The Miami Dolphins finished their 2023 campaign with an 11-6 record and made the postseason for the second time in as many years under head coach Mike McDaniel. Unfortunately, it came to an end with a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the wild-card round.
While other teams are in the midst of their playoff run, it’s time to do some reflecting on the team in South Florida.
Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be reviewing and evaluating different positions for the Dolphins in 2023. Today, we’ll look at the defensive linemen.
Christian Wilkins: A
Wilkins bet on himself before the season, and it may have paid off for him, as he saw an improvement in his pass rush in 2023.
The 28-year-old finished his season with 65 tackles (10 for a loss), 23 quarterback hits, nine sacks, two passes defensed, two fumbles recovered and one fumble forced.
A big pay day seems to be in Wilkins’ future, and the Dolphins should do their best to either retain him or get something in return for him.
Zach Sieler: A
Unlike Wilkins, Sieler cashed in before the 2023 season, signing a three-year extension worth up to $38.65 million with $20 million guaranteed.
He rewarded the team with his best season yet, recording 63 tackles (11 for a loss), 22 quarterback hits, 10 sacks, four passes defensed, two fumbles recovered, one forced fumble and an interception that was returned for a touchdown.
If Miami does move on from Wilkins, they seem to be in good hands with Sieler manning the middle, but it would still be nice to have them both.
Emmanuel Ogbah: C
Ogbah saw a precipitous drop in playtime in 2023 with Vic Fangio’s scheme and the talent that Miami had on the edge when healthy.
The 30-year-old played just 25% of the snaps, the fewest in his career by a good bit, and that includes last year when he only played in nine games before suffering his season-ending triceps injury.
In a limited role, Ogbah still recorded 20 tackles (three for a loss), nine quarterback hits, 5.5 sacks, two passes defensed, one interception and a forced fumble.
In 2024, Ogbah is set to count for $17.71 million against Miami’s cap, and they could save $15.71 million by cutting him with a post-June 1 designation, so there’s no guarantee he’s back in aqua and orange next year.
However, with Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb, the Dolphins’ top two edge options, suffering injuries late in the season, it might be important to have Ogbah around if they miss time to start the year.
Da'Shawn Hand: C-
After joining the Dolphins late in the offseason, Hand originally made the team’s practice squad to start the year, but he found himself playing rather quickly.
The 28-year-old appeared in 16 games, recording 17 tackles (one for a loss), three quarterback hits, two passes defensed and one sack.
For a backup playing less than 20% of the team’s defensive snaps, he filled his role well.
Raekwon Davis: D+
Davis played the third defensive tackle role again in 2023, but his impact wasn’t felt much. Despite playing 45% of the team’s defensive snaps over the course of 17 games, Davis only recorded 28 tackles (two for a loss) six quarterback hits and a half-sack.
The 26-year-old is set to become a free agent in March, and it feels like the Dolphins are going to look in another direction to fill out their room in 2024.
