By Dr. Bruce Banner
It’s almost that time again. Time for me to start sweating, pacing, shaking my fists, finding myself in some back alley with pants and shirt torn to shreds. Yes I am talking about draft time. All the countless hours of anxiety leading up to and dissecting our draft needs and who is the one and only person that can right this franchise in one fell swoop. Year after year I experience the anxiety and then the eventual explosion of rage as I watch the Phins over reach, trade down, draft a family instead of football player and well you get the picture. However, for some unknown reason this year’s draft seems different to me. I am not feeling my palms sweat, I am not walking around in a rage and I have not woken up with my clothes all torn since the playoffs ended. I began to wonder why I am not suffering from my usual pre-draft anxiety this year. My only answer is that success breeds success.
I know one winning season and a one and done in the playoffs is not much of a measure of success and we can easily revert to our old ways but there seems to be something different about this team. The players don’t quit when they are down, it overcame key injuries, it won on the road, it won close games and most of all there is a quiet confidence that starts with the coach and resonates with the players. I think this brings a different outlook and attitude as this team heads into the draft.
In year’s past we were always looking at the draft to land that one impact player, to land weapons, to be the face of and carry the franchise. When I look at this team heading into this draft my thought is we are no longer looking for weapons or franchise players. We have those on both sides of the ball in multiple positions. What we are looking for are pieces. Pieces to fill out the roster. As our elder statesman of the blog Stanger has pointed out, we have been linked to 21 different players at R1P22. That is a good thing. It means we are not desperate to fill out one position. It means we can take best player available as opposed to drafting just for need. We can take Forrest Lamp and solidify the interior of the line. A unit that showed much progress last year. We can take Jabrill Peppers and team him up with Reshard Jones and create a more physical presence at Safety. We can draft David Njoku and give Tannehill a freakishly athletic tight end the likes of which we have not seen in Miami. Even taking someone like Taco Charlton, whom I am not a huge fan of, is still not a bad pick. This is to just name a few of our options. The fact is that we are in a good spot in this draft and for once we don’t seem to be desperate.
To me the more significant portion of this draft will not be round but rather what we do in rounds 3-5 may have a bigger impact on our team than what we do in rounds 1-2. What this team needs more than anything is depth. Every team has to deal with injuries and ultimately injuries took their toll on this team last year, in particular on the offensive line and in the secondary. Getting 3-4 guys in the middle rounds who can play when called on as a backup may have impact than whoever we draft in round 1. Which to me is a good sign as to the direction of where this team is headed. One name for a 3rd rounder to keep an eye is Obi Melifonwu, S from Uconn. He can be a nice athletic addition to a depth chart. Or perhaps we can look at depth at Center where our oft injured Mike Pouncey has struggled to stay on the field. Perhaps an Ethan Pocic from LSU or Kyle Fuller from Baylor would give us much needed depth at that position. Once again these are just a few names that we can watch to see what happens come the draft.
Of course I don’t put it past our team to draft a long snapper and punter in rounds 1 and 2 and I find myself turning all green and waking in a dumpster again. However, for the first time in a long time I get the sense that almost no matter what direction we go in the draft we are going to be alright. So everyone just relax and chill.
Finsmob Unleashed 
1A
Ramczyk
Njoku
Humphrey
Lamp
Reddick
1B
Cunningham
1C
Bolles
McKinley
2A
Tankersley
Feeney
R Anderson
2B
D Johnson
Moton
Asiata
3A
Phillips
Elflein
3B
D Walker
A Garcia
3C
J Johnson
That’s all I’ve come up with so far. 19 players.
Steve,
you know darn well I don’t “parrot” anyone.
Mimic? 😉
Lou is a plagerizer. Steve caught him. However, Steve may still be mad at Lou for Ross not voting to move the Raiders to Las Vegas, so it may or may not be true.
Lol
And Lou, you forgot Davis on your 1st round list.
AMEN, Phelon. We COULD, and HAVE, done a lot worse than Davis in the first round under the leadership of the Ross/Ireland/Carl Peterson “brain” trust!!
—————-
OOPS!! Is that thunder or HULK I’m hearing in the background??
Lou doesnt like UF players
Adam Beasley @AdamHBeasley
Despite other interest, Dolphins’ Thomas signs one-year RFA tender
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins/article144978299.html
That is a good re-signing imo
I see you guys are still on your man crushes. I don’t balme ya, i really want a few players to be drafted by us, but id keep in mind, 4 of past 5 years, the 1st rounder has been a player we brought in for a private visit, and the only exception was Tunsil who was an unexpected fall. 2nd round has come from a visit 5 out of 5, and 3rd round has come from a visit 4 out of 5. I know the rumors about the visits being smoke screens swirl around, but numbers like that suggest they arent just smoke screens. Its not to say we wouldn’t deviate, we could have another Tunsil situation, they might not have any of those guys who have visited be available, etc, but patterns are patterns for reasons so i say look to the visits as a really good indication of who might be selected.
