The Dolphins are bringing in former Chargers head coach and longtime NFL offensive assistant Al Saunders as a consultant to help turn around their season, according to Albert Breer of NFL Media.
The Dolphins fired head coach Joe Philbin Monday after starting the season 1-3 and losing three straight games, and they have named tight ends coach Dan Campbell as their interim head coach. Campbell will have a ton to fix with this team both on offense and defense, but an addition like Saunders could bring in an outside perspective on how to turn the situation around.
Saunders served as a senior offensive assistant for the Oakland Raiders from 2012 to 2014 and has a history with Dolphins offensive coordinator Bill Lazor. Saunders and Lazor both coached under Joe Gibbs for the Washington Redskins, and the Dolphins organization is likely hoping that the combination of the two will help turn around their offense.
While the Dolphins offense has experienced some coaching changes, defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle will still lead their defense. The Dolphins reportedly tried to bring in former Lions head coach Jim Schwartz, but Schwartz reportedly declined, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Schwartz is currently working as a consultant for the league's officiating department.
That was likely good news for Coyle, as he will have some more time to try and turn this defense around. The Dolphins have been outscored 101-65 in four games this season, which shows that they need work on both defense and offense. The Dolphins have a bye this week, and that's likely what they need as they are likely implementing a new system with the addition of Saunders. The Dolphins face the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 18, and it will be interesting to see how their new offense performs on the field.
