Dolphins Mailbag: Fuller or Waddle, X Topics, How Shula Would Do in Today's NFL, and More

Tackling Miami Dolphins fan questions about Xavien Howard, the predictability of the offense and Hall of Fame coach Don Shula

From FinznDawgs1984 (@FinzD):

Do u feel Miami will sign more pass rush help before training camp? I know Ingram visited so obviously they're looking ...

The truth is the Dolphins — and every other team — are always looking for ways to upgrade their roster and I absolutely could see them signing a veteran pass rusher before the start of camp. With Melvin Ingram having visited already, he certainly would make sense — but at the right price, of course.

From Mark Schoninger (@SchoningerMark):

How do you think Don Shula’s style of coaching would translate to the 2021 NFL’s rules, culture and players?

Hey Mark, I'll start off by saying that maybe Shula's greatest strength as a coach was his ability to adapt. I mean, you're talking about a coach who went to Super Bowl with a team built around defense and a running game to doing with an explosive passing attack once he landed Dan Marino as his quarterback. There obviously would have been an adjustment in terms of his dealings with players because, as Nick Saban found out, the days of the coach as dictator are long gone. Short answer is Shula was smart enough and savvy enough that it should be assumed he would have made the proper adjustments.

From Craig M (Dolfan2334):

Who do you see as the most likely teams interested in X? No doubt there will be be interest, but who can make that new contract to be fit?

Hey Craig, this is a great question, and one that I addressed after surveying my fellow publishers on the SI Fan Nation NFL team network. Based on the responses I got, the conclusion is that trading Howard would be a lot easier said than done because finding a trade partner requires a team with a need at cornerback ready to make a big financial commitment to Howard and with the cap space to do so (or at least the ability to create the cap space to do so). Per spotrac.com, the teams with the most cap space currently are Jacksonville, the Jets, Denver, Cleveland, the Chargers, New England and Cincinnati. Of those, I'd think the Chargers and Bengals would be the two most logical candidates.

RELATED: What Would a Howard Trade Market Look Like?

From aquasandoranges (@aquasandoranges):

How overstated or legitimate are the criticisms that Gesicki’s usage tips our play to the defense? If he’s on the field, or particularly in the slot, that it will be a pass play? How would you suggest addressing this issue?

Every team has tendencies and putting Gesicki in the slot absolutely suggests a pass play, and the easiest way to address that is to run some draw plays out of that formation and hope the element of surprise counters the decreased blocking up front. But if it's third-and-7 or longer, it doesn't matter where Gesicki lines up, it's still more than likely going to be a pass play. Unless the opposing defense knows exactly what pass play is coming, good execution can overcome a defense knowing that it's going to be a pass as opposed to a run.

From Jeff Golden (@Goldenjeff72): If the @CanadiensMTL win the Cup, does that mean the @MiamiDolphins will end their drought as well? Rhetorical question: la réponse est oui!!!

Jeff, I'll only allow the rhetorical question since it deals with my the hockey team where I was born and the football team where I now live. The Canadiens' last Stanley Cup title came in 1993. But, fun fact, I'm sure you're aware the Canadiens also won the Cup in 1973, which of course was the last year the Dolphins won the Super Bowl. (For those who are strict about calendar years, the Dolphins' perfect season ended on Jan. 14, 1973 and a few months later the Canadiens would win their second of six Cup titles in the 1970s.

From Javier Noriega (@JavierN32160606):

Who will get more TD catches, Fuller or Waddle?

Hi Javier, great question because both have the ability to score any time they get the ball, but Fuller has the advantage of experience while Waddle doesn't have Fuller's history of injuries and missing games because of them. The Dolphins are likely to take deep shots with both players, so that factor washes out. So I'll go with Waddle in a close call.

From A-Rod the phinphan (@TheGreatPhinsby):

If you were Grier ... for what or who would you trade X for?

Another good question, A-Rod, but we'll start with the premise that trading X would be a last resort because the Dolphins clearly are better with him in the lineup. Having said that, if the decision is made that there's no choice and the problem can't be solved, then the idea is to try to get as much as possible. What is that? Well, sadly, it's not what the Jaguars got from the Rams for Jalen Ramsey a couple of years back (two firsts and a fourth) because Howard is older than Ramsey was back then and he's got the past knee issues. In terms of draft pick compensation, I think a first and, say, a third would be a good return for Howard — again, using Ramsey as a barometer. In terms of a player coming back in return, obviously you'd be looking at an established veteran a team would have a reason to trade, say, somebody like Arizona edge defender Chandler Jones. Or wouldn't a Howard-for-Stephon-Gilmore trade be wild? Another possibility is maybe a lower-profile player plus a later-round pick, though it would be irresponsible to just throw out names at this point. I mentioned Jones and Gilmore earlier because both of them are having contract issues with the Cardinals and Patriots, respectively, just like Howard with the Dolphins.