against opposing defenses, but will not play too often this season if (as the Dolphins hope) Derrius Thompson is able to wrestle the #2 WR position from him or Gadsden

Speaking of Derrius Thompson... he is a big possession receiver, much like Gadsden, that can make the tough catches.  Thompson's upside is that he's both younger and faster than Gadsden.  Therefore, Thompson could have a productive season this year playing alongside Chris Chambers, who could be drawing double-teams. 

Oronde Gadsden has finally returned to Miami after testing and failing in the free agent market.  He will give the Dolphins a very reliable target in red zone situations.   

The remainder of the Dolphins' Receiving positions is virtually up for grabs. Younger receivers like Robert Baker or J.R. Tolver will fill the 5th spot in the Receiving corps but won’t get too much playing time. Overall, the Dolphins have a solid Receiving corps due to the fact that they have 4 reliable players. Not one of the top 4 receivers is great, but they're not too bad either.

 

Tight End

RATING:
7.5

   

Randy McMichael started off with a bang in 2002. Those who followed the Dolphins' Mini-Camp and Training Camp were not all that surprised, but the rest of the NFL must have been rather surprised to see this 4th round pick assert himself as a top 10 pass-catching Tight End in the NFL. His athleticism for a Tight End reminds a lot of people of Shannon Sharpe. He's not a powerful blocker but he's willing (very important) and as such finds himself springing a RB or WR free often enough. 


Midway through 2002, he was visibly slowed by an injury to his foot. Injury and quarterback issues caused Randy to tail off in the second half of the season. His outlook for 2003 figures to be brighter than in 2002, because Norv Turner has made it a point to make him one of the offense's main targets in the passing game.  We shall see if the Dolphins stick with the plan and are successful with the plan.

The Dolphins will now try to find ways to get the ball into the hands of their athletic tight end, rather than just passing it to him if he's open. When the Dolphins go to a 4 WR set, McMichael will be one of those WRs. Donald Lee should do an adequate job in replacing Jed Weaver as the team's best blocking TE and he may be able to provide some athletic plays as well. 

TE Marco Battaglia might have something to say about Donald Lee landing the backup TE job, as he was added to provide depth at the Tight End position. Battaglia, a former 2nd round pick out of Rutgers, has had many chances to be successful, and has only a friendly relationship with the Howard Stern Show to show for it. TE Ed Perry is the Dolphins' long snapper and a darn good one at that. We've yet to see him botch a long snap and that is saying something in this league. It's doubtful that he'll ever see time at Tight End, but his roster spot will forever be safe while he is a consistent long snapper.

 

Offensive Line

RATING:
7.5

   

While the Dolphins don’t have a stellar offensive line, the fact that the unit that helped Ricky Williams rush for over 1,800 yards last year is still largely intact this year bodes well for the team. The biggest question mark heading into free agency was how the Dolphins would fill the Left Tackle position. 

As it turns out, the Dolphins never signed a suitable starter at Left Tackle this year, but they did draft a player that could fill the role next season in Wade Smith. Because of this, the Dolphins are likely going to settle for one more year with Mark Dixon at the Left Tackle position, instead of going with the rookie tackle. At the Right tackle position, the Dolphins are settled with Tackle Todd Wade who had an above average season last year.  He should improve even more this year. 

At the Guard position, the Dolphins are hoping that Jamie Nails can recover completely from the torn Achilles he suffered last season against the Raiders.   The wide bodied Nails was a big reason why Ricky Williams experienced so much success. The other guard position is actually up for grabs right now. While Todd Perry is the front-runner for the job come training camp, the Dolphins hope that rookie Taylor Whitley could give him a run for his money. To finish off the Offensive Line, the Dolphins will return with ten-year veteran Tim Ruddy, while second year man, Seth McKinney, will be his primary backup and eventual replacement. 

While the Dolphins' Offensive Line starters as a whole are an above average group, it was the line's depth that was in question earlier on this off-season.  The Dolphins appear to have fixed that problem because 2 out of their first 3 picks were offensive linemen.

Overall, the Dolphins Offensive line is very solid. While not one of the lineman is a true standout, the sum of all of their parts is worth more than the whole.  The key for them will be to remain healthy, but what makes this season different from others past is the fact that if a starter were to go down, the Dolphins have young players that they hope can fill in the holes.

 

 
Defense/Special Teams
 

Defensive Line

RATING:
8

   

The Miami Dolphins have one of the deeper Defensive End rotations in the league. Jimmy Johnson would be proud. DE Jason Taylor could very well be the best all-around Defensive End in the league (sorry, Strahan). He gets after the quarterback with his speed and he is always adapting his techniques to keep an edge on his opposition. 

