Miami Dolphins’ biggest challenge last season was not just prevailing over the Bills or taking down the Chiefs, It was the injuries that depleted their hot start. However, who would have thought that one of ESPN’s avid contributors would take a chance on the underdogs this season and choose the Miami Dolphins as the winner of Super Bowl LVIII?
As per Seth Walder, The future of the Miami Dolphins just got a whole lot brighter. Not only do they have an exciting quarterback on their roster in Tua Tagovailoa, capable of generating 0.13 expected points added per play (slightly better than the Bills’ Josh Allen at 0.12), but they’ve also roped in one of the most experienced defensive masterminds around in Vic Fangio.
He highlighted that the addition of Fangio will help bolster a defense that already has some star talent, making them a formidable force going forward.
As per FL sportsbooks, the Fins are +3000 to win it all next season. The Miami Dolphins have been faced with a lot of challenges this past season, but now that they have one of ESPN’s contributing analysts backing them up. While the roster is not yet final and the offseason is still young, it is understandable why Miami does not get much attention from oddsmakers. With Seth Walder’s prediction in the mix, who knows what could happen?
Miami Dolphins Offseason Preview
The Dolphins have made a big move that could help revitalize their defense as they have officially hired Vic Fangio as their new defensive coordinator. This was a decision that has been talked about for a while now as the team reportedly reached an agreement with Fangio last month. The team is looking to be more consistent and have a deeper roster, so this hiring can be seen as a positive sign.
They will look to make additional moves when NFL free agency begins and are ready for the upcoming NFL draft. With their second-round pick, two third-round choices (one from New England) plus other selections via trades, there may be more changes coming for this team very soon.
With the free agency period quickly approaching, the Miami Dolphins may set their sights on acquiring some of the standout linebackers set to enter free agency. Elandon Roberts, Duke Riley, Sam Eguavoen, and Andrew Van Ginkel are all a month away from potentially joining the Dolphins roster. Jerome Baker is already occupying cap space and Channing Tindall was added in last year’s draft but a thumper and leader like Roberts could help take this defense to a new level.
GM Chris Grier will likely have one or two “decent” contracts to offer prior to free agency and filling up the linebacker position looks poised to be at the forefront of his priorities. Other players to hit free agency soon will be:
- Tremaine Edmunds (Buffalo Bills)
- Lavonte David (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
- Devon Bush (Pittsburgh Steelers) and
- Deion Jones (Cleveland Browns)
Miami Still Have to Fill Some Spots
General Manager Chris Grier and the Dolphins’ front office have their work cut out for them as the 2023 NFL league year quickly approaches. With Miami currently over the salary cap by $16 million, they must find a way to get under it before 4 p.m. on March 15. On top of this difficult task, they have to fill holes in their roster as 27 upcoming free agents will need replacing without much help from the draft as they don’t have a first-round pick.
While they’ll likely be able to keep some of these players, depth is likely to be an issue that needs addressing, but it’s far from the only one. Grier and the rest of the front office have just a month to figure out how to balance financials while filling out the team’s roster for next season.