The Miami Dolphins are heading into April’s draft with some holes to fill. Players are needed to play Guard, Inside linebacker, cornerback, safety, and wide receiver. As the youth movement continues, Miami hopes to get significant production out the players they’ll select with their six picks in the upcoming draft. Out of all the units the Dolphins look to bolster, the secondary has the most question marks. From unproven players coming back from injury, to players with durability concerns, to upcoming 2016 cap casualties, shoring up the secondary should be high on the front office’s list of priorities.

The two players with the most to prove in 2015 are Jamar Taylor and Will Davis. Taylor and Davis were both drafted in 2013 with the idea that they would compete for a starting job, whether in the slot or on the outside. But neither player has been able to sniff the field because of injuries. Since both players have entered the league they have missed action due to one ailment or another. Both players started off on the injury report coming into their rookie seasons in 2013.

Davis suffered a foot injury in the fourth preseason game in 2013 and played in only three games in the regular season. He played in six games in 2014, starting in none, before tearing his ACL against the Buffalo Bills in Week 11 and ending his season. His best performance last season was against the Oakland Raiders in Week 4 when he had five tackles and two pass defenses on 28 snaps. In today’s NFL, successfully coming back from an ACL injury is common, and the Dolphins are hoping Davis comes back better than before the injury.

Taylor suffered a groin injury coming into his rookie season that led to a sport hernia that required surgery. As a result Taylor missed a lot of reps in camp; reps that were needed to grasp Defensive Coordinator Kevin Coyle’s complex scheme. As a result, Taylor only appeared in three games in 2013 (incidentally Coach Philbin has said the defensive scheme will be simplified). Taylor overcame the injury and late start from 2013, appearing in 13 games and starting three, but he never challenged veteran cornerback Cortland Finnegan to become the full time starter. His presence was most felt in the Week 11 win against the Bills where he had seven tackles. The very next week against the Denver Broncos he suffered a separated shoulder after being manhandled at the line of scrimmage by Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.
 
Taylor played in the second to last game against the Minnesota Vikings but was then placed on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. Taylor had surgery to repair a torn labrum in January and all indications are that he will be ready for OTAs. While being interviewed on the Omar Kelly Show on 560 WQAM, Taylor was asked why he thinks he should be the starter in 2014 opposite Pro Bowl Cornerback Brent Grimes and he had this to say, “I feel like the tape don’t lie. When I played I balled out. Even if I came in for a little bit, I brought noise or energy to the team. You were going to feel some presence of number 22 on the field. If I messed up it’s because I’m young.. ..but guaranteed, in the next game I’m not gonna mess up on the same thing.”

Kelly also asked him about his injuries and durability. He said, “I feel like the injuries I’ve had were just bad luck, random injuries. They’re not nagging injuries like a hamstring or [major] like an ACL. I know I can stay healthy.”

Another player the Dolphins are counting on to come back from injury is free safety Louis Delmas. The Dolphins signed Delmas to a one year deal with the team in 2014 even though he had some durability issues. He played in 14 games before tearing his ACL against the Baltimore Ravens. Delmas brought great energy and leadership to the team, so the Dolphins have brought him back on another one year deal. A weak safety draft probably had something to do with that as well. Reports are he is ahead of schedule on his rehab and should be ready for the start of the season. The Dolphins also resigned fan favorite Michael Thomas to back-up Delmas at safety. Thomas is also a great contributor on specials teams. He is also in the walking wounded club, coming back from a torn pectoral muscle.

Looking to the future, the Dolphins need to start thinking about who is going to replace Grimes. Grimes is turning 32 this year and has two years left on his $32 million deal. He had another terrific year in 2014 in which he tied for first place in interceptions and earned his second straight trip to the Pro Bowl. But again, he’s going to be 32 year old this year. Chances are he will be a cap casualty after the 2015 season.

Thanks to my PhinManiacs.com 2015 Draft Guide, I have identified some players I think the Dolphins should potentially draft. While I don’t think the Dolphins should draft a cornerback or safety with the 14th overall pick, I do think they need to address the secondary with their second pick. The Dolphins used their third round pick in this year’s draft to acquire wide receiver Kenny Stills from New Orleans. I think waiting until the fourth round to shore up the secondary would be a mistake.

UCONN CB Byron Jones is the first player on my list. He is ranked as the seventh CB in the draft by PhinManiacs.com. According to PhinManiacs.com talent evaluator Shasky Clarke (@sclarkenfl), “Jones has all the desired tools of a top pro cornerback. He has prototypical size and length and utilizes them as a physical and effective press cover guy.” He comes from a small school, but we all know the Dolphins love those small school guys.

Next I like Utah CB Eric Rowe. He is the number five ranked CB by PhinManiacs.com and is a large DB at 6’-1” and 205 lbs. The thing I like the most about Rowe is his versatility. He’s listed as a corner, but PhinManiacs.com talent evaluator Jeff Hyde (@Jeff__Hyde) says, “Rowe is best suited for the free safety position in the NFL.” If the Dolphins draft Rowe, and Taylor or Davis end up winning the starting corner position, then Miami potentially has their safety.