Task for anyone with the time: post a list of all the players who visited (or were rumored to have visited)
There is a list out there, Google Dolphins news and look for articles pertaining to draftees visits, and the link is on the bottom.
Could not agree more Ken — and what a great write. Dr. Banner writes like I think with more style. Do miss the Hulk sometimes though.
“We can take Jabrill Peppers and team him up with Reshard Jones and create a more physical presence at Safety.” in Hukspeak would be “Peppers make Phins safttes smash.”
Stanger speak Hulk good
Good write up, Ken. But you seriously wouldn’t put it past our team to draft a long snapper and punter in rounds 1 and 2? LOL
I still have not recovered from the Eddie Moore draft
LOL
Ian Rapoport @RapSheet
Sources: While #Jaguars coach Doug Marrone held his first team meeting, new LT Branden Albert was not present. Holding out for a new deal.
Seriously, I thought they settled on a contract?
OD
Like I expected it to be, the Marlins vs Mets was an exciting, well fought series. Congrats to your Marlins, they were the better team this week. I enjoyed the games, even if I wasn’t happy we lost 3 of 4.
They always play the Mets tough.
Very nice write up Ken! Good to see you back!
I am off to court. I will check back later
These have been our private, local, or workout private visits.
Private (counts towards 30) Visits (15)
Chase Allen ILB Southern IL
Isaac Asiata OG Utah
Jonathan Calvin OLB/DE Miss State
Taco Charlton DE Michigan
Dylan Cole OLB Missouri State
Jarrad Davis ILB/OLB UF
Justin Evans S Texas A&M
Shaquil Griffin CB UCF
Josh Jones S NC State
Raekwon McMillan ILB Ohio State
Obi Melifonwu S UConn
David Njoku TE TheU
Jonnu Smith TE FIU
Jalen Tabor CB UF
Deatrich Wise Jr. DE Arkansas
Private workouts (could have been at pro day or some other visit with them) (8)
Corn Elder CB TheU
Dan Feeny OG Indiana
Marcus Maye S UF
Malik McDowell DT/DE Michigan St.
Jalen Myrick CB Minnesota
Derek Rivers DE Youngstown St
Travis Rudolph WR FSU
TJ Watt, OLB/ILB Wisconsin
Local visit, same as a private visit but not counted against the 30, limited to those who either live in or went to college in the local area.(7)
Stacey Coley WR TheU
Corn Elder CB TheU
Dieugot Joseph OT FIU
Brad Kaaya, QB TheU
William Likely CB Maryland
David Njoku TE TheU
Jalen Tabor CB UF
Some names you might see on two different lists, because we met with them on multiple different occasions as a private workout/meeting. Also i think you can count almost any Alabama prospect as on a private workout just because it seems as if Gase really trusts Saban’s evaluations so its likely whatever breakdown Saban gives Gase would make them good or not good in his book, which im sure those opinions get passed up to the FO.
This is all i could find with a quick search, any of you have any updates to this list?
Ian RapoportVerified account @RapSheet 21m21 minutes ago
Sources: While #Jaguars coach Doug Marrone held his first team meeting, new LT Branden Albert was not present. Holding out for a new deal.
25 replies 114 retweets 159 likes
Opps looks like i owe ya a beer M13
They said that prospects are refusing any private workouts now….wtf how does this benefit them
There is your draft day attendees, any shockers?
Chido Awuzie is the only one on that list i have a hard time believing might go in the first, but if he is on that list, there are some with him on their day 1 big board.
So Albert is holding out for a re-do on his contract. Can’t blame him actually since it is probably his last chance to get a serious one done…….at the same time might also explain in part why he is not here. And his negotiating leverage increased when he went to a team where he would be the LT.
And this might explain why they are planning on keeping Landry.
“Landry is heading into the final year of his contract and there’s been chatter this offseason about working on an extension with the team. Nothing has come to fruition and that can sometimes lead players to skip voluntary work, but Landry’s view is that “football players don’t hold out from football things.”
Lolz at Albert’s holdout
That’s frickin hilarious!
When I opened it up I almost spit my coffee out!
I read ” A Bruce Jenner like Draft ” and thought WTF happened to the Hulk?
lol — So you were thinking the writer now looked like this?
That’s Effin funny and A Great Job !!
Guess being a comic book nerd as a kid finally paid off……thinking no one else on the board knew what She Hulk did for living. 🙂
LMAO
Albert Breer @AlbertBreer
Dolphins hosting DBs late in the process: Florida S Marcus Maye, Texas A&M S Justin Evans in today; Clemson CB Cordrea Tankersley tomorrow.
3rd rd safeties and a 2nd rd corner.
Makes me wonder if we’re thinking about Desmond King. We had him in for a visit and private workout. He’d be in that 2nd-3rd Round range.
Really you’re wondering that? LOL
Yeah, I phrased that extremely awkwardly, LOL. I should have stated that I wonder if we’d pull the trigger on Desmond King in the 2nd Round. I see far more pressing needs, but seems we’re really adamant about getting a DB within the first 3 Rounds.
