I think it might be safe to say Christian Wilkins Jersey Womens , Sports Illustrated/Monday Morning Quarterback’s Jonathan Jones does not have high expectations of the Miami Dolphins for 2019. At the end of last week, Jones..." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteThe Phinsidera Miami Dolphins communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpSectionsFanpostsFanshotsLibraryDolphinsOddsShopAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteSections 2018 NFL Draft2018 NFL Free Agency2018 Mock Drafts2018 Draft ProspectsFiled under:Miami Dolphins NewsSports Illustrated MMQB: Dolphins ‘probably the worst team in the NFL’New,55commentsEDTShareTweetShareShareSports Illustrated MMQB: Dolphins ‘probably the worst team in the NFL’Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY SportsI think it might be safe to say, Sports Illustrated/Monday Morning Quarterback’s Jonathan Jones does not have high expectations of the Miami Dolphins for 2019. At the end of last week, Jones published an “AFC East Offseason Reports” article, looking at the Dolphins along with the Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, and New York Jets. Those reports took a look at the 2018 performance for each club, their key offseason additions and losses, areas where the team improved, areas they still need help, and the biggest question mark for the team heading into the regular season.Jones’ write-up about the Dolphins was headlined by the team’s biggest question mark: “How much losing can one team take?”Yeah, it does not see the Dolphins as a very good team.In fact, he writes, the Dolphins are “probably the worst team, on paper, in the NFL.”Well, okay then.Jones highlights the Dolphins additions of quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen, defenisve lineman (first-round pick) Christian Wilkins Christian Wilkins Jersey Cheap , cornerback Eric Rose, tight end Dwayne Allen, and offensive lineman (third-round pick) Michael Deiter in his “new players” list for Miami. In the “players lost” section, he lists defensive end Robert Quinn, quarterback Ryan Tannehill, offensive lineman Josh Sitton, wide receiver Danny Amendola, linebacker Cameron Wake, offenisve lineman Ja’Wuan James, and running back Frank Gore.Then them in the “what areas did the team improve” section, he writes:First, why is a “tank job” required for the team? If they got a “quality young quarterback in Rosen” would that not remove the need to “get one of the top-tier QBs in the 2020 draft?” If Rosen pans out, the need for the “tank job to be successful” seems unnecessary. So, either the Dolphins did not get a quality quarterback in Rosen, or they do not need to tank to find a quality quarterback. Having two young, talented quarterbacks would be nice - either with Rosen as the backup or Rosen as trade bait, but it feels like the idea of tanking is creating the need for tanking, rather than the Dolphins need to find a “quality young quarterback” creating the need to tank.Second, the Dolphins did not improve upon any position since they last played. Seems a pretty clear statement that the Dolphins are tanking Miami Dolphins Jerseys 2019 , right?Dolphins 2018 Week 17 starters:WR - Kenny StillsTE - Mike GesickiTE - Nick O’LearyLT - Laremy TunsilLG - Ted LarsenC - Travis SwansonRG - Jesse DavisRT - Ja’Wuan JamesWR - Danny AmendolaQB - Ryan TannehillRB - Kenyan DrakeDE - Cameron WakeDT - Akeem SpenceDT - Davon GodchauxDE - Robert QuinnLB - Kiko AlonsoLB - Raekwon McMillanLB - Jerome BakerCB - Torry McTyerCB - Bobby McCainS - Reshad JonesS - Minkah FitzpatrickInjured reserve: Chase Allen, Jake Brendel, A.J. Derby, Luke Falk, Frank Gore, Jakeem Grant, MarQueis Gray, William Hayes, Daniel Kilgore, Josh Sitton, Cordrea Tankersley, Vincent Taylor, Albert WilsonDolphins 2019 Week 1 Starters (projected):WR - Kenny StillsWRDeVante ParkerTE - Mike GesickiLT - Laremy TunsilLG - Michael DeiterC - Daniel KilgoreRG - Jesse DavisRT - Jordan MillsWR - Albert WilsonQB - Ryan Fitzpatrick (Josh Rosen)RB - Kenyan DrakeDE - Vincent TaylorDT - Davon GodchauxDE - Christian WilkinsLB - Charles HarrisLB - Kiko AlonsoLB - Raekwon McMillanLB - Jerome BakerCB - Xavien HowardCB - Bobby McCainS - Reshad JonesS - Minkah FitzpatrickMaybe the Dolphins did not go out and add big-named free agents this year, but that does not mean the team did not upgrade from the end of 2018 to the start of 2019. They did in a big way - health. Miami has been crushed by the injury bug each of the last two years. They had 13 players on injured reserve at the end of the year, with Brendel starting the year on IR then being activated and landing back on IR, and that does not include players like Xavien Howard who missed time due to injury but did not land on IR. In 2017, the Dolphins had 16 players on injured reserve