One day after one of the biggest upset wins in team history, the Miami Dolphins woke up to some sobering news, as cornerback Xavien Howard was arrested overnight on domestic battery charges.

Howard, drafted in the second round of the 2016 draft and considered one of the bright young stars of a rebuilding project in Miami was recently signed to a 5 year, $76.5 million extension.

According to the Davie police report, Howard got into a verbal argument with his fiancé over recent purchases, and things became physical when Howard grabbed her arm and pushed her back against a mirrored glass wall, and she then fell to the floor. She suffered scratches and redness on her right wrist and forearm, while Howard complained of soreness to his recently surgically repaired knee.

Howard has played in just five games this season and has been on the injured reserve list for most of the year. He recently underwent knee surgery and has been on crutches for several weeks.

The NFL will likely look into the charges, as recent incidents have put pressure on the league to respond to domestic issues, usually doling out suspensions once the incidents make their way through the justice system. Arrests for domestic violence fall under the NFL conduct policy, so Howard will be subject to league discipline to start 2020 season regardless of whether he is convicted or not.

The team has not yet issued a statement.

​This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter: @EJFootball

If there’s one thing that Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores doesn’t want to hear, it’s that an NFL team isn’t playing to win. He bristles at the thought that players and coaches aren’t putting forth every effort in practice and on the field with winning as the end result.

And as the 2019 season winds to a close for a 3-11 Dolphins team that is heading for a top-5 pick in the NFL draft, questions came up in a recent press conference about the team evaluating players with an eye on the future.

In particular, some fans would like to know why quarterback Josh Rosen continues to ride the bench when it’s fairly clear that the team knows exactly what they have in starter Ryan Fitzpatrick, but may not have a good snapshot of Rosen, who was obtained via a trade from the Arizona Cardinals in April. Rosen has started 16 NFL games, three with Miami, is still only 22 years of age, and with a strong QB class in the upcoming draft, many are wondering if the Dolphins have seen enough in Rosen to delay taking a franchise QB in next April’s NFL draft.

Flores put that one to bed pretty quick.

“I understand the question with Josh and (Ryan Fitzpatrick)” Flores said. “I think Josh has done a lot of good things in practice. He really has. He’s throwing the ball well, he’s making good decisions, he’s throwing with more accuracy. At the end of the day, Fitz has also played well, and he has a rapport with the team. Not that Josh doesn’t - Josh does as well and he’s building from that standpoint.”

Not exactly a ringing endorsement, in this writer’s opinion.

In 6 appearances with the Dolphins and three starts, Rosen’s stat line doesn’t look very good. One touchdown, five interceptions, and a passer rating of 52.0 will get NFL quarterbacks benched, and that’s exactly what happened as Flores decided to go with Fitzpatrick for the rest of the season, something he reiterated this week.

“Josh Rosen is a very talented player,” said Flores. “I think we all know that. I think he’s making a lot of improvement like I’ve been saying for the last few weeks. We’ll see where it goes. But right now, for this team, and this week, we’re going to play Fitz. We just feel like going with Fitz is the best thing for us to try to win the game on Sunday.”

Going with what he feels is in the best interest of the team is a philosophy that Flores has touted since the day he entered the building in Davie. He knows that there will always be people that question his decisions, but he is adamant that each decision he makes is done with a purpose.

“I think it’s easy for people to sit and say ‘you should do this or that,’” says Flores. “I don’t think those same people will stand in front of that group and say ‘this is in the best interest of the team for us to win this week.’ That’s no knock on Josh. Maybe you think that’s in the best interest, but you’re not in front of this team every day. You’re not in the trenches. Those are decisions I have to make, and we as a coaching staff, we go through this diligently, and we come out of it with that decision. And we feel like that’s the best thing to do.”

Flores says the coaching staff is always evaluating where players are making progress, where they are coming up short, and trying to help them along the way.

“We’re always trying to win,” he said. “But part of winning is obviously playing well, practicing well, preparation, and all of those things are being evaluated. That’s for every player, every coach. Everything we do is being evaluated. Each guy has to go out there and play well individually and play well as a group - offense, defense, special teams - whatever your role is. If you do that, then things normally take care of themselves.

“From meetings to walkthroughs to all of the preparation, as a coaching staff we’re with them on a daily basis, and I think we have a good feel for what that is. For Josh and the steps he’s got to take, I think he’s taken those steps. I think in due time, he’ll get his opportunity.”

​This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter: @EJFootball

One of the most prestigious awards in the NFL is the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, designated each year to a player who has shown exceptional character and work both on and off the football field.

The award was first established in 1970, then renamed in 1999 in honor of the great Walter Payton, revered by the nickname "Sweetness," and known as much for his phenomenal rushing on the gridiron as for his humanitarian ways away from it. Each of the 32 teams nominate a player they feel best exemplifies those traits, and the NFL announces the winner on the eve of the Super Bowl.

