About Miami Dolphins

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3/4/15: The Miami Dolphins have started renovations on their stadium and all is on schedule so far. The team issued a preview video of the renovated venue which features a large canopy, 'living room' style seating, new club levels and four giant video screens on the four corners of the stadium. The canopy will increase the stadium's ability to shield fans from the sun from 15% to 92% of capacity. The renovation will remove about 11,000 seats, reducing capacity to 65,500. But the canopy will also keep crowd noise in, making the stadium even louder than it is now.

2/25/15: The Miami Dolphins continue to hold radio silence on the future of wide receiver Mike Wallace. Wallace was a big free agent signing a couple of years ago but has not performed up to his contract. QB Ryan Tannehill is developing into a decent QB, he had over 4,000 yards passing last season. He could use another receiver or two and the Dolphins may help him out in the upcoming NFL Draft. Once again, the selection pool of wide receivers looks relatively strong, and that could help Miami catch up to New England and finally disrupt the AFC East.

2/18/15: The Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills have had, what we'll say is a spirited rivalry for decades now. And that just got more spirited in the last few weeks. Buffalo signed former Dolphins offensive guard and offensive bully Richie Incognito to a one year deal. While publicly the Dolphins may be saying "he's your problem now", many may be seething that Incognito's actions in the Dolphins locker room severely hurt the team's makeup and now he is wearing the arch rival's jersey. At least the Dolphins have the better QB situation as Ryan Tannehill is streets ahead of E.J. Manuel.

2/11/15: The Miami Dolphins are hoping to have left tackle Brandon Flowers back for the start of next season, but that is far from a certainty. Flowers was their big free agent signing last offseason after establishing himself in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs. Unfortunately, Flowers tore his ACL and MCL last November, and that is usually an 8 to 12 month rehab project. Flowers was seen walking without crutches recently, though he did have a noticeable limp. Missing Flowers for the last month of the season hurt the Dolphins as left tackles are extremely important.

2/5/15: Head coach Joe Philbin kept his job, to the surprise (and possibly disappointment) of many Dolphins fans, but it does not look like it is going to be business as usual in South Florida. For starters, their number one wide receiver, Mike Wallace, and his big salary may be gone. But the team may be interested in adding the biggest prize in free agency, Ndamukong Suh. Suh is a force on the defensive line - a game changer, in fact. He is also expected to be tremendously expensive to sign, which is why the Detroit Lions may just let him walk. If Miami can get him, he automatically improves the D-Line, though there may not be any money left to sign anyone else.

1/28/15: The Miami Dolphins are taking this offseason to evaluate their roster. The first big question is the status of wide receiver Mike Wallace, who seems to have upset some people with the perception that he asked out of the final game of the season - a charge he denies. Conversely, the organization appears to be happy with QB Ryan Tannehill. That seems to mean that the Dolphins will pick up the fifth year option on his contract and eventually sign him to an extension. Is Tannehill a franchise quarterback? That remains to be seen, but it appears that the Dolphins are willing to bet that he is.

1/21/15: The Miami Dolphins surprised a lot of people by not making a wholesale coaching staff change at the end of their season. Well, Dolphins fans were not surprised, they expected it. That does not mean that they will keep the team as it is currently constructed. One the bigger questions is the possible return or departure of wide receiver Mike Wallace. Wallace allegedly took himself out of the final game of the season, which may have upset his teammates, though Wallace denies ever asking out of the game. He also costs big money and just finished the second year of a five year, $60 million contract.

1/14/15: Well, that was a strange turn of events. It was not that long ago that Miami Dolphins' head coach Joe Philbin was considered to be on the hot seat and barely hanging on to his job. Then came word toward the end of the season that owner Steven Ross said Philbin's job was safe for next season. Now, reports indicate that the Dolphins are looking at extending Philbin's contract. Perhaps this is to avoid a 'lame duck' situation, which does not benefit anyone. On the other hand, the Dolphins have not been able to dramatically improve in Philbin's time. Of course, option number three could be that the Dolphins do not want to be embarrassed again by not being able to land coaches that they want.

1/7/15: The Miami Dolphins looked poised to take a big step forward this season before faltering down the stretch and missing the playoffs again. The Dolphins have been the definition of a mediocre or average team for the past several seasons. They can be good enough to beat anyone or sloppy enough to lose to anyone. One interesting note about the final game of the regular season was the report that wide receiver Mike Wallace asked out of the game. Wallace denies that and said it was a coach's decision. In any case, the seeds of discomfort may have been sown and it would not be surprising if Miami tries to trade him in the offseason.

12/3/14: The Miami Dolphins kept their playoff hopes alive by winning last Monday Night up in New Jersey against the rival New York Jets. It was a bizarre game from the start, with the Jets not introducing starting QB Geno Smith at the beginning of the game, then running the ball on 49 of 62 offensive plays. Miami was down 10-3 at halftime and had given up 210 rushing yards at that point. But they figured out the Jets one-dimensional offense in the second half and put up a touchdown and a pair of field goals for the win. Miami improved to 7-5 with the win and will host the Ravens this Sunday.

11/19/14: Statistically, Miami's home game against Buffalo last Thursday was not an elimination game, though the reality is that the loser would have a very tough time clawing their way back into playoff contention. Good thing for the Dolphins that they rallied in the second half with 19 points and walked out with a 22-9 win. The win improved the Dolphins to 6-4 on the season and dropped the Bills to 5-5. Considering how good the AFC is this season, there may not be much room for a wild-card team. Miami makes a rare appearance in Denver this Sunday with a chance to bolster their record even more.

11/12/14: Give Miami credit. They went into a hostile environment against a good team and took them to the mat. Unfortunately, their game last Sunday against the Detroit Lions pretty much came down to the last possession and they fell 20-16. The Dolphins trailed 10-3 at halftime, but took a 16-10 lead into the final minute of the game before Detroit scored the winning touchdown with just 29 seconds left. The offense did not do much in this game, but the defense certainly showed their mettle. Miami dropped to 5-4 on the season and has the quick week, hosting Buffalo on Thursday night.

11/5/14: The Dolphins are quietly moving up the rankings and impressing as they do so. The most recent win was a 37-0 rout of San Diego - who looked like a contender just a few weeks ago. This may have been their most complete game in years. The Dolphins controlled the ball for 36 minutes, so San Diego's offense was not on the field that much. They forced three interceptions as well. QB Ryan Tannehill looked like a first rounder with 288 yards passing and three touchdown against no interceptions. Miami improved to 5-3 on the season and will have a good test this Sunday at Detroit.

