Dolphins Hire Dowell Loggains As Offensive Coordinator
The Dolphins have officially announced that they have hired former Bears offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains to the same position. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com first reported the news about two weeks ago (Twitter link). Rapoport added that former offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen will “likely remain with the team and transition to a new role”.
It was originally unknown what role Loggains was interviewing for when he met with team officials on Tuesday, but we now know that head coach Adam Gase wanted to bring in a familiar face to work help run the offense in Miami. The two coaches previously worked together with the Bears when Gase was an offensive coordinator and Loggains was the quarterbacks coach.
While Loggains should have a crucial role in game planning, Gase will still call the team’s plays on Sundays, reports Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link).
With the Dolphins offensive coordinator role now set, the man who held that post in 2017 is still awaiting what role he will have on the offensive staff next season. The Dolphins could look to further shake things up as the team’s offense was inconsistent to say the least with Jay Cutler at helm in 2017, rather than Ryan Tannehill who sat at the entire regular season recovering from a knee injury he suffered in training camp.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/2/18
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2018 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:
Arizona Cardinals
- WR Carlton Agudosi
- DT Peli Anau
- CB Jarell Carter
- OLB Vontarrius Dora
- CB Jonathan Moxey
- WR Rashad Ross
- DT Pasoni Tasini
- RB Darius Victor
- OL Josh Allen
- LS Drew Williams
Baltimore Ravens
Chicago Bears
- OL Travis Averill
- WR Demarcus Ayers
- DB Doran Grant
- WR Mekale McKay
- OL Will Pericak
- TE Colin Thompson
Cincinnati Bengals
Dallas Cowboys
- WR Brian Brown
- WR K.D. Cannon
- T Jarron James
- S Jameill Showers
- DT Joe Vellano
- CB Marquez White
- RB Trey Williams
Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers
- WR Jake Kumerow
- WR Colby Pearson
- TE Robert Tonyan
- LS Zach Triner
- WR DeAngelo Yancey
Dolphins Interview Ex-Bears OC Dowell Loggains
Former Bears offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains interviewed for a position with the Dolphins today, per Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link).
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune was the first to report that Loggains — who took over for current Miami head coach Adam Gase as Chicago’s offense coordinator in 2016 — could be in line to join the Dolphins staff. Loggains served as the Bears’ quarterbacks coach under Gase before succeeding him, so the two clearly have a working relationship. Miami has yet to announce any coaching staff changes, so it’s unclear how Loggains would fit, but Salguero reported earlier this week that significant alterations are expected along the Dolphins’ offensive staff.
While Gase intends to continue calling offensive plays in 2018, he is seeking assistance in formulating a weekly gameplan, as Salguero wrote today. As such, incumbent offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen could now be in limbo if Loggains is indeed hired.
Mike Pouncey Likely Back In 2018
- Mike Pouncey‘s severe hip injury — one that he’s said will induce a hip replacement at some point in the not-too-distant future — prompted one doctor say his career was over, the seventh-year center said (via Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald). However, the Dolphins center made it through 15 games this season. Despite Pro Football Focus grading Pouncey as the league’s No. 25 center this season, Beasley notes the snapper is one of Adam Gase‘s favorites and can expect to be back in 2018.
Dolphins Move Michael Thomas To IR
Michael Thomas‘ Dolphins contract expires after Week 17, and the fifth-year safety will not be participating in Sunday’s game against the Bills.
The Dolphins announced they placed Thomas on IR. He had been recovering from a PCL injury and missed the previous two Miami games. The Dolphins claimed safety Trae Elston off waivers from the Bills to take Thomas’ roster spot.
Thomas played this season on an RFA tender ($1.797MM). He will be a UFA this coming March. The former UDFA who’s been a part-time starter the past three seasons posted a message to Dolphins fans on Twitter. Thomas played 179 defensive snaps this season, and Pro Football Focus graded those fairly well despite the Stanford product being categorized as a part-time performer.
A 2016 UDFA, Elston played in 13 games for the Bills this season after beginning his season with the Eagles. Elston is under contract for next season, giving the Dolphins a chance at an offseason evaluation for potential safety depth.
Latest On Jarvis Landry Negotiations
One of the highest profile free agents this offseason will be Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry. While there were rumors that the team could trade him during training camp and prior to the deadline, it appears that Miami is trying to keep their number one wideout. Over the last month, the Dolphins have exchanged contract figures with Landry hoping to make progress on a contract extension, a source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Anderson adds that while talks have been at a standstill over the past two weeks, it’s been Landry’s reps that have been making the “most recent recommendations”.
Even though the negotiations appear to be far away from an actual deal at the moment, it should be encouraging to both sides that there’s discussions taking place this close to the end of the regular season.
After the Dolphins took Landry in the second round of the 2014 draft, the fourth-year wideout has been steadily climbing the NFL’s tiers of receivers. More consistent than explosive, Landry has been one of the best wideouts in the league with the football in his hands. He ranks fifth among wideouts in yards after catch with 451 yards in 2017.
The 25-year-old has posted three straight seasons of at least 90 receptions and has caught a career-high eight touchdowns this year, even with a less than ideal quarterback situation. His yardage totals were superior in the previous two seasons, but much of that can be accounted for by shaky QB play and fellow receivers Kenny Stills and DeVante Parker needing to get in on the action.