The third corner I like for the Dolphins in the second round is LSU CB Jalen Collins. He is the 11th ranked CB by PhinManiacs.com. He’s another big DB at 6’-1” and 203 lbs (no more outside corners under six feet). He’s played in the SEC with top tier talent and PhinManiacs.com talent evaluator Jeff Hyde says, “Collins is one of the most physically gifted cornerbacks in this year’s class.”

The best case scenario for the Dolphins will be for Taylor and Davis to continue their development and bounce back from their injuries. That will give the Dolphins an opportunity to finally see what they have in these two. Will that happen? Who knows? Getting a full 16 games out of Delmas would also be ideal. Will be durable enough in 2015? Time will tell. Even though Grimes is still playing at an elite level, who will be his replacement?

As you can see, so many questions; in fact, there are just too many questions for the Dolphins not to address the personnel in the secondary sooner than later.

This column was written by Carlos Hernandez. Follow him on Twitter @LosDez

We are thrilled to announce that our big board for the 2015 NFL Draft has been added to FanSpeak.com as part of their 'On the Clock' draft simulator. Our board, which was compiled by Gabriel Burns (Twitter: @SoHotItGBURNS), features 319 players from colleges around the country both large and small. Burns was a major contributor to the PhinManiacs Draft Guide and will continue to contribute to this site leading up to and after the draft.

FanSpeak's draft simulator is used by thousands of people every day to simulate drafts for their favorite team. Not a day goes by during draft season where you won't see a screenshot of someone's mock draft using 'On the Clock.'  Our big board is one of the featured boards among a few others. We encourage you to visit FanSpeak.com and try out the draft simulator with our big board! You can do so by clicking here.

This is just another step that we are taking to expand our presence on the web and to make PhinManiacs.com the best website for Dolphins coverage on a daily basis!

The Miami Dolphins are hosting free agent running back Stevan Ridley throughout the day on Tuesday. This news comes courtesy of Greg Likens of The Finsiders. Ridley, who was drafted in the third round out of LSU by the New England Patriots in 2011, has rushed for 2,817 yards in 649 attempts in his career. He has 22 touchdowns - all of them on the ground. The numbers are a bit skewed because the Patriots have always relied on either two or three running backs to carry the load throughout each game.

Since arriving in New England, Ridley has missed 12 games, with 10 of them coming last season due to torn ACL/MCL, which landed him on injured reserve. In 2013, he also battled a knee injury, which caused him to miss two games.

The Dolphins have been keeping tabs on Knowshon Moreno and now, they are doing their work on other free agent running backs on the market. It will be interesting to see if the Dolphins sign Ridley before the draft or if they wait to see how the draft plays out before making a move.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

Representatives from 12 NFL teams, including Miami Dolphins tight ends coach Dan Campbell, were present for South Alabama's pro day on Monday. This information comes courtesy of Gil Brandt of NFL.com.

Campbell was there to get a good look at tight end Wes Saxton. In his NCAA career, he had 96 career catches, 1,126 receiving yards and just one career touchdown. According to the scouting report in the PhinManiacs Draft Guide, Saxton is expected to hear his name called on day three and is likely going to be exclusively used as someone who lines up in the slot on passing downs as a pure pass catching tight end. This is because he doesn't have the strength or blocking skills to play in-line. Calling him one of the best athletes at his position, the PhinManiacs Draft Guide says that he has very reliable hands and is a threat with the ball.

The fact that the Dolphins are looking at tight ends who are pass catchers first is almost a trend as they recently worked out EJ Bibbs from Iowa State. It's no secret they are trying to create a dual-threat in the offense at the tight end position and their focus on pass catching tight ends leading up to the draft does nothing to dis-spell those rumors.

We'll see how it all shakes out during the NFL Draft. It begins in just less than a month so our answers will be coming sooner rather than later.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

The weeks following the first and second waves of free agency leading up to the NFL Draft are some of the slowest in the NFL in terms of news coming out. Nonetheless, there are still some tidbits in regards to the Miami Dolphins for you to digest and think about. Here's the latest on the team.

• This has been widely assumed by many but when you see it amongst the mainstream media, it gives it a bit more credibility. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports that the talk around the league meetings in Phoneix was that Mike Tannenbaum is the one now calling the shots. This has been reported in the past by myself and several other media outlets.
  

• With that said, Hickey is still leading the charge in public. He made it known at the league meetings that the Dolphins are open for business in any round as they are very interested in trading down for more draft picks.
  

• If the Dolphins decide to move up in the draft for someone like wide receiver Amari Cooper, the Atlanta Falcons could be a trade partner. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said the team will consider trading its first-round pick (eighth overall) in the 2015 NFL Draft. 
  

• According to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, there's a very good chance that the Dolphins select a wide receiver in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
  

• Clearing out the notebook, the Detroit Lions will not be pursuing tampering charges against the Dolphins for their pursuit and signing of defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. 
  