"Every day, in cities and towns across America, NFL players give of themselves to make our communities better," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a press release. "The 32 nominees for this year's award are the best of the best, and truly embody the spirit of Walter and his legacy of leaving the world better than he found it."

The Miami Dolphins had had three players win the award, Dwight Stephenson in 1985, Dan Marino in 1998, and most recently Jason Taylor in 2007.

This year, the Miami Dolphins nominee for the award is defensive tackle Davon Godchaux.

Godchaux is known for his extensive involvement in Miami’s community outreach initiatives during the 2019 calendar year, including his Chaux Down Foundation, where Godchaux has been heavily involved in community work through events in South Florida and back in his hometown of Plaquemine, Louisiana.

“Just seeing kids come from different backgrounds, it’s kind of like the same background I came from, single-parent household,” Godchaux said. “Just giving back to those kids, Thanksgiving dinner, kids who aren’t fortunate, who can’t afford it, things like that. That’s kind of big to me. That’s kind of dear to my heart. Growing up, I never had anybody do it for me. I always told myself when I make it, when I get some change in my pocket I will always want to go back and do it for those kids. At the end of the day, anytime I can get out, have some free time, away from stuff that I do, whether that’s film study, getting my body right, I always like to give back to the community.”

On the field, he continues to rank among the NFL leaders for tackles not only among interior linemen but for all defensive linemen. He has 60 on the season, which is tied for fourth in the league among D-linemen. He also has 1.5 sacks.

“At the end of the day,” Godchaux says, “it’s all about doing the right thing, on and off the field.”

This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter: @EJFootball

Coaching may be one of the hardest occupations in the world. A coach doesn’t just draw up X’s and O’s.

They teach. They inspire. They motivate. And sometimes, they fight for their players.

Many times, those characteristics are shown on the field of play and on the sidelines. Players know when their head coach is behind them. They know when they have the full faith and support of their leader.

“It means a lot to us for our head guy to put it all on the line and go out there and vouch for us when he feels like something was right or wrong or however he portrayed it to be,” says Isaiah Ford, who had a breakout game for the Dolphins on Sunday. “It just means a lot for us and that’s how we reflect on Sundays is we go out there and we put it all on the line for him as well.”

One of the leaders on defense also noticed the emotion and fiery passion Coach Flores displayed on Sunday.

“You like to see that in your coach,” said LB Raekwon McMillan, who contributed four total tackles in Sunday’s loss. “That’s the head of our organization coaching-wise. He’s passionate about everything he does. He’s passionate about his team, he’s passionate about his players, he’s passionate about everybody in this building. So when you see that in your head coach, it just pours out into the rest of the organization. We feel how he feels the same way, and we’re passionate about winning. We just want to keep it rolling for him.”

​The last part of that quote is what resonates with players, and it becomes a trickle-down effect that touches the rest of the franchise, from the owner to the equipment manager. When players want to “keep it rolling” for their head coach, you know that a franchise is on the right track.

“It means a lot because they care,” said DB Steven Parker. “We know that they care. They put in a countless number of hours; but to actually feel what we felt and really be right there by our sides, that was a blessing. That was cool.”

This team may be devoid of talent and top-tier names, but one thing they have is a head coach that believes in them, cares for them, and will run through a brick wall for them. After Sunday’s passionate show of emotion, there may be no doubt that Flores will, quite literally, run through any brick wall for his team and his players.

This story was written by Ozzie Delgado. Follow him on Twitter: @ozziedelgadojr

,hen you’re a 7th round pick, your chance to shine in the NFL may never come. When it does come, you have to be ready to step into your role as if you’ve been doing it your whole career.

And when you’re Isaiah Ford, whose rookie season was ruined by a knee injury before it even started, you have to work hard to keep the attention of the coaches and staff, so you can hang onto a roster spot in hopes of someday getting your chance to step on the field and shine.

Ford has done just that, impressing two Miami Dolphins coaching staffs enough that he’s hung on to the fringe of the roster through three seasons, and finally got a chance to show what he can do when two wide receivers went down to injuries Sunday against the New York Jets.

Head coach Brian Flores says he constantly tells players to accept the role they have and stay focused.

“Early on, we tell them, ‘look, it’s going to be a small role and your role will grow," He said. "The opportunities you get will be the ones you create for yourself.’”

Ford has seen spot duty in the past two seasons, bouncing from the active roster to the practice squad after twice being cut. Before Sunday, he’d appeared in five games, with two catches to his name. He tripled that with six catches for 92 yards on Sunday, and impressed Flores.

“I thought Isaiah - he stepped in,” said Flores. “Played every position from a receiver standpoint, got some (defensive) guys lined up, made some big catches and made a nice run after catch there in the third quarter. I thought he really played solid overall. Young guys stepping in, getting an opportunity, stepping up, making plays - that’s always good, and hopefully we can build on that.”