10/29/14: There were probably many people who threw in the towel on the Miami Dolphins season a few weeks ago, but this team is back and playing pretty well. Miami headed north to face the Jacksonville Jaguars last Sunday and walked out with an efficient 27-13 win. Key to the win was the defense forcing a pair of Blake Bortles interceptions, while keeping the Jacksonville running attack off the scoreboard and scoring two touchdowns. The Miami offense was not great, but was good enough. The Dolphins are now 4-3 on the season and host the Chargers this Sunday.

10/22/14: The Miami Dolphins continue to be one of the most confusing teams in the NFL. They can beat top talent and lose to marginal teams. This past week, they beat top (offensive) talent, taking down the host Chicago Bears 27-14 at Soldier Field. QB Ryan Tannehill played will, posting 277 yards and 2 TDs with zero interceptions. The rushing game was effective as a committee ran for 137 yards and a score. The defense did their job by limiting the effectiveness of the potent Bears offense. Miami is on the road this week, heading up I-95 to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars.

10/15/14: Miami has had some tough losses this season, but none may have been tougher to swallow than the one last Sunday to Green Bay. Miami scored two touchdowns early in the fourth quarter to take a 24-17 lead, a lead they were able to hold until about four minutes when Green Bay got a field goal. They lost the lead for good when Packers QB threw a touchdown pass with only three seconds left. The loss dropped the Dolphins to 2-3 on the season, but at least ahead of the Jets. The Dolphins are on the road in Week 7 to take on the Chicago Bears.

10/8/14: Suddenly the Miami Dolphins are looking pretty good. While the team certainly has a number of flaws, the AFC East looks as weak as it has in any season over the last 15 years. While the Bills continue to be the Bills and the Jets continue to be the Jets, the New England Patriots do not look at all like the dynastic organization they have been for the last decade and a half. They look very vulnerable, which could be the opportunity that the Dolphins need to capture the division. Miami already beat the Patriots once this year, and that could be a key factor in a tie breaker down when it comes to playoff time.

10/1/14: The Dolphins had a bit of a disruptive week before heading to London to take on the Oakland Raiders. It started when head coach Joe Philbin publicly said that he had not named a starting QB for the game. QB Ryan Tannehill did not take that well. But the dust-up was settled and Tannehill started - and played pretty well. He was 23-31 passing for 278 yards, two TDs and one interception in a 38-14 win. The win pushed the Dolphins back to .500 (2-2) on the season. Since they are coming back from England, they and the Raiders have a bye this week.

9/24/14: The Dolphins pulled out one of the biggest upsets in the first week of the season when they took down the New England Patriots. But they have not been able to do much since then. That continued last Sunday when they hosted the Kansas City Chiefs. While the Dolphins did rack up 141 yards in rushing, with Lamar Miller contributing 108 yards. But the Dolphins could not score touchdowns, and that was really the difference. Miami gets a chance to get back to .500 against Oakland. That is the first of the London games this season.

9/17/14: The Dolphins were expected to have a tough time following up their big win in the season opener against the New England Patriots. And they did have a tough time in Week 2 at Buffalo. The Bills crowd was already delirious about the news that Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula would be buying the team, and the Bills jumped out to a 9-0 lead at halftime. 20 more second half points sealed the deal. Running back Knowshown Moreno left early with an elbow injury and may be out for an extended amount of time. The Fins are now 1-1 on the season and host the Kansas City Chiefs in a late Sunday afternoon game.

8/28/14: Suffice it to say that the Dolphins rushing attack has been pretty anemic since Reggie Bush left town. Neither Lamar Miller nor Daniel Thomas did much last season that would give defensive coordinators sleepless nights. So the Dolphins signed veteran Knowshon Moreno in the offseason. He has been injured so far, and thus has been buried on the depth chart. Now he is healthy and the Fins are hoping that he provides the same kind of 1,000 yard seasons and pass protection that he did in Denver. Considering the competition he is up against, he may well move to the top of the depth chart fairly quickly.

8/21/14: The Miami Dolphins have a lot riding on quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill was selected in the first round in the 2012 draft. In two seasons, he has shown flashes of skill, but no one is mistaking him for a hall of famer at this point. With a new offense in place, he may be able to take off the training wheels and show that he is a competent NFL QB. But if he should struggle or get injured, the Dolphins may just have their insurance policy. The Fins signed Brady Quinn to compete for a backup role. Some may recall that Miami was expected to draft him ninth in 2007. They took Ted Ginn Jr. instead and nothing worked out for anyone in that draft.

8/14/14: The offseason is fun because every player is in 'the best shape' of his life and new coaching schemes 'open up the offense/defense'. In the NFL, where parity is king, any team can rise from the ashes and win the Super Bowl. The Dolphins have the same optimism as everyone else, but really have work to do on defense. They did not look good in their first preseason game. The upside is that the offense should be improved this season. Wide receiver Mike Wallace should be used better and QB Ryan Tannehill has another year of experience.

8/7/14: As it stands right now, this could be another long season for the Miami Dolphins offensive line. The OL was decimated last season from the fallout of a bullying scandal. Jonathan Martin left the team, Richie Incognito is suspended and possibly out of football. Center Mike Pouncey made it through, but he is out for at least the first half of the season with injury. The Dolphins tried to put Shelley Smith in at center, but that did not work. Now they have added Samson Satele with the hopes that he can find a stopgap solution until Pouncey returns.

7/31/14: Another week, another tough spot for the Miami Dolphins. A few weeks ago, there was an alleged altercation between Dolphins center Mike Pouncy and his twin brother Maurkice against some patrons at a Miami area nightclub. No charges were filed but now the twins are being sued by three people who claim injuries. So far it is just a complaint, but it could get more interesting if there is any surveillance video available. Of course this happened when the Pounceys were celebrating their birthday. A year ago they attended their birthday celebration in Free Hernandez shirts.

7/24/14: The Miami Heat's loss is the Miami Dolphins gain. With LeBron James taking his talents out of South Beach, the team looks to recapture lost market share. Miami fans are very fickle and demand a winner. With the rest of the area's professional teams (and the University of Miami Hurricanes) in a down mode, this looks to be the perfect time to get fans back to Sun Life Stadium. The AFC East is still owned by the Patriots, but enough good play from developing talents could make the Dolphins very competitive this season and well into the future.

7/17/14: It is no secret that the Miami Dolphins have been mired in controversy for the better part of the last 12 months. It goes beyond the bullying scandal that destroyed the offensive line or even suspensions for PED use. There have been a number of issues, so it is nice to hear of something good. New left tackle Branden Albert donated backpacks full of school supplies for underprivileged children in Rochester, New York. School 36 was the winning school this year, and has a poverty rate over 94%. The backpacks have a calculator, index cards, paper, folders, pens, pencils and a composition book. A great donation from Albert.

