Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins announced Tuesday they signed kicker Jason Sanders to a five-year contract extension through the 2026 season.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the five-year deal is worth $22 million with $10 million in guaranteed money.

Sanders, who has spent his entire three-year NFL career with the Dolphins, was named a First-Team All-Pro last season after making 36 of his 39 field-goal attempts (92.3 percent) and all 36 of his extra-point attempts, resulting in an NFL-high 144 points.

The Dolphins selected Sanders in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL draft out of New Mexico, and he has been everything they could have hoped for and more.

The 25-year-old kicker was essentially automatic in 2020 after showing flashes of brilliance in his first two seasons as well.

As a rookie in 2018, Sanders made 18 of his 20 field goals and 35 of 36 extra points. He took a bit of a step back in 2019, going 23 for 30 in field goals and 29 for 30 on extra points, but he bounced back in a big way in 2020.

For his career, Sanders is an 86.5 percent kicker on field goals and 98.0 percent on extra points.

Sanders was a big reason for the Dolphins' success last season, as they often had to settle for field goals while rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was getting acclimated to life in the NFL.

Miami finished 15th in scoring despite Tua starting nine games, and Sanders' efficiency played a significant role in that fact.

The Dolphins ended up missing the playoffs, but they went 10-6, which was a five-game improvement from 2020.

With Miami looking to take the next step by making the playoffs and potentially pushing the Buffalo Bills for the AFC East crown, Sanders' continued efficiency in 2021 will likely be a major key to the Dolphins' success.

Veteran-turned-backup Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has faith in his counterpart, Tua Tagovailoa. 

Amid a swirling quarterback market, rumors have surfaced that connect the Alabama product to the Houston Texans to replace a disgruntled Deshaun Watson. But Fitzpatrick is encouraging Tagovailoa to ignore them.

"That's the nature of being a QB in the spotlight," Fitzpatrick told ESPN's Cameron Wolfe. "Unless you're winning the Super Bowl, there are always going to be questions and rumors. You look at a guy like Jared Goff, who was in the Super Bowl a few years ago and a No. 1 pick, now he's on another team."

Goff's move to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Matthew Stafford kick-started the rumor mill as just one of the many quarterback moves that could be coming this offseason. 

Tagovailoa, who started nine games in his rookie campaign and finished with 1,814 yards and 11 touchdowns, is seemingly managing under the weight of the rumors. In an appearance on Get Up! on Thursday, he addressed the talk linking him to Houston. 

"I can control what I can control," he said (h/t Wolfe). "I'm the quarterback for the Miami Dolphins."

Fitzpatrick thinks Tagovailoa will continue to suit up in Miami and that a year of experience under his belt will make him even more successful in 2021. 

"They drafted him in the top five for a reason, with his skill set and what he can do," he said. "There are very few people on this planet who can do that. For them to be fully bought in and believe in him, he's going to do the same thing. He's going to buy into what they're coaching and I think good results are going to come from it."

Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick finds himself on the quarterback market this offseason as a free agent. He started seven games this season with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

The 38-year-old told Wolfe he "is looking forward to continuing on and playing next year." 

Though he didn't provide any insight into his preferred destination, Fitzpatrick made it clear he believes Tagovailoa has things on lock in Miami. 

After an up-and-down 2020 season, Ryan Fitzpatrick joined Bleacher Report to discuss the past year with the Miami Dolphins and his lengthy career in the NFL. 

The 16-year NFL veteran has played games for eight different organizations in his career, starting 20 games at quarterback over the last two seasons with Miami. He currently ranks 10th among active players in both passing touchdowns (223) and passing yards (34,977) in his career.

During his AMA session Thursday, Fitzpatrick broke down his favorite moments in the league, his assessment of teammate Tua Tagovailoa, the upcoming Super Bowl, Miley Cyrus and much more.

     

The following is the full transcript from the AMA session.

       

@Steve_Perrault: Heard you have a Super Bowl commercial with John Cena, what's that all about?

Mountain Dew, Major Melon doing a huge promotion. Cena starred in one commercial, basically all you have to do is count the number of bottles you see in the commercial. Tweet it out, tag Mountain Dew, and it gives you a chance to win a million bucks. I feel like with 7 kids and a very smart wife at home we're gonna have a pretty decent chance to get the number right.