​With three games left to the season, and wide receivers Albert Wilson and DeVante Parker expected back in the lineup, Ford may not see the opportunities that he got on Sunday for a while, but he appreciates finally having a chance to show what he can do, and hopefully earn an increased role in a crowded wide receiver room. In addition to Wilson and Parker, Jakeem Grant and Preston Williams, both on IR with injuries, will likely return next year as well, which could push Ford back to the edge of the roster.

Or maybe he showed enough to solidify a more stable spot on the roster. Ford certainly hopes that’s the case.

“Any time you get the opportunity, you want to make the most of it,” Ford says. “I think that I’ve prided myself on preparing and studying and practicing as if I was the starter, so when that time came that I would be prepared. So I think (my performance) was a reflection of that.”

Work hard. Do your job. Be ready. Yep, sounds like a Brian Flores kind of player, doesn’t it?

And in true starter fashion, Ford takes a team-first stance when asked if his performance reflected a moral victory for him personally.

“There’s no moral victory. We lost the game, got the corrections from it. Now it’s time to move on.”

​This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter: @EJFootball

Sunday was frustrating for many Miami Dolphins fans, players, and coaches. But one player in particular felt the most frustration postgame.

When asked by reporters about his thoughts on the overturned DPI call on a 3rd and long play, Nik Needham did not mince words.

“Honestly, it’s just trash," Needham said. "Like, we had a chance to win the game, and so, that’s it…”

It’s not the fact there was evidence of defensive pass interference on the play. Replay does show Needham wrapping his arm around the receiver's shoulder pads. It was the manner in which the penalty was called.

The Jets were faced with 3rd and long, nowhere close to field goal range, no timeouts. In other words, almost no chance of getting into position to win the game. However, in odd fashion, the game clock stopped, and the referees seemed to take a lot of time to get the ball back to the line of scrimmage, and wait for a signal to restart the clock for the Jets to run their inevitable 4th and long Hail Mary.

Keep in mind, the game was played in New York. Guess where the replay officiating crew is headquartered? Just saying. But I digress.

After what seemed like an eternity, the officials stop the clock and review the play for defensive pass interference. To the complete dismay and shock of Coach Brian Flores and the rest of the Dolphins, the call was overturned. Not only did this give the Jets extra yardage, but more importantly, a brand new set of downs to help Sam Darnold get the Jets into field goal range to kick the winning field goal.

Needham added that officials “didn’t call anything all game until the last play,” and many will note the inconsistency of NFL vice president of officiating Al Riveron, citing “clear and obvious” evidence of interference on this play when so many other replay reviews have allowed similar no-calls to stand.

However, Coach Flores understands that wins and losses aren’t based on just one play.

“Yeah, it was a tough game, hard-fought by our team." Flores said. "I’m proud of the way our guys played. They played hard. We had some guys go down, we had guys step in and make plays. We just didn’t make enough plays to win.”

Officiating has been under scrutiny since the beginning of the season. The Dolphins have not been the only team that have been hurt due to overturned calls, or in some cases, lack of overturned calls that maybe should have been.

In the end, Miami falls to 3-10 on the season. But it was a game that may go down as one with an asterisk for many Dolphins fans, especially against the rival New York Jets. This game may be a hard pill to swallow, but the Dolphins have two winnable games against Cincinnati and the Giants to look forward to. Both teams have losing records, and essentially, fighting for the #1 overall pick in April’s draft.

“Like Coach Flo said after the game, it’s a lot of other stuff,” Needham said. “We can’t just blame two plays or blame one person or blame one other guy. We could’ve all had a great game and not even have the game close like that.”

This story was written by Ozzie Delgado. Follow him on Twitter: @ozziedelgadojr

The Miami Dolphins have had their share of troubles this season, but kicking isn’t one of them. Kicker Jason Sanders set a new team record for the most field goals in a game on Sunday.

The sophomore kicker, drafted in the 7th round of last year’s NFL draft, lined up for eight field goal tries against the New England Patriots, making seven of them to break a 20 year old team record for field goals in a game. Olindo Mare kicked six field goals for the Dolphins on October 17, 1999, coincidentally on the same field as Sanders’ feat (feet?).

“I think I’m confident with how I’m hitting it." Sanders said last Thursday. "I try to avoid all of the numbers and take it one week at a time. Quite honestly, I don’t even know what my percentage is right now and I don’t really want to know. I want to go out each week and treat it like a new week and build off the kicks that I’ve had like going into Sunday, building off that 51-yarder I had in this last week and use that confidence to get you through this week.”

Coming just one week after scoring the winning touchdown reception on a trick play against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sanders may very well be in line for player of the year for the Dolphins, as the one constant the team has been able to count on week in and week out.

"(We had) a lot of field goals. I think we moved the ball well today, but didn’t execute when we got down in the red area." said QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. "I think he did a great job all day. Seven is a pretty remarkable number of field goals in a game. Every time we really needed it, he kept hitting them, especially that last one. That was a great kick.”

