Dolphins position review: Will Miami get its tight ends more involved in 2024?

For the second straight season, the Dolphins threw the fewest number of passes to tight ends in the NFL.

And while it’s understandable that Miami devoted the majority of its targets to its dynamic wide receiver duo, their injuries late in the 2023 season and opponents’ efforts to stop them once again brought attention to a seldom-used position during Mike McDaniel’s tenure as head coach.

Is this the offseason that the Dolphins get a do-it-all tight end to complement the rest of their offense? In the fourth of a series of position reviews, the Miami Herald will examine the team’s tight end situation. Next up is offensive line.

2023 IN REVIEW

In the 2023 season, the Dolphins threw a league-low 52 passes to their tight ends. And Miami was the only team in the NFL that did not have a tight end catch a touchdown pass. With Mike Gesicki off to the New England Patriots, the Dolphins strayed even farther away from incorporating their tight ends in the passing game. Durham Smythe just narrowly set a career-high for receptions and yards but his contributions varied from week to week. Undrafted rookie Julian Hill emerged as an interesting prospect for the future.

Depth chart

Durham Smythe

▪ Skinny: Smythe set career-high marks for catches (35) and receiving yards (366), but as mentioned before, he didn’t reach the end zone.

▪ Contract: Smythe, who turns 29 in August, is entering the first year of a two-year extension he signed in 2023. He has a cap hit of $4,916,960.

Julian Hill

▪ Skinny: Hill was one of three undrafted rookies to make the initial 53-man roster. He carved out a niche role as a blocker. Hill appeared in 15 games (four starts) and caught six passes for 48 yards.

▪ Contract: Hill, who turns 24 in July, is entering the second year of a three-year contract he signed as an undrafted free agent. He has a cap hit of $919,166 but none of his $915,000 base salary is guaranteed.

Tyler Kroft

▪ Skinny: Kroft appeared in eight games, playing 43 snaps on offense and 31 snaps on special teams. He was not targeted on offense.

▪ Contract: Kroft, who turns 32 in October, is an unrestricted free agent.

Offseason questions

1. Will the Dolphins prioritize the tight end position in free agency or the draft?

Last year’s tight end draft class was one of the most lauded in recent memory and Miami seemed primed to leave the 2023 NFL Draft with one of the highly-touted prospects. But the Dolphins’ first selection wasn’t until pick No. 51. By then, several tight ends were off the board but some potential fits were still available. Miami opted to go with cornerback Cam Smith, who played sparingly as a rookie.

The Dolphins eventually did target the tight end position, but it was Elijah Higgins, a college wide receiver who was making a position change in the NFL. Higgins was waived as part of roster cuts and joined the Arizona Cardinals. With limited cap space this offseason and a lack of promising options in free agency, Miami might have to look to the draft again to find an upgrade at the position.

2. Can Hill be a factor in 2024?

Hill endeared himself to the Dolphins’ coaching staff with his physicality and relentless blocking. But they’ve yet to tap into his pass-catching ability. Hill was a three-time all-conference selection at Campbell, which included catching 38 passes for 659 yards and five touchdowns in his final college season.

Dolphins offensive coaches praised Hill’s commitment and attention to detail as a rookie. They’ve also spoken about how much the offense is easier to grasp in a player’s second season. Hill will be one to watch when organized team activities start in the spring.

3. Will the Dolphins throw more passes to tight ends in 2024?

McDaniel arrived in Miami after years in San Francisco, where the 49ers have an All-Pro tight end in George Kittle. But Kittle, while being one of the elite pass-catching tight ends in the NFL, is also a great blocker. McDaniel has said he can work with any type of tight end but Gesicki wasn’t a fit for the scheme and over the last two seasons, the Dolphins’ offense has devoted the majority of its snaps at tight end to players who can help out as blockers.

Miami attempting more passes to tight ends next season likely hinges on a personnel upgrade this offseason, and they could use a player with a more well-rounded skill set. But even so, there were opportunities to incorporate the position in the passing game as defenses focused their attention on stopping Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle over the middle. Miami found answers at times, hitting Smythe in the flat when the middle of the field was crowded or quick-hitting passes in the face of a blitz. There’s certainly room to get the position group more touches and it will only make the offense tougher to stop.

Potential additions

The Houston Texans’ Dalton Schultz is probably the best fit in free agency. He played in a similar scheme and can execute in-line blocking duties while also lining up in the slot or out wide to catch passes. The Los Angeles Rams’ Gerald Everett doesn’t fit the profile as a blocker but if the Dolphins are solely looking for an upgrade in the passing game, Everett provides physicality and a big frame at 6-3 and 250 pounds.

In the draft, Georgia’s Brock Bowers is the top tight end prospect and has drawn comparisons to Kittle but likely won’t be available for the Dolphins’ first-round selection at No. 21 overall. The abundance of spread offenses in college can make it hard to find well-rounded tight ends. But Penn State’s Theo Johnson has good experience as a blocker and upside in the receiving game. He was named the top tight end on the National Team at the Senior Bowl in a vote from his linebackers and safety teammates. Johnson is a Day 2 or Day 3 prospect.