Miami Dolphins: 5 offseason needs in 2020

4. Rebuild the interior of the defensive front

Was it all that long ago that the Miami Dolphins had a defensive front featuring the likes of standout pass-rusher Cameron Wake and well-paid interior presence Ndamukong Suh?

The focus here is on the latter and you may recall that the franchise gave the talented pro a lucrative contract to leave the Motor City and take his talents to South Florida. His somewhat-disappointing stay in Miami lasted three years where he racked up 15.5 sacks but was named to only one Pro Bowl. Ironically, the franchise parted ways with the sometimes-controversial defender. He latched on with the Los Angeles Rams and wound up in Super Bowl LII.

But even with Suh on the field, stopping the run has seemingly been an issue for too many years for this club. One season after allowing the second-most rushing yards per game in the league (145.3), the Dolphins allowed 135.4 yards per outing on the ground – a disappointing 27th in the NFL in 2019.

Last April, the Dolphins used a first-round pick on Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. He finished sixth on the team with 56 tackles and two sacks while knocking down a pair of passes. But he was mediocre at best when it came to stopping the run, as was third-year pro Davon Godchaux. Brian Flores’ team need some difference makers when it comes to this group.

Next: No. 3