Miami Dolphins preparing for next season's extra point rules

During this offseason's spring meetings, all 32 NFL owners got together and voted to change the classic extra point rules to make things a little more interesting from here on out. The new rule states that the ball will be snapped at the 15-yard line for a 33-yard field goal for those teams wishing to kick for the extra point.

“It’s going to be interesting." head coach Joe Philbin said. "I think it’s going to take us all a little bit of time to get used to. There are going to be different scenarios." 

For the Dolphins in particular, this situation will require more attention than one might feel is necessary, as the kicker situation in Miami is not a good one. Primary kicker Caleb Sturgis pulled his quadriceps during a team-organized kickball game, and undrafted free agent Andrew Franks has struggled during mini-camp according to numerous reports.

While this will do wonders for the overall excitement and suspense of the game of football, this now presents a unique situation for Joe Philbin, who will have to decide when it's appropriate to trust in whoever will be kicking for the Dolphins when the season begins, and when it's time to risk going for two points.

"You’d think that the incident rate of two point conversions will go up a little bit." Philbin said. "There will be a variety of factors that go into it, time in the game, score in the game, wind situations, all of those types of things. I think it’s a good element and it will be interesting.”

Obviously the point of making the rule was to lessen the amount of appearances made by kickers and try to force teams to go for two points instead. You can be sure that with the Dolphins having issues with their kickers, there will be some serious consideration towards making a two-point conversion rather than trusting Sturgis, Franks or whomever is kicking for the team at the start of the 2015 season.

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