Bobby Slowik is wasting no time putting his stamp on the Dolphins offense, and one of the first things changing is the clutter before the snap.
Miami’s new offensive coordinator has already started trimming down the motions and shifts that were such a big part of Mike McDaniel’s system. That matters for a few reasons, but receiver Malik Washington says it should help the offense get cleaner and simpler as camp rolls on.
Washington acknowledged last week that the change was already noticeable. At the combine, he said he had been told to expect fewer motions and shifts with the move from Mike McDaniel to Bobby Slowik as offensive coordinator. In training camp, that has started to show up.
The shift fits what Slowik wants this offense to become. The Dolphins are moving toward a run-heavy approach, and the goal is more physical football - a punishing, run-first style that leans less on the kind of pre-snap chaos Miami used to create. Slowik is not going to scrap motion altogether, but he does not appear interested in making it the foundation of the offense.
That could be good news for Washington. He has shown progress, and this has been his best training camp so far, with legitimate starting potential beginning to emerge. A less complicated pre-snap menu could help him keep moving in that direction.
The change also separates Slowik from what Miami had before. McDaniel’s offense had plenty of creativity, but it could get messy, with timing issues, penalties, and confusion creeping in. It also had a habit of drifting away from a rushing attack that was working in favor of chasing a bigger pass play.
Slowik is bringing a different kind of offense to Miami. More direct.
More physical. Less razzle-dazzle.
And for a Dolphins team looking for consistency, that may be exactly the point.
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