7/10/14: The Dolphins got aggressive in the 2013 draft, some may say too aggressive, by trading up to the third overall spot to draft Oregon defensive end Dion Jordan. Jordan had a lackluster rookie year and was not a starter. It is too soon to yell bust on the pick, but suffice it to say, it has not worked out yet for the Dolphins. And it will take even longer to see what he can do. Jordan was suspended for four games for use of a banned substance. He will be eligible in Week 5, which is a bye week, so will not get on the field until Week 6 at the earliest.

7/3/14: There is no secret that the Dolphins are trying to rebuild their offensive line in the wake of the bullying scandal last season. Just about everyone who was a starter for the season opener is gone from the team, with the notable exception of center Mike Pouncey. Now, it turns out that Pouncey is having hip surgery which will keep him from playing for an estimated three months. The Dolphins are now scrambling to find a replacement and that may include Daryn Colledge or Shelley Smith. In any case, they will be without Pouncey for quite a while.

6/26/14: Reports out of Dolphins OTAs over the past few weeks indicated that new running back Knowshown Moreno was not doing very well and fell behind Lamar Miller on the depth chart. Not exactly what Miami envisioned when they signed him in the offseason. It turns out that Moreno is dealing with a knee issue and may require arthroscopic surgery. It is not the knee in which he tore his ACL in 2011. This sounds like a routine injury, which is good. It also means that he could be back in action by the time training camp comes around.

6/19/14: New Dolphins cornerback Cortland Finnigan has been on a lot of teams over the years between his time in Tennessee and St. Louis. But even he said that he has never seen a faster team than this year's Miami Dolphins offense. Some of Finnigan's teams have been very good (and some, very bad). However, he believes the new offense in Miami could be a force to be reckoned with. It also means that the defense gets a good sparring partner every week, and that will make the Dolphins defense a much better unit. They will need to be better on both sides of the ball if they are going to overtake New England this season.

6/12/14: It is no secret that the Dolphins want major upgrades to their stadium, but have not been able to present a package that the public will support. The NFL has effectively said that not more Super Bowls will be played in Miami with the current state of Sun Life Stadium, and the team has tried to use that as leverage for a financing deal. But Southeast Florida voters are shy about funding public venues since they felt that the Marlins pulled a fast one over on them a few years ago. Now it looks like the Dolphins are moving towards a deal for renovations, but it will probably be for far less than what they originally wanted.

6/6/14: The Miami Dolphins may make history as having the worst Public Relations skills of all time. The team is still feeling the repercussions of the Bounty-gate scandal last year (not to mention missing the playoffs for several years). Now comes word that new GM Dennis HIckey fired a scout. That would not be news in and of itself, but the scout is suing the Dolphins for violating the Disabilities Act. He has been a scout for several years and worked from home with no issues. Chances are that this gets settled before going to court, but it just another example of the Dolphins tripping over themselves.

5/29/14: Thirty years ago, Miami was coming into its own as one of the most prolific offensive teams in the NFL. Of course, they had guys like Dan Marino and Mark Duper leading their aerial assault. New Dolphins' offensive coordinator, Bill Lazor, is trying to bring back those days. He spent last season as the Eagles' QB coach and wants to emulate their style. He plans to bring up the tempo and add some West Coast elements, some shotgun and other of Chip Kelly's tricks to keep defenses off guard. He also needs receivers to step up and for Ryan Tannehill to turn into Nick Foles pretty quickly, though.

5/22/14: It seems like the players for the Miami Dolphins just cannot seem to avoid controversy. The bullying scandal between offensive linemen last season stole headlines, got a respected trainer fired, and decimated the O-line (still, somehow, Pouncy kept his job). More recently, Pouncy tweeted that he was looking forward to his gifts when the Dolphins selected an O-lineman in the first round. Then Don Jones posted an unflattering tweet after Michael Sam was selected by the Rams. For all the talent on the team, it sure looks like they are going the wrong way at this time.

5/15/14: The Dolphins simply need to rebuild their offensive line after the bullying scandal destroyed the unit last season. Picking 19th overall in the draft, they went a bit off the board and selected offensive tackle Ja'Wuan James from Tennessee. The fans were not too pleased with that pick, possibly preferring another offensive lineman. The good thing about James is that he can play both tackle and guard, and the Dolphins can use that kind of flexibility - he will likely be a starter from day one, which is much needed down in South Beach (actually, Davie, Florida).

5/8/14: Miami Dolphins General Manager Dennis Hickey is under a lot of pressure these days. It is no secret that he was not the team's first, second, or even sixth pick for the job. Considering that Miami has only been to the playoffs once in the last decade or so, they cannot afford to miss on this draft. Hickey, for his part, would rather have more picks to work with. That sounds a lot like a guy who is willing to deal down from the first and second round to get more ammunition for future. That is probably a good strategy, considering that this is a particularly deep draft - and there may be some quality players available as undrafted free agents.

5/1/14: Some sad news for the Miami Dolphins family as longtime NFL QB Earl Morrall passed away at age 79. Morrall played for over twenty years in the league and was even a league MVP. He is probably best known for being the starting QB for the undefeated 1972 Dolphins, the only team that went undefeated in both the regular season and playoffs (and win the Super Bowl). Morrall actually got injured that season, so much of the credit is given to backup Bob Griese. But that team would not accomplished what they did without Morrall. Best wishes to the family.

4/24/14: The Dolphins are 0-2 with help from the Florida legislature over the past two seasons, now. A year ago, they wanted tax relief so they could renovate their stadium. That failed, as the Florida population is wary of giving funding to stadiums after it was perceived that the Miami Marlins fleeced the tax payers. The more recent bill was for an anti-bullying campaign. It failed as well, but only because experts came in and had suggestions to improve it. Chances are that the bill will be re-written and re-submitted in an upcoming session. No one is against it, but it should be done right.

4/17/14: A new article out of the Philadelphia area claims that the Eagles tried to trade with the Dolphins for pass rusher Dion Jordan. The Eagles apparently offered a second round pick and linebacker/defensive end Brandon Graham. Jordan played for Chip Kelly at Oregon, and apparently Kelly wants him back. There has been speculation that the Dolphins would be willing to deal Jordan after a disappointing rookie campaign. The Dolphins traded both their first and second round picks last year to move up to number three to draft Jordan, so maybe they are looking for more to recoup their losses.

4/10/14: The Jonathan Martin bullying scandal rocked the Miami Dolphins last season, and this year the team figures to have new offensive line with 80% new players. One side casualty of the situation was the team fired longtime athletic trainer Kevin O'Neill. O'Neill was/is highly respected throughout the league. He was fired during the Combine week, and was reportedly uncooperative with those investigating the bullying charges during the investigation. The Dolphins announced his replacement last week in Ryan Grove. Grove spent the past 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, acting as the assistant athletic trainer since 1998.

