Offseason Preview: Miami Dolphins

Miami Dolphins' Offseason "To Do" List

Miami got off to a horrendous start to the 2011 season.  After the defense gelled and the offensive found rhythm behind , they became one the scariest teams in the NFL.  They won six of their last nine games.  

They found that Reggie Bush could be the center piece of an offense.  He is complemented by Daniel Thomas.  When healthy, was a north and south runner with exceptional power and balance.  Brandon Marshall is their clear cut number one receiver.  A stout offensive line is led by tackle Jake Long and center Mike Pouncey.

Cameron Wake is an underrated rush linebacker.  He has been near the top of list in sacks for the last two years.  They have fast, physical playmakers in the secondary.  Vontae Davis has become one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.  They get strong linebacker play from Karlos Dansby as well.  Their defensive line is tough against the run.  They need to re-sign key players to remain one of the top run defenses in the league.

With Joe Philbin coming over from Green Bay to become Head Coach, Miami will have a new offensive system in place.  They are still searching for a defensive coordinator.  A top 10 pick will also aid Miami's efforts in building a playoff contender.  Here's what their "To Do" list looks like as of today:

Defensive Coordinator: With Mike Nolan leaving for Atlanta, Miami will need to search for a new DC.  Philbin could look to former colleagues from Green Bay to fit their 3-4 personnel.  Winston Moss or Darren Perry are possible replacements.

Quarterback: Miami could go into the season with Matt Moore.  Smart money says they bring in someone else.  That someone could be free agent quarterback Matt Flynn.  He would know Philbin's offense from their time together in Green Bay.  They could attempt to trade up to get Robert Griffin III or Andrew Luck.  I'm not yet buying the rumors about targeting Peyton Manning.

Find a Pass Rusher: Wake is good.  He'd be even better if he had someone opposite of him to keep offenses from sliding their protection toward him.  They could look to a player like Robert Mathis from Indianapolis or look to draft Courtney Upshaw or Melvin Ingram in the first round.

Re-sign defensive ends: If Miami is to stay in the 3-4, they will need to re-sign at least two of the free agents along the defensive line (P. Merling, K. Langford, I. Olshansky, Ikaika Alama-Francis).

Miami was on a roll at season's end.  With a "sexy" choice at QB, I could see a lot of analysts picking Miami as a surprise team for the 2012 season.  A solid running game is something to build on.  A tough, stingy defense is a solid regular season tool.  Getting a QB in this league gives you a sizable advantage.  Look for Miami to leave no stone un-turned looking for their franchise quarterback.