Saturday Dolphins Mailbag: Tua, Jackson, Who Needs To Step Up, and More

Tackling various issues on the minds of Miami Dolphins fans, from a training camp wish list, to Austin Jackson and other options at right tackle and a lot in between

Part 1 of the new SI Fan Nation All Dolphins mailbag:

From Ricardo Hernandez (@Ricardo96451182):

With training camp here, how do you tell if things are going well in practice? We’d like an unstoppable offense AND an impenetrable defense. So what should one hope to see?

Hey Ricardo, yeah, that’s always the dilemma in practice that if the offense is killing it, then it means the defense is struggling and vice versa. I think that since the defense has been so far ahead of the offense in recent seasons, it’s the offense that has to shine in training camp the way I see it. Having said that, the preseason and joint practices with the Bucs and Eagles will be a lot more telling than the regular practices.

From Jac Mercier (@jacmer99):

Hi Alain, what is your take on the fact that some are saying that Jimmy G could be a target for the Dolphins now that he is medically cleared?

Hey Jac, the thing with Jimmy G is his name comes up because he worked with Mike McDaniel in San Francisco and because, even though some Dolphins fans don’t want to hear this, the team has been linked to outside QBs for the past two years. So the connection is natural. Having said that, I wrote a couple of days ago that a trade like that would be highly unlikely both because of Garoppolo’s contract status and because we can debate as to whether he’d give the Dolphins that elite QB every team wants to have.

From Craig M (@Dolfan2334):

Hey Alain, long time no talk. Hope your summer is going good!! Two for you, one on your Habs. Do you feel confident the Habs are in good hands with Gorton running the show (I would)? Biggest surprise who isn’t on the Dolphins Week 1?

Hey Craig, summer is going very well but I'm more than ready for camp to start in full swing. I’ll reserve judgment on Jeff Gorton for the time being, though I did like some of the moves (being able to get rid of the Shea Weber contract, the Mike Matheson trade) the Canadiens made this summer. As for your Dolphins question, that’s always a tough one because I’m sure you want a big name, so let me just say, hmm, Sony Michel gets beaten out by Myles Gaskin for the third running back job.

From jorge Boyd (@raga1922):

Hi Alain, now that all the new pieces are Dolphins, how do you see Tua performing this year? Would he be good enough to get his team into the playoffs or will he be a disappointment and be replaced in the 2023 season, or will he just be an OK QB who can win some games?

Hey Jorge, man, talk about a loaded question. Here’s what I’ll say and what I have consistently said: I expect Tua’s numbers to clearly improve in 2022 because of the pieces added around him, but the phrasing of him being “good enough to get his team into the playoffs” is tricky because it suggests the Dolphins would make the playoffs BECAUSE of Tua rather than WITH Tua. And that’s the big question that needs to be answered in 2022 because there is a big difference. Having said all that, I’ll reserve judgment at this point as to his prognosis for 2023.

From Chris Roney (@ChrisRoney0):

Until the team goes 7-on-7 in pads, my enthusiasm for the makeover on offense is guarded. My question is who can seize the RT job from Austin Jackson? If it's him lining up Week 1, that's trouble for this offense.

Hey Chris, why do pads matter in 7-on-7s? Pads or no pads makes much more of a difference in 11-on-11s. As for the right tackle position, I actually have some confidence that Austin Jackson will do a solid job there. If he shows he’s not the answer, then the Dolphins likely would be looking at players like Robert Jones, Greg Little, Larnel Coleman or UDFA Kellen Diesch or a veteran who’s not on the roster at the moment.

From J (@THATmiamiGUY28):

What 3 players that could step up and take Miami to the next level?

Hey J, since you didn’t set clear parameters, I’m going to use players who didn’t necessarily step up before, and I think that clearly starts with Tua. The second is Austin Jackson, who could be a huge help for the offensive line if he can blossom at right tackle. And then for a third spot let’s go with Liam Eichenberg because nothing will be as important (or close to it) for the success of the 2022 Dolphins as the offensive line.

From Olive Grove Jon (@Owlizee):

On paper a difficult start for the Fins. How important is it to not go 0-4 and fall in a hole? Will those early games go a long way in dictating how the season goes?

Hey OGJ, there are two reasons it’s huge that the Dolphins not start the season 0-4, which I frankly don’t think they will. The first is that there were so few teams that made the playoffs after starting that way during a 16-game season and it’s not going to be much easier even in a 17-game schedule. The second reason is that if the Dolphins can’t beat a quality team in the first four weeks of the regular season, what would suggest they’d be able to do it down the stretch? Yes, the Dolphins could rebound from an 0-4 hole because the schedule softens in the middle, but it’s got another nasty stretch on the back end with the 49ers, Chargers, Bills, Packers and Patriots.