• Middle linebacker Mason Foster, who the Dolphins were targeting, signed a deal with the Chicago Bears for only $825,000 per year with an $80,000 signing bonus. Foster said last week that the Dolphins were the other team he was considering. With that in mind, it would appear the Dolphins offered him less and likely told him he will need to compete in camp for a starting position.
  

• The Miami Dolphins lead the NFL in "dead money" and currently have $23.699 million of this year's salary cap allocated to players no longer on their roster.
  

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

The Miami Dolphins have worked out several prospects leading up to the draft and have done quite a bit of homework on others, including cornerback Marcus Peters. Over the weekend, Simon Clancy (@SIClancy), tweeted out quite a bit of information regarding the team's pre-draft moves, visits, workouts and more. Clancy is the the Deputy Editor of BBC Radio 5 Live Sport, a contributing writer to Sports Illustrated, New York Times, Gridiron and the South Florida Sun Sentinel. 

We have listed the names that Clancy tweeted out below and have added in our analysis. The analysis on the players are not Clancy's views and are ours only.

• One tidbit that many will like to hear is that the front office has done their due diligence checking into the background of Marcus Peters. Clancy describes it as going way beyond their interview with him at the NFL Combine. Peters is our number one ranked cornerback in our draft guide and there's a good chance is he on the board when the Dolphins are on the clock with the 14th pick. He has good size, good speed and is the best in this class at blanketing both deep threat wide receivers and short yardage receivers.  He struggles a bit when asked to play off man and also has trouble shedding off blocks. He's had a lot of run ins with his coaches so it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

• Norfolk State DE/OLB Lynden Trail will visit with the Dolphins on April 9 and 10. Trail will likely hear his name called on day three and was once a big time recruit for the University of Florida. However, he played out his career at Norfolk State. He's long and has a good history of deflecting passes at the line of scrimmage. However, his pass rushing skills may be limited due to tight hips in space to go along with his average speed.

• BYU LB Alani Fua is being looked at closely by the team. They zeroed in on him at his Pro Day. This is interesting because he is being projected towards the end of the draft and may not get drafted at all. He's versatile and has played all over the field, which the Dolphins coaching staff loves. One of his strengths is his ability to cover all over the field. However, he needs to add more functional strength to his game and play more aggressive. If the Dolphins drafted Fua, they would look at him as a developmental project.
  

• Another middle linebacker on the Dolphins radar is Utah State's Zach Vigil. Vigil is another guy projected to go in the last round of the draft despite being highly productive at Utah State and ending the 2014 season with 145 tackles. He doesn't have any one skill that stands out but is solid throughout all areas of the game.
  

• Fresno State defensive tackle Tyeler Davison was given a private workout after his pro day. Davison will likely hear his name called in the early part of day three. Like Vigil, he doesn't do anything great but is solid in all areas of his game. He has great size for the NFL and will demand double teams at times. He's a very good at defending the run and is able to hold his ground against the offensive line. His weakness is that he sometimes loses track of the ball and gets caught up in the moment.
  

• Dolphins have interest in Arizona State defensive end Marcus Hardison. Hardison has a good chance to be selected on the second day. He's versatile as he can play both defensive end and defensive tackle. He needs to work on stopping the run and will need to improve his strength to get to the next level. He has good speed and a quick burst but if his primary position is defensive tackle in the NFL, he'll obviously need to refine his technique.
  

• One player that reminds the team of Charles Clay is Iowa States EJ Bibbs, who is a tight end. Bibbs is a late round draft pick and will hear his name called on day three. One of the knocks on him is that he may have already reached his athletic potential. He's extremely smart and has great hands but needs to refine his route running.

• Miami had dinner with and worked out Clemson middle linebacker Stephone Anthony. Anthony is intriguing and will hear his name called on the second day of the draft. He has all the skills and ability to be a starting middle linebacker in the NFL. He has a huge frame with good bulk and strength but needs to learn to use it to his advantage. He does well pursuing the ball carrier with his fluid running style. He needs to work on getting off blocks as he gets sucked in and washed out too often.
  

• The early to middle round cornerbacks on the Dolphins radar are Eric Rowe, Byron Jones, Ronald Darby and Charles Gaines. Rowe will visit with the Dolphins in the next few weeksWhile they are all projected to go in those rounds, Gaines worries me a bit as his skill set may not be best suited at the NFL level. Full analysis of those players can be found in our draft guide. 

• One interesting note is that the Dolphins worked out and spent time with Brown long snapper Courtland Clavette
  

• Wide receiver Demarr Aultman worked out for the team. They are likely looking at him as an undrafted free agent.
  

• The Dolphins have spent some time with quarterback Taylor Heinicke from Old Dominion. Like Aultman, this is likely their due diligence as he is projected by many and us to be an undrafted free agent.
  

• Defensive tackle Xavier Cooper from Washington State is drawing interest from the team. They worked him out at his pro day and also did the same with quarterback Connor Halliday, who is projected to be an undrafted free agent. Cooper will hear his name called in the early part of day three and will likely be viewed as a developmental project. He is good against the run but won't penetrate much into the backfield. His fundamentals and technique are solid. However, he needs to improve his strength, burst and power to succeed in the NFL.
  

