LAST YEAR: Dolphins regressed in second season under Adam Gase. As rookie coach he led them to 10 wins and playoff berth, but in 2017 Dolphins never recovered from quarterback Ryan Tannehill's season-ending knee injury in training camp, and deteriorated into wildly inconsistent, undisciplined team. They led to start fourth quarter in only two games and were outscored by 112 points, fourth worst in NFL. Owner Stephen Ross decided to keep organization's core leadership intact, but Gase and executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum may need turnaround to keep jobs beyond this year.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: S Minkah Fitzpatrick, G Josh Sitton, DE Robert Quinn, WR Danny Amendola, WR Albert Wilson, C Daniel Kilgore, TE Mike Gesicki, RB Frank Gore Sam Shields Jersey , RB Kalen Ballage, QB Brock Osweiler.
IMPORTANT LOSSES: DT Ndamukong Suh, WR Jarvis Landry, C Mike Pouncey, G Jermon Bushrod, K Cody Parkey, QB Jay Cutler, QB Matt Moore, TE Julius Thomas, LB Lawrence Timmons.
CAMP NEEDS: Dolphins will count on two players with no NFL experience to assume significant roles. Linebacker Raekwon McMillan, their most promising rookie in 2017, is back after knee injury in first exhibition game ended his season. Fitzpatrick is expected to make immediate impact after being taken with 11th overall pick in April. Most of all, Gase needs to keep Tannehill healthy as quarterback comes back from two serious injuries to left knee since December 2016.
EXPECTATIONS: Tannehill became starter as rookie in 2012 and has still never taken postseason snap, and there's plenty of reason to doubt that will change this year. While he returns David Njoku Jersey , Dolphins bid adieu to three players with Pro Bowl resumes in Suh, Landry and Pouncey. There were financial reasons, and Gase also wanted change in culture. He believes addition of such veterans as Gore, Amendola and Quinn represents upgrade, but oddsmakers disagree. They project Dolphins to again be six-win team.
A look ahead to top enterprise and feature stories planned globally by AP Sports. New digests will go out each Thursday and Monday and will be repeated on other weekdays. Please note that story plans may change depending on news and other issues.
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THURSDAY, May 3
BKNr11;PLAYOFFS-SHOOTING SLUMPS
They call it r1;The Menu.r1; Warriors star Stephen Curry and his right-hand shooting man, Bruce Fraser, detail together what the two-time MVP might need to work on any given day. Maybe itr17;s catch and shoots. Or off-the-dribble work. Sometimes Eddie Jackson Jersey , ballhandling into shot. Itr17;s one of several approaches taken by players who might be looking to bust out of a shooting slump. By Janie McCauley. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 3 a.m. Thursday.
CYCr11;COLLEGIATE CHAMPIONSHIPS-RATOr17;S RIDE
Every so often, a particularly steep descent will intimidate the 23-year-old Spanish cyclist. Understandable, considering that nearly four years ago Mauro Rato blew a tire during a race in Spain, crashed into a wall and broke six vertebrae. Itr17;s been a long climb back r11; one that landed him in Grand Junction, Colorado, and riding for Colorado Mesa University. He will be among the favorites as the USA Cycling collegiate road national championships roll into Rator17;s backyard this weekend. By Pat Graham. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 12 p.m. Thursday.
FRIDAY, May 4
FBOr11;RECYCLING THE PAIN
CINCINNATI r11; Defensive lineman Devon Still retired from football and started his second career, trying to help families cope with childhood cancer. Her17;s using lessons learned through his experience with 7-year-old daughter Leah, who became a national story during her recovery from the disease. Still calls it a way of recycling the pain and helping others heal. By Joe Kay. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 3 a.m. Friday.
MONDAY, May 7
BUFFALO RISING?
BUFFALO, N.Y. -It has never been easy being a sports fan in Buffalo Kavon Frazier Jersey , where losing r11; and the way the NFLr17;s Bills and NHLr17;s Sabres have lost r11; has been as customary as the winters are long and wings spicy. The teamsr17; most notorious moments even have names for them, be it the Billsr17; r1;Wide Right,r1; or Sabresr17; r1;No Goal.r1; And yet, a renewed sense of hope has arisen in this rust-belt city after the Bills selected quarterback Josh Allen in the first round of the draft, and the Sabres won the NHL draft lottery over the span of three days. By John Wawrow. UPCOMING: 950 words, photos by 3 a.m. Monday.
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Again, if you have questions about the Sports Showcase Digest or the material listed, please reach out to Oskar Garcia at 215-446-6632 or ogarcia(at)ap.org.