4/3/14: The Dolphins made a move to bolster their anemic running attack in the past week. The team signed Denver Broncos castoff Knowshawn Moreno. Moreno rushed for over 1,000 yards last season, which is more than all of the Dolphins put together. One of Moreno's best features is that he understands blocking and can do it to protect the QB, which makes it a bit of a surprise that Denver would let him go. One interesting fact about him is that he is only 26, though it seems like he has been in the league for a long, long time.

3/27/14: It can (and probably should) be argued that there should be an moratorium on any scandal using the term 'gate' for naming purposes. However, that piece of legislation is probably not on the horizon, so the BullyGate situation from the Dolphins 2013 season is still around. Miami was able to trade left tackle Jonathan Martin to San Francisco for a late round pick a couple of weeks ago. Now, chief instigator Richie Incognito is trying to get a job and says that he wants to return to the Dolphins. It will not be that easy, though. The NFL is requiring that Incognito get a medical evaluation before being able to play again.

3/20/14: Almost a year ago, right before the draft, the Dolphins were trying to get left tackle Brandon Albert from the Chiefs. Albert had received the franchise tag and the Chiefs were preparing to take an offensive tackle in the draft (turned out to be Eric Fisher). Miami balked at the second round pick as compensation. Then the season happened and their entire offensive line was ensnared in the bullying scandal. The Dolphins got Albert this offseason as a free agent. However, they probably could have saved themselves a lot of pain if they made that trade last season.

3/13/14: The Dolphins are trying to move on from the Jon Martin/Richie Incognito situation. That is easier said than done. Incognito was found to have beaten up his ultra-expensive sports car, and claimed he was venting. Then he checked himself into a therapy resort. Meanwhile, the team is moving forward. They re-signed cornerback Brent Grimes to a four year, $32 million deal, which now sets the bar for cornerbacks in the open market. Miami has a long way to go until they are a stable organization again, so it is all just baby steps at this point.

3/6/14: There is so much going on with the Miami Dolphins in the fallout of the Wells Report on the Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito debacle, that many stories are getting overlooked. One of those is that the Dolphins may be floating Dion Jordan in trade talks. Jordan was their first round pick last year, and cost them the 12th and 42nd overall picks to obtain. He may have been a stretch at No. 3, but is still young and athletic so it seems confusing why the team would give up on him so early in his career.

2/27/14: The Wells report has been out for a week now and everyone has had time to digest the findings and put their spin on it. The common theme is that there was rampant harassment going on in the locker room, that assistants were contributing to the environment, and that head coach Joe Philbin was unaware of it. Philbin is taking responsibility for the situation as the head guy - an admirable gesture even if too late. There is a good chance that the Dolphins will start the season with an entirely new offensive line, and that is something to be concerned about for fans. QB Ryan Tannehill is developing into a serviceable QB, but no one can play well with a poor line.

2/20/14: The official report from investigator Ted Wells was released last week, and as many may have guessed, it does not shine too brightly on the Miami Dolphins organization. The report concludes that Richie Incognito and others repeatedly harassed Jonathan Martin and others. It also points out that there is a control problem within the organizations, though also concluded that head coach Joe Philbin was not aware of the situation. Now it just seems to be a matter of time before both Incognito and Martin, and possibly others, are officially released from the organization, and it is anyone's guess as to whether or not any of them get jobs in the NFL again.

2/13/14: The Dolphins just cannot seem to catch a break these days. Even glossing over the fact that they hired their eight choice (Dennis Hickey) as GM, and having to publicly declare that Hickey would have full GM powers and not be a figurehead - the team cannot seem to put the Jonathan Martin/Richie Incognito situation behind them. The Wells report was scheduled to come out last week, but now it has been delayed. The longer it drags on, the worse it is for the franchise, and that may affect how free agents view the team when they are looking to sign.

2/6/14: The Dolphins franchise remains in shambles, even after the hiring of Dennis Hickey to be the new GM and owner Jeffery Ross publicly stating that he will have full control. Hickey came to the Dolphins from the Bucs, where he had spent about two decades working through the ranks. There have been reports that the Bucs were about to fire Hickey when he took the Miami job. In an interesting turn of events, his former boss - Mark Dominic - is looking for work after being fired by Tampa, and he may now become Hickey's assistant in Miami. The NFL is such a small world, it seems important to stay on good terms with everyone.

1/30/14: This has taken some time. And a lot of rejection. However, the Dolphins finally have a new General Manager. Miami fired former GM Jeff Ireland several weeks ago and have interviewed (what seems like) half of the league to fill the post. Several high quality candidates said no, including Patriots Director of Player Personnel Nick Caserio and Titans VP of Player Personnel Lake Dawson. The Dolphins finally hired Dennis Hickey, who has spent the last 18 years with Tampa, most recently as their Director of Personnel. Hickey was not considered for the Buc's job, so this is probably a good move for him.

1/23/14: Another week and another week gone by without the Dolphins finding a new general manager. Owner Jeffery Ross opted to keep the head coach, but fired the offensive coordinator and general manager. The funny thing about that is that GMs generally like to hire their own coach. So they may end up getting a new GM that wants to get rid of the head coach. This could be a messy cycle that does not get resolved until everyone is fired and a completely new staff is hired. That scenario does not bode well for a young QB and team that is trying to develop.

1/16/14: There were no block parties, no happy rioting, no declaration of a city-wide holiday - yet make no mistake, Dolphins fans are thrilled that GM Jeff Ireland has been fired. Ireland had six years to make the team a contender, and seemed to slip up at every opportunity - at least that is what Dolphins fans believe. They are still mad that he could not convince Jeff Fisher to be the head coach, and that Fisher chose St. Louis over Miami. There are other gaffes as well, too many to mention. The real problem now is that when they get a new GM, he may want to fire the head coach - so maybe it would have been better to just press the reset button on the whole team.

1/9/14: It has been over a week since the season ended, and most everyone is still in their jobs in Miami. The Dolphins had a great chance at making the playoffs, and would have been in had they won one of their two last games of the season - games against the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets. They managed one touchdown in both game (combined) and missed the postseason. There have been threats of changes, but nothing has happened yet. Mike Sherman, offensive coordinator, has been let go, Next up may be GM Jeff Ireland. In any case, the team does need to make some more changes to keep up with the rest of the league.

1/2/14: Miami had a great opportunity to make the playoffs this season but seemed to choke in the final two games. They were blown out in Buffalo in Week 16 then allowed the Jets to come to their house and walk all over them. The loss (combined with several other factors) eliminated the Dolphins from playoff contention and the team finished at 8-8. While they seemed to gel after the Richie Incognito/Jonathan Martin disaster, it is obvious that they need help on the offensive line so that they can run the ball next season, which they did not do well this season.