It’s just that Desmond doesn’t fit our prototypical size-mold at DB… whether it be at CB or S.
BALLHAWK!!!
MAN CRUSH!!!
MF13, don’t worry about the size of a CB we’re looking at slot corners. We can’t beat the cheats with Bobby playing the slot.
Its the second time I heard that Justin Evans has visited
M13, Gase said he wants more corners and we didn’t add any in FA so I’d say there is a very good chance we draft one in the first 3 rounds.
Paul Kuharsky @PaulKuharskyNFL
Titans make release of CB Jason McCourty official. GM Jon Robinson: “I have a ton of respect for Jason and what… (link: http://www.espn.com/espn/now?nowId=21-0645667648998219331-4) espn.com/espn/now?nowId…
MikeE
What the hell just happened. Syndergaard, Degrom, Harvey… Must have been Cespedes didnt feel well.
I dont care!
5-2 MARLINS!!
HELL YEAH!!!
Steve, it appears nobody can beat the Pats with the nickels they have.
Because you cant do it with the CB’s only, you have to have coverage LB’s. They have too many weapons to throw at the middle and you have to press thier receivers and keep them off their route timing. Its a pretty hard thing to do against their anywhere from 4-5 weapons they send at ya.
Hogan, Edelman, Amendola, Lewis, Gronk or whatever TE’s they have in there, now Cooks and Malcom Mitchell mixed in. Pick your poison.
To me a lot of it is about tackling as well. As for the nickels, they often get picked because you can’t press them when they bunch them up and run those screens. Most of the damage the Pats do is YAC, they don’t beat you down the field often. When they do is when they catch teams off guard and someone comes open clean. You don’t see Brady throw a lot of contested type passes – meaning letting his receivers win the one on one battle. That’s why he doesn’t throw a lot of picks.
So when playing the Pats offense you need a solid 4 man rush and cover with 7. Keep everything in front of you, hit them and make the tackle. If you don’t they score often because those guys do make plays after the catch. They spread the field a lot so one missed tackle means additional chunk yardage and a 1st down or a long TD. They will do that all day.
You also need to hit Brady enough so that you force him into getting the ball out quickly and know it’s coming. If he’s comfortable in the pocket, it’s impossible to stop them. They’ll dink and dunk all day, run the ball at times and take some shots down the field.
It’s funny, you almost have to force them into their bread and butter to beat them – quick short passes, but you have to tackle them. They throw a lot of stuff just beyond the LOS so if you allow 1-3 yard passes to go for 7-8 or more, then you can’t compete.
Tim he has had a couple 2nd and 3rd round CBs in on visits too.
Not sure if this is a reliable source but posting it
https://twitter.com/alexander1great/status/854032325302259712
Rhino says:
April 17, 2017 at 10:20 am
Task for anyone with the time: post a list of all the players who visited (or were rumored to have visited)
Reply
steveccnv says:
April 17, 2017 at 11:16 am
There is a list out there, Google Dolphins news and look for articles pertaining to draftees visits, and the link is on the bottom.
————————————-
You can also look up on this page i listed a bunch of them.
There’s a new list at the Google result I mention ed.
Fournette is doing same thing as McCafferty…sorta kinda. McCafferty has refused to do any private workouts for any team. They were both also the guys who skipped their bowl games.
NCB isnt always a little guy. In the past year it generally was because the slot receiver was a tiny agile guy. Slot receivers are a different mold these days and how you play them sometimes warrants a bigger CB who can bump them off their routes more than just stay in their pocket, so i could see us getting a bigger guy at a slot guy. Smaller hasn’t been working for us with McCain. Hell you have TE’s, and big receivers in the slot, like Fitzgerald, these days so who you are covering has changed too.
past years…
I think McCain gets a bad rap. He can’t cover Edelman, Amendola and backs like Lewis and White all at the same time. It’s not one slot guy, it’s how they use all those guys.
Picks, rubs, grabs, pulls, you name it they do it, especially when they need a big 1st down.
Right, you need to get them to the ground on the first tackle attempt. Knocking the shit out of them early also helps. LOL
D, I’m talking more about defending the Pats then most other teams. There is a reason the Pats WRs and some of their RBs are all on the smaller side. They prefer stop and go quickness over size and pure long distance speed. I’m still surprised the rest of the league hasn’t followed that formula.
There’s a lot the cheats do that I’m surprised others haven’t followed.
You know what they also do and this is part of why Belichick is considered one of the best game planners. They use different personnel for different opponents and don’t play the same way every week. The game is about matchups.
We have some good size at corner and at safety, I think we need more quick twitch guys, not just one in McCain who lead all CBs at the combine in 4 athletic/quickness categories in 2015. He’s entering his 3rd season which is big for all young players.
http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/bobby-mccain?id=2552434
Im not a big believer in him, i think we have seen the most of him we will, but i am also a guy who will hld out hope as long as possible for the players still on my team. I even held out a small amount of hope in my heart that this year Dion Jordan would show us something, even though deep down he his time had already passed by in my mind. I havent seen anything in him so far that makes me believe he isnt a liability, and i would really like a upgrade over him, but maybe you are right maybe he changes my opinion, a couple players on this team have done that in the past so just see if he is another one.
