Staying with defense, last week I covered the defensive tackles, so this week I’ll look at another big need for our team, the linebackers. Right now we can pencil in Kiko Alonso (WLB), and redshirt rookie Raekwon McMillan (MLB). That’s about it. We still have Chase Allen who showed some promise, but I’d have to think we’ve seen the last of Koa Misi, and Neville Hewitt signed with the NY Jets, so he’s gone as well. If we stay at #11, it’s pretty likely that one of the top 2 prospects will be there, and if we trade back, the 3rd best guy might be right at that spot, depending on how far back we move. If we trade up for a QB, that’s going to make acquiring one of the top 3 guys an impossibility, but since we have no idea what we’re going to do with our pick, let’s look at the LB’s.
Tremaine Edmunds 6’5 253 Virginia Tech
If the last name seems familiar to you, it should, because his dad Ferrell was a TE for our Dolphins from 1988-1992. Edmunds looks the part of a TE too, he has great size at the LB position, with long arms (34 1/2″) to latch on to ballcarriers. Edmunds is very athletic and has great speed for his size, running a 4.54 40, 2nd only to Roquan Smith, who is considerably smaller than Edmunds. Tremaine became a starter his Sophomore year and started all 13 games for VaTech. Making tackles in the backfield is his specialty, with 16.5 TFL in his Sophomore season, and last year, his Junior season 14 stops behind the line, in addition to 5.5 sacks this year, and 4.5 last season. Tremaine was in on 108 tackles (57 solo) this past season, and 94 tackles (49 solo) 2 seasons ago. Edmunds is definitely an impact player who is still only 19 years old, he’ll turn 20 after the draft. A lot to like as a prospect, he’d be my first choice if we stay at #11 and the top 4 QB’s are gone. Edmunds was rated at 7.28, by far the highest rated LB.
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Roquan Smith 6’1 236 Georgia
Roquan and Raekwon? It could happen! Roquan is a playmaker, it’s that simple. He’s always around the football, and has made a ton of tackles playing for Georgia. He is a little undersized at 6’1 236, but a lot of LB’s these days are about that size, and have done well. Like Edmunds, Roquan became a starter his Sophomore year, and immediately started piling up the tackles. 95 of them (52 solo). In his Junior year, Roquan went over 100 tackles (137 total, 85 solo), along with 14.0 TFL, and 6.5 sacks. Both of these guys spend a lot of time making plays in opponents backfields. One plus for Roquan is he’s better at diagnosing plays and being in the right place, where Edmunds lacks a bit in instinct, but has the speed and athleticism and size to make the play. He’d be my #2 choice if Edmunds were already taken. NFL.com has Smith rated at 6.62.
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Leighton Vander Esch 6’4 256 Boise State
Vander Esch is #3 in my book, but he’s a mid to late 1st RD prospect, so if we don’t take him in the first, he’s goners by the time we get to RD 2. Unlike the first two prospects, Vander Esch didn’t become a starter until his Junior year at Boise State. He had quite the season though, finishing with 141 total tackles (91 solo). He also contributed 8 TFL, along with 4 sacks. While he only has one year of real production as a starter, he’s still my #3, although the next prospect is very close. I like his size and ferocity, and while he doesn’t have speed that Smith and Edmunds have, he’s good at shedding blockers, he’s very good in coverage, he had 2 INT’s and 5 passes defensed, along with 4 FF’s. I think he’s going to get better as a pro, he’s going to get even bigger and stronger. He’s very athletic, with excellent short burst speed and agility. NFL.com has Vander Esch rated at 6.2.
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Rashaan Evans 6’3 234 Alabama
Rashaan Evans became a starter in his Junior year, and decided to stay at Alabama to continue learning the game his Senior year. In 2016, his Junior year, Evans started 13 games, finishing with 52 tackles (31 solo), along with 4.5 TFL, and 4 sacks. In his Senior year, Evans started 12 games, and made 74 tackles (35 solo) along with 13 TFL and 6 sacks. Another LB who spends a lot of time breaking up plays in the opponents backfield. I see him as pretty close to Vander Esch, but Evans is also likely a 1st RD pick, mid to late 1st RD. Evans is a little light for his height, and although he didn’t run the 40 at the combine or his pro day, he ran the 20 YD shuttle at 4.36, so I’d think he’s somewhere around 4.6 in the 40. NFL.com has Evans rated at 6.1.
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Fred Warner 6’3 227 Brigham Young
The last prospect is always tough, because that means I had to eliminate a few other prospects to choose this one, but I think Warner is worth it. He fits the hybrid role of S and LB. He’s excellent in coverage, and that would be his greatest strength. Another prospect who is a little light for his height, but maybe that’s what allows him to be so great in coverage. Not the best tackler in this group by far, he still made his share. His 7 INT’s is easily tops in this group. Warner has started since his Sophomore year, and like Evans, stayed in college his Senior year. Warner finished up last season with 87 tackles (48 solo) along with 9 TFL, 1 sack, 1 INT and 1 FF, and 1 FR. He would have to be used in passing situations as the nickel or dime LB, unless he shows he can tackle better than he did in college. Warner is a team captain, so that’s a positive going forward, and he has good instincts too, but needs work on tackling technique. NFL.com has Ward rated at 5.64.