at the end of the season.Health is the biggest improvement the Dolphins can make to their roster in 2019. Keeping their starters on the field will move the team forward no matter if you do not think they are quality starters or not. Losing players like Ja’Wuan James and Cameron Wake will hurt, there is no way around that. But, having the starters in Week 1 also available in Week 17 would be a huge improvement for the Dolphins. Not every starter will make it Christian Wilkins Miami Dolphins Jerseys , but 13 and 16 players - and a large number of them starters or key reserves - on IR the last two seasons is too many for a team to overcome. The Dolphins may not be contending for the Super Bowl this season, and they could end up being the team with the worst record in the league, but to say they did not improve at any position is a little hyperbolic. Of course, Jones still had other issues with the Dolphins - including the “worst team, at least on paper,” line. In areas where the team still needs help, he wrote:Again, losing James hurt. Sitton played one game for the Dolphins. One. He tore his rotator cuff and was out for the season. It is hard to say the Dolphins are going to have a hard time replacing Sitton when basically they did not really have him on the field. Deiter essentially becomes the replacement for Sitton and Larsen at left guard. That leaves a right tackle replacement as a need, and the Dolphins are hoping Jordan Mills, Zach Sterup, Isaiah Prince, Jaryd Jones-Smith, or Michael Dunn can play their way into that position. And, if the point of tanking is to have a quarterback not be successful behind an offensive line, why would the Dolphins use the second-round draft pick this year to add Rosen? If you know the quarterback is not going to be successful, why get the quarterback? Seems like a waste of a draft pick to select someone who you know will not succeed.Finally, in asking the biggest question remaining for the Dolphins, “How much losing can one team take?” Jones writes:Again, we have the quarterback will not be successful there Christian Wilkins black jersey , with the Dolphins not drafting a rookie quarterback in order to protect his psyche and not put him in a position where the team is going to lose. Instead, they used a draft pick on a second-year quarterback who is coming from a team that lost their way in 2018 to clinch the first-overall draft pick this year. What was the point of that move if the team is planning to tank, lose as many games as possible, and draft a quarterback?I am not trying to say Miami is winning the Super Bowl this year. I am not trying to say they are a playoff team. I am not even trying to say they will not be the fourth-place team in the AFC East this year. I am just saying the “tanking” theme and that the Dolphins “did not improve any position” storyline seem a little like overkill.This is a reset year for the Dolphins. They are getting younger. They are fixing their salary cap after years of chasing the talent and spending big on players. They are not looking to win it all this year.But it feels like there is more talent on this roster than people realize or want to credit. The Dolphins are not fielding a team of scrubs. They are not heading into 2019 looking toward the 1-15 2007 team as their inspiration. This team wants to win games. They have the ability to win games. And they are going to win games. Maybe it will not be a lot of wins, but they will get some - and somewhere along the line, people will start to realize this team has talent.Next year will be a huge step forward for Miami with double-digit draft picks and being among the teams with the most salary cap space available, but they do not have to take three-steps back this year just to make 2020 great. In lieu of dumping players the Dolphins no longer want, they’re willing to consider paying a chunk of their salary to facilitate a deal, like they did with quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Ultimately, the Dolphins are buying draft picks — like the Browns did two years ago when picking up Brock Osweiler‘s $16 million fully-guaranteed salary along with a second-round pick from the Texans.According to multiple reports, the Dolphins currently are talking to the Cowboys about a possible trade for defensive end Robert Quinn, who according to Clarence E. Hill, Jr. of the is visiting the team on Tuesday. Armando Salguero of the adds that the Saints also are talking to the Dolphins about a deal.Quinn is due to earn $11.8 million in 2019, the final year of his contract. Last week, the Dolphins agreed to pay $5 million of Ryan Tannehill’s reduced salary of $7 million in order to make a trade with the Titans happen.The former Rams pass rusher had 6.5 sacks in 16 games last year for the Dolphins, his first season in Miami.
