With today’s Week 1 contest against the New England Patriots looming large as the Miami Dolphins’ first of sixteen tests this fall, it is easy to expect all that will matter at the end of the day (and the season) is if there’s a mark in the ‘win’ column or not. But as the saying goes: Rome wasn’t built in a day. And neither are Super Bowl contenders. So yes, it would be easy to judge the Dolphins strictly off of wins and loss in the year 2020, but that wouldn’t likely showcase the entire story, either.
In a perfect world, each of our signs of progress can materialize alongside wins for this year. But even if Miami finishes the year with a losing record at, hypothetically, 7-9, it wouldn’t mean that the Dolphins didn’t have a productive team building effort.
As the 2020 season gets underway today, here are 5 signs of progress to look for outside of just the win column.
Strong play from QB Tua Tagovailoa
We don’t know when Tagovailoa is going to get into the lineup, but we can be certain that we’re going to see him at some point along the way. Perhaps the only scenario in which Tagovailoa sits the entire season is if Ryan Fitzpatrick gets the Dolphins’ offense humming at a high level, the team starts fast and never looks back. This team is improved but with so many young pieces in the starting lineup, that feels unrealistic.
The peak we got at Josh Rosen last fall was enough to convince the decision makers that he wasn’t the answer. The goal for this year? Make sure whatever flashes you get from Tagovailoa have you confident that he is what Rosen couldn’t be — the long-term answer at quarterback.
Continued aggression from coach Brian Flores
One of the best dynamics of Brian Flores’ coaching job in 2019 was just how aggressive he was able to be amid the struggles. Fourth downs, trick plays, surprise onside kicks — Brian Flores left nothing on the sideline and played to win every time his team took the field. By the end of the year, that bold attitude helped the team walk into New England and win in Week 17.
For Miami, seeing Flores prove in 2020 that his coaching style on that front is who he is as a coach and not just simply a byproduct of a season with nothing to lose would be a big win.
A top-15 defense in 2020
Miami made additions to both sides of the football but the team brought in a bunch of veteran players on the defensive side of the ball. Given Flores’ defensive prowess, it should be expected that this unit is a finished product first. Between Shaq Lawson, Emmanuel Ogbah, Kyle Van Noy, Elandon Roberts and Byron Jones, Miami’s starting defense is going to look drastically different. Different is good, but being effective is better.
Let’s hope this defensive rebuild sets into form quickly and the Dolphins can live up to their presumed identity on defense.
More impact plays from 2019 1st-round pick Christian Wilkins
Speaking of the defensive side of the football, 2019 rookie Christian Wilkins is going to be in line for a big leap in the caliber of his play this upcoming season. Wilkins was slow to get started last year but by the end of the year he appeared to have his bearings as a professional defensive lineman. Given his status as the centerpiece of Miami’s first draft under Flores and Grier, Wilkins’ improvement will be a telling preview for not just his long-term prospects but it will also inspire hope that the rest of the roster can follow suit.
Surrounded by more talented players, Wilkins has everything he needs to break out.
Added development from Miami pass catchers
The Dolphins’ additions at wide receiver this season include former Navy quarterback Malcolm Perry and Lynn Bowden Jr. But neither player feels ready to take on a high-volume role in the offense — those roles belong to DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki and Preston Williams.
Who can step up in Year 2 and add their name to the group? That’s the big question for the Dolphins. If no one does, we may be looking at a massive sized rebuild next offseason for the offensive weapons.
