Phins: ‘You can never have enough quality pass defenders in this pass happy league.‘
Phins DB’s flashed in 2017… but did they show enough?
The Phins have shaken up the roster pretty good this offseason. One position that has not been caught up in the makeover–so far–is the Secondary.
Over the last few years, Miami has quietly improved their pass coverage. One of the few bright spots from last year was the flashes of talent from their young DBs.
But will those flashes become consistent fires? Miami will have an excellent chance to grab a top cover talent at #11. Is the current secondary good enough to not even consider picking a defensive back with the first pick?
Last season the Dolphins did a decent job by allowing 236.8 yards per game through the air–good for 13th best in the league. However, they did get beat on 26 passing touchdowns, which ranked 23rd best.
Jones and McDonald will be the Safety duo in 2018. Considering that they only played 8 games together last year, because of McDonald’s suspension at the beginning of the season, they should improve. We were expecting more from this duo in 2017, but the hope is that another offseason together will give them better chemistry and communication.
Miami has spent a ton at Safety… but they still aren’t set at the position
This is one area in the secondary where you could see Miami going with the 1st RD Pick. There’s no doubt that Minkah Fitzpatrick could be a wise option, should he fall. Neither Jones nor McDonald was proven to be excellent when left alone in a Single-High look in Cover-1. So Miami doesn’t have a true Free Safety on the roster. They could definitely use one for their man cover looks to stop the deep burns we saw in 2017.
Good news: Tony Lippett is fully recovered from his season-ending knee injury, so all the starters are returning to the secondary.
While Phins Cornerbacks are very young, they flashed the ability to be very good–at times. By the end of last season, Howard was playing lights out and finally showing why he was drafted in the second round. Some of the best bookie services are predicting a major breakout season from Howard in 2018. There’s no reason why he can’t become a legitimate #1 Corner this season if he continues to play as he did in the 2nd half of last season.
Bobby McCain was also a very pleasant surprise and was the most consistent of all the DBs. McCain shined with big plays, consistent tight coverage, and sure tackles. His development turned an are of concern into an area of strength. Last year he had 48 tackles, 1 sack, 2 interceptions and 7 passes defended which were all single-season personal records for him. Coach Gase also referred to McCain as one of the players that continues to develop. Can he repeat his play in 2017… and even improve on it?
Tankersley could make this secondary special
The other starter is penciled in is Cordea Tankersley, who was able to start 11 games as a Rookie last season. there were some bumps in the road, and he did suffer an injury that caused him to miss a couple of games, but overall he was a nice surprise. Tankersley’s will need to fight off Lippett to keep his starting job. In 2016 Lippett was beginning to show he was a capable starting caliber CB with 4 interceptions. This should be one of the better competitions during the offseason and should only help to make each of these players better.
Here’s M.J’s break down of Tankersley’s 2017 Season:
Tankersley received his first start on the road against the Saints in Week 4. He had some nice breaks on the ball, showed excellent closing speed, and good tackling. Overall, his play on the day was solid. Brees started out attacking him and then moved off him as the game progressed. This was a very good sign because if he was easy pickings, he’d of had his head handed to him on a silver platter.
Week 4: Saints “Ain’t No Easy Pickings”
Week 5 against the Titans, Tankersley had another solid performance, but rookie yips reared their head. His raw footwork was revealed to be a weakness and receiver comebacks (3 Route) took advantage of this. The 3 Route would grow to become his biggest issue in the weeks to come. Yet, he did display excellent physicality and a willingness to stick his nose in it. Overall, another solid performance.
Week 5: Titans “Warts And Toughness On display”
In Week 6 against the Falcon Tankersley played a lot of off coverage. Despite giving up a few receptions, his coverage was tight. Tankersley’s play on the ball in the 4th Qtr was the reason Jones made the interception, sealing the Dolphins very memorable comeback.
Week 6: Falcon “Hand In Epic Comeback”
Tankersley played a part in giving up two T.D.s. While the first was inches away from a deflection, a veteran move by the WR with a slight push off taught ‘Tank’ a big lesson. The second T.D. was Safety Allen’s fault as he bit on the underneath and gave Tankersley no over help. It would have been easy for Tankersley to get into a funk the following game. Instead, the next week, he bounced back and had a deflection on a deep pass that led to an interception, proving he was mentally tough.
Week 7: Jets – Week 8: Raiders “Beaten Up And The Bounce Back”
The middle of the season had ‘Tank’ battling the 3 Route with both losses and wins. His biggest trait that shined was his excellent effort. He had some key stops as the last man in the line of defense. The kind of hustle he displayed goes a long, long way in my book. His physicality though would cost him some games. Tankersley was knocked out of the game on an excellent run-stop against the Broncos on the 1st defensive play. A good offseason in an NFL training program will be essential in allowing him to stay healthy and physical.
Week 9: Panthers – Week 13: Broncos “Ups And Downs And Knockout”
Tankersley’s return was mostly noneventful. I was very surprised the Bills didn’t target him more. The one time they did target him, Tankersley was sloppy and it cost the Phins big. Even though he was in position, he gets nervous and completely loses his cool and technique. This kind of mistake is to be expected due to being green and with a few weeks out of action.
Tankersley looks like an exceptionally promising player. The Phins have an excellent prospect for the price of a 3rd Rounder. Give credit where credit is due. Very nice job by Chris Grief and the scouts. IF Tankersley can improve, then Miami will have a stout pass-cover defense in 2018.
Week 17: Bills “Good… But For One BIG Mistake”
Phins clearly have talent and tools to be effective. There should be no reason why this group can’t continue to improve together and be the leaders of our defense. I know that Fitzpatrick might be a bit of a luxury, but he could turn this Phins secondary a great one. No other cover defender would be the right move #11– if he drops that far (AND HE DID!!). What are the rest of the Miami Dolphins News fans thoughts about our Secondary Group and the draft?