That’s why I have pointed out we have a number of young players in that 2-4 year range heading into this season. They are as critical if not more so than anyone we draft this year. No guarantee starting at #22 if we stay there will be a franchise changing player or in the following rounds. You definitely want to add some good young prospects who pan out, every team is looking to do that with 7 or so picks. I think the FO and coaches knowing this team better with a year under their belts, and the core guys and vets on the team taking it to another level will have the bigger impact anyway.
My hope is we hit on at least two draft picks that add an impact with some others showing promise and contributing. I’m not looking at this draft to be the difference maker, but to sustain it where we make the playoffs in consecutive years and hopefully one year soon it all comes together for the big prize. 🙂
The big thing the Pats do is they have a very simple set of formations, but they run a complex number of different plays out of those formations. LB’s who have to help set up the defensive formations and call shifts, etc cannot really tell what play is coming by any normal markers they would use to make the determination, as a result the defense is always on its heels and having to recover on plays, and of course with their personnel, you only have a split second to read, and react before they are open for completion. The reason its not mimicked is that it take perfect personnel and execution and Belichick is able to get that out of his players and most teams havent been doing it as long and there is always some small amount of failure on someones part which causes the whole thing to unravel. Its a testament to how very under control Belichick has his team.
Totally agreed. Belichick found a niche surrounded by a reliable core that evolves year to year with some key long term components like Brady. His program has been in place for 15 years. That’s why they remind me of the NJ Devils of the 90s into the new millennium. They change some personnel with new guys who can play the same important roles around the core guys. Gase just started his new culture and system. It may take a few years to get rolling like that.
We can’t just be built to beat NE. We have to beat everyone else on the schedule. Part of beating NE is outcoaching Belichick, and very few manage to do that. Good tackling, and lots of pressure from the front 4 is big, but that alone won’t beat them.
So how do you outcoach him? It’s about matchups. I never said just build a team to beat the Pats. But you need players who can. They are the top dog in the league and in our division.
Your last sentence baffled me. Good tackling which was something we didn’t do well last year, nor did we have a consistent pass rush, would most certainly make a difference in beating them. It’s the two biggest reasons we didn’t.
You dont design your team to beat the patriots, you are right that cant be your only point to your team, but you have to have a system and players that can do it. No matter what, it seems that the road to the Superbowl for us will go through them at multiple points. I know what you are saying but what im saying still holds, you have to know how to beat them, and you have to have the players capable of beating them. Think about this, for us to get to the superbowl, unless something drastic happens to them, we have to beat them 3 times in a year. Thats 1/6th our entire season has to be devoted to beating that team.
No Mike, but you have to start out built to beat them. You cant be the champ, until you beat the champ. We’ve seen this in other sports too, Jordan had to beat the Pistons first, LeBron had to beat Boston.
To beat the Pats you have to out coach him for sure, you have to throw him a curveball he isnt anticipating or you have to be so inside his head you can predict what he is going to do next. The latter is going to be really f’ing hard to impossible. You also have to have a very committed, focused and unified team, again, this is back to coaching a good bit, players have to commit to the coach and believe he can get us through it. Finally we just have to play like we belong, the patriots know they belong, they just assume they will be in the playoffs , because no one has rattled the confidence that that is where they belong. We have to pop them in the mouth and make them understand, its going to be a fight every year for them to take it from us, we have to gain our own confidence and break theirs. Its a long friggin road but it goes through them and we have to be able to beat them to get there.
The teams that have knocked them out of the playoffs have mostly done it by physicality, Balt, Den, NYG. The same way the cheats won their first SB, Punching the Rams in the mouth.
The key to beating the Pats is to hit Brady. Hit him often. Hit him hard. Just keep hitting him. He is not comfortable when he is forced to move in the pocket. The second part to beating him is playing tight coverage on all those little crossing routes. Make him hold the ball so you can hit him more. You will get beat on something down the field but you take your chances with that and hopefully deliver more pain to Brady.
See my 3:11 post.
The thing about tight coverage is about personnel though. Yeah of course, do you have it? 😉
One thing the coaches lead by Burke has to do is improve overall team tackling. I mean he’s a career LB coach, that’s their main job. LOL
We split with the Pats from 2013 thru 2015 and got swept last year because they beat our defense. We made a valiant comeback in the first game but we were undermanned in the last game on both sides of the ball. They outscored us 66-38.
Tim Knight says:
April 17, 2017 at 4:55 pm
That’s why I have pointed out we have a number of young players in that 2-4 year range heading into this season. They are as critical if not more so than anyone we draft this year. No guarantee starting at #22 if we stay there will be a franchise changing player or in the following rounds. You definitely want to add some good young prospects who pan out, every team is looking to do that with 7 or so picks. I think the FO and coaches knowing this team better with a year under their belts, and the core guys and vets on the team taking it to another level will have the bigger impact anyway.
