This week, the NFL world moves to Indianapolis, Indiana to look at the newest group of collegiate players who will be going professional in this year’s draft.
The combine gives all 32 teams an opportunity to get close to some of the top prospects in the selection process. They can meet with players and see how they perform some field drills as well as pure athletic workouts.
Heading into this combine, the Miami Dolphins have a number of positions that they’ll need to address this offseason. Those holes can be filled by a player who participates this week or by a veteran acquired in a trade or signed as a free agent.
Before the workouts begin, let’s look at some of the biggest positions of need for Miami.
6. Cornerback
Cornerback is one of Miami’s most intriguing positions heading into the offseason.
Xavien Howard is coming off of one of his worst seasons that somehow still found him in the Pro Bowl at the end of the year. Byron Jones didn’t play one single snap after Achilles surgery, and according to him, the recovery hasn’t gone well.
Nik Needham and Justin Bethel will both be free agents.
New defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s scheme should make some things easier for the cornerbacks, as they’ll get some safety help and won’t be left on islands due to heavy blitzes.
5. Left guard
Liam Eichenberg was awarded the left guard spot this past offseason, despite Miami signing Connor Williams.
Heading into his third year, the former Fighting Irish hasn’t done enough to solidify that he’s the long-term or short-term answer at the position.
Even when he went down with an injury, Robert Jones filled in and there wasn’t much of a drop-off if any.
4. Linebacker
The linebacker room is looking rather bleak this offseason, as Duke Riley, Elandon Roberts and Sam Eguavoen are all hitting the market.
On top of that, edge linebackers like Andrew Van Ginkel and Melvin Ingram are as well. The only two off-ball linebackers on the roster are Jerome Baker and Channing Tindall.
Fangio’s arrival should help whoever is ready to go when the season begins.
3. Tight end
Mike Gesicki is hitting the market and a last-second franchise tag or long-term deal isn’t coming this offseason.
Mike McDaniel’s offense relies on a tight end that can block, and Gesicki wasn’t that. Durham Smythe can do some of that, but Miami needs more than just him at the position.
Hunter Long, Cethan Carter and Tanner Conner are also on the roster, but none have done anything offensively to earn consistent playing time.
2. Running back
At this point, the Dolphins don’t have a single back on the roster.
Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr. and Myles Gaskin are all unrestricted free agents, and Salvon Ahmed is restricted.
Miami hasn’t been known to shell out a ton of money at the position, so they could take a look at one of the running backs that they see at the combine this week. However, with so many open spots, they’ll probably fill those spots in a number of ways.
1. Right tackle
Austin Jackson was expected to man the position in 2022, but he ended up playing just two games due to injury. In his place, the Dolphins deployed Brandon Shell, Greg Little and Kendall Lamm.
All depth options are set to hit the market, but Miami should consider re-signing Shell, as he can at least provide that depth again.
Jackson hasn’t done enough in his time to earn the starting job, and someone needs to protect Tagovailoa’s blind side.
