Stars Returning From Injury
Bringing in quality free agents at key positions is great. Drafting talented players to give your offense and defense some versatility is nice. Those two things will play a role in the Miami Dolphins exceeding expectations in 2018. But ultimately the team’s success hinges on the arm — and knee — of quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
Tannehill was drafted to be the franchise quarterback and take the Dolphins to big things. So far that hasn’t quite panned out. But in his first year with Adam Gase at the helm, Tannehill seemed to take some rather large steps forward. Unfortunately, that growth was halted by a torn ACL to the tune of missing the entire 2017 season.
In his absence, fans saw a floundering offense that struggled to not trip over its own feet. It saw a barely-there Jay Cutler do little more than collect a paycheck. Whether or not this experience gives the fanbase a new-found respect for Tannehill remains to be seen, but it certainly has given me one. If Tannehill can pick up where he left off in 2016, the Dolphins offense should be in good shape. Regardless of how much rust he has to knock off, or if he returns to form at all this season, it would be difficult for Tannehill to be any worse than what we saw last season. Add in the players that have been placed around him, and you have a recipe for dramatic improvement.
Joining Tannehill in a (hopefully) triumphant return to the team is last year’s second-round pick Raekwon McMillan. McMillan was poised to be the team’s middle linebacker last season, but much like Tannehill, was lost for the season with a knee injury. As a rookie, it’s hard to say that his absence was felt, but it’s hard for me to imagine the team would have struggled the same way it did with the former Buckeye patrolling the field. With his return, along with the pieces the team has added in front of, behind, and alongside him, 2018 looks bright in comparison to last season.
There’s been a lot of optimism here, and I truly believe all of these things, but it’s important to have realistic expectations. I don’t say any of this with the notion that the Miami Dolphins are ready to be a perennial Super Bowl contender. I don’t even think they’re ready to challenge the Patriots for division champs. They’re likely to fall within a game of .500 either way. But this notion that they’re poised to be one of the worst teams in the league is ludicrous. If those are the expectations, prepare to be surprised.
