2007 NFL Draft

Offensive Line: The biggest need going into the offseason for the Miami Dolphins has to be solidifying an offensive line that gave up more than 40 sacks on the season.

Kendyl Jacox and L.J. Shelton are holding down the starting guard roles this season, but the team will look to upgrade the middle of their line to remain competitive. The Dolphins also recently signed Toniu Fonoti to add depth to the position, but the team will still look to acquire strong talent at the spot

Starting left tackle Damion McIntosh had another non-productive season protecting the blind side, and heads into 2007 as a free agent. As a contract was not discussed before the end of the season, odds are McIntosh will not return, leaving the Dolphins looking for a franchise left tackle.

Cornerback: The Dolphins boasted one of the worst secondary's in all the NFL in 2006. As a unit, they managed only eight interceptions, second worst in the league and equal to or less than six players individually.

The poor play of Miami cornerbacks is one of the reasons the Dolphins were only +2 in turnover margin. And with the erratic play of the offense, the defense has to pick up that slack. It would be a surprise if the Dolphins did not use one of their first two picks on a corner.

Wide Receiver: 2006 was supposed to be a break out season for Chris Chambers. Unfortunately, it turned out to be anything but. Chambers finished third on his own team in receiving yards behind both Marty Booker and slot receiver/return man Wes Welker. The inconsistency at quarterback really seemed to affect the play of Chambers, going over 100 yards only once on the season. Outside of Chambers, Marty Booker will be 31 when camp opens next season and Wes Welker is a restricted free agent. Adding a solid No. 2 wide receiver is an offensive priority this off-season

Linebacker: No one could ask for more production out of middle linebacker Zach Thomas, who finished the year with a league-leading 165 tackles. The only downside with Thomas is that he is 33, and combined with the sheer number of collisions he is involved in each year, it's not going to be too long before it starts to catch up with him. Flanking Thomas is second-year man Channing Crowder, who showed great promise, and also went over 100 tackles this season The Dolphins will need to look for more talent, and perhaps Thomas’ eventual replacement in the later rounds

Miami could use an upgrade at left outside linebacker as Donnie Spragan is no more than a stopgap.

Running Back: Going back to his college years, Ronnie Brown has never carried the entire load over the course of the season, and when he entered the NFL he split time with Ricky Williams. This was the first season Brown was needed to be the man and down the stretch, it took a toll on his body, and he missed time. Stepping in for Brown was Sammie Morris, but Morris will hit the free-agent market and his return to Miami is questionable

Ricky Williams could be back off suspension, but a lot rides on the new coaching staff and if Williams can stay committed to being clean. Whether Ricky is back or not, the Dolphins need to improve on the seven rushing touchdowns they recorded all year. A draft pick must be spent on a running back to help solidify a group that was 22nd in the league rushing the ball

Defensive Line: On the defensive line, Jason Taylor has been absurd off of the end. His play this season may be the best of his career, and he has single-handedly dominated games at times. Taylor is already talking retirement though, and, if the Dolphins want to keep him happy and around, they will need to look for interior defensive line support. Jeff Zgonina and Vonnie Holliday have played well at times, but a powerful tackle lining up alongside Taylor would spell greater success, and with Holliday hitting the market after the season, the draft might be the place to pick up this defensive need.

Notes: First on the agenda, of course, is finding the right head coach to come in and establish a winning philosophy in Miami. Second should be focusing on trying to get younger at key positions on defense, specifically middle linebacker and defensive end... especially with Jason Taylor already talking retirement.

Offensively, 2007 hinges on what they get from the quarterback position. If Daunte can return to form, they will have lots of depth with Joey Harrington and Cleo Lemmon. If not, you can expect much of the same from the Dolphins

Miami Dolphins Free Agency Notes:

New coach Cam Cameron says he hasn't decided whether his 2007 quarterback is on the current roster, but he's unlikely to seek help in free agency. Instead, Miami will shop to shore up the offensive line and an aging defense, especially linebacker and the secondary. However, the Dolphins are in the lower half of the NFL in cap space, which will limit their options

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: DTs Keith Traylor and Jeff Zgonina; DE David Bowens; LBs Donnie Spragan and Keith Adams; S Travares Tillman; OLs Damion McIntosh, OL Toniu Fonoti and Kendul Jacox; RBs Sammy Morris and Travis Minor; FB Darian Barnes; CB Michael Lehan; QB Shane Matthews.