     

@krm4web: What were you thinking when you threw that deep pass while having your face mask tugged against the Raiders?

Oh I hope my guy catches this and not theirs. That was a crazy ending to that game, the last few minutes. Great play by Mac to catch that ball.

      

@fitchkarma66: What was your funniest locker room moment?

I've got a relevant one. When I was in Tampa with JPP going to the airport to travel. Me and some other teams were playing rock, paper, scissors for per diem. JPP came to play and got to the ‘Shoot' part and realized he could only form a rock with his hands. He's a guy that loves football and that's when I knew he was a great teammate.

      

@E711: How good do you think Tua will be?

I'm excited to see. It's so hard to project all these young QBs. A lot of it depends on the skill players, the OL, the defense. It's hard to project all these guys. That's why the success rate of hitting on first-round guys is tough. He had a great rookie year and I'm looking forward to seeing what's to come for him.

     

@E711: Who wins Bucs or Chiefs?

This is hard because I live in Tampa so I don't want to make anyone mad, I also know a lot of the Bucs players well. I think the score is going to be 28-24.

     

@gjolly21: Who in the NFL besides you and Minshew has the best facial hair?

My facial hair idol was Brett Keisel before he retired. Not just the mass of his beard but the mustache and the curl. Every time I played against him I spent half the game looking over at his facial hair then asking him for tips afterwards.

     

@goOSU: How is it like to go to Harvard?

I met my wife there, she played soccer. We were there when Facebook started at Harvard. And if Zuckerberg had asked me for 1,000 to start it up I would've said no because I needed it to buy pizza.

     

@caroline_em_up: Saw your interview quoting Miley Cyrus' "The Climb" - Is that a top 10 song in your opinion?

Haha you know I like to live in the moment. When that song came out it was huge. My four daughters and I use that for karaoke.

      

@HolyMountZion: If you could be teammates with any player in the league, who would you choose and why?

I've had the great fortune of teaming up with some of my Harvard guys, Kyle Juszczyk in SF, Tyler Ott in Seattle. I would say the guys I didn't get to play with in college.

      

@vinsanity123: When did you know you made it in the NFL?

My first game that I ever got in was my rookie year playing for the St. Louis Rams. I was the 4th string guy in training camp, 3rd string as the season started. Mark Bulger gets hurt one week, the next week Jamie Martin goes down. I came into the game and we were down 21 points I think. Threw for 300 yards and 3 touchdowns and thought to myself "wow, this game is easy!" I thought at that point that I had made it and a few starts later threw for 0 touchdowns and 5 interceptions and realized quickly that this is a very difficult position to play.

      

@asherteppy: What was your favorite season and why?

It's a tough one, the last two years were really rewarding for me and the growth of that franchise, not just as a player but interacting with staff. I've played for a lot of great organizations.

      

@Niemiiii: How do you rock those sunglasses so well?

The way that originated, it was before the game. DeSean walked through the locker room … and to me it was just ridiculous what he was wearing, but he made it look so cool. So my comment to him was "If I was wearing that, I'd be laughed out of the building right now." He was like "alright well if we win this game, you're wearing it on the podium." Sure enough we win the game and I think on the first play of the game he scored a 75-yard TD against the Eagles. He was pumped to have me up on that podium wearing his chain and his sunglasses.

      

@Henrykelly27: What are you planning on for the future of your career, will you stay with the Dolphins?

I don't know, I just finished year 16. I want to keep playing. I haven't had a chance to use my college degree but I love my family and being with them. 

      

@GridironGod12: If you could choose your nickname, what would it be?

FitzMagic is cool to me. The first one that came to me in Buffalo was the Amish Rifle. I've been called plenty of worse things.

      

@bvanfossen: What was your favorite "Bills Mafia Moment" while you were with the Bills?

There were a lot. When I think back to my time there one thing I really remember was the joy in that stadium when we started off 2011 and beat NE and OAK, just how much the fans had invested into the franchise. That was one of the biggest disappointments of this year for them not getting to have all the fans present.

      

@goOSU Who was the funniest coach you've ever had?

I would go with Dave Raggone, what a personality he has. 