Last year he experimented with a four-point stance rather than a traditional three-point stance.  The results were phenomenal as he collected 18.5 sacks. Those 18.5 sacks were recorded while regularly drawing double-teams.  Taylor has found that he likes this new four-point stance and we could see more of it in this upcoming season. What makes him one of the best DEs is the fact that he is underrated at playing the run. Playing the run was once a weakness for Taylor because of his lanky frame and lack of weight to anchor, but he is now adept at shedding blocks while his speed allows him to close quickly on the ball carrier.

Adewale Ogunleye, currently an unsigned Exclusive Rights Restricted Free Agent, served opposite Taylor and collected on the Taylor double-teams with a solid 9.5 sacks in 2002. He's not a guy who creates the pressure on the QB alone, but when he's one-on-one and a QB is forced to flush toward him, Ogunleye can get to the QB.  Additionally, Ogunleye is pretty solid against the run. 

Last year the Dolphins added two guys in Rob Burnett and Jay Williams who can get after the quarterback in part-time action. It was an added bonus for the Dolphins that both of these guys can also rush from the DT position. David Bowens will miss the entire season due to injury so the door is open for. Lamanzer Williams to try to snatch a roster spot.  Williams is coming from NFL Europe where his production can't be ignored as he accumulated 10.5 sacks over the course of merely 6 games, with only 4 starts.

At Defensive Tackle, the Dolphins are about as beefy as you can get. Tim Bowens went to the Pro Bowl in 2002 and is about as good at tying up two blockers as a DT gets. He's not a threat to push or collapse the pocket a la Warren Sapp, but this defensive scheme does not require that. It requires someone to keep blockers off the linebackers and Tim Bowens has helped Zach Thomas since he first arrived in the league. 

In the same mold, Larry Chester is another big body who ties up blockers rather than penetrating the pocket, but at least Chester is a bit quicker than Bowens. He spent most of 2002 recovering from a serious leg injury he suffered with the Panthers late in 2001. He's now fully recovered and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him improve at DT. Did we mention he might be the strongest man in the NFL? He bench-pressed 225 lbs so many times the people administering the test told him to stop because they didn't have all day to watch him.  If you need further proof, he once bench pressed DT Sean Gilbert after Gilbert ate dinner! 

The Dolphins had another wide-body stalwart behind Bowens and Chester in 2002 in former 7th round pick Jermaine Haley. The Redskins signed him to an offer sheet and the Dolphins opted not to match, instead deciding to sign veteran DT Jeff Zgonina away from the Rams. Zgonina is older than Haley, but is known for being able to get after the quarterback from the DT position, and his leadership qualities are excellent. He was voted a team captain on the Rams for 2003 while he was still a free agent, but the Dolphins stole him out from under them. Dario Romero served as the 4th DT last year, beating Dolphins draftee Ernest Grant for the roster spot. This year Romero will have to deal with hard working 7th round pick out of Troy State Davern Williams, but the flexible Defensive Ends could likely put one of these players out on the street. Overall, the Dolphins can boast outstanding starters and quality depth along the DL, therefore, the Dolphins DL ranks among the best in the league.

 

Linebackers

RATING:
8

   

The Dolphins primary weakness on defense last year was their linebacking play, but it could be drastically improved this season thanks to two acquisitions. 


The first and most important is former Chargers linebacker Junior Seau. Not only will Seau be an upgrade over departed linebacker Derrick Rodgers, but he also brings leadership to this team. While some people believe the whole leadership issue with Seau has no affect on the team, it truly does. When you have a defense with so many superstars like the Miami Dolphins, the more veteran leadership you can get, the better off you are. Seau has a great work ethic, he has a true passion for the game, and he still has talent.  His attitude will likely rub off on the rest of the team. 

At the other outside linebacker position, there will be a battle this training camp between rookie linebacker Eddie Moore, and last years’ starter Morlon Greenwood. While Greenwood might have the slight edge this year, there’s still a chance that Moore will beat him out for the job. Greenwood did a decent job in coverage last year, but he lacked the big play ability that Eddie Moore may be able to bring to the table. Either way, the competition between both of them should make them both better, and that’s good for the team. 

Of course at Middle Linebacker the Dolphins have Zach Thomas.  What more can be said about him now that has not already been said? He’s one of the best Linebackers in the league, with a great feel for the game, good speed, and great tackling ability. While Thomas may be undersized for a Middle Linebacker, he has certainly made up for it with all his other talents and his nose for the ball. Depth again this year is a problem, as the Dolphins don’t really have backups that can step in and start in place of an injured starter.  Still, the Dolphins have managed before, and they’ll try to do the same again this year.  