• Miami has been at fewer pro days than they have in the last ten years. Clancy says that this is because it appears they are doing a more targeted approach.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs. Pre-Draft visits and workout information comes courtesy of Simon Clancy via his Twitter page (@SIClancy). Analysis on each player is our own and not Clancy's views.

The PhinManiacs 2015 NFL Draft Guide is now available for purchase and download! For only $5, you will receive just under 350 pages of draft information, including over 300 scouting reports of the prospects hoping to hear their name called in Chicago, Illinois, home of the 2015 draft.

The four talent evaluators - Jeff Hyde, Justin Capriotti, Shasky Clarke and Gabriel Burns have worked extremely hard over the past several months putting together scouting reports for these players. In the draft guide, you will find a player's results from the NFL Combine, their strengths/weaknesses, their ideal draft round, their NFL player comparison and a summary of what the player is all about.

For only $5, you can't go wrong. That's less than a meal at McDonalds and just a little more than a carton of milk and a gallon of gas. Simply put, you need this guide in your life if you're an NFL fan and plan on watching any part of the draft. it will help you prepare for it leading up to it, will help guide you while you're watching and will help you afterwards as you look back months and years from now to see just how accurate we were or yes, even how bad we missed.

> Click here to purchase the PhinManiacs 2015 NFL Draft Guide! You will be able to download it immediately after!

This week on PhinManiacs Live, we bring you all of the latest news from the league meetings this past week in Phoenix, Arizona. There was quite a bit of news coming from the Dolphins coaches and front office and we'll break it all down and take a look at what it means. From Dion Jordan staying at defensive end, to Koa Misi remaining at middle linebacker for the time being, to the offensive guard situation and to the public chatter about Ryan Tannehill's deep ball, there's plenty of discussion to be had.

In addition, we'll talk about some key moves the Dolphins made, including bringing back Louis Delmas and Matt Moore. We'll also get updated on the injury situation with Branden Albert and Knowshon Moreno, who may be a target for the Dolphins following the NFL Draft. We talk about all of this and so much more this week on PhinManics Live! 

> Click here to listen to this week's edition of PhinManiacs Live on YouTube!
> Click here to download PhinManiacs Live!

This week on PhinManiacs Live, we bring you all of the latest news from the league meetings this past week in Phoenix, Arizona. There was quite a bit of news coming from the Dolphins coaches and front office and we'll break it all down and take a look at what it means. From Dion Jordan staying at defensive end, to Koa Misi remaining at middle linebacker for the time being, to the offensive guard situation and to the public chatter about Ryan Tannehill's deep ball, there's plenty of discussion to be had.

In addition, we'll talk about some key moves the Dolphins made, including bringing back Louis Delmas and Matt Moore. We'll also get updated on the injury situation with Branden Albert and Knowshon Moreno, who may be a target for the Dolphins following the NFL Draft.

Join us at 9:30 PM EST by clicking here on Thursday, March 26 and listen to the podcast while also chatting with us and other fans tuning in. If you have questions, be sure to throw them out at any point during the show and if it's relevant to the topic, we'll answer them live on the air! 

There has been a lot of chatter over the past few days about some of the things the Miami Dolphins have done in the public eye. This includes signing free agents, letting some go and talking about their future plans for player personnel.

One of the biggest things that has gotten overlooked though is the fact that head coach Joe Philbin said that the defensive schemes and packages heading into 2015 will be much more simplified. This is big because the complexity of the defense has stunted the growth of rookies and new players to the team. There have been veterans of the Dolphins who have openly complained about how complex the system is and how much thinking that is done on the field. There’s a reason why defensive rookies don’t play much and it has nothing to do with Philbin’s preference. The fact is that the defense is too difficult to learn in the first year, especially when you’re a rookie in the NFL.

Simplifying the defense was one of the directives from Philbin to coordinator Kevin Coyle heading into the 2015 season. Philbin had considered firing Coyle but said that he ultimately looked at the body of work over the past three years rather than the last six games of the season. While Philbin noted that the defensive slide was unacceptable, he said that they believe they are doing the right things to make sure it doesn’t happen again this season.

"We had a number of different discussions," Philbin told Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post. "We went back and forth and I like our defensive staff. We have things we must do better. But at the end of the day we went in the direction that is the best thing for the team."

This is great news for the defense and one that should show immediate results. With a simplified scheme, the Dolphins are now in position to take a defensive rookie in the early rounds of the draft without worrying about whether or not they will grasp the system in their first year. In addition, it will be much easier for newly signed free agents to get acclimated to the playbook and make an impact right away.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

Since the Miami Dolphins season ended back in December, there has been much talk as to what they are going to do with the linebacker position. Over the course of the season, it was a unit that struggled despite seeing the emergence of Jelani Jenkins. On Tuesday afternoon from the league meetings in Phoenix, head coach Joe Philbin brought some clarity to the situation.

To begin, he said that Dion Jordan would not be moving to the linebacker position, even though it’s something they have considered for the past several months. The reason for this is that the coaching staff wants him to concentrate and focus on learning how to rush the passer. As a linebacker, Philbin noted that he cannot do that. Although the team will be keeping him at defensive end the majority of the time, Phibin noted that they will still continue to use him in a variety of ways as they have done in the past.