12/26/13: There are certain games that you just cannot lose, and the Dolphins were in that situation last Sunday at Buffalo. Unfortunately, the Miami offense could get absolutely nothing going (very noticeable for those that relied on their skill players in fantasy football playoffs) in the 19-0 loss. Ryan Tannehill threw for only 82 yards and was sacked seven times. Lamar Miller led the rushing attack with eight yards on the day. Miami is not out of the playoff hunt, but needs a lot of help to get in. The Dolphins (8-7) finish up the regular season hosting the rival New York Jets (7-8), who are eliminated from the playoffs.

12/19/13: In one of the more entertaining games of Week 15, the Dolphins knocked the monkey off of their back by beating the New England Patriots for the first time in over four years. The Dolphins got behind a few times in the game but kept coming back for a 24-20 win. New England even got the ball back with well over a minute left for one last chance, but the Phins picked off Tom Brady and sealed the win. Miami (8-6) is in prime position to claim a wild-card spot, but they will have to get past the Bills (5-9) in Buffalo in Week 16 to do so.

12/12/13: Dolphins at Steelers may have had more buzz in the 1970's, but this game had the makings of a great matchup between two storied franchises. First, both came in hanging on to their playoff hopes. Second, it was played in the snow. Miami came out on top with a 34-28 win. QB Ryan Tannehill only threw for 200 yards, but did have three touchdown. Running back Daniel Thomas got the bulk of the work in his first game back from injury and posted 105 yards and a score. The win puts the Dolphins at 7-6 on the season with a chance to make the playoffs as the second wild card team.

12/5/13: Any time the Dolphins get a chance to embarrass their arch rival, the New York Jets, they take it. And this past weekend was a prime opportunity. Playing in New York in front of the restless Jets' fans, the Dolphins put on a defensive clinic and made Jets QB Geno Smith look like an unprepared rookie. Smith was 4-10 for 29 yards and an 8.3 quarterback ranking before getting pulled for Matt Simms in the second half. The win puts Miami at 6-6 and very much alive for an AFC wild card spot. The Dolphins head to Pittsburgh to face the 5-7 Steelers this Sunday.

11/28/13: The Dolphins have actually responded fairly well to all the scrutiny and have banded together to play decent football for the past few weeks. They played well enough to win against the Carolina Panthers last week, but wilted in the final drive to lose 20-16. QB Ryan Tannehill threw for over 300 yards and a touchdown on the day. However, the Dolphins could not rush the ball again and lost Daniel Thomas for the year. The real problem was the defense allowing a last-minute touchdown in the loss. The Dolphins (5-6) head north to take on the Jets (5-6) this Sunday.

11/21/13: The Dolphins had six days to digest their Monday night loss to the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers - as well as deal with the ongoing bullying scandal. Whatever they did in that time was enough as they beat the San Diego Chargers on the road 20-16. Miami gave up a first quarter touchdown, but then limited the Chargers to three fieldgoals the rest of the way. The Dolphins continue to struggle running the ball. Daniel Thomas led the way with just 57 yards on the ground. But it was a win and even up Miami's record at 5-5. Tough game this Sunday when they host the Carolina Panthers.

11/14/13: Miami started the season with three straight wins followed by four consecutive losses. They evened up their record with a walk-off safety in OT versus the Bengals and then came the Jonathan Martin/Richie Incognito bullying situation. They faced the Bucs last Monday in what became known as the Dysfunctional Bowl. Tampa proved to be the more stable and focused of the two teams and won 22-19. Tampa jumped to a 15-0 lead before Miami came back and led 19-15. But the Dolphins defense could not in the fourth quarter. Miami managed a franchise low two yards rushing during the game, which should give cause for concern going forward.

11/7/13: There are a lot of problems down in Miami, so it was good that the team got a much needed victory last Thursday over the visiting Cincinnati Bengals. The game went into overtime and the Dolphins won on a rare game-ending safety, with the final score being 22-20. The bigger news is the bullying scandal on the team. Offensive tackle Jonathan Martin left the team and now offensive guard Richie Incognito has been dismissed after voice and text messages threatening Martin were released. The players union and NFL will have their investigations, but none of it looks good for Miami.

10/31/13: It seems like every year the Dolphins get the Patriots at a time when it looks like they can overtake their long-time rival. This past Sunday it appeared the Patriots' QB Tom Brady had an injured hand. If that was true, it did not matter as the Patriots had other ways to beat the Fins 27-17. Miami led 17-3 at halftime but melted in the second half. They limited Brady to 116 yards, but gave up two touchdowns in seven plays to turn the game around. It was the fourth loss of the season for the Dolphins and leaves them in third place in the division. Short week for Miami, as they host the Bengals on Thursday night.

10/24/13: In most sports, Miami has fickle fans who tend to show up when the team is winning (see: Heat, Panthers, Marlins). But the city's oldest professional franchise has a fan base that loathes the Buffalo Bills. Losing to the Bills at home is a sin to them, so there are a lot of unhappy campers in South Florida right now. The Bills' kicker, former Dolphin Dan Carpenter, kicked the winning field goal with 33 seconds left after Mario Williams sacked Ryan Tannehill and forced a fumble late in the game. The Fins great start has disappeared as the team now stands at 3-3. Miami plays the Patriots in New England next Sunday.

10/17/13: The Dolphins are on their bye week, so they get a few extra days to rest, travel, rehabilitate, or whatever professional football players do when they have some down time. Miami is 3-2 on the season after starting off 3-0. It does not look like they are quiet ready to challenge the Patriots for the top spot in the AFC East, but they are getting closer. One bright spot has been tight end Charles Clay - who has stepped in admirably in the tight end position. He gives QB Ryan Tannehill another target, and should help open things up for Lamar Miller the rest of the year.

10/10/13: Two weeks ago the Dolphins were at 3-0 and people started talking about them as the surprise team. Today they sit at 3-2 and people are trying to figure out what is going wrong. A lot of the problem is dropped passes, and the Fins had a lot of them on Sunday, as they lost 26-23 to Baltimore at home last Sunday. Miami had a 13-6 lead but allowed the Ravens to rally in the third quarter. The Dolphins tied it up in the fourth, but Baltimore kicked the game winning field goal to ice the win. It was a tough loss for Miami who goes on their bye in Week 6.

