The Miami Dolphins had a compelling offseason, and there appears to be some value in backing them to make a playoff appearance this season.
Two of the most significant areas the Dolphins upgraded were at wide receiver and the offensive line, two positions of concern since Tua Tagovailoa took over as the starting quarterback. The Dolphins management group knows that all their eggs are in the quarterback basket, meaning if Tua fails, they fail. Investing in more o-line protection and better targets was a wise decision that has the potential to pay dividends for the franchise.
Miami is currently listed at +142 to make the playoffs, compared to -172 to miss.
There were multiple impactful moves you can look at here, but the largest was trading for Tyreek Hill. The 5’10 speedster is one of the most explosive weapons the NFL has ever seen. Hill can create space and is one of the most creative route runners in the league. Accuracy has been the name of the game for Tua as a signal caller, and with the newfound potential of this offense, things are looking up in Miami. If Hill and Tagovailoa can get on the same page early, and all signs point to that being the case in Dolphins training camp, this team certainly has the makings of one that could surprise the AFC.
In addition to adding multiple skill players, the Dolphins acquired free agent tackle, Terron Armstead. The three-time Pro Bowler should give Tua more time to move in the pocket, which was missing last year. The newfound protection should give the Dolphins a better idea of whether or not they have a franchise quarterback, but that’s unlikely something they can change over the next two years with Miami no longer owning their first-round pick in 2023 (after having it stripped by the league for violations).
The Dolphins are in an exciting division that should have plenty of eyeballs this season. The Buffalo Bills are the Super Bowl favorite, but you can never count out Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. The New York Jets also appear to be headed in the right direction, so wins won’t be easy to come by in the AFC East.
With an improved wide receiver corps, running back depth, and additions to the offensive line, there’s reason to be bullish about the Miami Dolphins playoff hopes in 2022-23, especially with a price of +142.