My hope is we hit on at least two draft picks that add an impact with some others showing promise and contributing. I’m not looking at this draft to be the difference maker, but to sustain it where we make the playoffs in consecutive years and hopefully one year soon it all comes together for the big prize. 🙂
—————————
Tim i think we are finally getting to the point where that is going to be true, draft is going to get almost mundane for us if we are doing things right because no draft pick is going to be considered a must produce guy, they will be a future starter for sure, but we wont be on the edge of our seats waiting for that name to be called because we think this is the guy thats going to make the difference. We are sorta kinda there right now, and being half there and half not we are kinda at the point where a lot of player we could take could make a difference, but none of them HAVE to. We could use a LB of the future, sure, but what we have with Alonzo, Timmons, and maybe Hewitt+Misi stepping up some should be enough to make it through. We could use a S of the future for sure, but TJ, Allen, Thomas, Aikens, and Jones will probably get us through, DE same deal, but maybe a little more push to get a guy ready by next year, OG probably same boat as DE, but in general, most other positions we are looking for future contributors.
I dont know what we will due if things continue to move this way because eventually we are going to have so little to talk about draft wise we might die of boredom during this part of the year lol.
LOL I agree. 🙂
We’re all nuts about guard these days while I think Pouncey is the key to the OL being good. Of course you can’t have everyone going down, what team can? If he’s done because his body won’t hold up, we’ll use one of the other 4 guys on the roster who can play center and it is what it is for 2017. You can’t have a perfect backup for all your top players. That’s fantasy land.
You beat the Pats by scoring more points than they do.
All this patsies talk is depressing. I can’t even speak rationally about them anymore. Hatred runs DEEP.
All we can do is keep building and be a smart, well run organization. It’s amazing what one year has done for the overall feel of the team. Players seem engaged, motivated, and want to be here. Brady can’t stay healthy forever. We should be well positioned to take over the division in a couple years if all goes well.
The first voluntary workout was today
We won lol
Good job Ken. I kinda feel the same way. I have my favorites but I feel like whatever way we go it will be good.
Mike E, Pig, Ken, and other Star Wars fans…
I just saw “Rogue One” for the first time today after buying it on Blu-Ray. If y’all haven’t already seen it, SEE IT!!! And if you didn’t already know, it’s the so-call “lead up” to Episode IV (the OG Star Wars we grew up on).
And YES(!!!)… James Earl Jones is voicing Vader!!! IT ROCKS!!!
Rogue One rocked. The best one they have done since Empire Strikes Back
YESSIR!!!
😀
Good evenin’, Son! How goes it, sir?
Goin good man.
I’m ready for the draft but the schedule comes out this week so that’ll be cool
Son and Mrs. Son,
Now playing… “Harden My Heart” by Quarterflash
Oh yeah now it well
Now I feel old
You should after that birthday lol
LOL
Patty Smythe was cuter
Agree
Sitting in the dentist office waiting for an 8:45 pm appointment. Sounded like a good idea at the time
Don’t EVER feel ‘old’… REVEL in the greatness of what was once MUSIC and pray for the puppies that make so-called ‘music’ today.
There’s still hope!
True that
LUV this song! Sounds like a rip-off of DJ Quik in the 90s…
Bruno Mars – 24K Magic [Official Video]
THAT was the magic of the 90s FUNK (WEST COAST). Too bad Bruno Mars is making “bling” a thing in these dire economic times. Bad message (jewels, cash, sex, bling, etc)… but GOOD sounding music, IMO.
Did we pick Jarrard Davis yet?
Latest star wars are pretty boring to me.
Don’t ruin it for me. Haven’t seen them yet.
I actually fell asleep for a majority of Rogue One. Woke up in time to catch the best part though.
Just saw Logan and was somewhat underwhelmed.
Not surprised
Not sure why Marvel think wolverine is the only X-Men that warrants so much film time
I didn’t really think it was anything special either
I like that Disney is expanding the universe and making a lot more of the Star Wars themed films
But they are nowhere as good imo
I will take a mediocre Star Wars sequel over the fast and the furious #108 any day of the week – have no idea how the keep squeezing juice out of that lemon 🍋
Lou & others are right, Tannehill sucks.
Draft a QB in the 1st round Phins, it’s our only hope!
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins/article144385454.html
Ah, sweet baby Jesus GD…Lou hates Fahey. Devoted several hours of blogging about how he knows nothing, the limey bastard. And you gotta stir it up again…
LMAO, Oops….I guess I haven’t frequented enough lately. My bad. I’ll put the mixer away.
pheloniusphish says:
April 17, 2017 at 9:31 pm (Edit)
Did we pick Jarrard Davis yet?
**************************************
Yes, but we traded Carroo, and next years 3rd and 4th to move up to #16 to get him. Hope you’re f’n happy!
Do we have a 3rd or 4th next year? Lol
Not anymore!