With one piece of the puzzle now figured out, it was time to turn the attention to Koa Misi, who was moved to the middle linebacker position in 2014. When asked about it, Philbin didn’t exactly give Misi a ringing endorsement and instead, said that he was the middle linebacker for now.

With the top middle linebackers off the already week free agent linebacker market, it could be assumed that the team will look to upgrade that position in the draft within the first two rounds. There are several players who can start from day one and the Dolphins might be targeting one of them so they can move Misi back to the outside.

If they don’t draft a middle linebacker, Misi would likely return to the middle spot and Philbin said that Chris McCain and Jordan Tripp would then compete for the other outside linebacker position. Philbin said that the staff has a lot of confidence in both of them and feels they can step up to the plate if their name is called upon.

It’s that time of the year where there are plenty of smokescreens so it’s not easy to take whatever anyone says as gospel. With that said, it looks like Philbin did drop some hints with the direction the team wants to go in and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Dolphins target a middle linebacker in round one of the upcoming NFL Draft.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

It’s been a crazy and wild off-season for the Miami Dolphins as they have purged several players off the team but have also brought in suitable replacements and in some cases, upgrades. When talking about the wide receiver position, the Dolphins cleaned house, getting rid of Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson. To replace them, they traded for Kenny Stills but everyone in the front office has said that they aren’t done with the position just yet.

When talking about the newest receiver on the team, Joe Philbin said that Stills seems to be a good scheme fit for what Bill Lazor will be doing with the offense. One of the things that stood out to the Dolphins was that his catch percentage is one of the best in the NFL.

The coaching staff also liked the fact that Stills was good with a lot of the routes that Ryan Tannehill is comfortable throwing. That’s important because there will almost always be limitations in a quarterback’s game and it’s up to the coaches to figure out how to disguise those weaknesses. Bringing in receivers who can run routes that Tannehill does well with is a step in the right direction.

Many have said that the Dolphins need to bring in a veteran wide receiver to mentor the young guys and those in the front office tend to agree as they said this week that they are looking to bring in a veteran but it likely wouldn’t be until after the draft. If for some reason that didn’t happen though, Philbin isn’t concerned about the youth in the room, calling them productive over the past few years.

Some have said that it doesn't matter who the team brings in because if Tannehill can’t throw the deep ball, defenses will continue to stack the box and not respect the threat of a long pass. However, Philbin said that we shouldn’t be so quick to blame Tannehill for all of the struggles.

“I wouldn’t just say he struggles with the deep ball,” Philbin told Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post. “We’ve got to cut down on our sacks. It’s easy to say ‘we’re going to throw the ball deep, attack the field vertically down field.’ But there’s a few things you need to get that done and the first thing is protection.”

Instead, Philbin said that it’s all going to come down to developing confidence with the new wide receivers and getting into a rhythm with them early and often. He hinted that this wasn’t always the case with Mike Wallace and others in the wide receiver room. That’s not a surprise if you’ve watched the Dolphins over the past two years – there were definitely chemistry concerns.

Now that the team has moved in a different direction, the hope is that the young guys all grow together and form a relationship with Tannehill that will take the offense to new heights beginning in 2015.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

Billy Turner was selected in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft and one year later, he is penciled in as the starting right guard for the Miami Dolphins. This news comes from head coach Joe Philbin's breakfast with the media on Tuesday afternoon from the league meetings in Phoenix, Arizona.

Philbin said that he prefers Turner to play the right guard position because that's the most comfortable place for him to get into the proper stance. He noted that if a player can't get in the right stance, he can't play the position. This presumably means that Turner has struggled playing the left guard position in practices.

Some will question why Turner didn't play last season, especially if the coaching staff is so high on him heading into this season. Philbin said that the reason for this was because Samson Satele was able to play at an effective level at the center position, allowing them to move Mike Pouncey to guard.

As for the other guard position, Philbin said that they like Dallas Thomas and the improvement that he has made over the past few years but noted that he has work to do. While he and Mike Tannenbaum have been hinting that Thomas will enter training camp as the starter, I firmly believe it's a smokescreen and the Dolphins will look to the draft or sign a surprise veteran who is cut to fill the other side of the line.

We'll see how it all shakes out but one thing to keep in mind is that there is a lot of time left between now and the start of the season in September. Tannenbaum confirmed this by telling Pro Football Talk that the team will have a different look on Labor Day compared to what it looks like at this current time.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

The Miami Dolphins signed defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to the largest contract in NFL history for a defensive player on March 11. Prior to that, negotiations - both in the public eye and privately behind closed doors - were going on as soon as it was known that Suh wasn't receiving the franchise tag in Detroit. There were several question marks as to whether or not Suh would be a good fit in Miami but the Dolphins front office and coaching staff believe he will add a tremendous presence to the team and the defense.

