Did PFF pick the right trio of players for Dolphins to build around?
The Miami Dolphins have no shortage of options for players to tie themselves to long-term from here  and that is by design. When the Dolphins hit the reset button, they were readily acknowledging that the team needed an influx of talent and a new start. Theyve officially got it. But now that the team has completed three offseason cycles under Chris Grier and Brian Flores, now is an appropriate time to reassess the nucleus of the Dolphins. And, more specifically, what the franchise cornerstones should be. Pro Football Focus has done that for all 32 franchises  and their selections for the Dolphins feature a number of top-10 draft choices and the teams most elite player. Here is the outlets explanation for the chosen trio for Miami:  Tagovailoas rookie season didnt match that of fellow rookie quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert, but its still too early to write off the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Tagovailoa was returning from a major injury, and he was also surrounded by significantly less talent than at Alabama last year. 2021 will be a massive season for his future as the franchise quarterback in Miami. His former college wide receiver, Waddle, will be a big part of Miamis new-look receiving corps next season. Waddle was the best after-the-catch wide receiver in the 2021 draft class, and his combination of speed and twitch should provide plenty of open targets for Tagovailoa over the middle of the field. Howard is the top building block defensively for the Dolphins in their man-heavy defense. Hes a top-five cornerback in the NFL after recording an 89.6 coverage grade in 2020.  Pro Football Focus  The perspective seems right on, although the longevity of building around Howard at this point is something of a question. Surely Miami could make the concerns with Howards contract go away by reworking a deal, but thats easier said than done when considering Howard is 28 years old and has an extensive list of knee injuries in the past. Thats a scary proposition to move forward with beyond a year by year basis. So, too, is the idea of cutting ties with Howard and hoping for the best from the other options on the roster  and so Miami must ask themselves which outcome theyre more confident in. Make no mistake: a healthy and happy Howard is the best player and weapon on the Dolphins roster. And from that perspective, PFF is right to call him out as an add-on to the Alabama duo of Tagovailoa and Waddle. But there are no guarantees in life; including any guarantee that Howard will replicate 2020 again. His history of injuries, his age and his contract situation make the idea of building around Howard from here at least somewhat complicated.