To put Sanders’ day in perspective, he was just the third kicker in NFL history to attempt eight field goals in a game, and the eighth in NFL history to connect on seven field goals in one game. It’s a team record that is sure to stick for many years to come.

Another cool coincidence: Sanders wears lucky jersey number seven.

This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter: @EJFootball

This article could honestly also be titled: Why we should stop worrying about "The Next Dan Marino."

It’s April 23, 2020. Miami Dolphins are on the clock. Roger Goodell is walking over to the podium, card in hand. The envelope is opened.

“With the (fill in the blank) pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select…”
 
And every die hard Dolphins fan collectively takes a deep breath, holds it…holds it…a little longer…
 
The next few words that come next from Roger Goodell’s mouth may be the most overrated and magnified few words you will hear for our fanbase. From the start of training camp, we have been hoping, praying, hanging everything on drafting the next Dan Marino. Is it Tua Tagovailoa (God I hope so)? Is it Justin Herbert (God I hope not)? Is it Jake Fromm? Is it Jordan Love?
 
So let me pose this question for you all…
 
What if the player that the Commissioner names comes in the form of a non-QB? Will there be mutiny in South Florida? Will there be fans calling for the heads of Stephen Ross and Chris Grier? I don’t know the answer to that, but what I will tell you is that our front office (Grier in particular) knows a thing or two about this beautiful game we call football.

So does Brian Flores. You know, the former scout for several years before he got into coaching.
 
They know the staff. They know the players. They know the schemes. They have the vision of what this team will look like in 2-3 years when we are competing for an AFC Championship. Brian Flores is more than a coach. He is a leader of men. He is a developer. He is, at his core, a teacher. Flores doesn’t need the best QB in the draft (whatever that means, completely relative) in order to win and create a culture of mental toughness and discipline.
 
Yes, the QB is the most important position in any sport. They are the drivers, the motivators, the leaders of the locker room and the huddle. Players gravitate towards their QB when they need inspiration and leadership. They look for that grit, that toughness, that cold-blooded mentality, that “get it done by any means necessary” attitude.
 
By no means whatsoever am I saying that we should not draft a QB in this upcoming draft. On the contrary, I love the approach the Dolphins took back when they drafted Rick Norton with the 2nd pick overall in 1966, and then came right back and drafted Bob Griese with the 4th overall pick in 1967!

Keep picking until you find your man! I actually love Khalil Tate from the University of Arizona. Tons of experience, huge arm, very mobile out of the pocket, and accurate when given time. Needs to clean up some things, but I will take a flier on him all day long in Round 5 or 6, even if we get a QB in round 1, and develop him for 2-3 years.
 
However, I am a huge believer in not settling for anything in life, and that includes the QB that you believe can turn the future of your franchise around for the next decade. Miami believed Rick Norton was the guy. Then they believed Bob Griese was the guy. The common denominator is that they believed one of those guys were elite, and can turn around a franchise. I’m of the belief that Tua is that guy. He’s smart, high character, great leader of men, perfect footwork, elite eye manipulation to sway defenses, good arm, very mobile, the list goes on and on. To me, Tua is the perfect combo of Drew Brees and Russell Wilson. If I was Chris Grier, I am not settling for anything less. It’s Tua or bust.
 
This draft is just the beginning. Why, you say? Well, to start, we have the luxury of three 1st round picks. THREE! Guess what? If Tua is not there when we pick, I continue to build. Trade back for someone that is desperate for a QB like Herbert. (Man, does that guy have “bust” written all over him. JaMarcus Russell type of bust). Pick up their 1st round pick this year, 1st next year, and throw in a 2nd or 3rd rounder this year to boot. Build the OL, DL, and secondary. Pick up an elite starting running back (J.K. Dobbins please?). Continue to develop our existing players. This WR class is so deep, we can pick up a WR2 or slot guy in round 4 or round 5.
 
Oh, and by the way, we also have over $120M+ in cap space, so that helps. Bring in players like Matt Judon, Brandon Scherff, and Byron Jones. Veterans like that, especially in the trenches, will do amazing things for the confidence and development of our young guys like Dieter, Wilkins, Taco, and those we draft this year.
 
Last point, and arguably the most important to this article, as to why this draft is not as significant as people may think: the presence, mental toughness, discipline, knowledge, work ethic, and competitiveness Brian Flores and our new staff bring to the table is something that cannot be measured. It is something that is invaluable to the future of our franchise and our fanbase.

Flores, only 3/4 of the way into his 1st season as head coach, is already in the same tier as Mike Tomlin in my book. After “The Gase Experience,” I cannot tell you how much of a breath of fresh air it is to see a coach that not only knows what he is doing, but has the command of an entire group of men. Not only did he implement his culture change within three months into the season, he also has the buy-in from everyone else in the building, specifically Grier, the scouting staff, and Steve Ross.

