Expectations Already High For Dolphins Defensive Line
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DAVIE (CBSMiami) – It's no secret that the Miami Dolphins defensive front looks to be one of the team's major strengths in 2016.
There is Pro Bowl talent across the board on the defensive line, such as Ndamukong Suh, Cameron Wake and Mario Williams, as well as free agent signing Andre Branch, veteran Earl Mitchell and youngsters Jordan Phillips and Chris McCain.
So far during the first days of OTAs the line has looked dominant and players have been raving about newcomer Mario Williams.
He was in the backfield a lot on Wednesday, which didn't come as a surprise to Dolphins head coach Adam Gase.
"That's how it has been his whole career, for the most part. It doesn't surprise me," he said.
The only member of the group that was absent on Wednesday was Wake, who is coming back from a torn Achilles suffered last October.
When asked about the possibility that Wake would be ready for training camp, Gase said the chances are "really high."
"He's been doing some things in the OTA practices that makes me feel like he's right on track. It's probably us holding him back more than him saying 'I can't do something.' I think we're just being cautious and want to make sure that he's as close to 100 percent as possible when we hit training camp."
One of the young players that Gase has high hopes for is Jordan Phillips.
Miami's second round pick from the 2015 draft, Phillips picked up his first sack in his first NFL game but finished the season with just two sacks and 19 total tackles.
Dolphins coaches have liked what they've seen from Phillips so far this offseason and it's becoming clear that expectations are starting to build.
"We're looking for him to make a big step this year. We're looking for him to [do] whatever he did last year [and] build off of that and improve," said Gase.
"I think for a man his size, he's pretty quick. He's powerful. Our biggest thing with him is being able to keep him on the field and get him going and be productive on a consistent basis. Every time, week in and week out, he becomes a guy that whoever's in there with him, that group is disruptive."
One guy who is looking to take advantage of playing with such a great group of players is Andre Branch.
After spending the first four years of his career in Jacksonville, Branch comes to Miami and joins a like with perhaps more talent than he saw during his entire stay with the Jaguars.
While he knows there is a lot that he can learn from his new teammates, Branch realizes that it's also a two-way street.
"I learn things daily. I teach them some things, because they've been sticking with what they know. It works for them," said Branch. "Mario [Williams] has been in this league for 11 years so why switch it up? But at the same time, you learn things. If you're a student and you want to be better then you learn from those guys."
