Position review: New Dolphins defensive line coach Williams needs to maximize potential
The Miami Dolphins defensive line abruptly went from stalwart to substandard during the second half of the 2014 season as opponents rushed for 992 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns over the final six weeks of the season.
Boasting the NFL's 10th-ranked run defense heading into their Week 8 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Dolphins would plummet to 24th by the end of the season en route to yet another 8-8 finish.
Defensive tackles Randy Starks, Jared Odrick and Earl Mitchell weren't nearly as effective at the line of scrimmage and defensive ends Cam Wake and Olivier Vernon simply weren't as explosive coming off the edges as the team combined for 39 sacks.
Missed tackles, poor fundamentals and, according to head coach Joe Philbin, a tough schedule down the home stretch all played into the second-half demise of Miami's defensive line.
"I haven't studied this, but we played some good offensive football teams late in the year, Denver, New England, Baltimore," Philbin said at Miami's locker clean out on Dec. 29. "I don't know how the stats ended up this year, I haven't looked at it. You guys have more information than I do at this second. Those are three good offenses.
"It was kind of a little bit like how we played overall. We have to do a better job. I don't think it was one position. I don't think it was one guy. It seemed like, at times, we took turns unfortunately."
Enter new defensive line coach Terrell Williams.
Williams, who spent the past three seasons as defensive line coach for the Oakland Raiders, replaces Kacy Rodgers, who was hired last month as the New York Jets' defensive coordinator.
In joining Miami, Williams inherits a talented group of players, but will need to be able to maximize their potential in order to avoid the late-season pitfalls that plagued the unit in 2014.
"I know, from a coach's perspective, just watching these guys through crossover film, I thought they did a really good job on defense, but I haven't looked at any stats or anything like that to really know how they did statistically," Williams said of Miami's defensive line. "I just know what I saw on tape. I've always had a good respect for Coach Coyle and what they do on defense."
Here's a closer look at how Miami's defensive line looked in 2014:
STARTERS
Cameron Wake, DE -- Wake, who was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl, showed exactly why he's Miami's highest-paid defensive player this past season. He contributed 38 tackles, 11.5 sacks and forced three fumbles while anchoring the defensive line. At 32-years old, Wake showed that he could still play at a high level while continuing to fend off Father Time. He joined Jason Taylor, Trace Armstrong and Jeff Cross as the only Dolphins players to record 10 or more sacks in at least three different seasons. A vocal leader both on the field and in the locker room, Wake's contributions as a team captain also cannot be understated.
Olivier Vernon, DE -- A third-round pick in 2012, Vernon took one step closer towards a big payday with another solid performance in his second with the Dolphins. Although his sack totaled dropped from 11.5 in 2013 to 6.5 last season, Vernon remained an impactful player on the defensive line while registering 46 tackles and two force fumbles. Due $1.574 million in the final year of his rookie deal, look for the Dolphins to ink Vernon to a long-term deal sooner rather than later.
Randy Starks, DT -- Last season was a down year for Starks as the 31-year-old began to show signs of aging. A Pro Bowler in 2010 and 2012, Starks' sudden inability to clog up the middle played an integral role in Miami's second-half struggles against the run. He recorded 28 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 15 games for the Dolphins last season. He is owed $6 million next season and could be a salary-cap casualty this offseason.
Jared Odrick, DT -- Miami's most high-profile free agent on the defensive side of the football, Odrick played the second-most snaps (817) of any Dolphins defensive lineman this past season. Playing in a scheme that didn't exactly play to his strengths, he recorded 28 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble in 16 games at defensive tackle last season. In a Week 14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Odrick's frustrations with his deployment boiled over in a sideline altercation with Philbin.
"It may have looked like I was yelling negative things and that there was a disagreement, but every game there's a disagreement," Odrick said of the incident. "Emotions are running high and I hate to say that any of that was a detriment to our team. I probably should have calmed down a little earlier than that, but it's tough when you want to win a football game."
While Odrick was quick to downplay the situation, he may have a point. Better suited at defensive end than defensive tackle, the Dolphins likely won't be able to maximize Odrick's potential with their current system. Still, it's hard to imagine any player currently within the organization replacing Odrick's contributions and durability. Since 2011, Odrick hasn't missed a game and re-signing him should be a priority for Miami this offseason.
Earl Mitchell, DT -- Signed to a four-year deal prior to the start of the 2014 season, Mitchell proved to be a solid addition to the defensive front in his first season with the Dolphins. In 16 games last season, he recorded 33 tackles and two sacks while rotating with Starks and Odrick at defensive tackle. Expect Mitchell to be a holdover if Miami's d-line is overturned this offseason.
