Is Dolphins’ new offensive wrinkle as simple as using the tight end?

If you’re a Miami Dolphins fan, you’re certain of one thing: You know Mike McDaniel 3.0 will surprise you. You might not know where this season ends, can’t be certain the Dolphins contend like they should and can only guess if this new defense equals last year’s defense. But you know McDaniel will bring a new offensive wrinkle to address last season’s problems against the better defenses. Some entertaining twist or turn. An added concept to an offensive strategy that, on its good days, already combines a roller-coaster ride and a hedge-fund algorithm with the recesses of Bill Walsh’s mind. But, again, there weren’t enough good days against good defenses when you look at last season.

The Dolphins went 1-6 and were outscored by 92 points against playoff teams. “We’ve got a couple of things up our sleeves,” running back Raheem Mostert said. “We’ve just got to practice it a little bit, but I think that’s going to be in season. But we’re excited. This offense is going to be high-flying, this team’s going to be great.” These are the kind of intoxicating words heard in August around many teams moving toward the opening game, but McDaniel’s first two seasons back up the idea. Remember? Two years ago McDaniel’s mind and Tyreek Hill’s speed raised the Titanic reputation of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Last season, charged with also keeping Tagovailoa safe, McDaniel relied on a nifty quick-strike passing and outside-zone running scheme to dramatically improve the offense again despite having the 31st ranked line on pass protection, according to ESPN Stats.

It wasn’t all smoke and magic: The Dolphins ran the ball less in the middle and nearly doubled the outside plays of 2022. And they ran nearly equally to the left and right side to keep defenses honest. The outside-zone concept fit their personnel. The inside zone? Not so much. They still haven’t shown the interior muscle to run there. They converted one of three short-yardage runs up the middle during Saturday’s preseason game into first downs against Washington’s defensive tackles. That’s not much of a sample size. But the question remains how the Dolphins will improve against the better defenses that found a way to stop them. More speed? Lining up the five players who run track times? Former Buffalo safety Jordan Poyer talked Monday of the danger of playing the Dolphins’ speed. “One slip up and they’re gone,” he said.

Buffalo didn’t slip much, giving up 20 and 14 points and beating the Dolphins twice. So, it’s not just speed. “It’s not chasing the new,” McDaniel said. It’s injecting an improvement, a Plan B to complement receivers Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Third receiver Odell Beckham Jr. might be that when he gets healthy. But the simplest answer is tight end Jonnu Smith. The Dolphins have been a high-flying offense with the tight end tied behind their back the past two seasons. Last year, they were the only team not to have a touchdown by tight end – the only time that happened in franchise history. In Saturday’s preseason game, Smith caught a simple, 5-yard pass followed by by a 9-yard toss-and-run around end.

Tight end Julian Hill then caught an 8-yard pass. So, on an 11-play drive the invisible tight end of past years became visible. “He’s a very unique player,” veteran tight end Durham Smythe said of Hill. “I’ve never played with a talent as unique as that and it’ll be fun to see what he does here.” Smith has spent the past few years toiling with undistinguished quarterbacks – Atlanta’s Desmond Ridder, New England’s Mac Jones – in run-oriented offenses. Smith caught eight touchdowns and 25 first downs in his third season when paired with an average Ryan Tannehill in in Tennessee in 2020. So, you can see the dimension he adds. You see how he helps others, too. Tagovailoa ranked 40th in red-zone passing last season, via Warren Sharp analytics.

A larger target like the 6-foot-3 Smith can only help there. Tyreek Hill, too, is the third most-targeted receiver in the NFL the past two seasons. He wasn’t fully healthy by December. He’s 30 now. Having a tight end help lessen his load can only help him, too. McDaniel said his staff went through the normal, “offseason critique of yourself in brutal ways” to find how to improve. One way would be to develop a power, inside running game. That doesn’t look on the table. Smith is another option. It’s not a flashy surprise like putting Hill in motion right before the snap like last opener. But maybe the big surprise McDaniel employs this year is simply going to the basic idea of using the tight end now that he has a versatile one.