Remember that time in training camp when reporters said there was trouble in the locker room, and that players were basically going to riot for trading all the top players we had? Old news. Remember when “analysts” on ESPN said we were being immoral for tanking? Yeah, eat crow. Flores turned all of that around. Flores turned this franchise into a respectable one that will be a staple in the NFL for a long, long time. Similar to that team up in the northeast, where Flores came from? Yeah, would be nice to take over that title when the head ball coach retires in 2-3 years. No one better or more capable to do it than Head Coach Brian Flores.
 
So why is this draft insignificant? Why should we stop worrying about who our next Dan Marino is? It’s simple: Brian Flores, Chris Grier, unlimited cap space, and the unwavering support from our owner, Stephen Michael Ross.

The combo of all of that has me nothing short of bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for the next decade. With Flores at the helm for the next decade (quite possibly more), it has never been a better time to be a Miami Dolfan (with the exception of that ’72 year.

That was a pretty good year, from what I hear).

This story was written by Ozzie Delgado. Follow him on Twitter: @ozziedelgadojr

When it comes to the Miami Dolphins 2019 season, there is no shortage of opinions. Just glance at Twitter or Facebook and you’ll see opinions posted on every topic you can imagine about the team, some by people convinced that their opinions aren’t just opinion, but should be chiseled in stone as fact.

Annoying? Yep. Especially to those like me whose opinions are always right (just don’t tell my wife I said that; she has this eye-roll thing she does and, well anyway…).

After watching the Monday night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, even the national media weighed in on their perception of the Dolphins, especially after an all-out blitz on a 3rd-and-20 play resulted in an easy touchdown for the Steelers just before the half.

And that got me thinking: I'm convinced we as fans all suffer from something called perception bias. And before you quit reading and go post something about what a dumbass thing that is to accuse you (and you, and you, and even you) of, let me explain.

Think back to recent seasons and take a look at how you felt about a polarizing topic like, say Ryan Tannehill as the Dolphins quarterback.

If we hated Ryan Tannehill, then we spent every game dissecting his every play, noticing his flaws and picking out his mistakes. For every argument that Tannehill was a top-12 QB (as he was in 2016), there were ten arguments showing how he lacked pocket presence and took too many sacks.

If we loved Tannehill, we noticed every great play and every perfect throw. If someone criticized Tannehill in a post, we jumped in to say that no one would succeed behind that sieve of an offensive line, or posted a video showing a 50-yard throw that hit the receiver perfectly in stride for a touchdown.

And no matter what was said, no matter what happened in games, your opinion never wavered.

My point is, regardless of which side of the argument you stood, you viewed every game with that perception guiding your thoughts and opinions.

And that brings us to 2019, where nothing is more polarizing than the Ever-Loving Season of The Tank.

The same thing is happening this season. If you are convinced the team is tanking down to the coaching level, then every play that doesn't work is your evidence of that; every mistake proves your point.

If (like me) you believe the tank is only in the front office, denying good talent to a team that is otherwise doing all they can with the tools at their disposal, you look at that 3rd-and-20 play in that Monday night game and see that if pressure from the defensive blitz had gotten there a half-second sooner, Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph might have rushed the pass and thrown off-target, as he'd been doing throughout most of the night to that point when pressured. It was good play call; it just didn’t work as planned.

That is just one example, but I think it’s enough to make my point. I’m guilty of it, you’re guilty of it, everyone’s guilty of it. It’s not wrong or right, but it is something to strongly consider as you watch the rest of this season play out, and see discussion on which player is most deserving of the first overall pick in the NFL draft next April. See, you have a strong (and deeply biased) opinion on that too, don’t you? Told ya.

This season in general, every detail is being scrutinized through biased opinions, both by us and by local and national reporters. And if you approach a situation with a biased opinion, you'll only see what substantiates that opinion.

Think about that previous paragraph.

And keep that in mind the next time you watch the Dolphins play.

​This article was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball.

3. Bills RB Frank Gore: A 36-year-old Frank Gore is still a dangerous player. The veteran running back should have an explosive outing Sunday against a weak Miami defensive unit that allows nearly 170 rushing yards per contest. ​

It is safe to say that the Miami Dolphins this year, are not very good. Then again, for a little while the Dolphins haven’t been good. Upper management decided enough was enough, and blew it up.

Old news here, the Dolphins traded away starting QB Ryan Tannehill to the Tennessee Titans, traded Laremy Tunsil and Kenny Stills for a king's ransom, shipped Minkah Fitzpatrick out as well, and from the outside let everyone that had at least a little bit of talent go.

But what if, and hear me out, what if it was for a good reason? What if it was to help bring back a winning tradition to a once proud franchise, and what if the Dolphins front office was playing a little sleight of hand on us all? Let’s explore!

This team has a ton of holes. The most glaring hole seems to be the quarterback position. What’s the answer? Who’s the answer? The most obvious answer is to obtain the number one overall pick, and select Tua Tagovailoa with it. He has all the makings of a franchise quarterback. Strong, accurate arm. Makes great decisions. Really seems to be in command of his offense at all times. It was reported yesterday, that Chris Grier was in Alabama yesterday to watch Tua play. This screams that the Dolphins will take him first overall. But what if that wasn’t the case? What if this is the sleight of hand?

