After the blockbuster trade for Tyreek Hill, the future of the Miami Dolphins is more exciting than it has been in a long time. Our ranNFL expert Carsten Spengemann puts the Dolphins’ offseason in order and looks at the impact on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Munich/Miami – A first-, second-, and fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft, plus a fourth- and sixth-round pick in the 2023 draft.

The Miami Dolphins are turning the NFL upside down with the unexpected trade for star wide receiver Tyreek Hill from the Kansas City Chiefs. The Florida franchise paid a hefty price for one of the league’s best and fastest pass receivers. Despite Hill’s undisputed quality, perhaps too much?

“Hill is definitely a huge asset for the Dolphins, a clear No. 1 receiver. But you have to ask yourself whether they might have given away too much for him,” explains ranNFL expert Carsten Spengemann.

What is certain, however, is that the Dolphins have perhaps the most explosive receiving corps in the entire league after the trade. “With Hill and Waddle, they now have real speed in the squad,” Spengemann emphasises, but immediately qualifies: “But can you also use that profitably? That remains to be seen. “

The question of choosing the right system to be able to bring in the new star pass receiver efficiently will be one of the biggest tasks of the offseason for the franchise.

After Flores departure: fresh start under Coach McDaniel

Mike McDaniel succeeds Brian Flores and is expected to lead the franchise into a successful future. Expectations for the 38-year-old are huge, but his past successes speak for themselves.

But can McDaniel deliver on the first try in his first NFL head coaching post and give the franchise the leap forward it is hoping for?

“I’m still torn. McDaniel is a different type of coach than an Andy Reid or Sean McVay are. He is very extroverted. You have to deal with his sense of humour, but what he’s done so far bodes well for the Dolphins. McDaniel has seen a lot in his career so far,” says Spengemann.

But Spengemann is convinced by the approach of the new strong man in Miami: “McDaniel doesn’t push through his philosophy with a crowbar, but looks at what you can do with what you have.”

At the centre of this is someone who was actually already written off last season. We are talking about quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Dolphins’ offseason: full focus on Tagovailoa

Originally coming in as a hopeful, it seemed during last season that the Tagovailoa chapter was coming closer and closer to an end. “Flores stood by every session, had certain doubts and kept the option open,” explains the ran expert. The name Deshaun Watson had been haunting Miami for a long time.

But after signing the new coach, the franchise expressed confidence in the 2020 first-round pick. “McDaniel is building a team around Tua and his strengths. He’s bringing in the right guys with speed to do that, and it shows in the trade for Hill,” Spengemann continued.

And the franchise made another statement with the signing of offensive tackle Terron Armstead. From now on, the three-time Pro Bowler is expected to ensure that Tagovailoa also gets the necessary time to be able to find his speedster receivers.

“The first thing you do is pay the mortgage and then the insurance on the house. You have to give Tua protection and time. That’s what I thought this signing really made sense for. A top O-lineman who is extremely important at that position,” Spengemann explained.

Miami Dolphins: Can Tagovailoa take the next step?

However, it remains to be seen how the playmaker will handle the rising expectations from the roster reinforcements.

“The question is, how much has his time in Miami so far affected him in his mind? He was available from second one,” Spengemann explains: “You should give him the chance to play without being counted out before game day one.”

And he continues: “Tua is a different quarterback than, say, Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes. You have to put it all together right now, but then it can work really well.”

The Dolphins’ new change of strategy was not entirely voluntary, however.

Miami Dolphins: Hill trade for connection in AFC East

It’s fair to say the franchise has almost been forced to rethink its approach to a more aggressive march by developments in its direct competition in the division.

“Second place in the AFC East was the maximum output for the Dolphins behind the Bills and Patriots for years,” Spengemann clarifies. “Now it looks different. How well will that work in Boston? Can you spit in the soup there? And also looking at the upgrading and the strong defence of the Bills. That’s where you had to step up to even have a chance to keep up.”

But it’s still too early to predict what the rebuilt Dolphins will be able to do. Still, after years of upheaval and transition, there is plenty of hope for a rosy future, at least since the Hill trade.

“I realise that something can come of it if everything meshes together,” Spengemann looks ahead realistically but expectantly.