On Tuesday morning in Phoenix at the league meetings, head coach Joe Philbin confirmed this when he told the assembled media that Suh was a player that they had targeted because he was an excellent scheme fit for what the Dolphins do. Philbin agreed that it isn't often where you see a player with his talent and production become available and knew they had to make an attempt to sign him.

When asked about whether or not Suh has matured and grown up from his past on-field encounters, Philbin defended him by saying that these incidents happened a long time ago. He noted that they are focused on his contribution and leadership with the understanding that he's in a different stage in his career.

In Detroit, Suh was known as a quiet leader but he very rarely attended the voluntary off-season workouts with the team. When asked about whether or not he would attend them in Miami, Philbin said that Suh knows how important it is but they will see how it goes. Philbin also added that it was voluntary so there is nothing that he could do to demand that he comes.

Certainly, you want all of your players together for off-season workouts as it's one way to build chemistry. We'll see if Suh attends the workouts with the other members of the team. We can only hope that he chooses to do so so he gets started off on the right foot in Miami.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

During the media session of Miami Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey on Tuesday afternoon at the league meetings, it was revealed that the front office is keeping tabs on running back Knowshon Moreno and they are open to bringing him back for the 2015 season under the right circumstances.

Moreno provided fire and energy to the Dolphins offense in week one of the 2014 season against the New England Patriots rushing for 146 yards. However he suffered a dislocated elbow the next week and when he did return against the Green Bay Packers several weeks later, he blew out his knee and ended his season.

While he currently isn't under contract, he is rehabbing on his own and the Dolphins are monitoring his progress. If any move is made, it will likely be after the draft and once the Dolphins have a better grasp on their roster heading into the 2015 season. Of course, if the Dolphins end up drafting a running back, the chances of Moreno returning are slim.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

The league meetings in Phoenix, Arizona this week provide a great deal of information in terms of what teams have done in the past and what they are looking to do in the future. On Tuesday afternoon, Miami Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey spoke to the media and talked about the rehabilitation of safety Louis Delmas and offensive tackle Branden Albert.

In regards to Delmas, who suffered a torn ACL in the game against the Baltimore Ravens in December, Hickey said that he expects him to be on the field and fully participating in June during the team's mini-camps. This is a bit surprising considering the quick turnaround but with the developments in the medical field and the way other athletes have been recovering from similar injuries, it's starting to become more of the norm. The Dolphins re-signed Delmas to a one-year deal worth $1.475 million dollars with no guaranteed money several days ago .

Albert, who tore his ACL and MLC in November during the game against the Detroit Lions in November, is on track with his rehabilitation progression plan, according to Hickey. Earlier in the day, head coach Joe Philbin said that he would not be surprised if he was playing week one based off the positive and motivated mindset that Albert has. 

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

Miami has been in a big renovation mode this off-season involving players that make a living catching the football. Gone are Brian Hartline, Charles Clay, Brandon Gibson and last, but not least, Mike Wallace. Arriving is Kenny Stills, a young ultra-fast wide receiver.  So what is Miami getting with Stills? In this article I take a look at some to get a feel for what we should expect.

In summary, I have no idea what the Saints were thinking sending a player the level of Stills to Miami for a third round pick. It is obvious that he is extremely explosive in both the vertical and short game.  He is young with several more seasons at a reasonable cap number as well so there must be something the Saints know that we don’t. Then again, they have Jeff Ireland :P  

With that being said, I think the coaches need to work with him to improve catching the ball the away from his body. This will improve his catch radius and make him an even more dangerous player. The good news is this is something that can be improved significantly with repetition in practice.  He looks like a young talented player with a huge ceiling to me.  It will be exciting to watch him in action this season.

This column was written by Chad Ronnebaum. Follow him on Twitter: @GoFins4SB

Matt Moore has been with the Miami Dolphins since 2011 and he is happy to remain with the team for at least one more year. Speaking to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald on Monday afternoon, Moore said that although he views himself as a starting quarterback, he's content with his current situation as a backup quarterback.

“I view myself as someone, yeah, who always can compete and play and win in this league. I think if you view yourself as anything less, it’s a disservice to yourself. Just because I signed back with Miami, obviously with Ryan [Tannehill] being the guy, it doesn’t make me see myself in a different light. I believe in myself and I believe that I can play. The way everything worked out, it puts me in the position that I’m in and I’m fired up about it and I’m happy about it.”

For the 2015 season, Moore will make $2.7 million dollars, which is obviously less than the $4 million dollars he has made the past two seasons. Moore said he had interest from multiple teams but after talking it over with his wife, they decided their best move would be to stay in Miami. Part of this is because he believes in the plan that has been put in place.

“I think management knows what they’re doing, there is a plan,” Moore told Beasley. “You’ve got to, I think as a player and as part of an organization, you’ve got to respect and move forward in a positive way with the decisions that have been made. They’ve done some work to get other guys in the building that are talented and are going to help us win, and that’s all you can ask for.”