The Dolphins own three first round picks this year. What if I told you that none of them would be spent on a quarterback? You’d think I’m crazy! But what if I wasn’t? Let’s take a look at the direction the Dolphins could be going right under our noses without us all even knowing.

In terms of pass rush here, this guy has it all. A dominant edge rusher with the ability to get to the QB. Taking a look back at his last 16 games played in college, he has 16.5 sacks in those 16 games. He will provide the pass rush we need to help solidify the defense. Christian Wilkins would benefit from this pick, as teams may try to double team Young, which could free him up to make big plays.

Taking a look at CBS sports top prospects for this coming draft, there are five offensive line prospects inside the top 30, and several more just on the outside. The Dolphins are in desperate need of offensive line help and taking a lineman here could be more than beneficial.

Before Miami selects a quarterback and makes an investment, they should solidify the insurance.

Talk about a shocker right? The Indianapolis Colts struggled in terms of offensive line for two years. In the draft before last season, the Colts selected two offensive lineman in the first round. All that did was bring them back into the top ten in the league in terms of the line. Miami uses this formula to help protect the quarterback. Being able to protect the quarterback leads to better offensive production.

Three first round picks, no quarterback selected. I know what you're thinking. Who’s going to play QB? The answer to that question is already on the roster.

QB Josh Rosen gets a second season to develop and prepare as the starter.

Some of you don’t believe that Rosen is the answer. It’s hard to ignore that he’s been victimized by two bad franchises, zero offensive line help, and a lot of dropped passes. Rosen, behind two first round picks on the line and some free agency retooling of the receiving corps, should blossom into the QB the Dolphins need. And if he doesn’t, then Miami has the draft capital to then go and select QB Trevor Lawrence out of Clemson. Some are considering him the second best QB prospect behind Tua Tagovailoa.

It’s going to be a long season folks, but there will be bright spots. There is a light at the end of this very long dark tunnel. His name just happens to be Young and not Tagovailoa.

This story was written by Dakota Gabel. Follow him on Twitter: @DakotasForrest

Making bets can be a dangerous game. Make the wrong one, and you could find yourself in serious debt. Make the right one, and you're instantly a rich person.

There are plenty of ways to learn how to determine what bets to make as a Miami Dolphins fan. But some individuals evidently have a much grander plan.

According to Darren Rovell, one bettor has placed a total sum of $3,400 on the Miami Dolphins not winning a single game all season long.

The Dolphins odds of going 0-16 have been set at +500, which equates to a 16.7% chance (as stated by SBD). Their best chances to pick up a win will be home games against the Redskins (Week 6), Jets (Week 9), and Bengals (Week 16).

But if those games were happening this weekend, the Miami would be sizable underdogs in each. The Jets starting QB, Sam Darnold, should be back from the mono diagnosis that is currently sidelining him. As a result, it's likely that Miami is more than a field-goal underdog in every game this season.

Nevertheless, making a bet like that belies a confidence that the Dolphins are simply so bad that there's no chance they could beat anyone in 2019. There's proof to support this, as Miami is on course to set a franchise worst in point differential. So far, they've been outscored 102-10 in the first two games, and there are no signs that will improve anytime soon.

"The thing is, I just try to keep a positive mindset through all of it." DT Christian Wilkins said on Wednesday. "The good, the bad, the ugly, I just feel like it is part of the process. Whether I have a good play, a bad play, a good game or a bad game, whether we win or we lose, it’s just all a part of the process. Just have that mindset that it’s just a part of being a pro now. I’m going to be exposed to different things I’ve never been exposed to, be a part of different things I’ve never been a part of. You just have to keep a mindset of you’re here to get better."

It's been tough on the players, hence the mass exodus of talent. Minkah Fitzpatrick, now traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a first round pick in 2020, made it clear he wanted to leave Miami. One could speculate it had more to do with the apparent intention to lose than his position, but it's his position that is on the record.

Will things get better in 2019? Unlikely. And GM Chris Grier seems unconcerned with the now, choosing to look at the big picture.

“We’ve talked about building this long-term with sustained success right away, and for us, we’ll be very aggressive." He said. "We’re not going to sit here on a bunch of money or anything. The plan is to build a winner here. No one likes losing. We’ve talked about building a team that’s going to win and compete for championships for a long time instead of being in this one year, and then you fall back for two or three. Again, it is a long-term vision, but we will be aggressive.”

​So the future, if all goes well, will be bright. But for now, that bettor seems to be on course for a huge payday. Then again, all it takes is one win for that all to be ruined. So make sure you use discernment and do research before taking that kind of a leap of faith.

“I’m such a baby ‘cause the Dolphins make me cry.”

Darius Rucker said it best and it’s never been more fitting. Being on the wrong side of 102-10 over the last two games - albeit against playoff teams. Normally there is a green shoot somewhere to latch on to but all I see is a Sahara wasteland with humidity.