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Close cuts were Darius Leonard, Josey Jewell and Micah Kiser, more mid RD picks. I’m sure I missed a favorite of yours, and if so, tell me about it on the blog.
Finsmob Unleashed 
I loved the stories you guys have of your eagles.
We have a bald eagle living in a nest on top of a traffic light bar. There are chicks in the nest now. Everybody gets to watch the progress while waiting for the light to change. It’s at the corner of Immokalee Road and Logan Blvd. (Immokalee is where Edgerrin James is from.)
(Our red-yellow-green lights are oriented horizontally and affixed to steel tubes running across intersections so as to withstand hurricanes and our other frequent but unnamed brisk winds.)
But at the car show, they have an eagle on duty that is trained to take down drones because we wouldn’t want one to crash onto a $150,000 collector car. Here’s the training video.
https://journal.classiccars.com/2017/11/08/drone-hunting-eagle-amelia-island-concours-delegance/
OMG if we got Earl Thomas. ORob is that a for real rumor or just some “hey he’s a FA” daydream?
He’d be a great addition but giving up picks and his salary would be tough. We don’t currently have the room for him under the cap and Branch would be the only one I see who we could restructure.
agreed
But we could get a TE in the first and a RB in the fourth, trade our 2nd for a sure thing FS Earl Thomas, move Reshad to roverback LB, leave TJ at SS and get a DT in the third and still have a 4th left for a 6’4 WR or a developmental QB or whatever else we need at that point.
There is an attraction to getting someone you know can play in the NFL if you can be sure he won’t tank on you after signing. We’ll have plenty of cash after the Suh money comes free.
i’m sure he’d want a new deal, and i’m sure it would be back-loaded, and we do have the room, dont forget we’ll gain 17m june 1 on suh departure
it’s a pipe dream though. we don’t have what the Seahawks are looking for in terms of draft capital. They are going to want a first as a start and they’re more interested in moving up into the top ten than getting to #11.
Rob,
that room doesn’t come into effect until June 2. if we sign Thomas we still need to be under the cap in order to sign him. you can’t “borrow” from future cap availability.
they say the seahawks are looking for a 2nd, they are in rebuild mode and that 8 mil hurts thomas value, they may even take a 3rd to dump the salary
exactly
No one is going to give them a first flat out.
you can give him a 3 year deal with a signing bonus, he wont count that much against the cap this year, he’s looking for a new deal, the cap situation is not a factor in making this deal.
It’s funny how the Seahawks finish 9-7 and their standards are higher. They say that nobody is untouchable. The Dolphins finish 6-10 and it’s “let’s give this guy one more chance”.
who are they giving another chance too?
Tannehill and Parker; to name two
James is another one
It seems the Dolphins DO (did) think nobody is (was) untouchable. They moved fan fave Landry, big name Suh, and coach’s faves Pouncey, J.Thomas, and Damien Williams, not to mention community hero MThomas
https://sports.yahoo.com/m/55365b9e-6b86-3688-a8b1-226c47de6504/ss_kelly%3A-why-dolphins-should.html
Well, I guess we could do it from a cap perspective. We have roughly $3M in cap we could use and if we restructure him with an extension we could probably do it.
the thing you need to remember about the $17M that’s available on June 2 from Suh is it becomes $3M at the beginning of next season when we get hit with his dead cap.
you could cut fales and denny and pick up 2m
throw in gore that’s another 1m which i dont reccomend.
They just went and got Gore; I would guess they’re not going to cut him unless he fails his physical or gets a career ending injury in OTA or TC.
He’s a good mentor for Drake and Penny. (wink)
Nooooooo don’t cut Denny. But either Fales or Osweiler will not make the 53 so there’s that $$ available
osweiler will make the 53, their paying him 800k guaranteed, i’m sure they would not guarantee that money if he wasn’t a lock for the 53
I don’t do cap work.
We need Dawn Aponte back to manage our cap.
Tananbaum had to get rid of her as she was too inhibiting of his lifestyle.
She be like yo mama won’t let you play with daddy’s power tools when he’s not home.
IT figures that Ross would keep a proven loser around like T-Bomb, doesn’t it?–Ross is all about promoting incompetence and failure when it comes to this franchise on the football field.
PROF LOU; Liked your comparison of Seattle going 9-7 and saying no one’s an untouchable while the 6-10 Fins say let’s give this guy another chance.
But here’s the rub: IN REALITY the fins got rid of guys who proved they COULD get the job done fairly well, or better, such as Landry, Ajayi, and some would add Suh, and replaced them with OLDER guys on the downside of their careers, (Amedola and Gore, for example). This is an absolute prescription for disaster. And, unless the Fins get VERY LUCKY IN THE DRAFT, a disaster is just what’s in store for Dolfans everywhere this upcoming season. And,by the way, the front office (which I’ll now start calling “THE FRONT ORIFICE”) has yet to fix the O-Line IMHO. And those who think T-Bomb will make a move to acquire Quenton Nelson in round 1 of the draft have forgotten the Front Orifice’s new mandate from Ross, namely, “Cheaper is Better.” It’s the same thing that’s going on in Miami with the Marlins who, doubtless, are headed for last place in the NL East this season. The current Fins offensive line can NOT protect Tannehill who will be lucky to last the season without missing a few games due to injury.