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

Kevin O'Neill, former head trainer for the Miami Dolphins, is filing a lawsuit against the Miami Dolphins, Stephen Ross and Joe Philbin. Just when you thought the bullying scandal was over, it's coming back with full steam. This report comes courtesy of Dave Hyde of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

O'Neill was viewed by many as a scapegoat in the fallout after the formal investigation by Ted Wells was completed and released. In the investigation, it said that O'Neill failed to cooperate. It also said that he laughed at the racial insults that Richie Incognito threw upon Jonathan Martin. In addition, it said that O'Neill didn't stop Incognito from throwing on a white bandanna while talking like a Japanese-accented kamikaze pilot to the Japanese-born training assistant, Naohisa Inoue. However, according to Hyde, O'Neill actually stepped in and told Inoue that it had to be dealt with or he was going to deal with it himself. That part wasn't included in the Wells report.

O'Neill was fired by Dawn Aponte after he was pulled out of a conference at the NFL Scouting Combine. According to Hyde, general manager Dennis Hickey and Philbin sat there and watched without saying a word. When Aponte had asked O'Neill if he had any questions, O'Neill said to talk to his lawyer.

In the lawsuit, O'Neill says that due to federal laws and professional ethical concerns, he refused to turn over medical and psychological records. Per Hyde, the issue then went up the chain of command and someone may have signed off on the transfer of records. If so, it's a possibility one of them broke a federal law.

It will be interesting to see how this shakes out over the next several months. There may be a lot of nervous people in Davie, Florida if the federal government gets their hands on this and it is found that people acted out while breaking a federal health law.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross announced that head coach Joe Philbin has received a one-year contract extension through the 2016 season. This news came out of the league meetings in Phoenix, Arizona but had been reported severeal months ago by various media outlets.

On the surface, this is questionable because Philbin hasn't had one winning season during his time with Miami. However, when you dig deeper, it's a great business move. The extension is not a guarantee that Philbin will coach the 2016 season. It is simply a safeguard in place to protect Philbin from being a lame duck coach and it's also a safeguard for Ross and the upper levels of the organization. 

If Philbin were to be highly successful this season and have his contract end at the end of the season, he would essentially be a free agent and a team could throw large amounts of money at him and promise him the world. If he felt it was time to move on, he may take the offer. Now, with an extension in place and if Philbin is highly successful, the Dolphins control his rights through 2016 and can work for over a year on a long-term extension.

So for those fans who are upset at the one year extension, it's a safeguard on both sides. Just remember that Ross holds all of the cards in this deal and can do whatever he wants, regardless of the number of years left on a contract.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross spoke to reports on Monday afternoon from the league meetings in Phoenix, Arizona. Ross touched on a wide variety of topics, including information about Ryan Tannehill, Joe Philbin and his expectations for the team in 2015. The information below comes courtesy of Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post and it includes the vast majority of what Ross said during his media meeting.

• The Dolphins are working on a long-term extension with Ryan Tannehill and the two sides have already exchanged offers. Ross said Tannehill's camp knows how much they can offer and they will work from there. When talking about Tannehill, Ross said that he hasn't proven he can connect on the deep ball but does everything else right and is everything you are looking for in a quarterback. He said that he will eventually figure it out as he's only been a quarterback for a few years.
  

• Mike Wallace apologized to Mike Tannenbaum and Dennis Hickey for his actions in Week 17. Ross said that the wide receiver room needed to be changed, it has changed and there are more changes coming.

• The roster has gotten younger, faster and is of higher quality. Ross admitted that the team probably lacks some depth but they are working to improve that over the next several months.

• He would be proud to have Ndamukong Suh as his son. He said that Suh's character is very high and he doesn't regard him as a dirty player. Ross would like to mentor him in his business ventures off the field.

• When asked if the Dolphins have to make the playoffs for Joe Philbin to keep his job, he wouldn't confirm that. All he said was that everyone excepts to make the playoffs, himself and Philin included. Ross then said that he gave Philbin a one-year contract extension through 2016 because he feels that people don't get the best from someone when operating with a gun to their head.

• There are no plans for him to sell the team. He loves what he's doing, loves being an owner and will continue to do it. As far as the front office structure goes, he believes in it and thinks it's working well so far.

• While there will be less fans than before in Sun Life Stadium, he believes that the fans who are there now will have a much better experience. He noted that the lifespan of the renovations will lats 25-30 years.

• He has made a huge commitment to analytics, sports science and technology. He admitted that the NFL and United States is way behind European soccer teams in regards to care and treatment of NFL players.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

The Miami Dolphins have been busy turning over their roster in the 2015 free agency period and with it, comes new numbers for the newest members of the team. Over the weekend, the Dolphins announced the official numbers for the players who have been signed thus far. They are as follows:

• Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh | 93
• Tight end Jordan Cameron | 84
• Offensive lineman J.D. Walton | 59
• Cornerback Brice McCain | 24
• Wide receiver Kenny Stills | 10
• Kelvin Sheppard | 52
• LaMichael James | 27

Jerseys are already on sale for the newest members of the team. If you wish to keep track of all of the moves the Dolphins have made this season, you can do so by checking out our free agency tracker by clicking here.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

New head of football operations Mike Tannenbaum made the impossible possible by trading Mike Wallace and a seventh round pick to the Minnesota Vikings for a fifth round pick. The trade by itself is nothing out of this world but it got rid of a toxic contract and arguably an equally toxic player. The Dolphins are now without a true number one wide receiver. But the question is do they really need one.

