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Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa reacts after the college football playoff championship game against Clemson on Monday.
Tank for Tua. Bomb for Fromm. Something that rhymes with Herbert.
The phrases will become cleverer over time when the 2019 NFL season gets underway.
But it seems the Miami Dolphins have already constructed their plan to improve the franchise.
Just don’t call it “tanking.”
The Dolphins may not be competing in this year’s NFL playoffs, but news of the organization’s strategy to rebuild the roster under a new head coach received national attention during the second weekend of the postseason.
While team owner Steve Ross and general manager Chris Grier signaled for a rebuild after firing former coach Adam Gase on Dec. 31, ESPN detailed some of the Dolphins’ potential plans for the future on Sunday.
The Dolphins hope to be in position to land one of the top quarterbacks in the 2020 NFL draft, which could include Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, Oregon’s Justin Herbert and Georgia’s Jake Fromm, according to the report.
The Dolphins are in a holding pattern to hire a new coach, but expect New England Patriots assistant Brian Flores to accept their offer for the position once the Patriots’ run in the postseason comes to an end.
“I think we really have to take a different approach in how we do it,” Ross said on Dec. 31 regarding the state of the Dolphins.
“What you want and what I want, is really sustained winning seasons and having an organization that is used to winning, because that’s what people in Miami expect. That’s what the fans want and the fans deserve.
“Basically, the thought is we’re going to look to really build this organization based on our needs and if it takes a year or so — two years, three years — we’re going to be there and we’re going to be an organization.”
Once the Patriots season is over, the Dolphins are expected to finalize a deal with Flores. In the meantime, the Dolphins are allowed to negotiate a deal with Flores’ agent and expect that he will accept their offer, according to ESPN.
The Dolphins have a number of roster needs to address, likely the main one being to identify a new quarterback to lead the franchise following seven years with Ryan Tannehill.
The Dolphins, who finished 7-9 in 2018, have the No. 13 pick in the 2019 draft. They may not be in position to trade future assets to move up and land one of the top quarterbacks in this year’s draft like Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins or Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray in a draft considered to have few transcendent talents at the position.
The Dolphins are expected to build their defensive and offensive lines, while finding depth at other positions of need, and hope to have a top-10 pick in the 2020 draft, according to ESPN.
Ross and Grier acknowledged the Dolphins’ knack for finishing between 10-6 and 6-10 during the past 10 seasons.
They also understand to achieve the type of sustained success they covet, the Dolphins may have to lose during the 2019 season in order to capture ideal draft position in 2020.
“I would hope I don’t have to go 3-13, but whatever it’s going to take, we’re going to build that organization with the right players that want to win,” Ross said. “They’re coming here to win.”
Overall, the Dolphins are 199-201 since 1994, and have missed the playoffs 15 times in the past 17 seasons.
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