————-
The French have a saying for this. Loosely translated, it says “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” That’s certainly true for the regime of Steve Ross, who will leave a legacy of football failure when he finally sells the franchise.
———–
PROF LOU: This one’s for you. You aptly stated Seattle’s reaction to a 9-7 season. What was the reaction by ownership when Shula went 9-7 in 1995?? — Shula was fired! That was then. Now we have 6-10. The times sure have changed.
———-
Going out doors to do yard work. THIS IS a perfect day for it. Near 70 degrees right now, with sunny skies and a light breeze. Not even Steve Ross can ruin a beautiful sunny day in Florida.
SPEAKING OF “PROVEN FAILURE,” Brock Osweller is the poster boy for failure at multiple franchises. Just perfect for THE DOOFUS BRIGADE.
Reply
professorloumiamidolphinsblog says:
April 1, 2018 at 10:46 am
Tannehill and Parker; to name two
professorloumiamidolphinsblog says:
April 1, 2018 at 10:47 am
James is another one
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Parker is still on his rookie contract a steal at 3m, and he needs to step up this contract year if he wants to get paid, I don’t see a problem with keeping Parker and they’re not “giving him another shot” IMO
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Tannehill did well in 2016, they only re-upped him for 2 years, he’s a bargain at below 20m per, QB position is hard to fill and i would have to consider Gase knows what he’s doing at that position, obviously he believes in Tanny.
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for a veteran RT 9m is a bargain, I don’t think James is the worst player on the OL
I heard Shula is coming back as an advisor, and he will make decisions in the draft!
OK no one is biting….
APRIL FOOLS!!!!
All the Marlins want to do is cash the revenue sharing ck’s along with a bunch of other teams, maybe there are 8 teams that play to win, Baseball is screwed up, it’s not competitive, it’s a business that makes $$ for the owners and if you support a team you’re getting fleeced
I think Osweiler will be a way better option as a back-up than Moore was
ROB: Saying James is NOT the worst Offensive Lineman on the Dolphins (at $9,000,000) proves YOU are the master of the back-handed compliment!! As far as Osweiler being better than Matt Moore, I’ll believe it when I see it. TRUTH IS NEITHER ONE of those guys are legit starters in the NFL. Which makes them PERFECT for our “Front Orifice!”
BY CONTRAST both the ’72 Dolphins back-up QB and the 2017 Eagles back-up quarterback played key roles in their respective teams run to a Super Bowl Title. Some franchises seek excellence, some don’t.
PFF grades James above average RT, Denver was trying to get him in a trade for CJ anderson,
Osweiller has started in the NFL, Gase knows him and the fact is he’s not a starter, he’s a back-up.
there is no QB tree or RT tree that you can just go pick from, you have to deal with what’s available and fits in the budget.
after 2 years Gase is .500, maybe we should give him a chance
Hell NO Rob! Ross still owns the team. The Dolphins Suck and cannot make a good decision Ross the NY wants to destroy team. (eyes rolling)
And he’s done a good job of destroying the team, Rock. BTW, I’ll give you a chance to make-up for the money you lost to me on our Jeff Ireland wager. I’ll bet you the same amount of money (#100?) that the Dolphins will never even get to an AFC Championship Game (let alone a Super Bowl) as long as Ross owns a majority of the team!
Would you trade out of the first for 3 seconds?
Your Picks:
Round 2 Pick 4 (IND): Wynn, Isaiah, OG, Georgia (A)
Round 2 Pick 5 (IND): Goedert, Dallas, TE, South Dakota State (A-)
Round 2 Pick 10: Jones II, Ronald, RB, Southern California (B+)
Round 2 Pick 17 (IND): Rudolph, Mason, QB, Oklahoma State (B+)
Round 3 Pick 9: Griffin, Shaquem, OLB, Central Florida (A+)
Round 4 Pick 23: Bates III, Jessie, FS, Wake Forest (A+)
Round 4 Pick 30: McFadden, Tarvarus, CB, Florida State (A+)
Round 6 Pick 35: Atkins, John, DT, Georgia (A+)
Round 7 Pick 5: Pineiro, Eddy, K, Florida (A+)
Round 7 Pick 11: Nall, Ryan, RB/FB, Oregon State (A)
WYOMING: I’m ABSOLUTELY SURE I’ll like YOUR DRAFT far better than I’ll like T-Bomb’s Draft a few weeks from now!
ACTUALLY, Rob, I’m NOT looking at just “the last two years.” I’m looking at Ross’s 9 year record of failure after failure. Until proven wrong, I do NOT believe that Ross is capable of hiring a head coach or a GM who can take us to a Super Bowl. Head coaches?? –Sparano?? Campbell?? Joe Philbin?? Gase?? The only winning head coach in Ross’s fins history is Todd Bowles, who went 2-1 with Miami. And Gase is the one who encouraged getting rid of AJAYI and LANDRY and replacing them on the roster with Amendola and Gore. Gase is a hot-head who could not possibly work with the Mercury Morris/Jake Scott personality types and turn them into champions (which is ONE of the traits of a successful championship coach). Gase DID have success when he had a stacked Broncos team led by Peyton Manning. Hell, even Joe Philbin looked like a genius when Brett Favre was his QB. But GASE is not the guy who can lead us to a Super Bowl. And he CERTAINLY HAS ZERO CHANCE OF WINNING A RING IN MIAMI as long as the head of the DOOFUS BRIGADE, the one and only Steve Ross, is calling the shots.