The ultimate goal of an NFL team is to reach the Super Bowl.  I decided to look at the two teams that played in this year’s championship game to help answer my question. Neither the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots nor the NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks have what one would call a true number one wide receiver. And believe it or not, the Dolphins have some striking similarities with these two clubs.

This year, the Patriots started Brandon Lafell and Julian Edelman on the outside. They were rated by PFF (subscription required) as the 33rd and 68th out of 110 wide receivers, respectively. However both had over 100 yards after the catch more than Wallace. Even with those numbers, the Patriots still did not have a wide receiver in the top ten for yards after catch. Of course, it also helps to have the most prolific tight end in the game in Rob Gronkowski. 

Gronkowski was rated the number one tight end overall and number three in yards after catch by PFF. The Dolphins offense has been criticized for its dink and dunk approach but that’s basically what Tom Brady and the Patriots do. We know Brady has no problem throwing the deep ball but he doesn’t need to. Brady’s deep ball percentage was 33% (he was tied at 17 with Andy Dalton, Kyle Orton, and Colin Kaepernick). By contrast, Ryan Tannehill was ranked number 13 at 37.7%. Yes I am comparing Tannehill to Brady because the numbers are comparable. Here are some more numbers, Tannehill finished with a QBR of 92.9 and Brady finished with a 97.3 QBR.

The similarities between the Seahawks and the Dolphins are even more surprising. The Seahawks starting wide receivers last season were Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse. Their rankings, according to PFF, are number 20 and 81, respectively. None of the Seahawks receivers were in the top ten for yards after catch either. Both teams jettisoned a problematic star receiver wearing number 11. 

The Seahawks traded Percy Harvin to the New York Jets in mid-October (the Dolphins took a little longer to make a decision on Wallace). Baldwin benefited the most from Percy’s departure. They moved him back to the slot where he had a feast. Baldwin was number eight in slot performance (Jarvis Landry was number one) out of 23 receivers. Just like the Dolphins, the Seahawks lacked explosive plays from the tight end position, particularly in the red zone. The Dolphins and Seahawks had almost matching red zone scoring percentages (TD only) at 51.47 and 51.52, respectively. The Seahawks acquired super star tight end Jimmy Graham from the Saints via trade and the Dolphins added 6’5” tight end Jordan Cameron via free agency. Both players are a match-up nightmare for defenses and both players should help their respective teams in the red zone. Graham and Cameron are both ex-basketball players that play more like wide receivers than tight ends. Incidentally Graham was the seventh ranked tight end for yards after catch and plays a ton of snaps outside.

Russell Wilson’s ability to throw a good deep ball is well known. He was ranked in the top ten in that category at 46.2%. However his QBR was closer to Tannehill than Brady at 95. Neither the Seahawks nor the Patriots had a receiver finish in the top ten as a deep threat. Wilson has also benefited from having one of the most vicious running backs in the game in Marshawn Lynch. The Dolphins could add that dynamic to Bill Lazor’s spread offense by drafting battering ram turned running back Todd Gurley out of Georgia with the 14th overall pick.

Side Note on Dolphins defense: The Dolphins have taken steps to bolster an already strong defensive unit. Adding Ndamukong Suh to a defensive line that includes Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon makes an already dominant pass rush better and will undoubtedly help against the run. Throw in a formidable secondary with Brent Grimes and Reshad Jones and the Dolphins defense could be just as good as the Seahawks.

Also, Seattle Offensive Coordinator Darrell Bevell was the OC in Minnesota under Head Coach Brad Childress who was Andy Reid’s OC in Philadelphia. Andy Reid was Mike Holmgren’s QB coach in Green Bay. Lazor was the quarterbacks coach in Seattle for Head Coach Mike Holmgren.

It will be interesting to see which way the Dolphins go in the upcoming months but the data and results show that a team may not necessarily always need a true number one wide receiver.

This column was written by Carlos Hernandez. Follow him on Twitter: @LosDez

According to a report by ESPN's Trey Wingo, the Miami Dolphins plan to bring in veteran wide receiver Greg Jennings for a free agent visit.

Jennings, who will turn 32 in September, was released by the Minnesota Vikings very shortly after they acquired wide receiver Mike Wallace and a seventh-round draft pick from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick. He had previously signed a 5-year, $45 million dollar contract to be the Vikings "consolation prize."

Jennings is a much more seasoned wide receiver and brings more leadership qualities than Wallace did, in exchange for raw speed which Jennings doesn't possess. And while Jennings would be a better choice for leadership, even he isn't perfect as his effort in games has also come into question, not to mention there are rumors that Jennings and head coach Joe Philbin are not exactly fans of each other.

The Dolphins previously brought in Michael Crabtree and the possibility of him signing is still very much open, the Dolphins appear to simply be covering all bases by bringing in Jennings as well. We shall see where the team goes from here.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater