Miami Dolphins 2017 Season Recap

It's one thing to have a disappointing campaign after experiencing a measure of resurgence the season prior. But what if that feeling of impending doom encroaches a fan's thoughts before the kickoff to the regular season?

Miami Dolphins

2017 Record: 6-10

2016 Record: 10-6

Win Differential: -4

What Happened: The Dolphins ended a dry playoff spell in 2016 by earning a wild card berth, losing to the Steelers in Pittsburgh. It seemed as though that Miami maybe may have the capability to build this once proud franchise back to a level of universal respectability. That thought went away once QB Ryan Tannehill suffered an ACL tear in training camp. With longtime backup Matt Moore not considered a suitable starter, the Fish reached out to pick up the retiring Jay Cutler to play the role of substitute teacher. Fans were perplexed by this turn of events, but some of Cutler's best years as a pro were with head coach Adam Gase as his offensive coordinator in Chicago, so the concept did have merit. However, what was discovered was that Cutler was better suited for life outside football instead of back in it, as the offense struggled to maintain possession of the ball (29 giveaways; ranked 30th in the league) and gain yardage to be a respected threat. With the offense struggling, the defense was not suited to make up for those deficiencies, which in turn made the D dreadful with that unit in the bottom quartile of the league in significant statistical categories. This team should consider itself lucky to generate 6 wins out of such a performance. They could have been much worse.

What Happens Now: Either chalk it up to either improving the Dolphins' overall salary cap health or the jettison of veteran players who may have become (not necessarily cancers, but lesions?) less than positive locker room influences. Gone are cap casualties DT Ndamukong Suh (Rams) and C Mike Pouncey (Chargers), along with WR Jarvis Landry, who was traded to Cleveland for a pair of afterthought draft picks. It should be noted that Landry was a pending free agent who was franchise tagged by Miami, which meant retaining him would have cost the team a pretty penny, one they may not have had the appetite to spend. The cupboard is not completely bare for Gase, as DE Robert Quinn was acquired in a trade with the LA Rams, and free agency net them reliable vets in WR Danny Amendola and OG Josh Sitton. From the observations from your humble scribe, it looks as though the Dolphins are making some form of transition. Based strictly on the nature of their transactions this year, one could surmise that they are attempting to improve their salary cap management. This may mean that owner Stephen Ross and general manager Chris Grier have decided to avoid the splashy, high profile free agent acquisition for the time being and focus on being better built for the long term. Given their recent track record of free agent busts (at least in terms of value in relation to salary), it's not the worst idea in the world. But that means less proven talent will be playing on the field in 2018. Gase was brought in as an offensive savant, a coach who possesses the ability to develop a synergistic offense that can score efficiently and move the ball effectively. That reputation will be on the line for the balance of his time in South Beach. He makes Tannehill a franchise quarterback that leads such a great offense, Gase becomes a notable coach in Miami, which has cachet unto itself. The struggles continue, then Gase will be chased out of town, leaving the Dolphins looking once again for a head coach to cure their ills.