2. CB Xavien Howard If a ball is thrown in his area, chances are he’s got a 15–25 percent chance of bringing it down for an interception, especially if it’s a little off. That’s why Howard leads the NFL in interceptions (28) since entering the league in 2016. Now that Jalen Ramsey, another elite cornerback, is on the same team, Howard no longer has to shadow the opposition’s best receiver.
3. LT Terron Armstead: When Armstead is healthy, he’s a forceful bookend tackle, someone who Miami can slide its line protections away from, and a bulldozer in the run game. problem is, this soon-to-be 32-year-old hasn’t had a healthy season in years.
4. QB Tua Tagovailoa: Tagovailoa was so hot last season he spent a month in the NFL’s MVP conversation. He led the NFL in passer rating (105.5) and deep-ball success, and has gained a reputation as one of the NFL’s most accurate passers. Now this former Alabama standout must prove he can stay healthy for an entire season.
5. CB Jalen Ramsey:key Ramsey still has All-Pro talent, and plenty to prove this season since some NFL insiders claim his play has been declining. The Dolphins are hoping he uses this season to silence all his critics.
6. WR Jaylen Waddle — This speedster has delivered two straight 1,000-plus-yard receiving seasons, and has scored 15 touchdowns in his first two seasons. He’s blossoming into an impact player playing on the opposite side of Hill, which provides him plenty of one-on-one coverage.
7. OLB Jaelan Phillips — This former University of Miami standout has the size, strength, athleticism, intellect and work ethic to become one of the NFL’s top pass rushers. All he’s missing is consistency, and to be placed in the right scheme, one that requires him to go forward far more than backward.
8. OLB Bradley Chubb — Chubb hasn’t had a double-digit sack season since his rookie year in 2018. The Dolphins are hopeful that a reunion with his former head coach, Vic Fangio, the Dolphins’ new defensive coordinator, will allow him to become the force he was expected to be coming out of North Carolina State, justifying the $110 million contract the Dolphins recently gave him.
9. DT Christian Wilkins — Wilkins totaled 98 tackles in 2022, which was the most by any NFL defensive lineman in a season since at least 1994. He’s a reliable starter and emotional leader for the Dolphins. But to enter the stratosphere of the elites he must contribute more than the 11.5 sacks he’s logged the past four seasons in 64 games.
10. FS Jevon Holland — Over the past two seasons, Holland has showcased the talent to become one of the best safeties in the NFL. He’s a productive tackler with range and ball skills. Fangio’s scheme, which focuses on creating turnovers, has helped a couple of safeties blossom, so expect Holland to be next if he can stay healthy in 2023.
Leave a Reply