SO DON”T go accusing me of that 2-year bullshit because it’s NOT TRUE and YOU KNOW IT!! –BTW, Rob, a BIG GUY like you should try out for the Fins O-Line! If Ross is stupid enough to pay guys like James $9,000,000, who knows WHAT he may offer you?
Jake Scott turned Shula into a championship coach, not the other way around. Don’t get it twisted.
ADAM GASE is no DON SHULA. Don’t get it twisted. Gase had a chance for future playoff success with Landry & Ajayi. He showed his stupidity by bringing in Amendola and Gore, who absolutely will NOT get this franchise to a Super Bowl. Oh well, even losers have their believers.
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NO TAKERS ON THE $100 Ross bet?? That’s smart of all of you!
Maybe next April Fool’s Day someone will bite. This year’s chance is over. But I’ll give you another chance next April 1.
I don’t know, cutting Parker seems pointless. Nobody’s going to give us anything of value near to his potential. He might play up to his talent this year and even injured he’s been good, just not great. He has a very high ceiling. Why would we cut him? There’s no real money to save there.
So the team went 6-10 last year but only the players we got rid of were not responsible for that? The team went 6-10 before Gase got here with those same players. How did that happen?
Don’t try and figure it out…
Lol..exactly
Gosh, Osweiler seems like a good back-up to me. He’s started and won some NFL games. He’s tall and not out of shape. He plays the same way as Tannehill more or less, so the coaches would not need to throw out the game plan and he somewhat knows Gase’s system and terminology so they wouldn’t have to trim the playbook if he had to go in. He’s cheap and hungry.
Back-ups around the league are all guys who you wouldn’t want to start a bunch of games. Who backs up Brady? Hoyer? Yikes. Who backs up Garopplo or Cousins or Jameis or Rothlisberger?
or Eli or Rivers or Rodgers? A bunch of bums.
Seattle just cut their back-up for assault and battery!
Buffalo and Cleveland and the jest have ALL worthless back-ups. A back-up is the new starter in Denver and the back-up is worthless.
Houston went out and got a complete loser in Weeden to back up a rookie with two knee blow-outs.
I could go on and on. Who backs up Mariotta and Newton? Oakland’s back-ups blew their playoff chance. Who backs up Ryan and now who’s the back-up to a raw rookie Mahomes?
Osweiler is better than 90% of those options.
As far as Foles goes, the man was wandering in the desert contemplating retirement in his 20s and god knows what other levels of self-destruction.
His winning the Super Bowl is a great story, not great GM’ing. Foles had just as big a chance to pull a Lawrence Timmons as he did to win a SB.
Not even close
But there’s the answer right there. Parker isn’t going to get us anything of value in a trade but he’s too good to let go. Kind of contradictory
He’s only making $3.4M on his rookie deal so might as well see if he can finally break out. Getting rid of him just to do it doesn’t really make sense. Let him compete with the rest of the WRs and go from there. If he continues to miss time due to injuries and his production is meh you move on in 2019.
Doesn’t matter what he’s making. If you can upgrade the position you don’t keep a guy around just because he’s a cheap option
I wasn’t saying don’t upgrade if you can. I said let him compete with the rest of the WRs and go from there.
There’s tons of players like that in the NFL. There’s a lot of ambiguous judgments. Now if his rookie deal runs out, and he still has not grown into the position, then maybe you move on.
He caught 57 balls, over half his targets, made first downs on over half his catches, and averaged over 10 ypc. Those are all ok bench marks for 13 games.
Again not great and you want to see more TDs, but his QBs were our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th stringers. With Landry getting twice as many targets and Cutler bailing out off his back foot half the time, Parker got short-changed. What, you wanted him to finish with a 3 TD game from Fales?
And Ja’wuan James was ranked 10th out of 78 OTs last year. Why would we be down on him?
Anybody can get rolled up on as a OL. He’s not fragile, slow, clumsy, erratic, limited, or dumb.
Why would we get rid of him?
The team brought him back at his 5th year option cost because they felt he was still young enough to play even better and he really wanted to stay in Miami. I hope he can stay healthy and have a good season.
I love Don Shula as much as anybody (except maybe my buddy OD) but he had the benefit of a lengthy list of HoF guys. Some of whom made it due to his coaching I am sure, but how many HoF guys did Philbin have in his 4 yrs? or Sparano? How many HoF guys do we have on our roster right now?
I think Gase is trying to get back to that saturation of talent. And the FO too. That’s why i hate trading down just to get a bunch more mediocre bodies.
One HoF guy is better than like 8 JAGs.
OD
I was in the resign James camp from the start!
9 mil for a good OT? I’ll take it all day!