 

Defensive Backfield

RATING:
7.5

   

Cornerback Sam Madison had an off year in 2002. He wasn't his usual All-Pro self, but he was still good. He did have a few nagging injuries which slowed him down, but the problem might have primarily been mental. Could he have been jealous of CB Patrick Surtain's rise to stardom? 

On a radio show Madison claimed that he was distracted by the shameless hyping Surtain's wife kept giving her husband, trying to finally get Patrick into the Pro Bowl. Sam and Pat have since made up and apologized to each other, but the situation bears watching for the coaches. Needless to say, Patrick Surtain had an incredible year in 2002, finally getting to Hawaii. He played outside when there were 2 WRs on the field, and he played the nickel spot when there was a slot WR on the field. 

CB Jamar Fletcher came on and played the outside in nickel situations. He did well for a good part of the year, however in a few games he was visibly victimized by opposing quarterbacks, who obviously just looked for whatever WR was playing opposite Fletcher. The situation needed fixing and Dave Wannstedt seems to think he's found the solution in retread Dolphin Terrell Buckley, who is back after three years in Denver and New England. 

Buckley originally left the team on bad terms, feeling slighted by Jimmy Johnson's choosing Patrick Surtain to start over T-Buck during the 1999 season. Surtain has since become a Pro Bowler, and T-Buck has been a perennial nickel CB. T-Buck returns to the Dolphins with a much better attitude, having found out what its like to win a championship as a part-time player and how players can play important roles yet don't have to be "the man" to get that ever-elusive ring. 

6th Round Draft Pick Omare Lowe did not play much at all in 2002, however he has looked good in Mini-Camps. According to Dave Wannstedt both Terrell Buckley and Omare Lowe were ahead of Jamar Fletcher on the depth chart at the start of the Mini-Camps. Fletcher has been working extremely hard during the off-season to try and get back into the picture and he's even offered to try and learn the slot CB position to become more versatile. He's turned a few heads with interceptions of recently signed QB Brian Griese, but it could be too little, too late for Jamar. One guy who has garnered the Coach's attention already, is undrafted CB Korey Banks out of Missippi State. He likely won't make the team, but Dave Wannstedt made it a point to tell reporters to keep an eye on this guy. It would not be the most shocking thing in the world to see a guy like Banks kept at the expense of Lowe or even gulp, Fletcher.

Brock Marion went to the Pro Bowl last year once again at FS and continues to be one of the most solid additions to the team in the last 6 years. The Dolphins were originally prepared to go into the 2003 season with Arturo Freeman at SS once again despite his lack of size and occasional lapses in coverage. Freeman, however was a Restricted Free Agent and his agent Drew Rosenhaus openly explored the possibility of signing with other teams such as the Saints and Redskins. 

The Dolphins, at first merely to cover themselves, had SS Sammy Knight in for a visit after he had activated a clause in his contract to free himself from the Saints. Interest in Freeman died out, but the Dolphins were so impressed with Knight that they found they had to find a way to get him under contract. He's a real student of the game and is excellent at figuring out where the ball is going and what play is being run. He also has excellent hands and a knack for coming up with the football whenever it gets near him. His speed limitations are pronounced, but he tends to make up for those limitations with his instincts. Still, the running theory for a long time now was that our safeties need to be able to cover the field with their speed, and its possible that Knight's speed limitations may not allow him to succeed in the Dolphins' system. It is a gamble worth taking because of Knights' play-making abilities, so bets are on Knight to become the starting SS. 

Freeman, if signed to a long-term deal, will likely be the long-term solution for Brock Marion's eventual departure, while Knight at 27 could have a good future with the Dolphins at SS if his speed does not prove detriment to the system in 2003. Either way, the Dolphins have are set at the Safety position. Behind the top three are the so-called 'Dukes of Hazzard', Scott McGarahan and Trent Gamble. Both of them are special teams mavens and form a solid duo of punt coverage flyers. Gamble is the better safety and can play a little corner, so he has the edge on the roster spot. Both Shawn Wooden, who has been on the Dolphins for a while, and McGarahan will likely be in a numbers game with Yeremiah Bell.  Bell, the 6th round draft pick out of Eastern Kentucky, is still injured and will probably find himself being handed a red-shirt this season, as he could be placed on the PUP list. Overall, the Dolphins Secondary should be considered one of, if not the best in the league due to both starting talent and depth.

