The Miami Dolphins are done with the scouting combine process and are continuing to evaluate their roster to see where they can be better in 2022 and beyond.
Head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier will have to make decisions on 28 players who are set to hit the market on March 16 when the league year opens, including punter Michael Palardy.
2021, his first year with Miami, was a bit of a rocky year for the Dolphins’ 29-year-old punter. Palardy’s 44.7 punt average ranked 24th of all punters who had at least 35 attempts in 2021, however, he was third-best in the league in punts downed inside the 20-yard line (31).
His high point came in Week 13 when he earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his six-punt performance against the New York Giants that included a career-long 65-yard punt that pinned them at their own 15.
What the front office should be discussing this week and throughout the year is consistency at the position. Ideally, a punter would be hitting the field and flipping field position to keep their defense out of poor situations as often as possible.
There are options in free agency and the draft that are enticing for a positional upgrade. The thing that might make the most sense at the position this offseason is bringing Palardy back on a one-year deal and having him compete for the job throughout training camp.
