How will the Dolphins follow up 2008?

By Brad Wilbricht  |   Monday, January 26, 2009  |  Comments( 3 )

Miami Dolphins
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Thanks to the guidance of Bill Parcells and the coaching ability of Tony Sparano, the Miami Dolphins made tremendous strides from a year ago en route to an 11-5 season in 2008. With the AFC East looking as competitive as ever, how will the Dolphins follow up their division-winning campaign?

With veteran quarterback Chad Pennington providing stability under center and youngster Chad Henne waiting in the wings, Miami could be set under center for years to come. In addition, Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are a formidable running back combination while the Dolphins feature a solid young receiving corps.

Given Miami’s stability on the offensive side of the ball, look for Parcells and company to focus on defense in April's NFL draft. The Dolphins’ 3-4 defensive front relies on athletic outside linebackers and physical ends. Those two areas will undoubtedly be addressed at some point in the draft.

The combination of second-year man Kendall Langford and veteran Vonnie Holliday is an adequate tandem at defensive end, but is far from a slam dunk. Miami does have Phillip Merling, a second-round pick last year, buried on the roster, but building depth should remain a top priority.

One player coming from the college ranks whom the Dolphins will likely keep an eye on is LSU's Tyson Jackson -- a 6-foot-4, 295-pounder who has the size and strength to hold up at the point of attack and was a productive player with the Tigers. In addition, his experience in a highly successful college program will help Sparano continue to instill a winning mentality in South Florida.

A pair of college teammates at USC, Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews III, appear to be an excellent fit at outside linebacker in the 3-4 defensive scheme. Similar to Jackson, both players come from one of the best college programs in the country and have a history performing on winning teams.

If Miami can continue adding playmakers on defense, it’ll stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly tough AFC East.
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About Brad Wilbricht

Brad Wilbricht covers numerous sporting events including the NFL, NFL Draft and college football. His analysis is simulcast through several media outlets across the country. Additionally, Brad is a regular guest on a variety of talk radio shows and can be frequently heard on the airwaves. To ...
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