Fansided

5 reasons the Dolphins should draft Tua Tagovailoa

By David Salituro

Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
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FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 21: Kyle Van Noy #53 of the New England Patriots celebrates during the first half against the Buffalo Bills in the game at Gillette Stadium on December 21, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 21: Kyle Van Noy #53 of the New England Patriots celebrates during the first half against the Buffalo Bills in the game at Gillette Stadium on December 21, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images) /

2) The revamped defense

It’s no secret where the Dolphins saw the most room for improvement this offseason.

The Dolphins defense in 2019, the franchise’s first year under head coach Brian Flores, finished last in the NFL in points allowed. Ten times they gave up at least 30 points in a game, the most in the league.

So Flores, who served as linebackers coach and de facto defensive coordinator in New England before joining Miami, and General Manager Chris Grier set out to change that. They spent big in free agency. Edge rusher Kyle Van Noy was signed to a four-year, $51 million deal. Cornerback Byron Jones agreed to an $82.5 million contract for five years. And they gave $30 million to linebacker Shaq Lawson.

The Dolphins spent more than $160 million on those three free agents combined. Van Noy, who played for Flores with the Patriots, will help improve their run defense, which was sixth-worst last season; Pro Football Focus rates Van Noy fifth among edge rushers in stopping the run.

Jones, a mainstay in the Cowboys secondary for the last five seasons, joins Xavien Howard in giving the Dolphins a formidable secondary. Finally, Lawson gives them a threat to get to the quarterback after recording 6.5 sacks with Buffalo.

The Dolphins addressed their shaky defense in free agency, making it into a unit that will be vastly improved in 2020. That leaves them able to focus on finding their next franchise quarterback in the draft.

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