 

Special Teams Unit

RATING:
7.5

   

Olindo Mare remains one of the premier FG kickers in the league. Can anyone forget the game winner he kicked at the end of regulation in the snow-blinding blizzard in Denver?

Veteran Punter Mark Royals is also back in the fold. The Dolphins have one of the best coverage units in the league. They did not allow a single TD return last season, and gave up an average of just 7 yards on punt returns. 

Their own return game, however, was nothing special. In the off-season they acquired Charlie Rogers in hopes that he will help to alleviate matters. Rogers didn't do much as a return man for the Bills last year, but at least he scored a TD on a kick return -- which is more than any return man did for the Dolphins last season.

 

Projected Starters
 
Offense Defense
QB Jay Fiedler  * LE Adewale Ogunleye  *
RB Ricky Williams LT Tim Bowens   *
FB Rob Konrad

RT

Larry Chester
LT Mark Dixon RE Jason Taylor
LG Jamie Nails OLB Junior Seau
C Tim Ruddy MLB Zach Thomas
RG Todd Perry OLB Morlon Greenwood
RT Todd Wade LCB Patrick Surtain
TE Randy McMichael RCB Sam Madison
WR James McKnight  * SS Arturo Freeman
WR Chris Chambers FS Brock Marion
Special Teams
KR Charlie Rodgers K Olindo Mare
PR Charlie Rodgers P Mark Royals

 

* The position is currently up for grabs.

 

Overall Power Ranking

 
buf[1].gif (1826 bytes) 76.5

 

The score is based on a possible score of 100.0
To see how this compares to the rest of the league check out our Power Rankings

 

Outlook for 2003

PREDICTED FINISH:
3rd

In the AFC East

   

The Dolphins are the classic case of the whole being lesser than the sum of its parts. After analyzing this team position by position, it is clear that they are one of the most balanced teams in the league. The results of 2002 still boggle the mind to think about how a team so talented could lose 7 games and not make the playoffs. 

The problem mainly lay in three key areas. One was backup quarterback. Ray Lucas' record as starter for the Dolphins was 2-4. Had the Dolphins featured Brian Griese instead of Ray Lucas as their backup last year, an 11-5 record with the #1 seed in the playoffs, a bye week, and playing at home for the rights to go to the Super Bowl could very well have been a reality.

But that brings us to the Dolphins 2nd biggest problem in 2002. Road defense. The disparity between their road defense and home defense was huge. Away, they got lit up by the Bills, Chiefs, and Vikings. At home, the team was stifling the AFC Champion Raiders and many many others. 

Finally, there is the dreaded month of December. Most people remember the two losses in December to the Vikings and the Patriots because the Vikings were not a great team and the Patriots came back from an 11 point deficit in the last 5 minutes of the game.  But asking the Dolphins to win more games than they lose in December has not been a realistic goal in the last few decades. They still managed to finish the final four games 2-2 last year, but the reality is that they will once again have trouble making it into the playoffs if they do not perform better in December. And a close look at their schedule reveals that the league did not do them any favors, as they must face all three division rivals and the Eagles in that final month. Indeed, 2-2 this December would actually be better than expected for these Porpoises.

This team is very angry about the results of 2002. It has inspired individual efforts to get better, even for guys like Ricky Williams who were superstars and league leaders. The addition of vocal, confident, and perhaps a bit cocky, leaders such as Terrell Buckley, Junior Seau, Jeff Zgonina, and Sammy Knight were all done in concert with each other to wake up the defense on the road and get them playing like they do at home. 

We'll believe it when we see it.

 

 

 

Fantasy News
 

Fantasy Studs

Ricky Williams  For the first time in Dolphins history, Miami actually has a player that’s worth drafting first in fantasy football leagues. Not only is Williams on one of the better teams in the NFL, he also has an excellent chance of rushing over 2000 yards this year. Williams has gotten faster, and stronger this off-season and when you take into account that he may have an improved offensive line, and more talent surrounding him than last year, Williams could have his best season yet. Williams should definitely be near the top of your fantasy wish list.


Dolphins Defense The Miami Dolphins defense never fails to put up above average numbers every year in fantasy football leagues, but this year they could possibly be the best. The Dolphins can boast 8 Pro-Bowl players on the Dolphins defense, including the likes of newcomers Junior Seau and Sammy Knight.  Therefore, on paper, have one of the top 3 defenses in the league. Since sacks and turnovers are key for defenses in fantasy leagues, picking the Dolphins defense should be even that much more important to you. Just the addition of ball hawk Sammy Knight should produce more interceptions than what the Dolphins usually get. In addition, with more blitz packages on the way, the Dolphins will have a chance to force more fumbles than last year as well. Not only will the Dolphins defense be a safe bet every week, they could be the best bet.