Excellent….don’t need a bunch of stinkin’ picks anyway. Waste of time.
phelon
Typical – Get your satisfaction, the hell with everyone else, right? lol
Honestly right now it feels like RD1 will be trade down and a surprise pick followed by Dietrich Wise in RD2 & Anzalone in RD3. Definitely not my preference.
That feeling will pass, it’s fleeting . . . .
LOL
Mike,
Melo better go get himself another max contract because he’s going to be paying his ex & a stripper😂
As long as he’s not on the Knicks, I don’t really care what he does. Like I said, I don’t hate him, I just hate him on the Knicks.
I hold him & Dolan personally responsible for the start of the Knicks so I have a very strong disdain for him.
D-Bolt
Are you going to the draft? It’s in Philly, right? Are they doing it outside?
It’s outside
How are they going to do that? What about all the “war rooms”? It seems like a logistical nightmare.
Trade back would be for Lawson then trade up for Davis.
Both guaranteed to bite as pups.
Mike the war rooms are at each team headquarters they’ll likely have a covered area where the on site phone is for each team.
What if the Wifi goes out? Can you imagine?
Good article GD. LOL
Gase on an advantage on this year versus last…..makes you think he plans on building an actual team. Also explains why we have concentrated on keeping our own with an emphasis far more on what the guy is like other than those three hours each week when we are watching.
————–
“When you have guys that have already been here, they can guide the guys that are new. And just understanding how we like to do things, from every aspect, between meetings, and training, and when we get on the field, how we like to do things at practice. Just being able to have guys that can show them this is how we like to do it. And this is something we’re probably going to emphasize.”
Yeah I think that’s a big part of building a good program and a better team.
I saw this interview with Congemi. I really think coach has us on a winning path. Even if he sounds like and says everything any coach says it’s how his guys respond that is the difference.
You and I played for for free (even if me in rugby)…..the pure joy of doing it. So did these guys at one point, and still do in some respect even if it is now their whole life. How many players have you heard say “understand the NFL is just a business” as they move on or think about doing so?
No the business can’t be taken out of it, but what better ad could we put out than being the NFL team that will “make you feel like you are playing in college again”?
Mike don’t worry they have redundancy plan after redundancy plan and the weather is controlled by Haarp so it will be perfect (unless they don’t want it to be).
It’s all good.
LOL!
Speaking of Haarp, we need rain bad
I do like that they’re moving the NFL Draft around to different cities. That’s a smart move. Why go to one place every year, mix it up.
Yeah but now we don’t get to see the large groups of Jets fan get disappointed when they pick the wrong guy. LOL
You listen to WFAN, there are tons of calls every day. lol
This is true. They have no idea what their team is doing. LOL
MY 2017 Draft, DF7
Running down DEs: Branch and Hayes
Passing down DEs: Wake and Takkarist McKinley
DT rotation: Suh, Phillips, Eddie Vanderdoes
Starting LBs: Kiko, Timmons, Blair Brown
Imagine trying to run against these guys. Imagine these guys pinning their ears back. Imagine trying to pass on Kiko, Timmons, and Brown.
Now imagine our DBs with Maxwell, Howard, Reshad, and Allen behind these guys. On paper, this could be a top-5 Defense.
Until they get on the field, then everything reverts back to the D giving up big chunks of yards, because that’s what the NFL rules dictate.
Sad, but true in the GFL (Goodell’s Football League).
Mike,
I love the draft, but not traveling to Philly to watch it. Being cautious w/ my vacation days etc. as I’m hitting Disney w/ the family in August for 2wks.
Lucky you. LOL
Guy’s a Dolphin and he doesn’t even know it yet
Id take him the 3rd.
You’d be drafting someone who is off the board
There is only one player in the draft would not complain if we put in a bunch to trade up (not talking two or three slots).
“One NFL team charted Howard with a mere three drops over the past two seasons combined, against 83 receptions over that period.”
“Takes a pro’s approach to the game. Never missed a game at Bama and never lost a fumble in his career. Clean medical history.”
I agree. If hes your guy, go up and get him, but none of this Julio Jones compensation.
Pretty sure Gase would not go for that, might be different if he thought we had a chance to win the ring next year.
Howard is undoubtedly a great talent. However, I can’t see us drafting him when we need to protect the ‘Hill’, we lack speed off the edges on D (except for an aging Wake), and our LB corps needs to be addressed (Timmons is a stop-gap, and Misi isn’t the answer).
Someone is going to get a STUD in Howard, though.
I would not be surprised if goes top 10.
Agreed. And if we’re going to trade up, I’d only do it for Reuben Foster.
Tim
When you say “they”, do you mean the Jets fans, or the Jets brass themselves, or both? lol
The Jets fans, they don’t know what their brass is doing and I don’t think anybody does. LOL
I hear that. They could go QB, or anywhere else at this point.
They seem to like collecting mediocre QBs. LOL
LOL – You ain’t kidding! They don’t even let them play!
M
How about you, any plans to try and make the draft in Philly?
And leave his big board – no chance
LOL… NO CHANCE!
Not I, Mike E. I’m going to stay in a padded room so as not to throw bricks through my TV again. LOL
But seriously, I’m scheduled to work the next morning.