BACKUPS
Anthony Johnson, DT -- An undrafted rookie out of LSU, Johnson appeared in seven games as a backup in 2014 before a serious ankle injury landed the 21-year-old on injured reserve. In those seven games, he recorded two tackles and one fumble recovery.
A.J. Francis, DT -- After a brief stint with the New England Patriots practice squad, Francis returned to Miami in 2014, only to suffer a season-ending knee injury in the preseason. Francis, an exclusive rights free agent this offseason, has the potential to be a nose-tackle type of player for the Dolphins if he can stay healthy next season.
Deandre Coleman, DT -- An undrafted rookie out of California, Coleman spent the majority of last season on Miami's practice squad. He was active for the Dolphins' Week 4 victory over the Oakland Raiders in London, but recorded no tackles.
Kamal Johnson, DT -- An undrafted rookie out of Temple, Johnson suffered a season-ending injury during the preseason.
Dion Jordan, DE -- Jordan, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2013 draft, was suspended six combined games for violating the NFL's substance abuse and performance-enhancing policies in 2014. When he was active, though, he recorded 20 tackles and one sack in 10 games. Entering his third NFL season, the Dolphins coaching staff still doesn't know exactly where Jordan will fit into their system and there has been talk of moving the enigmatic lineman to outside linebacker. Last season, Jordan took snaps at defensive end, defensive tackle and linebacker. He not only spent time rushing the passer, but also dropping back into pass coverage.
As for now, Jordan still sees himself playing up front.
"I'm good with whatever they ask me to do, but at this moment I'm a defensive end," Jordan said during Miami's locker clean out on Dec. 29. "Going into my offseason I'm going to continue to work on little things as far as strength, just making sure my body is 100 percent and getting ready to go."
Terrence Fede, DE -- Despite a preseason knee injury, Fede played in 11 games for Miami as a rookie, recording 10 tackles, one sack and one blocked punt. A seventh-round pick out of Marist College, Fede steadily improved throughout the season and made headlines for his blocked punt in Week 16 against the Minnesota Vikings that produced a game-winning safety for the Dolphins.
"It felt amazing," Fede said of the play. "It's something that I haven't felt in a while. You know I haven't been making enough plays that I wanted to make, but that's just the beginning of everything."
Emmanuel Dieke, DE -- An undrafted rookie out of Georgia Tech, Dieke spent all of last season bouncing on and off of Miami's practice squad. He was signed to a futures contract on Dec. 30.
Derrick Shelby, DE -- The third defensive end in Miami's rotation, Shelby recorded 26 tackles, three sacks and one interception in 15 games last season. Shelby, 25, has quickly become one of Miami's top reserves and will likely be re-signed to a short-term deal this offseason. He missed one game in 2014 due to a misdemeanor arrest, but that will likely not play into Miami's decision to bring him back.
POSSIBLE FREE-AGENT TARGETS
When looking at this year's free agent pool, it's hard to ignore the 6-foot-4, 305-pound elephant in the room. Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who recorded 53 tackles and 8.5 sacks in 2014, highlights an overall underwhelming group of available defensive linemen this offseason. Unfortunately, Suh's $100 million price tag is likely too rich for the cap crunched Dolphins. If Odrick doesn't return, however, Detroit's Nick Fairley or Arizona's Dan Williams would be a welcome addition to Miami's defensive front.
BEST DRAFT OPTIONS
Only two years removed from trading up in the 2013 draft to select the currently underperforming Dion Jordan with the No. 3 overall pick, the Dolphins will likely be hesitant to spend another first-round pick to improve their defensive line this offseason. Instead, look for Miami to find help beyond the third round. Mississippi State's Kaleb Eulls, Arizona State's Marcus Hardison and UCLA's Ellis McCarthy are three names to watch.
FINAL THOUGHT
Was the second-half collapse of Miami's defensive line a fluke or the start of a trend? It's hard to say, but the organization will likely spend this offseason making minor tweaks rather than overhauling the unit. In order to gain more flexibility in free agency, it's likely that only one of either Starks or Odrick will return next season, but no other major moves should be expected. On the edges, Miami boasts one of the NFL's most dangerous duos even if Wake's best days may soon be behind him.
You can follow Jameson Olive on Twitter @JamesonCoop or email him at JamesonOlive@gmail.com.
