National outlet predicts newcomer to be Miami Dolphins' biggest bounce back candidate in 2024

The Miami Dolphins are a team looking to bounce back in 2024 after a terribly disappointing end to their 2023 season.  The Dolphins' second straight late-season collapse under Mike McDaniel saw a huge lead in the AFC East disappear in the final week, with a 26-7 loss to Kansas City coming the next week.  

As such, there are plenty of players who need to look in the mirror and improve their performances in 2024 for the Dolphins to take the next step from playoff one-and-done to a legitimate AFC contender.  

Pro Football Focus took a shot at who that top bounce back candidate might be in 2024 for the Dolphins, and they went with someone who wasn't on the team in 2024: LB Jordyn Brooks.

Brooks hasn’t matched his first-round pedigree so far, never even reaching a 60.0 overall grade in his first four seasons. In effect, there hasn’t been a ton of “bounce” in this possible “bounce back.”

But Brooks should gain from being on a new team and with a new defensive coordinator in Anthony Weaver, who helped mold two elite inside linebackers in Baltimore. Weaver leveraged linebacker blitzes a good amount, with Patrick Queen and Roquan Smith each eclipsing 15 pressures this past year. That was actually a strong suit for Brooks last year: his 85.0 pass-rushing grade ranked fourth among all inside linebackers. If the 26-year-old Brooks mugs more gaps in Miami, it could open up other parts of his game. - Bradley Locker, Pro Football Focus

Brooks signed a 3-year, $26.25 million deal with the Dolphins back in March, which is the biggest free agent contract the team gave out in the offseason.  The team chose to release veteran inside linebacker Jerome Baker to salary cap relief.  

Brooks hasn't been great his first four seasons, failing to reach an overall 60.0 PFF grade in any season and particularly having a hard time in coverage, with PFF coverage grades south of 44.0 in his first three seasons.  However, Brooks was strong last year as a pass rusher and the Dolphins could certainly use some pass rush help from him.  

With both starting edge rushers potentially out for beyond the start of the season and veteran Shaq Barrett and rookie Chop Robinson the likely Week 1 starters, Anthony Weaver might have to get creative to generate some pressure.  Fortunately, Brooks' skillset could serve useful in that regard.  

The Dolphins paid big bucks to Brooks to come in and be a difference maker.  We'll see if he can bounce back and live up to those expectations particularly in the first part of the season, when they'll really need him to shine.