     

@JakeHeath Do you actually know any magic tricks?

I mean know a few that I can pass on age 6 and down. My older kids think they are lame but I can still amaze my younger kids.

      

Rapid Fire Questions:

Best interaction with Tom Brady?

Most of the time it's a great game Tom and then the time in 2011 when we beat him in Buffalo he ran off the field. I don't have much of a relationship with him.

      

Favorite movie ever?

The one that popped into my head is Good Will Hunting

      

Weirdest interaction with a fan?

Probably when I was in the Mall of America walking around and somebody chased me down to ask about my fight with Floyd Mayweather and then it dawned on me that he thought I was Conor McGregor. That happens every now and then again.

     

Favorite sneakers?

I wasn't able to get my hands on these Chewbacca adidas. I'm still searching, maybe I need to become a sneakerhead.

The Miami Dolphins have taken the wrong approach to Tua Tagovailoa's development since Brian Flores named last year's fifth overall pick the team's starter for Week 8 and beyond. The franchise now sits on the precipice of making a significant mistake by moving away from him before he even has a chance to establish himself.

Miami's path toward long-term success is simple: build around Tua.

The organization's interest in him, particularly from owner Stephen Ross, dates back two years when the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson reported, "Ross really, really likes Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and that getting a high 2020 draft pick is the priority."

As the "Tank for Tua" craze grew and visions of the squad going winless during the 2019 season gained traction, the Dolphins outperformed expectations with a somewhat impressive 5-11 campaign despite severe roster deficiencies.

In a twist of fate, Tagovailoa's hip injury during his final season on campus created an opportunity for Miami to land him. Despite the injury concerns, everyone still understood his capabilities as a passer.

"He's got a natural feel for the game," an AFC personnel man told The Athletic's Bob McGinn before the 2020 draft. "He throws the deep ball exceptionally well. He's got good anticipation and very good accuracy. There's a lot to like about him."

An anonymous scout provided McGinn with a little more in-depth analysis: "Just off the pure talent to play the game, he's better than Joe Burrow. He doesn't have an overpowering arm, but he makes all the throws. He's got a quick release. He's got touch, velocity. He's got the feet to avoid. He's got really good eyes. Cool under pressure. Slides through the pocket. Really good play-action guy. He doesn't throw interceptions."

Questions did exist then about Tagovailoa's effectiveness outside of Alabama's pristine pocket and first-rate offensive scheme, much like with Mac Jones this offseason.

However, Tagovailoa's 153 passer rating from a clean pocket during the '19 campaign was the best ever recorded by Pro Football Focus. To achieve that, he demonstrated excellent presnap awareness, a quick release and excellent ball placement. And in Tagovailoa's case, these skills translated, as PFF noted he was the only quarterback this season going into Week 17 without an interception while working from a clean pocket.

Despite that, the Dolphins pursued a backward approach to his development before he even started his first game.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Houston Texans' implosion played a factor in Miami's decision to start him. According to Schefter, the Dolphins needed "to know what they have in Tagovailoa as they enter the 2021 draft with two picks in each of the first two rounds."

That conversation should never have taken place before the supposed face of the franchise actually had an opportunity to take the field and lead the offense as its designated starter.

If Miami found itself in a situation where it could discuss other quarterback options, that's a different story, but the idea of that being part of the decision-making process already set Tua up for failure. From the moment a team chooses a first-round quarterback, the goal remains the same: Do everything possible to set him up for success.

The Dolphins failed from the onset of Tagovailoa's career and made matters worse during the season by benching him for veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick during a Week 16 contest against the Las Vegas Raiders.

"Tua has played well. He's made a lot of improvement over the course of the season. He's developing," Flores said after pulling Tua yet naming him the starter coming out of the game, per ESPN's Cameron Wolfe. "I don't make judgments and decisions based on one instance. There's a lot that goes into the decisions we make—conversations and not just one game or one quarter. Tua has done a lot of good things for this team. He knows that. The team knows that."

Does he, though?

Even now, he has no clue where he stands and didn't sound convincing when asked whether Miami was "all in" with him.

"In my mind and in my heart, I would hope so," Tagovailoa said during an interview with Sirius Mad Dog Radio (h/t Wolfe). "With the way things went last year, you always have to prove yourself to do better, and I want to do better."

