Yes, there has not been a football game played since the end of the Super Bowl back in the beginning of February, but a lot has changed around the NFL, with free agency and the 2017 NFL Draft headlining those changes. Those changes mean it is time for NFL.com to release an updated set of 2017 NFL Power Rankings - and it means it is time for us to take a look at where the Miami Dolphins are ranked and what is being said about the team.
Elliott Harrison released these rankings on Wednesday, and they start about where everyone would expect them to begin: the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots remain in the top spot. They are then followed by the NFC champion Atlanta Falcons. The rest of the top five then include the Oakland Raiders, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Green Bay Packers.
The Dolphins did not see a change from the last NFL.com power rankings, remaining as the 11th ranked team. Harrison explains their position, writing:
The Dolphins' draft went under the radar compared to those of other playoff teams, despite a solid effort from the personnel department. In fact, I didn't address them in the "Best and most worrisome picks," the Odyssey-length manifesto I posted after Day 3 wrapped. First-round pick Charles Harris should be able to play with his hand in the dirt, helping Miami forget the Mario Williams experiment (rather, debacle) and the Dion Jordan pick several years ago. Second-rounder Raekwon McMillan further bolsters the linebacking crew, which suddenly appears to be a strength. Perhaps most important is what my buddy Marc Sessler said to me in the newsroom: "Adam Gase gives that team hope. They were D.O.A. when he got there." Agreed. Don't be surprised if Miami gets a do-over in Pittsburgh after January's playoff defeat.