Chris Perkins: I hope Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is only here for one season

We said hello to Anthony Weaver, the Dolphins’ new defensive coordinator, on Thursday.

If he’s good at his job, we’ll say goodbye to him at this time next year.

That’s Weaver’s status in this league, and it’s one reason I like the hire.

Weaver, previously Baltimore’s defensive line coach and assistant head coach, was a hot head coach candidate in this year’s hiring cycle. He earned second interviews with both Washington and Atlanta.

If Weaver does good thing, including assembling a strong coaching staff, with this Dolphins defense that finished 10th last season and established a franchise record with 56 sacks, there’s a good chance he’ll get a head coaching job somewhere.

Until then, here’s something for Weaver to add to his to-do list: The Dolphins’ defense needs an identity.

I don’t mean a nickname, I mean an identity.

Perhaps it’s getting sacks (which seems doubtful, considering the injury status of edge rushers Jaelan Phillips and his Achilles and Bradley Chubb and his knee).

Maybe it’s shutting down the run with its front seven (which has a better chance of happening with defensive lineman Christian Wilkins in a Dolphins uniform instead of departing via free agency).

Or it could be a lockdown secondary (which has a better chance of happening after they re-work Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard’s $25.9 million salary cap charge).

The Dolphins’ new defensive identity could be anything.

Last year I liked that Vic Fangio, the Dolphins’ previous defensive coordinator, said he’d determine his system based on the talent.

This year I liked that Weaver said his defense will have multiple strengths.

“In this league, it’s hard to just pigeon-hole yourself as one particular thing,” Weaver said, “because you’re going to face different situations throughout the entire year, whether it’s weather, injuries. There’s a multitude of factors, and your scheme better be flexible enough to adapt to the players and adapt to whatever situation you may be in.”

As it is, the Dolphins’ defense has no calling card, no defining characteristic.

It has no personality aside from being nice.

We know what defines the Dolphins’ offense: speed.

We know the offense loves to have fun. We see the touchdown celebrations.

We know the offense is innovative and creative. We see the pre-snap motion.

Weaver needs to give this defense something to hang its hat on, so to speak.

Perhaps All Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey, given a full offseason and training camp, can impart a trademark on this defense.

This defense isn’t especially fast, it’s not especially adept at creating turnovers, it’s not known for disguising its coverages, or anything.

We’ll see what happens in the Weaver era, the third defensive era under third-year coach Mike McDaniel.

Neither the heavy-blitzing Josh Boyer era (2022 season) nor the light-blitzing Fangio era (2023 season) delivered the desired results.

Previously, I said this defense needs toughness, some Baltimore Ravens-style toughness.

Weaver said that toughness exists on the Dolphins.

He was being polite.

This is a defense full of nice guys.

Chubb. Phillips. Defensive lineman Zach Sieler. Linebacker Jerome Baker. Edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel. 

These are guys you’d trust to babysit your kids.

That speaks well of them as human beings, but not as angry, determined NFL defenders trying to stop the likes of Kansas City defensive lineman Chris Jones or Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Weaver said Thursday he considers technique and fundamentals as essential and necessary parts of a player’s tool box. You can always go back to your fundamentals, Weaver said.

“I call that like the story of the prodigal son,” Weaver said. “He leaves, things get awry, comes back home and your dad is sitting there with open arms. Your technique and fundamentals are the same way.

“If you go awry from it, things can get crazy. Come back to your technique and fundamentals, it will be sitting there with open arms, and things will get right.”

If Weaver is really good at his job, as good as we expect, he’ll probably only be here for one season.

However, with the Dolphins, a team that has Super Bowl expectations for the 2024 season, that’s all the organization needs and that’s all Weaver needs.

Deliver a Super Bowl-caliber defense, perhaps even win a Super Bowl, and keep it moving.

That’s likely Weaver’s goal with the Dolphins.

One and done.

That’d be cool with me.