If I were a draft prospect I’d don Tunsil’s mask right before the stej picked. Right on TV.
LOL
I’m cynical, but no chance I’d trade up for Foster….I’ve grown less impressed with him as the offseason has progressed, but once again it’s just my opinion.
I find that to be interesting! I was once sour on Foster, but now I’ve actually grown fond of him as a player. And that’s just my opinion as well, Brother.
Honestly the only Alabama player I trust out of that 1st round lot is Howard.
Howard’s definitely a stud.
If I traded up it would only be for Foster!
I don’t think I could pull the trigger unless he made it past 15 though!
I know a ton of people feel the same as you also👍
I could see us trading up for Barnett too.
Barnett is someone I can see them moving for if he’s within reasonable striking distance…..within 3-4 spots.
In all honesty I don’t think they trade up for anyone outside of Reddick, Hooker, or Adams if they somehow fall.
mf13ss says:
Howard is undoubtedly a great talent. However, I can’t see us drafting him when we need to protect the ‘Hill’, we lack speed off the edges on D…and our LB corps needs to be addressed…
——————
That’s just next year though. Have the feeling Gase is thinking about building the team that can compete year after year. Days of the save the next season savior are gone. Building the house the right way.
That’s fair and I hear ya, Stanger. OJ Howard would be a “winning selection”… even if I wouldn’t do it myself. As always, it’s only my opinion.
Look at it this way……if you ran the Pats, would you trade Gronk for Howard on draft day? Age and contract cost come into play and OJ will probably never be Gronk, but I would in a second.
See just below! I’ve got OJ Howard on my radar as a “winning selection”, and have for some time.
You didn’t answer the question though. 🙂
39 for the Phins in the 2017 NFL Draft (NOT ordered: no particular order)
Offense
QB: C.J. Beathard (<– assist from Prof Lou), Brad Kaaya
RB: James Conner, T.J. Logan
TE: Jake Butt , O.J. Howard, David Njoku, Bucky Hodges
O-Line: Cam Robinson, Dion Dawkins , Pat Elflein, Nico Siragusa, Jordan Morgan, Jon Toth, Dan Feeney
Defense
DE: Derek Barnett, Carl Lawson (<– beware his injury history), Jordan Willis, DeMarcus Walker, Daeshon Hall, Josh Carraway
DT: Chris Wormley , Ryan Glasgow, Eddie Vanderdoes , Jeremiah Ledbetter
LB: Takkarist McKinley, Haason Reddick , Devonte Fields, Reuben Foster, Jarrad Davis, Blair Brown , Eric Wilson, Samson Ebukam
DB: Desmond King , Kevin King, Fabian Moreau, Malik Hooker, Fish Smithson, Obi Melifonwu
Notes
— I do NOT advocate taking some of these players in the 1st Round (re: Howard, Njoku, Robinson, etc), but they would be winning selections
— I do NOT advocate replacing Tannehill, but the idea is to draft a QB every year until we find someone to develop into a stud who can push/backup Tanny and/or trade for a high-level Draft pick… Matt Moore is not forever
— My “man crushes” are in bold print
Additional note…
I’ve got Takk listed as a LB. HOWEVER, IF we double-down with another LB (say Blair Brown), I could see Takk becoming a DE for us.
Ian Rapoport @RapSheet
Players who should go much higher than expected: #Ashland TE Adam Sheehan, #Iowa QB CJ Beathard, #UConn S Obi Melifonwu, #UF LB Jarrad Davis
Rigel Spikes @MF13SS · 35s35 seconds ago
Rigel Spikes Retweeted Ian Rapoport
Add #Ohio LB Blair Brown to that list.
I heard Mike Francesa today say he’s now hearing rumors and he does have connections with people in the biz, that now 3 QBs could go top 10 and some teams could be looking to trade up as high as #1 for Patrick Mahomes II. Also there are some RBs and TEs that will go 1st rd so the draft could be balancing out with more offense than originally thought which would be great for us.
It’s crazy how the closer you get to the draft, the boards change and teams are always looking for QBs. LOL
They seem to always talk themselves into it. It’s like being single in a bar. At 9 you say no to the butter face but at 1:30 you’re buying her a drink.
LOL
Lol, I had a teacher that used to rate women in a bar that same way.
I heard Francesa say yesterday that McCaffrey Leonard and Cook all might go top 10. That seems a little much to me. Maybe Fournette, but I’d say that’s it.
I read that a team in the middle of the 1st told McCaffrey if he’s there they will take him so that’s why he called off visiting anymore teams. The rumored teams are the Colts and Broncos.
Philly Tim. That’s a retarded way of putting all your eggs in one basket by him.
Ian Rapoport @RapSheet
Here we go: #Patriots extended an RFA offer sheet to #Bills RB Mike Gillislee. It’s for 2 years, $6.4M, source said. $4M in the 1st year.
Hopefully, this increases the chances of Damien Williams coming back to us after the Patsies* had him in for a visit recently.
