NFL power rankings: Training camp edition
By Brad Weiss
Miami Dolphins
, AFC East
Prior to the 2016 NFL season, the Miami Dolphins went out and made Adam Gase their new head coach. With no prior head coaching experience, Gase took on the challenge of changing the culture in Miami, and he did all of that and more. The Dolphins came out of nowhere to win ten games, being one of the hottest teams in football for the middle part of the season, only to see their quarterback get injured late in the regular season.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill should be back healthy in 2017, and with a bolstered running game led by Jay Ajayi, the Dolphins should be in the running for a playoff spot once again. The wide receiver group is also solid, led by superstar Jarvis Landry, who is one of the better players at his position in the AFC. The offensive line is stacks, with Laremy Tunsil taking his spot at left tackle, and with Mike Pouncey being one of the best centers in the game.
The defensive line is also scary for the Dolphins, as the unit is led by Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh. They are going to make it tough on opposing teams to run, and they also added nice young talent in Charles Harris and Raekwon McMillian. McMillian should start for the team in the middle, and fellow rookie Cordrea Tankersley will be a nice addition to the team’s secondary at cornerback.
Miami surprised people last season, but that won’t be the case in 2017. They have four games against the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets on the slate, which should be four easy victories. The team was blown out in the playoffs by the Pittsburgh Steelers, but most of their young players got great experience. This is a team on the rise, and with Gase as the head coach, they have the right attitude entering year two of his regime.