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The NFL Draft Countdown is where we take a closer look at an NFL franchise to see what its transactions have been and what its needs are.
Franchise
- Draft Position: 12
- 2009 Season Result: 7-9 (3rd in AFC East; Missed Playoffs)
- 2009 Head Coach: Tony Sparano
- 2010 Head Coach: Tony Sparano (18-14; 0-1)
Key Transactions
- LB Karlos Dansby (from ARI)
- LB Joey Porter (to ARI)
Draft Picks
- 1-12
- 2-11
- 3-9
- 4-12
- 6-4
- 6-5
- 6-10
- 7-5
- 7-12
- 7-45
Analysis & Outlook
One year after turning the franchise around from going 1-15 to an 11-5 AFC East Champion, the Miami Dolphins crashed back to Earth with a 7-9 record. That’s not to say that this team isn’t improving but it will take another few years before they establish a solid team that performs consistently. Offensively and defensively, they ranked mostly in the bottom half for the 2009 season. The clear offense was rushing offense where RBs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams were stellar, although Brown was arrested this year for DUI.
Nonetheless, the offense cannot just rely on the Wildcat and the running game to win. The Dolphins are still developing young receivers and might add another weapon for one of the Chads in the form of a WR or a TE.
On defense, the Dolphins signed LB Karlos Dansby but lost LB Joey Porter and it doesn’t look like DE/LB Jason Taylor will be back, so they need new blood to fuel that outside pass rush. In the secondary, the Dolphins boast a strong outside with two young and talented CBs but with the departures of Ss Nate Jones and Gibril Wilson, the Dolphins will look to add depth in the middle.
In the first round, the Dolphins are set up to grab a pass rusher, likely Sergio Kindle or Jason Pierre-Paul. They can go back to that position again in the second round if Everson Griffin slides, but I expect them to address the safety position there with Nate Allen or Major Wright or potentially Taylor Mays slips into round two. There are a number of good O-Linemen and TEs in the third and fourth round for them, and they have a slate of late round picks as well to fill some needs left and right.
The Dolphins are progressing. They are competitive but will need to re-energize the pass rush on defense and establish a more balanced offense to truly compete for the AFC East crown.