Good, better Gills than Damien Williams
EXACTLY!
Agreed!
McCaffery would be a great fit for us if we somehow got him. If they traded up for him I wouldn’t mind.
MIght make Landry’s agent a bit worried……but hell yeah he would be.
He does so many things well. He’s a perfect fit for the Pats but I’m not sure they could get him.
Son,
Speaking of RBs, how happy are you that Storm Johnson is with us?!!
Gase praised both Storm Johnson and Senorise Perry for their work on the PS last year.
Storm is a UCF product (just down the road from Son, if ya didn’t already know). I hope we also draft UCF’s CB Shaquill Griffin.
Yeah I do know that. We did have Shaquill Griffin in for a visit.
Omg I forgot all about us getting Storm. We do have a UCFer. He was great here I hope he finds his way with us.
Griffin would be a nice add should we get him.
Jets GM Mike Maccagnan was seen having lunch with Kaepernick. What’s the saying, when you have 2 or 3 QBs competing you don’t have one. I guess Maccagnan thinks maybe 4 will do the trick. LOL
They’ll sign Kaep, and draft another
And some Phins fans get on Tannehill as a problem. We’ve been through the shit the Jets are doing and it sucks.
I hope they sign the girlie thrower, what a perfect match. Just leave DeShaun alone I like him. I don’t want to have to hate him.
Then he kicks our ass twice a year for the next 5 years.
I still don’t know what’s up with Dri Archer, but can y’all imagine him on our team as an OW (Offensive Weapon)? Nice hands, furious speed, dangerously elusive, CHUNK-YARD producer, and POSITIONAL VERSATILE in the Gase Offense. Only thing he can’t do is block well… which is why the Stealers* NEVER should have tried to convert him into an exclusive RB (pass-protection failure).
Line up Dri as a RB, then flex him into the slot via audible… and vice-versa. NIGHTMARE to account for on passing downs. TJ Logan of UNC has the same traits, IMO.
Can’t we do those things with Grant?
Yes although Dri is a back not a receiver
Yes, we can. But in this game of ‘Stratego’, can’t have enough OWs (positional versatility). This is why many clamor for another TE early in this draft.
Damien Williams is an “OW”… as is his Sooner clone brother Trey Millard (still a FA).
TJ Logan is also nearly 20 pounds heavier than Dri Archer.
I don’t see how he’d ever see the field. I’m not writing Grant off so quickly.
Tim
On that post about 3 QBs going top 10
I’m always amazed to hear QBs rise so the weeks before the draft
But I expect almost every year
Mahomes is also a guy I mentioned in the “here comes the combine. It’s gonna kill your dreams!” Post as the qb who can change the dynamic of the draft by pushing to an early pick
So that’s sounds good for us right?
Nope – not pig world
Where it will never happen
why?
Look at this pic!
LOL, you ever notice in still pics of QBs throwing the non throwing hand always looks like they’re serving food?
He’s off my board after seeing this pic.
He’d have been better off wearing a gas mask. LOL
Duuuhhh… here come da ball!! LOL
Got the tongue thing like David Wright
Mike, I remember when Kaep was in the draft and I kept posting pics (links back then) of him side by side with Leftwich and it used to piss you off so bad.
I remember everything you fuck!
LMAO
LOL
Son, I think Deshaun Watson is going to be good at some point.
The team is currently using the phrase “Zero In” as a rallying call to start off season workouts. It’s on t-shirts with 0-0 on the sleeve.
Yep, don’t settle for any accomplishments we made last year. We’re starting over.
As long as it’s zero in and not zero wins. lol
That would be zero out.
Tim
I think the QB’s are taught to do that with their hand. It looks very strange to me.
In motion you never notice it but in stills they all do it. I always found it strange looking too.
Ghey?
Mahomes looks like a mentally challenged Wes Welker ogre.
Good player though.
LOL
Johnny Football
“Hi, I’m Pat and I like to eat scissors”
Piggy, I remember back in 2004 in January, Phillip Rivers was a 3rd rd pick and by April he was top 10 and went #4 to the Giants followed by the Eli trade etc.
The only thing I remember from 2004 is Charlie, Francis, Jean and Irene. Hurricanes. They all hit me except for Irene.
That was a bad yday at for hurricanes
Piggy, you catching Mahomes syndrome? LOL
Kaep was a 5th RD pick, and he ended up going pick #36
Yeah the premium on QBs is crazy when you get closer to the draft. If you don’t have one you have to go through the recycling bin so why not take a chance if the guy has skills.
Tannehill was a 3rd in January.
…and a turd in September. jk jbb
I don’t remember that but I do remember he entered the picture at some point as a 1st rd option. I didn’t know much about him until late in the game. I do remember hearing Mike Shanahan liked him better than RGIII and he was right. 🙂
I think he became a serious contender as a the 3rd guy after rg3 and luck early the year he was drafted
I think Steve is right though
At some point early he wasn’t
Was a late 1 early 2 projection coming into his final year.
Foles was in the same category going into that season.
Pat Mahomes