Did you see what the lesser OT’s got in Free Agency?
Why do you care about all of that stuff anyway?
Your in the it’s all about the win’s camp!
Don Shula couldn’t handle Jake Scott either that’s why he left the Dolphins and that’s why Shula never won a Super Bowl before Jake and never won one after. Besides, there were only 12 teams in the league when Shula was coaching so odds of getting to the big dance we’re pretty good.
🤝
In case you don’t know what that emoji above is it is a handshake
Because I know that is one $100 bet you wouldn’t mind losing. You were on OD
You know from experience that I’m good for it.
🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬
Just remember everything is the same as it was 45 years ago….
🤝
In case you don’t know what that emoji above is it is a handshake
Because I know that is one $100 bet you wouldn’t mind losing. You were on OD
You know from experience that I’m good for it.
🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬
Oh shit the iPhone double post
Oh shit the iPhone double post.
Do you all leave OD”s cantankerous crotchety old ass alone
Celebrating something that happened over 40 years ago and only having that to hang onto all this time can make anybody bitter.
naplesfan2010 says:
April 1, 2018 at 1:20 pm
Gosh, Osweiler s……………..”
But but but those teams all have starting quarterbacks already …….
😳
that’s a good bet Rockphin, unless of course Ross sells the team, as long as Ross owns it you’re good but if he sells it you may go 0-2 against OD, that would be awful to have to hear about that for the rest of time!
There were 13 teams in the AFC when Shula coached, 5 in the east, 4 in the central and 4 in the west, also 13 teams in the NFC as well.
Jake scott was good but i doubt he’s the reason we won the superbowl, i think it had more to do with Csonka…Kiick and Morris
He’s the reason we won two!
Jake Scott was instrumental in winning both SBs where he had 2 INTs in the 14-7 win over the Redskins than 2 FR against the Vikings in the 24-7 win. The defense only allowed one TD in those two games, as we all know how the Redskins scored their loan TD. LOL
I watched Indy play last year and Gore played very well
He’ll be a great mentor for Drake and hopefully a rookie RB. I don’t expect him to have big numbers, but he’s a guy who can run, catch and block. He’ll be productive when called on.
I’m happy to have Gore. He has played well on bad teams.
Is it really so crazy to think that we got some high character guys on our team? We replaced Jarvis Landry and Jay Ajayi with Danny Amendola and Frank Gore. Both very positive, leadership type men with high character. Not guys who lose their cool, and put themselves before the team. Ajayi was a guy who played hard, but didn’t want to put in the extra time to learn the things his HC wanted him too. For all of those who think Ajayi was the best, just wait an see if he gets that big contract he so desperately desires from the Eagles, who actually traded for him. Amendola too, high character guy who knows what it takes to win. I think 2 very good additions. Amendola is a very clutch player. If we happen to make the playoffs, he’s a guy I’d be thrilled to have on our side.
Here’s the problem: Gore is 35 and Amendola is 32.
And Drake is ? and the rest of the WRs are ?
ocalarob says:
April 1, 2018 at 4:08 pm
that’s a good bet Rockphin,………::::
Rob, I’m kind of hoping OD has to pay me this year or next. He’s no spring chicken you know ?
ROCK; I don’t bet via emoji but if you say we’re on for the $100 wager (that the Fins won’t get to an AFC Championship as long as Ross owns a majority of the team) then I guess WE ARE ON!
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you SAID “He’s no spring chicken.” Were you referring to Ross or me?? I may be old but I DO look like a spring chicken compared to Methusaluh’s Grandfather (A.K.A. Steve Ross)!! And to think Ross’s FIRST serious advisor was none other than Metamucil Carl Petersen way back in year one of the Ross reign!! I believe Petersen’s so old he now has his own chapter in the Old Testament.
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And best of health to you, too, Rock. I want YOU to be around when I lose my first serious bet to someone on this site. Good luck, my friend. Because if you win this bet, then I will have a ticket to at least ONE MORE Dolphins’ AFC Championship game!
Here’s what I feel our priorities will be (not should be) in the Draft, in no specific order…
TE, RB, QB, LB, DT, S, and K… and we’d better be able to find a nice gunner to replace Michael Thomas on STs. One can probably throw WR in there as well.
I can’t get over how many holes we have on our roster, coupled with the minuscule amount of cap space currently available (roughly only $3M). Yeah, we’ll get $17M back on June 2nd (Suh cut), but by then, we’ll get last dibs on any FAs still out there. Maybe that’s a good thing, so that Tannenbaum can’t spend it on more high-priced FAs in the meantime.
The only holes we have are TE and K. You act like we have nobody who can play at any of those other positions.
We did what we wanted to do in FA. Last dibs is over. The cap will be fine heading into the season. We can sign our rooks and have some space to add players incase of injury.
Perhaps I shouldn’t have said “holes”, rather VERY THIN/WEAK at the positions I listed above.
I don’t see it as weak at all and it’s hard to be deep everywhere, bro. Look at other teams and tell me they’re deep at all those positions.
Funny no mention of OL. 😉
I could see a RB breakdown something like this in 2018.
