‘Keep trying to dominate’: Dolphins front seven determined to stay among NFL’s best – AFC East

MIAMI — It’s easy to look ahead to training camp at this stage of the Miami Dolphins‘ offseason program. Their offense is in the process of installing a new system, and neither side of the ball has worn shoulder pads during organized team activities or mandatory minicamp.

But that hasn’t mattered to players in the trenches — especially a front seven that seems determined to maintain its status as one of the NFL’s best. Players say the level of competition without pads has been intense, and they expect it to remain so once everyone is in full gear next month.

“That’s what I can tell about this team, I think it’s a little different right now,” offensive lineman Robert Hunt said. “The guys are working without pads on and you can tell, guys are definitely fitting their gaps right, guys are coming off the ball, flying off the ball.”

The Dolphins hired head coach Mike McDaniel and added seven players expected to play significant roles on offense in hopes of reviving a unit that ranked 25th in the NFL last season. However, defense remains the team’s unquestioned strength. The unit led the league in defensive expected points added over the final nine weeks last season when Miami went 8-1, and the plan for the defense this offseason has been clear: run it back.

Miami agreed to a four-year, $65.4 million contract with defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah minutes before free agency began, re-signed its entire group of inside linebackers, drafted Georgia linebacker Channing Tindall in the third round and signed three-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker Melvin Ingram III.

Ingram didn’t practice with the team as it wrapped mandatory minicamp this month but was present on the sideline. He joins a pass-rushing rotation that includes Ogbah, who has led the…