Every player should be driven to improve, but Tagovailoa is being held to an unfair standard after completing 64.1 percent of his passes for 1,814 yards with 11 TDs and five picks.

The learning curve for young quarterbacks has been flattened in recent years. The Cleveland Browns' Baker Mayfield broke the rookie record with 27 touchdown passes in 2018. Two years later, Justin Herbert shattered that mark. The Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes became the league MVP in his second season and a Super Bowl MVP the following year. At 22, Lamar Jackson became the youngest quarterback to win league MVP.

Those instances don't take into account how Mayfield regressed in year two only to find himself again in his third season or Josh Allen's incremental improvement through three seasons. The evolution of a quarterback doesn't begin and end with his first season.

Tagovailoa knows there are certain areas where he needs to be better.

"Pushing the ball downfield," Tagovailoa said in December, per Wolfe. "I would say that's what I need to do a better job with, especially this past game and games prior."

His admission doesn't mean he's incapable of becoming a good downfield passer. In fact, he threw an accurate pass on 52.2 percent of his attempts 10 or more yards downfield his last two seasons at Alabama, per PFF's Anthony Treash, which placed him among the class' best. He also ranked first among those same top quarterback prospects with the lowest percentage of off-target throws with an open receiver 5-18 yards downfield.

To capitalize on these capabilities, a better surrounding cast is necessary.

Based on current projections, the Dolphins have the ninth-most salary-cap space at $25.8 million, per Spotrac. As free agency nears, Miami has the financial flexibility to address both wide receiver and running back.

Fortunately, a quartet of young and talented targets should come into focus. Last season, Preston Williams finished third among the team's wide receivers with 288 receiving yards. While the undrafted free agent showed promise, he hasn't been a reliable option through his first two seasons.

Allen Robinson II, Kenny Golladay, Chris Godwin and Will Fuller V will be counted among the top-10 available free agents since all of them are 27 or younger with proven production. JuJu Smith-Schuster can be thrown into that mix as well.

The running back class isn't nearly as sexy, with Aaron Jones the only legit top ball-carrier about to enter the open market. Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed flashed with 903 combined rushing yards in 16 total games played, but the Dolphins are looking for more from their running back group.

Pro Football Network's Tony Pauline reported Miami has "shown a lot of interest" in the top projected back in the '21 class, Alabama's Najee Harris. With the 18th overall pick, he will come into play. Or, the Dolphins could wait until the top of Round 2 and chose a running back courtesy of the Houston Texans. Clemson's Travis Etienne and the North Carolina duo of Michael Carter and Javonte Williams could be available at the start of Day 2.

The extra picks obtained by Houston in the Laremy Tunsil trade—extra first- and second-round picks this year—provide Miami with myriad possibilities.

While a top-tier free-agent wide receiver should be prioritized, the Dolphins can't stop there. In yet another loaded class, Miami could take the first pass-catcher with the third overall pick. The team can also leverage the selection, add more picks to build the roster and take a receiver a little later. Currently, Alabama's DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle are two of the top three wide receiver prospects alongside LSU's Ja'Marr Chase.

Take a second and imagine an offense featuring Smith, Robinson and DeVante Parker at wide receiver, Mike Gesicki at tight end and Harris in the backfield to build the best possible cockpit for Tagovailoa.

Miami can make it possible.

In doing so, the organization doesn't have to trade multiple first-round picks and young contributors for Deshaun Watson. While the franchise must evaluate the incoming quarterbacks, Miami won't have to settle for the second- or third-best prospect. General manager Chris Grier can work from a position of strength thanks to all of the assets the front office obtained during the previous two seasons.

With Tagovailoa and an improved surrounding cast, the Dolphins can compete for AFC East titles and possibly more. The franchise just needs to avoid the temptation of making yet another switch at the game's most important position when it has a talented and capable option already on the roster.

          

The Miami Dolphins have elevated Eric Studesville and George Godsey as co-offensive coordinators for the 2021 season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.  

Studesville spent the last three years as the team's running back coach, while Godsey has served as tight ends coach for the past two seasons.

Quarterbacks coach Charlie Frye will reportedly also "have some input in the offensive vision," per Rapoport.