Drake: (feature back)
Rush 225/Rec 55
Gore: (situational back)
Rush 125/Rec 20
Rookie: (backup back)
Rush 75/Rec 10
Here’s the problem: Gase wants a RB by committee… not a “featured back”.
That doesn’t mean an exact split. I just showed a committee approach. What Gase means is he doesn’t want one RB getting 25 rushes or 30+ touches per game. The numbers I put up based on 16 games and that probably won’t be the case are:
Drake 17.5
Gore 9.1
Rookie 5.3
Tim Knight says:
April 1, 2018 at 5:15 pm
And Drake is ? and the rest of the WRs are ?
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Do we really need more “player coaching” on our team? I mean, don’t misunderstand me that it is GRAND to have players on your team to serve as mentors and role models… I get that! 🙂
But why can’t we field a team of 53 players who KNOW their job and do it properly? We seem to be the only team in the NFL that has consistent problems in this regard. Do we simply ignore character when we draft/sign FAs? $#!t, the Seahawks have been a raging ball of misfit kids and STILL have been perennial Super Bowl contenders… why not US?
YES, I want a team filled with leaders, good character, and yet HUNGRY as the wolf. So why do we continue to get after the wrong guys over the years? I’m FRUSTRATED, man!
We FINALLY made it to the playoffs in ’16 (YAY!!!), and we ended up TEARING IT ALL DOWN (player-wise) in the end, after one mere 2017 season. *SIGH* *SHOULDER SHRUG*
Wow you went all over the place there. My reply was you make it seem like Gore and Amendola will be bell cows and nobody else will be productive. I’m not sure what you’re looking at when thinking about the team.
Go to the official roster and look at the age of this team. Most are in their 20’s and just getting started or headed into their prime. Why hone in on the guys in their 30’s and portray the team as old? It’s not accurate at all. That’s not including a new draft and UDFA class.
“We seem to be the only team in the NFL that has consistent problems in this regard.”
Really?
It’s just my opinion, nothing more. I DO believe that we can do better… and we did in ’16. Hopefully, regaining Tannehill is a big part of as much, but I wouldn’t hold my breathe.
Of course, it’s my opinion too. But I see people shaping things in a bad light to make their point when they’re leaving out way too much other stuff.
Like I said the other day, roll with the present and future and leave the past behind. The past cannot be changed. 😉
Ian Rapoport
Verified account
@RapSheet
1m1 minute ago
Breaking: the #Dolphins are sending a pair of 2018 draft picks to the #Seahawks in exchange for Pro Bowl safety Earl Thomas, per @mortreport.
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HOLY SVUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really?
APRIL FOOLS!!! 😆
Hah hah
😖🐷
This is the ONLY day of the year I will ever post something fake from somebody else!
LMAO!!!!
😀
I’m not talking the actual superbowl games, i’m talking about all season long, our running game carried the teams that went to the superbowl, as for the minn win, Shula changed the blocking scheme for the 1st half and we ran all over Minn, at halftime Minn adjusted to what we were doing and Shula went back to the old blocking schemes. masterful!
No doubt they were great teams and those wins were team efforts. Jake Scott was a big game player is all.
Csonka was MVP
From Wiki
We decided to emphasize negative influence by misdirection and cross blocking, trying to make the Vikings Front Four commit to the influence of the play and then actually running it elsewhere. The Vikings responded as we anticipated. Then later in the game we found that the Vikings started hesitating, reducing their charge. When they did that, we beat them with straight blocking.”[11]
BOOM! And even in a ZBS, there are times ya have to win man-to-man (short yardage sits). In other words, we’d BETTER have some maulers on the team.
And with that stated, I’m happy that we’re no without Mike Pouncey. I feel a Center should be a “centerpiece” MAULER, not a PULLER.
Leave the PULLING to the Guards and Tackles.
*Happy that Pouncey is gone!
Now that you brought that up I believe I saw a show about this and how we dominated the Vikings in all phases.
Mike E. says:
April 1, 2018 at 5:04 pm
Is it really so crazy to think that we got some high character guys on our team? We replaced Jarvis Landry and Jay Ajayi with Danny Amendola and Frank Gore. Both very positive, leadership type men with high character. Not guys who lose their cool, and put themselves before the team. Ajayi was a guy who played hard, but didn’t want to put in the extra time to learn the things his HC wanted him too. For all of those who think Ajayi was the best, just wait an see if he gets that big contract he so desperately desires from the Eagles, who actually traded for him. Amendola too, high character guy who knows what it takes to win. I think 2 very good additions. Amendola is a very clutch player. If we happen to make the playoffs, he’s a guy I’d be thrilled to have on our side.
This is a great post! Nice job Mike
I feel it’s a great post, too! I suppose we could use some more leadership on the team, being we’re not getting it from our HC. But for 35 and 32 years old at their positions: N(ot) F(or) L(ong). Translation: band-aid for a year.
I didn’t mean to be curt in my response to Mike E, but we’re essentially renting these two players for a mere year, due to their age.
Seriously what are s your deal with the age thing? Like they have absolutely no youth at RB or Wr?. They haven’t even drafted yet! To me you can clearly see what they are trying to do with the locker room and leadership how do you not get that who gives a crap about the age ?