Randy McMichael This could be a huge year for Randy McMichael, but the reason the Commish doesn’t have him as a sleeper is because he has more than just a sleeper chance of having a fantastic season this year. With the Dolphins focusing more on the two Tight end sets this year, and usually always having a Tight end in every formation, McMichael is going to get many opportunities to shine. He is a solid pick for TE because few people will jump the gun on him after looking over his late season stats.  There won’t be too high of a demand for him so you can snatch him after using other high picks for RBs, WRs, or QBs.

Projections: Ricky Williams: 1849 rushing yards, 362 receiving yards, 15 TDs
                  Randy McMichael:  488 receiving yards, 4 TDs

 

Fantasy Duds

James McKnight. He's currently listed as the starter at wide receiver, but don't let that fool you. We really like Derrius Thompson and think that he or Gadsden will win the starting spot away from McKnight. At the very least he'll cut into McKnight's production by means of rotation. It's not that McKnight lacks talent  -- He's very fluid in his routes, fast, good at separating, good after the catch, and his hands are better than most people give him credit for. But to be the 1000-yard receiver that he is capable of becoming, he needs to be hit deep a la Alvin Harper or Albert Connell. Jay Fiedler just does not possess the deep accuracy to make that happen too often. Furthermore, despite talent, McKnight kept getting the shaft by the coaches in 2002, and we don't think it will be any different in 2003. Don't bother with him unless Thompson or Chambers is out of the picture due to injury or you're extremely desperate. 

On a similar note, Oronde Gadsden should also be a fantasy dud. He's the opposite of McKnight. He is physical and has incredible hands but he just does not get open that often. He is still a good red zone threat, but Thompson is faster. 

 

Fantasy Sleepers

Chris Chambers posted some very nice fantasy numbers in his 2001 rookie season -- and everyone thought that 2002 would be a breakout year for him. It didn't happen that way, but that was because of an untimely concussion (that cost him 2 games) and the total collapse of the Miami offense when Jay Fiedler went down. When Fiedler broke his thumb last year, Chris Chambers’ numbers began to drop as a result of not having his main quarterback playing. Now that Fiedler has a reliable backup in Griese, expect bigger and better things from Chambers in 2003.  

Chambers is a high risk/potentially high reward kind of guy. What that means is that he COULD have the breakout season in 2003 that many of us thought he WOULD have in 2002. But don't be guilty of jumping on him too early. If you've filled needs at RB and QB, then he may be worth picking up as a starter in 3 WR leagues. Otherwise, consider him a top backup. 


We Said It
(Excerpts taken from our 2002 Team Analysis Page)
 

Right On the Money!

If he can stay healthy, look for Norv Turner to find creative ways to get Ricky involved. And, in case you are wondering about how well RBs do in Norv's offensive scheme.... Well, just ask Emmitt Smith, Terry Allen, Stephen Davis, and LaDanian Tomlinson! Don't be surprised if a healthy Ricky Williams carries the rock 400 times... Another 1700 + yard season with 10+ TDs may be in order.  (Ricky led the league in rushing with 1853 yards. He scored 17 TDs and carried the ball a league best 383 times!)

We Warned You!

Coming off a decent 2000 season for the pitiful Dallas Cowboys, we thought James McKnight was proned for a breakout season last year for the Dolphins. He simply didn't deliver. In fact, McKnight did little besides taking a backseat to rookie Chris Chambers. He'll do the same thing this year. We expect Chambers and Gadsden to emerge as the primary WRs. (McKnight only managed to account for 528 receiving yards and just 2 TDs -- which is the same number of fumbles he lost.)

Understatement, Anyone?

The Dolphins were wise to select Georgia's Randy McMichael in the 4th round of the draft. He has the potential to make an immediate contribution to the team. (485 yards and 4 TDs are pretty good numbers for a TE. McMichael scored TWICE as many TDs as the more ballyhooed rookie, Jeremy Shockey.)

 

Well, Nobody's Perfect

Last year Chris Chambers, who didn't even start until the 10th game of the season, became the Dolphins top WR in his rookie year. Look for him to increase upon the 883 yards and 7 TDs he posted last year. (Ouch, baby! Very ouch! Chambers accounted for just 734 yards and 3 TDs. In our defense, he did up his reception total from 48 to 52.)

 

Want to talk football with a fellow Miami fan? Our very own Dolphins Correspondents, Miguel Lorenzo and Chris Kouffman, who contributed to this page, may not agree with everything the Commish has to say about the Dolphins, but they'd sure like to hear from you!
 
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