Miami Dolphins: Team Must Re-sign Rishard Matthews
The Miami Dolphins will be a team on the rise in 2016 as they must ensure they re-sign Rishard Matthews to continue the dimension he brings on offense.
Wide receiver Rishard Matthews is eligible to be a free agent this off-season as he will no doubt have a few teams interested in his services. With a new head coach in Adam Gase, things should be looking up for the Dolphins come next season.
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When a new head coach comes into town, first year expectations are low but the Dolphins should be better than last season. Gase is a smart head coach and knows the Dolphins have the talent but are missing that guidance and direction he will be bringing to have a better season this time around.
One of the tougher decisions that await the Dolphins to make is what to do with Matthews. Originally to start the year in 2015, he was towards the lower part of the depth chart at wide receiver to the point where he was frustrated because he couldn’t crack the top part to show what he’s capable of.
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Matthews ultimately focused on just sticking to everything he was told to do by the Dolphins and had a decent season before unfortunately suffering a broken rib injury that ended his year early. Last year, Matthews totaled 662 receiving yards on 43 receptions and four touchdowns.
Before getting injured, Matthews added a nice dimension on offense with his speed and ability to take the top off of opposing defenses. Since quarterback Ryan Tannehill will need better talent around him, the Dolphins shouldn’t be so quick to let Matthews bolt via free agency.
Tannehill and Matthews were developing a nice rhythm together last season that could potentially take off in 2016. Since Matthews was the second best receiver statistically for the Dolphins last year, it makes sense to try and bring him back into the mix for at least the next two or three years.
Considering that Matthews is still relatively young at just 26 years old, the Dolphins won’t exactly have to break the bank for him and he can continue honing his craft into a solid wide receiver over time.
Even though he has Jarvis Landry and DeVante Parker ahead of him, Matthews would finalize what could be a terrific trio of wide receivers that could surprise many next season if healthy. A part of Matthews probably believes he can be a quality starter elsewhere but again, better times are coming for the Dolphins as he would be wise to stick around to see how it can all equate to a much-improved situation over the next few years.
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Overall, expect to see many changes coming to the Dolphins this off-season as they prepare to have a bounce back year in 2016. It won’t be easy as they have much work ahead of them but in the end of it all, keeping their important free agents is a top priority. Matthews can still get the job done as long as he’s given the reps to prove he can be a key offensive weapon for years to come.