Much of the media focus around the Miami Dolphins has been centered on their now-high powered offense, but it could be their defense that is the difference maker this upcoming season.
PFF Says Miami Dolphins Have Best D-Line In The AFC
The best position groups in the AFC, per our analyst rankings pic.twitter.com/v42IXrJRHC
— PFF (@PFF) July 4, 2023
The unit proved to be an inconsistent commodity last year. Led by Josh Boyer who was a holdover from the previous regime, the Dolphins’ defense underperformed given the talent on the roster. While they were affected by serious injuries at key spots, they were still an overall disappointment, ranking 24th in points allowed and 30th in turnovers forced.
There were guys like Jaelan Phillips, Kaeder Kohou, and Christian Wilkins who had breakout-like seasons, and the team was able to add veteran pass rusher Bradley Chubb at the trade deadline. The Dolphins defensive unit as a whole was wildly talented, but was never consistent enough to help the team be a Super Bowl contender.
Things might change this season. There have been notable upgrades to both the linebacker unit and the secondary, with the additions of guys like Jalen Ramsey and David Long Jr. They’ll be led by new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who is thought to be the true missing piece that can get the most out of the talented roster.
But one positional unit that didn’t receive much attention over the off-season for the Miami Dolphins was the defensive line, and that’s because it didn’t need any tinkering.
Fangio Takes Over A Talented Defense
.@LRiddickESPN sees the Dolphins as the best threat to the AFC East crown
“Vic Fangio is the number one prize landing for any football team. … That’s gonna push them over the top. That’s what I think makes them the favorite in the East.” pic.twitter.com/fzHQXONpGS
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) May 10, 2023
Pro Football Focus has ranked the Dolphins defensive front as the best in the AFC. It is headlined by Wilkins, who has quickly become one of the most dominant run stoppers and interior linemen in the league. Jaelan Phillips was more productive in getting after the quarterback than his statistics showed in 2022, and he is prime for a breakout year himself.
There are other big time contributors, like Emmanuel Ogbah and Zach Sieler, the latter of whom might be one of the most underrated interior linemen in the league.
But while they are projected to be the best in the AFC, the Miami Dolphins are ranked 4th in the overall defensive line standings according to PFF. The Philadelphia Eagles had one of the best units last year and have maintained through free agency and the draft, and they come in at #1.
The San Francisco 49ers have Defensive Player of the Year in Joey Bosa in their line, and they added Javon Hargrave in the off-season to go along with Arik Armstead. They come in at #2 overall, followed by the Washington Commanders and their defensive front.
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