Should the two sides not agree on a contract extension before the start of free agency, the franchise tag is always a possibility. Although, the Dolphins are projected to have the fourth fewest amount of cap space in the NFL for 2018, according to Spotrac’s calculations. Investing heavily in another pass catcher when the team already has receiving options under contract and other more urgent needs makes this a particularly interesting free agent situation.
Jay Cutler On 2018: “I Want To Play Football”
The Dolphins seemed to sign veteran quarterback Jay Cutler as more of a place holder until Ryan Tannehill returned from injury in 2018. However, it looks like Cutler is intent on suiting up once again for a team next season.
When asked by reporters on Wednesday about his football future, Cutler simply responded, ““I want to play football” (via Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald on Twitter).
Cutler will be entering his age 35 season in 2018, but will be a free agent after signing a one-year contract with Miami in training camp. The veteran signal caller’s openness to keep playing is rather surprising given that he was already set to retire as a broadcaster after a long 11-year career with the Broncos and Bears. His play has been inconsistent for a majority of his time in the NFL, but only appeared in five games in 2016 because of a shoulder injury.
This season has shown more of the same with Cutler throwing 19 touchdowns to 14 interceptions. He’s only completing 62% of his passes and has accumulated a QBR of 43.3 in the 13 games he’s played in this season. These are not quality starting QB numbers and I wouldn’t expect Cutler to be very sought after on the open market with how many promising signal callers are becoming available this offseason.
We’ll just have to wait and see whether Cutler follows through on his intentions, but it appears even if he does, it’ll likely be with another organization as the Dolphins already have their presumptive starter returning in Tannehill.
Adam Gase Hasn't Spoken To Jay Cutler About 2018 Role Yet
- Adam Gase said Wednesday he has not spoken to Jay Cutler about him returning to the Dolphins in 2018, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes. Jackson adds the Dolphins remain committed to having Ryan Tannehill return as their starter next season, but he reported last week the Fins would be open to Cutler coming back as the backup. Cutler will start this weekend’s regular-season finale against the Bills.
Dolphins Notes: Draft, Drake, Grant, Derby
The Dolphins lost another game in Week 16 and now sit on the brink of getting a top 10 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. However, the best players in this class do not line up very well with the needs of the organization, opines Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Jackson proclaims that if Miami loses to a playoff contending Bills team this coming Sunday, the team won’t necessarily have a clear player they are targeting in that range of the draft. According to Jackson, the team’s two biggest needs are linebacker and tight end, but no prospect is available at those positions who would warrant that type of draft slot.
Jackson notes that the team could potentially go with Texas offensive tackle Connor Williams should the front office move on from right tackle Ja’Wuan James, but that’s far from a certainty. LSU pass rusher Arden Key could also be useful weapon on the defensive side of the ball, but there’s not a true need in that area either. Jackson speculates that Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith could be a fit if he can help increase his stock with a successful draft preparation process.
Finally, the writer also throws cold water on the idea of replacing Ryan Tannehill because of the Dolphins substantial financial investment in him, even though he will be returning from a knee injury he suffered this past training camp . It would seem that while the Dolphins have been losing enough to move up the draft board, trading down may be the best option because of the lack of a fit in the upper portion of the draft.
Here’s more notes on the Dolphins from Jackson’s column:
- Even after trading Jay Ajayi, running back does not seem like a major area of need for the Dolphins entering the offseason. Second-year tailback Kenyan Drake has shined with Ajayi gone and Damien Williams recovering from injury. He played all but three snaps in the team’s loss to the Chiefs in Week 16 and ranks fourth among all running backs with 369 yards after contact. The 23-year-old has averaged over 4.5 yards per carry over his last four contests, and has made a difference in the passing game as well. With his productive late season performance, he seems primed to enter 2018 as the Dolphins surefire number one back.
- Wide receiver Jakeem Grant often gets lost in the shuffle behind the likes of Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills and DeVante Parker. However, the second-year wideout managed to catch four balls for over 100 yards in last Sunday’s matchup. He’s only played in 10.4% of the team’s snaps this season, which makes sense because of the Dolphins deep receiving corps. But, Landry is set to hit the open market this offseason, so Grant could be auditioning for a bigger role in 2018 should the team’s star wideout move on.
- Grant wasn’t the only little used player to get increased reps in Week 16. Miami saw two new faces get a lot of action vs. the Chiefs as well. Tight end A.J. Derby, whom the team claimed from the Broncos, was targeted five times. Although, he only managed one catch in the contest. Cornerback Torry McTyer played in 61 of the defense’s 83 snaps before he was taken out of the game due to injury. McTyer was signed by the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent last offseason and could be in-line for a further audition in Week 17 should he be heathy enough to play. Miami needs more tight ends and defensive backs for next season, so Derby and McTyer could get another shot to impress in the team’s regular season finale this weekend.
Opinion: Dolphins D Has Disappointed
Last offseason, the Dolphins signed safety T.J. McDonald, traded for defensive end William Hayes, signed linebacker Lawrence Timmons and extended/re-signed several key members of the defense. Unfortunately, their maneuverings have not paid off, Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald writes.
The Dolphins also spent a great deal of money to keep key contributors in-house. Despite extensions for defensive end Cameron Wake, linebacker, Kiko Alonso, and safety Reshad Jones plus a new deal for defensive end Andre Branch, the D is simply not producing.
This offseason, the 6-8 Dolphins will have to re-evaluate their roster, but they won’t have much flexibility thanks to the moves they made in 2017.