This year sucked. It sucked hard. Losing record. Hopes dashed. Locker room strife. Major injuries to key players. Perhaps worst of all, signs the Tannehill's body might be nearing its limit (read the bit about blood in his urine?). There's no redeeming the 2015 season. It is/was/will be a complete failure. However, a few thoughts on the not so gloomy side, right now, and towards the future. 1 - There's proven talent on this team. Landry, Suh, Jones etc. Even Franks. Dotted throughout each area of the team there are solid go-to players, and that's a great thing. 2 - Whatever the coaching problems were there's chance now for a change. No guarantees of course, but the opportunity is there, and we, and the players, got to see the effect that a change can have, even if the coaching change wasn't a silver bullet to the Dolphins's problems (and it never was going to be). 3 - The offensive line situation needs sorting, and the reality is that one season isn't going to fix it. However, it's not just about the talent and depth on the line. It's also about how the offense is run. The Dolphins' line has been especially bad because it's a bad line x no run game. If this team is going to help their investment in Tannehill - and preserve that poor man's body - they not only need to strengthen the line, the Dolphins need to become a team with a strong run game. Of course, it's the old chicken/egg scenario. What comes first a run game or an OL? Fortunately for the Dolphins there's only one workable answer - both. Also fortunately, the Dolphins have running back talent. If Campbell stays then he's already talked that talk. It'll be time to install the offense and defence that he wants, from scratch. 4 - Which brings us to remind ourselves that even though the previous coaches were ditched this year their schemes were not. Maybe it would have been nice to see Campbell throw it all out and just tell the guys to get out there, assert themselves, and as a team they can make it up as they go along. Maybe not. The main point, though, is that we have been watching this year (if you've been watching), is a team of off-the-cuff coaches work with the previous coaches' play-books but also trying to change things. Whatever else happens next year, we'll at least see a new coaching staff running their own plays, not someone else's. 5- Lastly - A decent draft pick could be a nice cherry on top. This one is nowhere near guaranteed and even then it might turn out poorly, but it's a chance for more talent - and in truth, the draft always offers that hope. One season is never the end - no season or stretch ever is. The future is always there. Just a few glimmers of what might be light, and maybe even a little hope, for the coming year.
