Sunday Miami Dolphins Mailbag: Skylar Thompson, Mike Gesicki, and More
From Dave (@angryvet59):
We’ll agree to disagree on the Tua playing/not playing on the outcome of game. Thought this was one of the best defensive games all year. What would be your key reasons for the loss? Certainly some crucial drops by WRs & poor run game. Appreciate all your work this year Alain!
Hey Dave, yes, we’ll agree to disagree because Skylar is down my list of reasons for the loss, which would start with penalties, bad time management, wasted timeouts, dropped passes and, oh, the defense allowing 423 total yards.
From keith (@Keithrogue1):
I follow many Dolphins columnist. But I go to you first. Great job this season. You’re a good follow. Do you see Ross getting nutso again this offseason and make dramatic changes? There’s that thing about owners getting up there in age will do anything to win.
Hey Keith, thanks very much and you make a great point. I’m at the stage that I would expect the unexpected, except that the Dolphins don’t have the cap space to make big moves in terms of players and I have a hard time seeing a coaching change after the team went to the playoffs.
From Adnas (@Anase815):
Any outside the box options at backup QB? Trey Lance? Jordan Love? Has to be better a better plan than Teddy Bridgewater.
Yes, there has to be a better plan than Bridgewater, but it would entail a more durable veteran, not a young QB who hasn’t proven anything yet. Besides, why would the 49ers already give up on Lance after all they gave up for the chance to draft him. And same with Love. Packers still have him on his rookie contract; wouldn’t make much sense for them to give up on him just yet.
From Mark Khouri (@Markkhouri7Mark):
What else does Skylar have to do to prove that he’s qb1? How many times does Tua get to choke in big games before they move on from him?
Hey Mark, not sure how anybody can seriously suggest that the Dolphins move on from Tua and replace him with Skylar Thompson. Sorry, but that just doesn’t make any sense. If you want to move on from Tua, that’s one thing, but Thompson hasn’t shown yet he can be an effective starting QB.
From TM (@TonyM1384):
Hey Alain, bittersweet season for life-long fans. Yet unlike previous late-season collapses of the past, this one truly felt different. With those teams I think we often had hope they were as good as the record suggested, at 8-3 this one felt like we were better than the record.
Except you still can’t ignore the late-season collapse, which wasn’t all due to injuries.
From Bob Witmer (@witmer_bob):
Do you foresee coach McD buying a one-way ticket to Thailand…?
Hey Bob, ha, I see what you did there! Yeah, no, McDaniel is not going the way of Kliff Kingsbury.
From Dave Shelley (@DaveShelley627):
Understanding the drop-off of productivity for Gesicki had to do with scheme and his poor blocking skills, isn’t this coaching staff partly to blame in not being able to help improve those skills? As blocking is part of Mike’s job, isn’t the teaching part of their job?
Hey Dave, your point on the surface has merit, but let’s understand what Gesicki is and what he isn’t. Let’s also remember he was a volleyball and basketball star in high school. Like it or not, he’s a finesse tight end and no amount of teaching is going to turn him into a great blocker — or maybe even a good blocker.
From Michael Misconi @MichaelMisconi):
How do you think Dolphins fans should feel about this season and what should their outlook/expectations be for next year?
Hey Michael, that’s a great question. I would look at this season as a good start and be optimistic for 2023 with the understanding that it’s going to take some injury luck for the team to be a contender, and they have some player where history suggests that luck might not be coming.
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From Rich Miller (@treetop70bg):
Good morning! Can you explain what happened between Wilkins and Allen. Why was it offsetting penalties when multiple Buffalo players jumped on him while he was on the ground. Shouldn’t they get penalties or ejected from the game?
Hey Rich, to be honest, it’s a wimpy way out for officials to call penalties on each side even if the actions don’t warrant that. I’m not sure about ejections, but I did see a clip of a Buffalo O-lineman pushing Wilkins’ head onto the ground while he was down and that should have merited something on its own, that’s for sure.
From NCM (@NickFinsUp):
LB the biggest need ?
Hey Nick, I can agree with that assessment. Might be CB or TE, too.
From Daniel Dion (@DanielDion_13):
Sorry if someone already asked something similar, but assuming they have to release some guys on D, would you roll back the DL and let Jones and/or Howard go, or secure CBs and take the hit on the DL?
Hey Daniel, not been asked, and I can see Byron Jones being let go, but the Dolphins can’t let go of Howard for cap reasons and they need to hang on to Wilkins and Sieler, that’s for sure.
From Hebert Gutierrez Morales (via email):
Hi Alain, after a competitive game, in which the ST and the defense were contributors, some people would be comfortable with the actual coaches, but that’s not my case. I understand the absence of Byron Jones and the injuries of Needham, Brandon Jones and Ogbah were also important, but I think we can get a better DC in Fangio. About the ST, maybe wasn’t a disaster, but it wasn’t so helpful either. Would you change those coordinators? Thank you very much again for all your valuable work during this season.
Thanks as always Hebert, I think Boyer absolutely deserves another shot after the obstacles he had to overcome in 2022, though I would not be opposed to seeing a move related to the special teams because that part of the game was really disappointing pretty much all season. UPDATE: The Dolphins clearly didn’t feel Boyer deserved another shot..
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