From all the fans I know and talk to on the daily, many are upset but they are also doing their best to buy into the program. If it were anyone else other than a Belichick disciple I think it would be even tougher to take, but that’s all we really have right now, a singular vision of New England South!

That plan doesn’t always work out and I would even say most of the time it hasn’t worked. Even Josh McDaniels failed miserably in Denver but somehow in New England he’s a genius. Is it because he is under the wing of the greatest modern-day coach? Or is it because he has a selfless QB in Tom Brady who is all in on being the greatest spinner of the football for generations to come?

I’ll go with the latter and remind everyone that Brady has never broken the salary cap bank. He is smart with his body, mind and money. Tom Brady makes $15 million a year, not even enough to break the top half of paid quarterbacks. The Patriots plan is to pay above average and good players in mass and not typically set contract records. Tom Brady allows them to fill the roster with support. That just doesn’t happen and may never happen again.

But I digress, we don’t have to be Patriots South. But we do need a quarterback. Stephen Ross is a businessman. He doesn’t like losing money but with the Dolphins he is so desperate to bring a winner to town that he has given the keys to the franchise to his guys. You must understand that in Miami we have to be competitive to sell tickets. The strategy of years past has always been bring in a couple of overpaid free agents not to fill holes but rather sell tickets.

Taking this approach is a losing one. Revenue is somewhere in the $400 million-dollar range. Ross has essentially written a $200-$300 million-dollar check to get this thing right over the next couple of years. What fans are buying jersey’s right now? Season Tickets? Parking Passes? For that matter, how excited are South Florida transplants to come to the games?

Stephen Ross deserves all the credit in the world for throwing the kitchen sink at getting this thing right!

There are few owners with the resources of our owner and many that do aren’t willing to go to this extreme to bring the Lombardi home to a franchise with lots of rich history. We host all the Super Bowls; it’s been a very long time since we had one and Ross for damn sure is trying. You can bitch and moan about the process and micromanage the decisions as expert Monday morning quarterbacks but none of us have real world capital on the line.

To be honest, we might as well say the Miami Dolphins are living under the curse of Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan. We literally drafted a RB with an average career of 2.57 years and a Left Tackle that never even made it to his second contract. Parcells once said he didn’t want to give top overall pick money to a quarterback. Think about how dumb that sounds now? Saved $10-$20 million on a draft pick so that we spend hundreds of millions on multiple team rebuilds?

Let that sink in for a minute.

Mike Shanahan proved that you can get a running back anywhere, yet the Miami Dolphins took a prototype that wasn’t even the main starter in college. Oh, wait we did that with Drake too. At least he wasn’t the second pick overall. But back then the fan base was thrilled! That excitement didn’t age well.

At this point, I want to give every young guy on the roster a chance to be veterans on this team in a few years. We have a few pieces to build around and the year should be considered preseason from here on out. Josh Rosen, Preston Williams, DeVante Parker and Mike Gesicki, should all be lined up on offense. Sign some other teams practice squad guys, take a shot on some Offensive Lineman that are way down on the depth chart on teams that are loaded. Don’t buy any jersey’s this year, wait till next. We will have our franchise quarterback soon. Just survive and put your knives away. Trust the process.

Cam Cameron said it best, “Fail forward fast!”

This story was written by Steven Paulsen. Follow him on Twitter: @SarcasticPhin

Coming from New England and introducing the new TNT Wall players had to run to when they made a mistake, many people thought this would be the most disciplined football team Miami has had for a while. That was not the case. Throughout the whole game, many fans say the only bright spot was Preston Williams getting his first touchdown catch. Fans and the media roasted the Dolphins secondary and the offensive and defensive lines, as they were by far the worst three position groups.

After the abysmal Ravens game, not only did some players want out, but some players were unhappy with the coaching staff as well. Players feel like the coaching staff is not good at adjusting mid-game and putting players in the wrong position to be successful.

Two players that played below expectations on Sunday were Bobby McCain and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Both players are now playing safety when they both played corner last year. McCain was considered one of the top slot corners in the league while Fitzpatrick was saw as a top young corner. Now both players are adjusting to a new system and position while their previous position (cornerback) is considered one of the worst position groups on the team, outside of Xavien Howard.

The Dolphins now have a locker room full of players who: do not believe in the coaching staff already, are mad the team is not serious about winning for future success, tired of playing out of position, and most importantly, are not having fun. After taking a look back at everything can you blame for the players for getting mad, or for requesting a trade?

This story was written by Tanner Elliott. Follow him on Twitter: @Elliott302Tj​

1. I was looking forward to seeing Lamar Jackson have to pass the ball this game. Unfortunately there was little reason for him to have to do it early. The Dolphins run defense was extremely poor to start. The defensive linemen couldn’t keep the blockers off of the linebackers and they were not free to move to the ball. This is essential to the success of the Dolphins defense.