10/3/13: The Dolphins perfect season came to an end on Monday night as they fell to the host New Orleans Saints 38-17. Miami had played well up until Week 4, knocking off Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Atlanta. The first two wins were on the road, and the offense has looked pretty good so far. It was a different story in New Orleans, who has not lost in their last nine Monday Night games. The Dolphins simply could not get much going on this evening, and dropped to 3-1 on the season and in second place (behind the Patriots) in the AFC East. Miami gets to return home in Week 5 to host the 2-2 Baltimore Ravens.

9/26/13: Of all the teams that are undefeated after three weeks of the regular season, the Miami Dolphins may be the most surprising. The Dolphins won their first two games on the road, which is impressive in its own right, then knocked off the Atlanta Falcons in Miami 27-23. Atlanta held a 13-10 halftime lead but Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins made the second half count. Tannehill threw a 1-yard TD pass to rookie tight end Dion Sims with just 38 seconds remaining to secure the win. The '72 Dolphins aren't worried yet, but a great start for Miami so far. The team travels again in Week 4. This time for a Monday Night Game against the 3-0 Saints.

9/19/13: The Miami Dolphins may be the surprise team of the season so far. The Dolphins are 2-0, with both wins coming on the road. The Dolphins bested Cleveland in Week 1 and followed that up by holding on to a 24-20 lead in Indianapolis in Week 2. The win over Indy should give the defense some confidence as they stopped the Colts who had a first down from the Miami 23 yard line. Miami plays their home opener this Sunday. The Dolphins will host the Atlanta Falcons (1-1), who are coming off of a win over St. Louis.

9/12/13: Miami shut down the somewhat-hyped Cleveland offense en route to an opening day 23-10 win. The Dolphins defense was as good as advertised once the Miami offense put up enough points that the Browns were forced to throw the ball. It was an interesting start in that Cleveland running back Trent Richardson torched the Dolphins defense on the opening drive, then simply went away from the run. Newly acquired WR Mike Wallace wanted more targets, and he will likely get those over the next few weeks. The Dolphins go to Indianapolis this Sunday to face the 1-0 Colts.

9/4/13: The new-look Dolphins will start the 2013 season against the new-look Cleveland Browns. The Dolphins are widely expected to finish second in the AFC East - meaning they have not caught up to New England, but have separated themselves from Buffalo and the New York Jets. Second year quarterback Ryan Tannehill is the key to the season. He was the third quarterback taken in the 2012 draft and had a decent rookie year - but he was overshadowed by RG3 and Russell Wilson. He has steadily improved and now has the deep threat he needs to keep defenses honest.

8/29/13: The 1972 Miami Dolphins went down in history as the only team to ever go undefeated and win the Super Bowl. Their record has been challenged a few times, most recently in 2007 when the rival Patriots went 16-0 in the regular season but lost the Super Bowl to the New York Giants. Some 40 years later, the team finally made a trip to the White House for their visit. This year's team likely will not challenge the 72 team, but shows promise of improving with an upgraded defense and receiving threat in speedster Mike Wallace.

8/22/13: There may not be a bigger question mark in the league than the Miami Dolphins. No one knows exactly how good or bad they are at this point. They are in year two of the Joe Philbin and Ryan Tannehill era. They spent heavily in the offseason on Mike Wallace and others. And they have a new starting running back in Lamar Thomas. But again, how good are they? Most believe that the Patriots will take the division and Miami will finish second. However, no one knows if that is good enough for a wild card spot. The Dolphins think they will be in the playoffs, and hopefully their fans will show up to support them this season.

8/15/13: The Dolphins had the honor (along with the Dallas Cowboys) of opening up the NFL season with the Hall of Fame game. Ryan Tannehill started at QB and second year player Lamar Miller was named the starting running back. Miller fumbled the handoff from Tannehill on the Dolphins first play from scrimmage, which led to a Dallas touchdown. Many people immediately downgraded Miller, but he did break off several 10+ yard runs in the ensuing series. Hopefully Miller has a short memory and can be more like the prime rusher we saw after the fumble than the one who could not take a simple hand-off.

8/8/13: The Dolphins spent heavily this offseason to upgrade the entire team, and that includes free agents Mike Wallace and Brent Grimes. They also traded into the number three spot overall and selected defensive lineman Dion Jordan. Jordan is performing well in camp, and has had his way against left tackle Jonathan Martin so far. This should be a concern to the team after they allowed Jake Long to leave (to the Rams) via free agency. Without being able to protect the QB's blind side, all the improvements the team may be for nothing in the 2013 season.

8/1/13: As fast as new Dolphins wide receiver Mike Wallace is, he may have to get faster. QB Ryan Tannehill overthrew Wallace on deep routes, not once, but twice in training camp over the weekend. Actually this is probably just a matter of the QB and WR getting on the same timing. Each receiver runs slightly different routes at different speeds. Once the two are on the same page then they can really do some damage to opposing secondaries. In other news, the Dolphins waived QB Aaron Corp, meaning they will go to the Hall of Fame Game against the Bears with only Tannehill, Matt Moore, and Pat Delvin.

7/25/13: Miami finally signed first round pick Dion Jordan, getting him under contract before training camp opens. The hold up was the the Dolphins wanted offset language in the contract so they would not be on the hook for the full value of the contract if Jordan is a huge bust. Jordan and his camp obviously did not want that language. The team won this round, and just like last year's first round pick Ryan Tannehill, was successful in inserting the offset language in the contract. Of course, if he plays for four years, then the entire point is moot.

7/18/13: Dolphins owner Stephen Ross wants to make life uncomfortable in the Florida State Congress He is still upset that a bill to fund millions of dollars in renovations to Dolphins Stadium was never introduced in the previous session, and claims Speaker of the House Will Weatherford reneged on a promise to do so. Ross has formed a political action committee to get him voted out next election. Instead of pointing his anger at Weatherford, he should be going after the Marlins and the City, who (by some accounts) tricked half a billion dollars for the Marlins new stadium when there is so little support for that team anywhere.

7/11/13: Head coach Joe Philbin and GM Jeff Ireland have done a major reconstruction job with the Miami Dolphins. The roster is almost 100% changed over from just two seasons ago, and that is for the better. There are still some key question marks for the team, as they try to challenge the New England Patriots for supremacy in the AFC East. The first is at running back. Reggie Bush is gone, so a new starter must take over. Most people believe it will be Lamar Miller, though Daniel Thomas is still in the mix. The other is on the offensive line. The Fins lost left tackle Jake Long, and need to make sure they have the talent to protect the QB.

7/4/13: The Dolphins are expecting a great season, and they should have high expectations after all the money they spent in free agency. It actually looks like the Fins have a plan - build up the team and challenge the Patriots now - then take over the division once Brady retires. One key piece is safety Rashad Jones. Jones skipped a few OTAs, but returned to work. He wants a new contract, and honestly why wouldn't he after seeing the money thrown at Brent Grimes and Mike Wallace. Miami has a lot of cap space for 2014, so the expectation now is that the two sides will work towards a long term extension that satisfies everyone.