M13, who are these mauling centers you speak of? Most centers chip and then head to 2nd level. It’s not pulling, it’s almost like what a LB does, seek and destroy. They seek out whoever could ruin the running play.
If you’re talking about short yardage and goal line, yes that was not Pouncey’s strength. We didn’t move on from him because of his talent, but because of his long-term durability and salary. They didn’t want to have to have a special situation for him anymore to hope to keep him healthy and then on game day he only practiced with the 1’s 1.5 times during the week. That’s not a good situation in the big scheme of things.
ROCKFIN: –ANSWER for you up the page just above MF13’s 5:08 entry.
Y’all read it and laugh hard!!!!
In my opinion, It is lazy to come on here and complain about Steve Ross and the doofus Brigade without recognizing that the actions taken in the off-season were different than what is actually claimed they are doing. It is so fricking played. They Bring in respected veterans, they dump a large salary that a lot of people complained about, they don’t overpay for a wide receiver, they get rid of an injury prone center and they’re still the doofus brigade? give me a break!
By the way, I don’t care what they did 40 years ago, it has no impact now. Oh and Shula did not win a Super Bowl his last like 25 years as head coach. I love the guy, but Gase is the coach NOW…….I choose to respect that.
bookman11 says:
April 1, 2018 at 6:17 pm
Seriously what are s your deal with the age thing? Like they have absolutely no youth at RB or Wr?. They haven’t even drafted yet! To me you can clearly see what they are trying to do with the locker room and leadership how do you not get that who gives a crap about the age ?
———–
BUILD through the Draft. AUGMENT via FA.
Once again, we’re building through FA being we haven’t drafted well. How else does one explain 3 interior starting O-Linemen over 30 on the cheap? I know, I know… we really WEREN’T in cap hell, after all. Yet, we’ve only got $3M left to spend at the moment.
I’ve ALWAYS LOVED Frank Gore! Wish we had him earlier in his career (suggested it when Lamar was with us), but he’s now 35. In terms of the RB position, that’s ANCIENT. Yes, he’s still productive… but we brought him in for LEADERSHIP, being Gase can’t LEAD on his own.
Amendola? Why didn’t the Patsies* re-sign him? Hmmm. Yeah, he’s done alright for himself, and we’re now paying him — this season alone — more than he’s ever made in his career at a base salary. Smart? I dunno, man!
My issue is this: why does Gase feel the need to sign these aged players in order to rectify the locker rooms he’s presided over the last 2 years? And YES… I DO feel that both Gore and Amendola can contribute for about a year… perhaps two. That isn’t BUILDING for the future though, is it? Gase is merely “augmenting” his team — this year — with “yes men”. Sorry, but I’ve got a problem with that. It screams to me that he’s got problem managing certain types of players.
Well, if Gase DOES have problems managing certain types of players… aren’t he and Tannenbaum on the wrong page? And THAT is my original argument, sir. There is WAAAAY too much dysfunction in our FO, Bro.
Bro, you are so off I’m at a loss. Do you know the roster? Building through FA? Please explain and good luck because you are wrong.
FYI, trades are not FA and ignoring personnel acquisitions that every team does and trying to make it out to be a selective negative is an obvious agenda.
There is no consistency in your rants. You praise and criticize the same thing to make your points. But you’re not alone so there is that. LOL
Tell us about your leadership experience. What it is that makes you such an authority. What…precisely…is this dysfunction in the FO that to which you keep referring?
What? How can you say “there’s way too much dysfunction in our front office bro” when you have no clue if there is. You are a fan veiwing it from the outside. You have no inside information. you’re not qualified to make that assessment. you did not say it was in “your opinion”. You state many of your opinions as if they are fact. why do some fans feel like they know more than people who are in front offices of $1 billion corporations. it is amazing to me
When I post my mere viewpoints, take it for what it’s worth: IMO.
It’s obvious where M13 is coming from. I’m surprised he’s taken this tact. He’s usually more of a football guy but now it’s all about executives and disfunction which I have no idea where this comes from.
Tannebaum has said since they hired Gase, it’s Chris and my job to get the players Adam wants. What is so bizarre about that?
Tannebaum wrecks the cap but never does, Grier is a yes man with no input, and Gase is not a leader of men. Oh forgot Ross is horrible. LOL
Well put.
I absolutely LOVE how some people are attacked here, due to their mere football opinions! $#!t, like anybody’s say here has SWAY on management.
I think we’ve all done a relatively good job of keeping politics out of our football talk, but now mere “football talk” is becoming a lightning rod for a few HATERS? REALLY?!! 😆
There’s FAR more important things to do with one’s life than to disparage another’s mere football opinion!!! 😆
Construction > Destruction. Together, we learn from one another.
Why must you be so over dramatic about people disagreeing with you? There is nothing social or political going on here, I just happen to disagree with your opinions that you pass off as facts, and also that you will ALWAYS find something wrong with any move that does not involve one of your man crushed
M13, I agree with Bookman. You have never seen the 2018 team without a draft and UDFA and TC and the PS. Yet it’s already dysfunctional with no real intel to support that view. It’s just a feel I guess. But you don’t say it like that. Nobody is attacking you, we are reacting to what you say. It’s very vague with mysterious reasons that never get explained.
