Looking back at the Dolphins’ major offseason moves

There are still four games left in the regular season for the Dolphins but weeks past the trade deadline and with major roles defined across the roster, it’s not too early to look back at the team’s offseason moves and how they have impacted this season.

It was another big offseason in the team’s rebuild for general manager Chris Grier, who had ample cap room — though not nearly as much as projected in 2022 — and a bevy of draft picks, including two first-rounders.

As the Dolphins enjoy their bye week and prepare for the final month of the season, they have addressed some major offseason concerns, while other issues have festered.

Here’s how the Dolphins have fared with some of the key questions stemming from the offseason:

Solidify the offensive line

Building up the offensive line has been a years-long process for the Dolphins. The team traded guard Ereck Flowers to Washington and lost 2021 starter Ted Karras, who returned to the New England Patriots. The Dolphins replaced Karras and Flowers with Michael Deiter, a 2019 third-round pick, and Liam Eichenberg, who was selected with the No. 42 pick in the 2021 Draft.

The Dolphins’ hope was that the continuity of a young group that included returning starters Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt and Jesse Davis would result in an improved line. However, the unit has struggled, especially earlier in the season. The Dolphins have used seven different starting combinations and six in the first seven weeks of the season. It has been partly due to an injury to Deiter but also reshuffling after a stretch of really poor play in the first few weeks, which resulted in moving Jackson to left guard and Eichenberg to left tackle.

Hunt has started every game at right guard and is the team’s highest-graded lineman, according to Pro Football Focus. Deiter has been more than serviceable when healthy, while Eichenberg and Jackson have played better in recent weeks. However, the offensive line, particularly at the tackle positions, remains a priority for the team. Last season, the Dolphins ranked 27th and 23rd in ESPN’s pass block win rate and run block win rate, respectively. This season, they rank 32nd and 10th in pass block win rate and run block win rate, respectively.

Acquire a lead running back

Much was made of the Dolphins’ decision not to draft running back Najee Harris, who went No. 24 overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers. And then the Denver Broncos moved ahead of the Dolphins to draft Javontae Williams with the No. 35 overall pick. The Dolphins ended up with safety Jevon Holland, who has been one of the bright spots of the entire season, at No. 36, so all wasn’t lost. But the team waited until the seventh round to draft a tailback in Gerrid Doaks, who has been protected routinely on the practice squad but has yet to appear in the regular season.

The Dolphins essentially decided to run it back with a group that included Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed, and so far it has backfired. The team ranks tied for last in yards per attempt (3.3) and 31st in yards per game (79.2). Furthermore, the Dolphins rank 22nd in attempts per game (23.9) but have run the ball an average of 32 times in their last three games. In recent weeks, the team has called up Duke Johnson from the practice squad and claimed Phillip Lindsay, who made his team debut against the Carolina Panthers.

Among 49 qualified runners with at least 70 carries, Gaskin ranks 43rd in rush yards over expected per attempt, a statistic that takes into account the difference between actual rushing yards and expected rushing yards on an individual play or series of plays.

While the offensive line hasn’t blocked well, ESPN rates the unit an above-average run-blocking group. And of 51 qualified players, Gaskin ranks 50th in yards after contact per carry (1.2), a sign all of the team’s rushing woes can’t solely be placed on the offensive line.

Find out if Tua Tagovailoa is the franchise quarterback

This can’t be fully decided without the first two issues improving and as a result, it has been hard to judge Tagavoailoa this season. He missed three games early in the season with fractured ribs and another game-and-a-half with a fractured middle finger.

To his credit, he has placed well during the team’s five-game winning streak, showcasing elite accuracy while taking care of the ball. The Dolphins have essentially supplanted their running game with an RPO-heavy scheme that emphasizes Tagovailoa getting the ball out of his hands quickly, which is why his average depth of target has been among the lowest for qualified passers this season.

Only Grier, who entertained a trade for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, can answer whether Tagovailoa is the team’s quarterback of the future. Tagovailoa’s play, however, has certainly helped his case.

Replace sack production of Lawson, Van Noy

The duo combined for 10 sacks and 28 quarterback hits, about a quarter of the Dolphins’ pressure production. The team traded Shaq Lawson to Houston for inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney — later released as part of roster cuts — and a swap of late-round draft picks, and Kyle Van Noy was released in March.

Jettisoning two established veterans was always going to be a gamble for a defense that doesn’t usually manufacture pressure without blitzes, but the Dolphins had faith in players such as Emmanuel Ogbah and Andrew Van Ginkel improving their play in 2021. The team also drafted Jaelan Phillips with the No. 18 overall pick.

After struggling to get to quarterbacks earlier in the season, the Dolphins pass rush has been dominant as of late. The defense ranks second in blitz rate (38.1 percent), according to Pro Football Reference, and ranks first in quarterback knockdowns (68). Batted balls have also been key for the defense; Ogbah leads all defensive linemen with nine batted passes and he has added six sacks in a contract year.

Phillips leads the team with 8^1/2 sacks, including six in his past three games, and young safeties Holland and Brandon Jones have combined for five. The Dolphins’ blitz rate is a little down from last season but their overall pressure numbers are on par with 2020.