2. I was, perhaps, most disappointed with the defense up the middle which, coming out of the preseason, I had as a Dolphins strength. Needless to say, they have some roster building to do here.

3. Once the Dolphins started to concentrate on stopping the run, it opened up the passing game for Jackson. And he did not disappoint his defenders. He had a great game passing the football. He dropped some beautiful deep passes for touchdowns this game. A mobile quarterback who can really throw an accurate ball could change the game. Looking forward to watching him against a better defense.

4. Dolphins pass coverage was really poor. They gave up a deep ball in the first half rushing 3 men with the other 8 in coverage. And yet, the Baltimore receiver still go behind the defense. Everyone not named “Howard” was culpable. Jomal Wiltz, Eric Rowe, Walt Aikens, Bobby McCain. All had poor fundamentals in coverage at some point. This has to be cleaned up.

5. I’ll give this much to the Dolphins defense. They didn’t give up. They were still fighting for pride in the 3rd and 4th quarters despite the blowout. That’s encouraging.

1. Baltimore came out putting pressure on a suspect Dolphins offensive line. It was obvious that the plan was to hit Ryan Fitzpatrick as often as possible. No quarterback likes to be hit but the older quarterbacks really, really don’t like it and they tend to get gun shy. To a certain extent this strategy worked. Fitzpatrick’s interception in the first quarter came with no one really in the vicinity.

2. Having said that, Fitzpatrick didn’t really fall apart under pressure. once the Ravens built a big lead and backed off just a bit late in the second quarter, he was given more room to work and he took advantage. He was reasonably accurate under those conditions and the Dolphins started to move the ball just a bit.

3. I thought it was interesting that the Dolphins thought they could beat the Ravens defense by attacking the edges. They came out with some passes to the outside to Kalen Ballage and to Albert Wilson on the wide receiver screen. Baltimore quickly adjusted and shut it down. But I think it's an indication that the Dolphins, at least, think they might have a bit more speed to the outside than people think.

​4. If you are going to have Albert Wilson in the wildcat, could you at least be more creative than a run right up the middle?

5. Kudos to DeVante Parker with a nice catch in the second quarter. The Dolphins need him to make more of those - indeed, have needed him to make more of those for years now.

1. Special teams were poor, Jakeem Grant had a flashback to the stone hands he had his rookie year as he fumbled away a punt return deep in Dolphin territory. A Ravens fake punt gave them the ball on the Ravens ten yard line. They converted that into a touchdown.

2. Preston Williams had an awful drop in the endzone that cost the Dolphins four points as they settled for a field goal. Allen Hurns had a big drop in the second quarter. That needs to be cleaned up.

3. Other than Grant's bobbled punt, we also had the Fitzpatrick interception. Baltimore had no turnovers. Poor start with Josh Rosen as he threw an interception on his first set of downs as a Dolphin. Marlon Humphrey made a good play on the ball.

4. What is the deal with the defensive holding calls on the Dolphins? Time after time these penalties killed them this game. Again, that needs to be cleaned up.

5. I understand that the Dolphins are out-manned on the field and I’m willing to cut them some slack because of that. But there is no excuse, no matter what the talent level, for poor fundamentals. Poor tackling, penalties, turnovers, poor technique in coverage. These things go beyond talent. The one thing that Dolphins fans have to look forward to is seeing the improvement in the play of their young players. And there’s a lot here to improve on.

This story was written by Tom Shannon. Follow him on Twitter: @bearingthenews

In a move that took both fans and peers by surprise, the Miami Dolphins traded away two players that had been seen as essential parts of their rebuilding process. Laremy Tunsil, the Dolphins first round draft pick in 2016 and just 25 years old, and Kenny Stills, the 27-year-old wide receiver who was arguably the most consistent part of the team’s wide receiving corps, were traded to the Houston Texans.

In exchange for Stills and Tunsil, as well as a fourth round draft pick in 2020, the Dolphins received the Texans 2020 first round draft pick, their second round picks in 2020 and 2021, and two players viewed as role players in linebacker Johnson Bademosi and offensive lineman Julien Davenport.

Tunsil, whose draft stock famously fell in the 2016 draft when a video of him smoking pot surfaced as the draft began (Tunsil claimed his phone was hacked), and Stills, who ruffled the feathers of owner Stephen Ross with criticism on equality front, were both still considered young enough and good enough to be part of the rebuilding process the team in undergoing. But ultimately, every player has his price, and the Texans came calling with an offer that couldn’t be ignored.

The move leaves the Dolphins with concerns on the offensive line, a unit that has yet to see five consistent starters on the field together. But the Dolphins had a plethora of wide receivers, making departure of Stills easier to absorb.

The Dolphins now have a total of 22 picks in the next two NFL drafts, including at least 13 in next year’s draft, which is viewed as QB-heavy by most experts. But the on-field talent for 2019 is viewed as one of the weakest in the league.

Buckle up, Dolphins fans, it’s going to be a long year.

​This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter: @EJFootball