You’re assuming a LOT about me, there. And I do not… NOT pass off opinion as fact. Don’t confuse a strong opinion with facts when it comes to me… I do NOT do what you allege. More than half of my posts are from others around the league, keeping y’all updated.
It’s ALWAYS alright to disagree… but it’s another thing to talk SMACK about others.
Am I “some people?” Because I am simply searching for what qualifies you to besmirch (some would say slander…but only if they had a loose understandinding of the word) professionals. I mean OD has the excuse of being old (by definition) and stuck in the past. Lou is a self-professed douchebag who doesn’t (to his credit) take himself or his opinions all that serious. So…where do you fit? Are you a Fortune 500 executive? A self-made 1%-er leading a cutting edge start up? Someone who has led men (and/or women) into combat? Maybe a cult leader? What gives you the chops to to declare, oh so definitively, that someone is a piss poor leader? Who have you inspired, “through your leadership”, to become more than an individual?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Excellent post
I was inspired by the Ape’s forthrightness.
Damn, you got me with that Earl Thomas post. I jumped out of my seat before I realized, lol.
We’ll see how 2018 turns out and take it from there. KILL the DRAFT!!!
I was almost able to let this pass, but it would be against my nature to let such an easy repartee go unspoken….”Don’t confuse a strong opinion with facts when it comes to me… ” – We don’t.
Old Dolfan,
I happen to see what YOU see, from afar. I’m afraid we got it wrong — ONCE AGAIN — under Ro$$. Don’t worry… when you and I try to say, “I TOLD YA SO!”, after this season, these haters will complain, ONCE AGAIN, that, “HINDSIGHT IS 20/20!!!”, LMAO!!! 😆
The question is this: HOW much longer will these haters continue to use the exact SAME EXCUSE, year after year? It’s ALREADY an old excuse, from them.
I truly HOPE the ’18 version of OUR team proves us both wrong, but IMO, it’s not looking so good… nor for the immediate future, with your stated “Front Orifice”/”Doofus Brigade”.
There you have it. Let’s forget everything that happened following the 2016 season with 12 players on IR in 2017. Let’s just keep choking the same perception bullshit over and over. If I felt this way about sports I’d never follow it. Holy fuck!
We need a championship soon or else!!! LOL
Our last championship was back in the ’73 season. How old were ya then? I’ve NEVER experienced a championship season from my beloved Phins, man. 😦
I’m CLEARLY frustrated!!! 🙂
Passive aggressive..
Wow..just wow….it is almost as if you would rather be right and the Fins lose than god forbid your talent assessment and FO evaluation be wrong. How the hell do you even enjoy the games?
https://twitter.com/TomGarfinkel/status/980587414732312576
See the Jaguars and how they changed. This is all about marketing. I don’t really care, win games and be fun to watch.
Oh man, that is hideous.
Very Madden.
I’m hoping it’s a April Fools joke.
Are you saying it does not appeal to you?
M13, for me as a sports fan being in the mix is enough to keep me engaged. My life not being complete because everyone of my sports teams has not won a championship is not what it’s about for me. I like the journey and the hope. Of course I’m bummed when we don’t make the playoffs and finish sub par. This idea that it’s all about Ross and others is a witch hunt. It never ends. Gase is 16-16 his first two seasons. It’s all over. I mean come on. LOL
I also don’t get off on character assassinations. “Front Orifice”/”Doofus Brigade”. What grade does that fall into, 7th or 8th? Sheesh!!!
That imo is an April’s fools joke
With the exception of the sun thing – I actually liked it
Maybe just an orange band instead of the sun beam thingy.
https://twitter.com/tomgarfinkel/status/980608535947071488?s=21
He announced the realmuniforms come out on 4/19
I bet that one was a submission though
Anybody else watching “Altered Carbon” on Netflix?
No
What is it?
Ohhhh man this article is scary as it says three TEs could go in round one!
We gotta get one of those three: Hurst, Goeddert, or Gesicki.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000924011/article/sources-tell-us-hayden-hurst-is-2018-nfl-drafts-top-te
Piggy – It’s a Netflix original series. SciFi in the blade runner vein. Pretty good so far.
I will check it out
Bookman – Thanks
One more thing to leave off with . . .
We were all unhappy how things turned out last year, which IMO makes no above reproach. We all know how good a player Suh was, but we also clearly know that during his tenure here, the defense never improved, never was dominant. We also know that Landry put up some eye popping stats, especially all those catches, and we also know that during his tenure, the offense was never very good, or even close to dominant. Both somewhat fan favorites, but the reality is, neither made us a great team, and neither did anything in the way lead others. I understand Gore will be here for a year, and Amendola may not be here much longer than that, maybe 2, but you know what, they can get things started in the right direction, be leaders, and make the team stronger, and more accountable to one another. They don’t have to be here forever, because after seeing how it’s done, others can take over, as we bring in more leadership type players in the draft, and excellence will continue. My point is, you have to start somewhere, and we’re starting with Gore and Amendola, and hopefully some of our draftees, who will carry the torch after Gore and Amendola leaves.
New blog up