6/27/13: The Dolphins are not yet considered to be serious Super Bowl contenders this season, and that is not surprising. The AFC still has some great teams like Baltimore, New England, Houston, and the rising Indianapolis Colts. But the odds makers like them better than last year, and even better than three months ago. The newest odds have the Dolphins at 50-1 to win the whole thing. The favorable (or unfavorable, depending on your point of view) is due to the large influx of talent the team brought in during free agency. But buyer beware. There are many examples of teams spending large on big names only to massively underachieve (see: Washington Redskins).

6/20/13: The NFL is really the one professional sport where fans of almost any team can speculate that they are a legitimate championship contender in the offseason. Champions have arisen out of no where to take the title - such as the '99 Rams going worst to first. So it has to be taken with a large block of salt when Dolphins personnel are saying that second year QB Ryan Tannehill is about to take 'the leap' and the Fins are a legitimate threat to the Patriots dominance. So far, the offense looks better - but pads have not even been put on yet - check back in October.

6/13/13: Former Dolphins wide receiver Chad Johnson is going to jail for at 30 days after his behavior in a South Florida courtroom. Johnson, formerly Chad Ochocinqo, skipped parole meetings with his parole officer for the past several months. A warrant was issued for his arrest, but his attorney managed a plea arrangement to avoid jail time. When Johnson congratulated his lawyer with a slap to the backside, the judge announced that she did not think Johnson was taking the proceedings seriously, and refused to accept the plea agreement - meaning Johnson will sit in a jail cell for a month.

6/6/13: The departure of running back Reggie Bush leaves a gaping hole in the backfield for the Dolphins. While Bush never lived up to his hype when he came out of USC as the second overall pick, he did provide consistent production for several years and proved he could be a primary back. Five men are fighting for the starter position: Lamar Miller, Daniel Thomas, Mike Gillislee, Jonas Gray and Marcus Thigpen. That basically means that the team is looking at a committee of no-name approach with the hope that someone steps up. Its hard to believe that with all the improvements the team did in the offseason that they would pretty much ignore this obvious need.

5/30/13: So far, new Dolphins wide receiver Mike Wallace loves the Miami atmosphere. He loves the 'college mentality' of the team, playing is fun again, and has nothing but praise for his new QB, Ryan Tannehill. The Dolphins paid top dollar to import Wallace, and expect him to be a big part of the offense - so it helps that he is happy so far. Miami can challenge for the AFC East title, or at least a wild card spot with the improvements they have made in the offseason. Of course, they still have to contend with Brady and the Patriots, but it looks like the gap may be narrowing.

5/23/13: And the host site for Super Bowl L (50) goes to…San Francisco. Miami wanted to host the 50th version of the Super Bowl, but was denied by the NFL, pretty much because Dolphins Stadium will not be renovated to NFL standards. Miami hosted the big game in 2007 and 2010 (as well as many times before that). However, a bill to fund major renovations was not introduced to the Florida legislature in the past session. Floridians, and particularly those in South Florida, are still upset by the one half billion dollar tab for the Marlins stadium.

5/16/13: This is most likely political rhetoric and scare tactics, but some believe that the Miami Dolphins could move to Los Angeles at some time. The Dolphins wanted public money to refurbish their stadium. The bill did not even make it to the Florida House of Representatives floor during the last legislative session. No money means no improvements means no Super Bowl (the Miami fans should thank the Marlins for taking the public money). Since there is no upgrades to the stadium in the near future, and an open spot in L.A., could the Dolphins move? It is possible, but not likely. Unlike other Miami teams, the city actually cares about the Dolphins.

5/9/13: The Miami Dolphins are a pretty unhappy bunch right now. They were counting on the Florida legislature to approve a bill which would allow for a referendum on $360 million to upgrade Dolphins Stadium. Since the bill was not discussed in the sixty day session, Miami will not be eligible to host the fiftieth Super Bowl in a few years. San Francisco will likely get the honor. State congressional leaders may have been gun-shy about this bill, particularly after many feel that Marlins swindled their way into a half billion dollar stadium a few years ago. The difference is that people go to Dolphins games.

5/2/13: Miami and the Chiefs were in negotiations for offensive tackle Brandon Albert for weeks, with the hang up being second round compensation. The Fins had two second rounders, but wanted to part with the lower one. Chiefs wanted the higher one, of course. So Miami gave a big finger to the Chiefs when they traded up (with the Raiders) to the third overall slot and selected Oregon defensive end Dion Jordan. That second round pick was now gone. No deal was done. The Jordan pick is being criticized because many 'experts' do not believe he has the body type for the NFL, and he was rated much lower.

4/25/13: It is only April, but most people that follow the NFL, even if only casually, can predict the outcome of the AFC East. Most likely, New England will again win the division. Miami is up and coming and should be better than train wrecks that are the Bills and Jets. Miami finished 7-9 last year and out of the playoffs. With another year of experience and consistency at head coach, they should be able to move up somewhat. They are still trying to find a cornerstone left tackle to replace Jake Long, so Lane Johnson makes a lot of sense with the 12th pick overall.

4/18/13: Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland appears to be trying to throw out one of the more public smokescreens in recent years. He claims to be content at staying at the 12th pick but, also says that he has the ammunition to trade up to the number one overall selection. Many people believe that the Fins covet Oklahoma offensive lineman Lane Johnson. However, most also believe that he will be gone by the time Miami picks. Miami could use a replacement for former All Pro Jake Long (their number one pick five years ago), who left for St. Louis in the off season.

4/11/13: Recent reports have the Dolphins trying to trade up in the first round to select left tackle Lane Johnson out of the University of Oklahoma. Johnson is super athletic. He claims he can still do a 360 dunk. He ran a sub 5.0 in the 40 yard dash at the combine - equal to Anquan Boldin's time in 2003 and has a 34 inch vertical. He is likely to be selected in the top 10, if not the top seven. Therefore, the Dolphins are going to have to create a package for someone in order to move up and take him. The good news is that the Fins have extra picks this year from the deal that sent Brandon Marshall to Chicago.

4/4/13: Miami has been one of the more active teams this free agency, and looks like they just nabbed the last of the big name free agents for this off season. The Dolphins agreed to a one year deal with cornerback Brent Grimes over the weekend. Grimes was considered one of the league's better corners, and started 28 games in 2010 and 2011. However, he injured his Achilles tendon in the opener last year and missed the season. If he can return to health and his past abilities, then the Dolphins may have have stolen a solid secondary starter to help shut down the Patriots offensive attack.

