Where Do the Miami Dolphins Stand for 2022 and Beyond?
By Space Coast Daily // April 20, 2022
If there’s a word to describe how many people feel about the Miami Dolphins and their prospects in 2022, it’s surely optimistic. They have managed to add talent to their roster during the offseason, with Tyreek Hill and Terron Armstead arriving, and Emmanuel Ogbah and Mike Gesicki returning to the fold. But where does this leave them in the grand scheme of things?
In normal circumstances, you’d definitely be confident of the Dolphins going well next season, primarily because they have added some excellent players to their squad. However, so have other teams, which means that the Dolphins haven’t necessarily taken giant strides ahead of their rivals in the AFC, which is set to be the most hotly contested yet.
If you look at the previous two campaigns, after making smart additions, the Dolphins have been knocking on the door. Their 10-6 and 9-8 finishes are evidence of this. Last term they ended tied for eighth in the AFC, and were only one game short of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who secured the final playoff entry spot. So, you could suggest they have been there or thereabouts, mainly because of the work that has been going on.
Therefore, it’s astonishing that even with Hill and Armstead signing on and Mike McDaniel arriving as the new Dolphins head coach, that the latest power rankings have them sitting in twelfth across the board. Where the AFC is concerned, the Dolphins were only better placed than the Steelers, Jaguars, Jets and Texans.
A quick glance at the NFL odds for the next Superbowl tells a similar story in terms of the Dolphins just not being as fancied as the progress they have made, and their recent acquisitions on and off the field suggest. Yes, the odds did open at around 50/1, a massive price, and they came in as far as 33/1 when Hill arrived. But their chances, according to sportsbook operators, remain around the same, with one outfit offering 45/1 at the time of writing for the Dolphins to triumph.
Back to AFC business, there is speculation that the Dolphins’ chances of success are being hampered by their current quarterback situation. The belief is that many see other teams as being well-stocked in the position, which makes them stronger outfits as a result. And, you’d naturally think that this is something the Dolphins will look to correct while they have the chance to do so.
They remain in the market to make significant acquisitions, as shown by their flirtation with free agent Melvin Ingram, a pass rusher who visited the club this week. After a stop and start season, Ingram went on to perform brilliantly for the Kansas City Chiefs, and will add serious quality to their ranks. So, you never know, while some may be willing to bet against the Fins or give their chances short shrift, between now and the new campaigning beginning, the landscape could look a lot different.