The collection of coaches will replace Chan Gailey, who resigned in January after one season as the Dolphins offensive coordinator.

Inconsistency was a problem for Miami in 2020. The team had the No. 6 scoring defense in the NFL but still missed the playoffs. The offense finished 15th in points scored and 22nd in total yards, while rookie Tua Tagovailoa failed to live up to expectations after being selected No. 5 overall in April's draft.

Despite some question marks, general manager Chris Grier confirmed there won't be a quarterback competition going into 2021.

"Tua, we're very happy with. He's our starting quarterback," Grier told reporters.

The challenge for Miami will be to get the most out of the former Alabama star and help the team reach the next level.

Studesville has more than 20 years of NFL experience, mostly as a running backs coach, while Godsey has served in a variety of positions on both sides of the ball during his decade coaching in the league. 

Frye brings a resume that includes time in the league as a player with 23 career starts at quarterback. He also served as offensive coordinator at Central Michigan over the past two seasons.

Head coach Brian Flores has the team trending in the right direction after a 10-6 season, but there will be a lot of pressure on the offense going forward.   

The Miami Dolphins have emerged as the "most likely" team to complete a blockbuster trade for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, according to Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald.

"The chatter is getting louder," an NFL source told Beasley. "Watson feels like the situation [in Houston] is unfixable, and Miami is seen as the front-runner behind the scenes."

It could become a battle between AFC East rivals for Watson. Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network reports that speculation at the Senior Bowl this week suggests the "smart money" is on the New York Jets.

That doesn't come as a surprise. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler previously noted the Dolphins and Jets were in the best position to make a strong offer to Houston because of their large stockpiles of draft picks, including two selections apiece in the first round of the 2021 draft.

Miami holds picks No. 3 and No. 18 after selecting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with the fifth selection in the 2020 draft.

Tagovailoa endured an up-and-down rookie campaign in his return to football after suffering a major hip injury during his final year at Alabama. He completed 64.1 percent of his throws for 1,814 yards with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions in 10 games (nine starts). He added three rushing scores.

While those are solid numbers, especially when factoring in his recovery from the injury, the Dolphins would be unlikely to pass up an opportunity to trade for Watson.

The Texans starter ranked second in passer rating (112.4) in 2020 despite the offseason trade of star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and a suspension to new top target Will Fuller V.

Miami, which missed the playoffs despite a 10-6 record in 2020, could view Watson as the missing piece in its push to become a serious contender in the AFC. The Jets have more work to do in their rebuilding efforts before reaching that level.

That said, the Texans have yet to suggest they're considering offers for the three-time Pro Bowler, who's under contract with the organization through 2025.

Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith has spoken to former Alabama teammate Tua Tagovailoa about reuniting in the NFL.

"We have talked about how it would be nice to run it back again," Smith said Tuesday on NFL Network (via the Palm Beach Post's Joe Schad).

The Miami Dolphins are on the board with the No. 3 pick in the 2021 draft and could use a true No. 1 receiver to pair with Tagovailoa. Head coach Brian Flores spoke highly of Smith when talking to reporters Tuesday:

Brian Flores says DeVonta Smith is a very, very good player and a person. He said you can nitpick on a guy’s size all you want, but he’s made big plays on the biggest stages and a good player is a good player is a good player.

— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) January 26, 2021

Smith obviously has a strong rapport with Tagovailoa already. They arrived at Alabama as part of the 2017 recruiting class and spent three seasons together with the Crimson Tide.

Based on his college resume, Smith is likely to be one of the first receivers off the board. 

He had to share the spotlight with Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III through his first three years. As the top wideout in 2020, he caught 117 passes for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns in 13 games. The Louisiana native was simply unguardable.

The AP College Football Player of the Year: @AlabamaFTBL's DeVonta Smith 🏆 pic.twitter.com/R3HtXMAPHR

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) December 29, 2020

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. projected him to land with the New York Jets at No. 2. LSU's Ja'Marr Chase went to the Dolphins with the next pick.

None of this is to say Smith is the clear choice for the Dolphins. Flores, general manager Chris Grier and the rest of the staff will do as much evaluating as they can, and they could reasonably value somebody else over the Alabama star.

But taking Smith would make plenty of sense for Miami.