3/28/13: Head coach Joe Philbin is putting his stamp on the roster this offseason. Unlike a year ago, Philbin has been heaviliy involved with GM Jeff Ireland on free agent and draft targets. Philbin spent his early days with the Dolphins organizing his staff. He was hired a bit late, so Ireland already had the free agent strategy underway, leaving Philbin rather silent. This time around was different. The team has loaded up on defensive free agents and an elite (if inconsistent) wide receiver. The coach also has more of a say in draft, as the organization is taking a more collaberative approach this year.

3/21/13: Miami made big splashes by luring wide receiver Mike Wallace (Steelers) and linebacker Dannell (Ravens) last week, but they could not keep one of their own. Left tackle Jake Long signed with the St. Louis Rams. The Dolphins tried to keep Long, and made an $8 million per year offer, but the Rams came in at $9 million ($36 million over four years). The Dolphins made Long their number one pick in 2008, the first pick overall. The Rams picked second that year and wanted Long. When he was not available, they selected defensive end Chris Long (no relation).

Unfortunately your team did not have make the Super Bowl and we are truly sorry. Next year! But that doesn't mean you can't have a great time at the Super Bowl this year. Check out more info on Super Bowl 2013 tickets over on the SeatGeek Blog.

3/14/13: The Dolphins got very busy on the first the day of free agency, signing top free agents Mike Wallace and Dannell Ellerby to large and long term deals. At the same time, Miami cut Karlos Dansby just moments after announcing the Ellerby signing. Dansby refused to restructure his $42.5 million deal, which had two years remaining. The Dolphins finally got a top end receiver to stretch the field and open up the entire offense. Wallace became available after he and the Steelers could not come to a long term deal and the Steelers elected to move forward with Antonio Brown as the primary receiver.

3/7/13: When Jake Long got hurt and was ably replaced by a no-name, the speculation that the team would not franchise tag him grew. Those predictions came true, as the Dolphins used their franchise tag on defensive tackle Randy Starks, a two time Pro-Bowler. Jake Long will likely be a free agent, as will Chris Clemmons. The Dolphins will need another pass rusher, and may use a high draft pick to fill that need. In any case, the Dolphins are building up their defense in an effort to slow down division rival New England and their vaunted offense.

2/28/13: Not too many years ago, Reggie Bush was the most acclaimed player in the draft. Houston surprised everyone when they selected Mario Williams with the number one pick that year, leaving Bush to fall to the New Orleans Saints. After a few unremarkable and injury filled years in New Orleans, he revived his career in Miami. He has not had the record breaking tenure many imagined when he came out of USC, but has been solid in the past few years. His contract has expired and he has not received an offer from Miami. It looks like his time with the Dolphins is finished and will be heading elsewhere next season.

2/14/13: The Dolphins endured their fourth consecutive losing season. While this would be easy to swallow for Rams or Bills fans, Miami does have a winning legacy. But the Dolphins seem to believe their 7-9 record shows great improvement and that the team will continue to improve under head coach Joe Philbin. The big news out of Miami is no news. There was no major organizational shake-up, no restructuring of the coaching staff, and no mass firings of the front office. Owner Stephen Ross is actually borrowing patience from the Pittsburgh Steelers and expects his team to grow and over take New England in the next few years.

2/7/13: The Dolphins may be able to benefit from the outstanding play of Aaron Rodgers and Packers wide receiving corps. With the emergence of Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and James Jones; Greg Jennings may be available. He is a free agent and the Packers are not likely to bring him back at the money he wants. Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin was the Packers offensive coordinator for several years and has a good relationship with Jennings, so they may be reunited in South Florida. But beware, Jennings was injured for much of last season and recorded career lows in most categories.

1/31/13: The Dolphins may be getting ready to cut ties with starting left tackle Jake Long. Long was the first overall pick a few years ago (one pick ahead of Howie Long's son Chris Long, who has developed into a very good defensive lineman for the St. Louis Rams). However, he was injured late in the season and there was no determinable drop in play from his backup. Jake Long is said to want $10 million a year, and certainly some team will be willing to pay that for a top left tackle, but it may well not be the Dolphins.

1/24/13: Dolphins' owner Stephen Ross does not sound like he is about to shake anything up. He stated publicly that he believes that the most important positions are the head coach and quarterback. Apparently he feels that the team is progressing according to plan, though he is disappointed that Miami missed the playoffs with a 7-9 record. Perhaps more interesting is that he is retaining GM Jeff Ireland. Ireland has been rebuffed several times by big names such as Jeff Fisher and others, yet seem to have his boss' confidence, which is all that really matters in any job.

1/17/13: Miami selected Jake Long with the first overall pick in the 2008 draft, hoping they would fill the left tackle position for the next decade. Long was excellent his first four years, earning Pro-Bowl honors each season. But injuries this past season led to a decline in performance. Once he was sidelined for good in December, rookie Jonathan Martin moved to the blind side and did a fine job. Long's contract is up and the Dolphins may be hesitant to place a franchise tag (cost: $15 million) on him. Considering Martin makes $2.5 million, the Fins may elect to let Long walk away unless he is willing to take a major pay cut.

1/10/13: The Dolphins appear to be staying the course for next season, and owner Steven Ross has publicly said that his coach and quarterback are keepers. Miami drafted Ryan Tannehill in the first round. He did not have the sensational seasons that Andrew Luck, RG3, or Russell Wilson had, but he also did not have the same weapons. The Dolphins are expected to have about $46 million under the cap, much of which will likely be spent on the five draft picks they have in the first three rounds. They may have even more if they elect to cut ties with former number one overall pick Jake Long.

1/3/13: Miami finished their season with a lackluster performance and disheartening loss to New England. The 28-0 loss set the Dolphins' final record at 7-9, and well out of the playoffs. QB Ryan Tannehill threw for 235 yards and one pick, but the running game was nowhere to be found. The Dolphins managed only about 50 yards throughout the game, and never posed a threat to Tom Brady and the Patriots. Unlike other coaches of losing teams, Coach Philbin is not on the hot seat after his first season and breaking in a rookie quarterback. For the Fins, they are on the right track, but must add some offensive weapons this offseason.

12/27/12: Miami's victory over division rival Buffalo was not enough to keep the Dolphins' playoff hopes alive. That door was shut when the Bengals defeated the Steelers just moments after the Dolphins' win. This is the 10th time in 11 seasons that the team has missed the playoffs. However, Reggie Bush showed that he can be an effective NFL running back when he is used like he was at USC. He scored on two TD passes and a third on a short run. Miami now stands at 7-8 on the season, and has a chance to make it to .500 when they travel to New England this Sunday in the season finale.

12/20/12: The Dolphins may not have much to play for