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The Bleacher View is making it's return! After a very hectic and busy 4 months i have returned to my blog to write my second official post. This will be a series of posts that are linked together titled "What Could Have Been". I was driving home the other day from work and I began to think about how many players we let go in free agency/traded away or released recently that could have helped this team get to the next level. I know this is something that happens to every team but I would like to break it down from my point of view of the Miami Dolphins.
The first and most important name that comes to mind is Brandon Marshall. Before you guys begin to think about how it was the right move because Brandon was a headache and we had a rookie QB coming in with a new head coach who never led a team before, let's be honest! Brandon is a BEAST on the field. Not only is he a top 10 WR in this league but I believe he excels at plays our QB also excels at. Yes, off the field he can be a head ache. He is a talented, diva mannered wide receiver who demands the ball every play. However, let me break some news to you, every top level talent wants the play called for them. It's called pride and competitiveness.
Before we continue on with Brandon, let's focus on something else for a second. When putting together a team, you must put into consideration chemistry and how a player will fit. Talk about forcing puzzle pieces together. If it was one thing Ryan Tannehill struggled with the most since his college days was the deep ball. So what did we do? Sign probably the best deep ball receiver in the NFL in Mike Wallace who would "help stretch the field". So much for that. His most popular route is the comeback and he hasn't had a deep ball touchdown in his 2 years with the Dolphins thus far. This is not a blow to Mike Wallace because at least twice a game he's sprinting down the field with multiple yards between the defender and himself with nothing but green in front of him. Ryan just can not throw a good enough deep ball. Let us count our losses and move on from our beloved Jeff Ireland.
Now, let me explain why I prefer Brandon from Mike for the Miami Dolphins. He is a WR who excels at playing physical and running the hitches, slants, comebacks and post routes down the middle of the field. If you have watched Ryan Tannehill play, that is what he excels at. He has the arm strength needed to throw a 15 yard out on a rope or hit the seam route between a DB and a LB right before they sandwich the receiver. Brandon is one of the most complete WR's in the NFL because of the fact that he can succeed at nearly every level of the field. Shallow and in between the hashes, Outside, between the hash marks and the sideline and he has the speed to occasionally get open deep for a big play.
One thing this WR corps is missing is a big player who can fight for position and come down with contested catches. Mike Wallace is an elite deep threat receiver. Jarvis "JUICE" Landry excels in the slot because of his physicality and his RAC ability. Brian Hartline has the best chemistry with Quarterback Ryan Tannehill and has the ability to get open with good route running. Though Brandon Gibson has lost snaps in the slot to Juice Landry, he is a playmaker who with his size excels in the slot by finding the open whole on the field and adjusting his route when the QB improvises and extends the play outside of the pocket. Rishard Mathews brings toughness to this receiving core. He can run the routes in the middle of the field while taking a shot and still coming down with the ball.
These are all great, but one thing i believe is missing from this offense is a WR who can fight for the ball while out playing the coverage with their physicality. A WR who makes plays in the red zone and scores TD's. A WR who when is lined up outside in 1 on 1 coverage, you feel like he can win every time. I believe Brandon would have been the missing piece this team needs to take the passing game to another level. I would like for the Dolphins to bring in a bigger receiver this upcoming off-season considering our tallest WR is Brian Hartline who is listed at 6'2"(Not Happening).
Turn Out: Fail
Stay tuned for my 2nd post of this series sometime next week! Please comment below and let me know your thoughts!
