On the surface, the casual NFL fan may spot the release of defensive lineman Mike Daniels from the Green Bay Packers with minimal interest. An undersized 6-foot, 291 pound tackle with eight years in the league boasting a 2017 Pro Bowl appearance? Not for the Dolphins’ rebuilding project, — right?
Not so fast. Daniels may be a player that can contribute in a myriad of methods for the hybrid system that Head Coach Brian Flores boasted upon his hiring.
Daniels is listed as an inside lineman currently,but after he was drafted by Green Bay in the 4th round of the 2012 NFL Draft from Iowa, the former Hawkeye took snaps in 2013 as an edge rusher. In his second year as a pro, Daniels was 2nd on the team in sacks behind Clay Matthews while only starting in one 2013 game.
The following year, the Packers began to mix Daniels in for snaps at both the end and tackle spots where he continued to shine before making the leap full-time to the inside of the line in 2015.
That’s only where the intrigue for potential begins for the Dolphins. Pair the 30-year old veteran with 2019 1st-round NFL Draft pick Christian Wilkins and the possibilities expand. Wilkins, fresh off a National Championship at Clemson, has the right mix of physical talents to double as either a 4-3 tackle or a nose in a 3-4 system. In short, Daniels could mentor the rookie having played nose and tackle positions to assure maximum improvement for the not just the newcomer, but the much-maligned Phins front seven as a whole.
While Daniels on-field performance proves him to be a fantastic option in Miami’s future scheme, the icing on the cake is the politics in place — they do improve the likelihood of interest from the Dolphins.
First-year Miami defensive coordinator Patrick Graham was the Packers’ Linebackers/Running Coordinator in 2018. This means that Coach Graham was in position not only observe Daniels’ play on the defensive side of the ball but also his ability to disrupt a run game as an offensive coach, too.
Not only does Daniels fit the on-field requirements of the Flores’ philosophy, there’s also an off-the-field connection to Graham that legitimatizes him as a solid option.
The looming problem? Daniels’ interest in a new team reportedly comes down to playing winning football. The Dolphins surely will not be the sexiest team who could come calling — the Cleveland Browns have already been rumored to have interest. But perhaps the Dolphins connections can get their foot in the door and Miami is a team that has some money to spend. And with Daniels being cut, there’s no fear of a signing eating into Miami’s scheduled 3rd-round compensatory pick for the 2020 NFL Draft.
If Daniels will field the call, the Dolphins should be calling.
