Dolphins place assessment: Miami set to return interior linebacker duo?

The Dolphins got positive play from their interior linebacker duo within the 2023 season. however as Miami appears to take an extra step and be competitive with the AFC's elite, might the crew seek an improve at the position this offseason?

within the seventh of a series of position reviews, the Miami Herald examines the crew's inner linebacker circumstance. next up is backyard linebacker.

2023 in review

within the 2023 offseason, the Dolphins signed David lengthy Jr. to a reasonable deal, pairing him with Jerome Baker to kind one of the vital quickest interior linebacker tandems in the NFL. long got off to a bit of of a slow birth in former protective coordinator Vic Fangio's scheme however as soon as he received comfortable, he was probably the most ideal run defenders in the league. Baker persevered to fill his role because the crew's play caller on the box however accidents sidelined him for 5 games, together with the season-ending loss to the Kansas metropolis Chiefs within the wild-card circular.

Depth chartJerome Baker

▪ Skinny: For the primary time in his career, Baker neglected extended time due to injury. An MCL sprain sidelined him for 4 games late within the season after which he dislocated a bone in his wrist in the ordinary-season finale, which kept him out of playoffs. Baker regarded in 13 games, recording 78 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

▪ Contract: Baker, who turns 28 in December, is entering the remaining yr of a 3-yr extension he signed in 2021. He has a cap hit of $14,794,111, the eighth greatest on the crew, but none of his $10,768,000 base earnings is guaranteed.

David long Jr.

▪ Skinny: It took some time for lengthy to get adjusted to a brand new scheme, however he graded out as one of the vital league's surest run defenders. lengthy, who arrived in Miami with durability questions, played in each video game for the primary time in his profession and recorded a career-high 113 tackles.

▪ Contract: lengthy, who turns 28 in October, is entering the remaining 12 months of a two-12 months deal he signed in 2023. He has a cap hit of $6,710,000.

Duke Riley

▪ Skinny: Riley appeared in every online game and began six because of Baker's harm. Riley recorded 42 tackles and a half sack.

▪ Contract: Riley, who turns 30 in August, is getting into the last yr of a two-yr deal he signed in 2023. He has a cap hit of $three,085,000 but none of his $2,250,000 is assured.

Channing Tindall

▪ Skinny: Tindall regarded in every game however performed virtually solely on particular teams. He had 12 shielding snaps and finished the season with eight tackles.

▪ Contract: Tindall, who turns 24 in March, is entering the third year of his four-yr rookie contract. He has a cap hit of $1,375,883 however none of his $1,163,628 base earnings is guaranteed.

Calvin Munson

▪ Skinny: The Dolphins signed Munson off the new England Patriots follow squad in December for his fourth stint with the team. Munson looked in 5 games in Miami, specifically on special teams, and recorded one handle.

Contract: Munson, who turns 30 in December, is an unrestricted free agent.

Offseason questions

1. How does Miami handle Baker's contract?

due to the fact that the Dolphins chosen Baker within the third round of the 2018 Draft, he has been a constant presence within the core of the defense. however he has no greater guaranteed money closing on his three-12 months extension, which has precipitated some questions about his future in Miami, in particular with the Dolphins projected to be $50 million over the cap.

Miami would store $9 million with the aid of cutting Baker however that might simply create a further gap the crew should fill within the offseason. A greater economical answer is for the aspects to agree on a restructured deal that lowers his cap hit in 2024 and permits Baker to get hold of some new assured cash.

2. Can the brand new shielding group of workers elevate the inner linebackers?

Miami's inside linebackers performed well in 2023 however struggled in some areas — and perhaps weren't used to their advantage in others.

flow insurance became particularly a facet of the online game wherein opponents took skills of the inner linebackers. part of here's as a result of the excessive costs of zone coverages that the Dolphins performed below Fangio, however new shielding coordinator Anthony Weaver and his workforce must work on limiting offenses' effectiveness over the middle of the field.

the brand new group of workers might also tap into certainly one of Baker's most desirable expertise — blitzing — extra in 2024. In 2023, Baker had just fifty four circulate rush snaps. Baker overlooked 5 video games on account of injury however became nonetheless his fewest flow rush snaps seeing that his rookie season. Baker has been at his greatest when coaches lean into his velocity, permitting him to blitz and even playing him as an part defender in stints. Weaver comes from a Baltimore Ravens defense whose defining trait changed into its multiplicity. Baker can be primed for an even bigger position if that carries over to the Dolphins' defense.

3. Is time operating out for Tindall?

In his first two seasons, Tindall has carved out a task as a core particular teams participant but has yet to make an influence on protection, playing simply 21 snaps. closing yr, prevalent supervisor Chris Grier observed he predicted Tindall's rookie season could be a developmental 12 months for him however as he enters his third season, Miami nevertheless doesn't recognize what it has within the No. 102 universal choose from the 2022 Draft.

Tindall stated that it took some time for him to draw close the playbook as a rookie and it doesn't support that he'll be learning his third shielding scheme in as a long time. however the Dolphins want young gamers to step up as they face the fallout of rising cap numbers for his or her famous person avid gamers. Tindall is among those who deserve to tackle bigger roles soon.

talents additions

As mentioned before, the Dolphins possible aren't in the interior linebacker market unless they part techniques with Baker. And though Baker is the seventh-highest-paid player within the NFL at his place by way of typical annual cost, in line with Over the Cap, discovering a alternative with identical or enhanced production won't come cheap.

It's more probably the Dolphins add avid gamers with special groups price as depth, such as the Packers' Kristian Welch or Eric Wilson. both essentially played in special teams roles below Joe Barry, the former green Bay shielding coordinator who is now the Dolphins' interior linebackers train and run video game coordinator.

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