Dolphins fans confident and worried about offense in 2023

Last week, we asked Miami Dolphins fans for their thoughts on the team heading into the 2023 season in our SB Nation Reacts survey. We asked the question focused on the four aspects of the team, the rush offense, the pass offense, the rush defense, and the pass defense. Which part of the team gives the fans the most confidence and which part makes them worry the most?

The pass offense giving them the most confidence is probably not a surprise. A team with Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback and wide receivers headlined by Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle should have an explosive pass offense. Tagovailoa finished the 2022 season with the highest yards-per-attempt average in the league, picking up 8.9 yards per passing attempt, while Hill set the franchise record for receiving yards with 1,710. Waddle’s 1,356 ranks third all-time in a season for the Dolphins and gave Miami their first wide receiver duo to both surpass 1,000 yards since Mark Clayton and Mark Duper in 1991.

Miami’s passing attack, which will also include some combination of receivers River Cracraft, Braxton Berrios, Roobie Chosen, Cedrick Wilson, Jr., Erik Ezukanma, Braylon Sanders, Freddie Swain, Chris Coleman, and Darwood Davis along with tight ends Durham Smythe, Eric Saubert, Tonner Conner, Elijah Higgins, and Tyler Kroft, should be among the league’s best.

The other side of the offense is the most worrisome, according to the fan response. Miami’s rushing attack is the same as what they had last year, with running backs Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson, Jr., Salvon Ahmed, and Myles Gaskin, along with the addition of rookie De’Von Achane. Last year, Mostert ran for 891 yards for the Dolphins, while Wilson added 392 yards. Miami head coach Mike McDaniel has said he needs to do a better job this year of calling running plays and sticking to the rushing attack.

The offensive line is also a part of this concern. Will they be able to open running lanes for Miami’s running backs? The play calls and backs can be perfect, but if the line struggles to move defenders out of the way, there may not be any successful rushing attack.

The Dolphins could also make a move to upgrade the running backs group with rumors swirling that the team could try to sign free-agent running back Dalvin Cook at some point this summer. How would that addition change these results? If it happens, we will re-visit the survey.

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