MIAMI -- The Miami Dolphins open their 2023 training camp Wednesday at the Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens. Here's a closer look at a few storylines:
Biggest question: How quickly can new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio turn this defense around?
That side of the ball was the obvious weak point for Miami last season, but injuries and depth concerns didn't help its cause. This year, the Dolphins have one of the best defensive minds in NFL history, and star talent and depth at essentially every position. There's little reason to believe they can't be a top-10 defense in 2023.
But it takes time to learn a new scheme, more time than a handful of spring practices. There will be some growing pains this summer, but if you subscribe to the theory that iron sharpens iron, this defense will be tested by one of the NFL's best offenses every day. There's a lot of pressure on Fangio to get his side of the ball in order, because the Dolphins' regular season goes from 0 to 100 quickly. Three of their first four games are on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers, New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills.
Most impactful offseason addition: Jalen Ramsey, CB
It’s a toss-up, but since we’ve already addressed Vic Fangio, the answer here is Ramsey. The former All-Pro cornerback was voted the third-best player at his position in an ESPN poll and forms a tandem with a player who narrowly missed out on the top-10 in fellow former All-Pro, Xavien Howard.
Miami was a serious Howard injury away from a dire situation at cornerback last season, and even with him healthy its depth at the position was a major concern. Ramsey, alongside Howard and safety Jevon Holland, gives Fangio three quality, physical playmakers in the defensive secondary who should make the Dolphins difficult to pass the ball against.
Fiercest fantasy-relevant battle: Running back, and it's not particularly close.
Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson split carries last season and figure to do the same in 2023 after signing a pair of two-year deals. But the Dolphins threw a wrench into the equation by drafting speedster Devon Achane in the third round of the NFL draft. It’s not immediately clear how many carries the rookie will siphon away from the veterans, but he should have a role fairly quickly as a receiver out of the backfield.
Speaking of receivers, Braxton Berrios and Robbie Chosen will duke it out for the third receiver spot vacated by Trent Sherfield, but neither figures to be a reliable fantasy option (unless your league values return yards, in Berrios’ case). Achane is a fantasy X factor in Miami‘s offense.
The player with the most to prove: Austin Jackson, OT
The Dolphins declined to exercise the fifth-year options for two of their three first-round picks from 2020, including Jackson and Noah Igbinoghene. The latter will have to scrap to remain on the 53-man roster, but Miami believes Jackson can still be a viable starter. However, for the first time since drafting him, the team added legitimate competition for him by signing tackles Isaiah Wynn and Cedric Ogbuehi.
Jackson had a strong training camp last year but was injured in Week 1 and never got going. He’ll have to turn in a similar summer performance in order to keep the starting right tackle job, but the margin for error is slim with two former first-round picks right behind him.