LDE – John Jenkins , Avery Moss
NT – Davon Godchaux , Gerald Willis, Zach Sieler
RDE – Christian Wilkins , Taco Charlton
If the offensive line is near the top of the list for most important positions to fill in FA and the draft, the defensive line is right there with with it. That’s a little misleading because in the 3-4 defense which is our base defense at least, pass rush can be coming from a number of places, especially from the outside linebackers, but if we can get another impact player for the interior to team up with Wilkins and Godchaux, that could really be a strong foundation for our defense. Both the rookie Wilkins and the 3 year vet Godchaux had excellent season’s last year. Wilkins had the most tackles for any rookie DL (56) and Godchaux had the most tackles for all DL with 75. DE Taco Charlton who played in 10 games for the Dolphins (starting 5) led the team with 5 sacks and made an impact in his first season with the Dolphins. John Jenkins was a nice pickup last season and he helped solidify the line playing mostly at DE. We need more, and potentially adding a player like Derrick Brown is very appealing, and he should be available when we choose at #5. After that, he’s long gone.
Both Godchaux and Wilkins have rotated as the NT and both are pretty good there. Both have obviously also played DE too and done well there as well, but we’re not getting enough in the pass rush department. In the draft, A.J. Epenesa could be a target. He’s a very strong edge setting DE who has pass rush ability, but is a stronger run player at the moment. Javon Kinlaw is another DL who could help the Dolphins if we decide to look elsewhere at pick #5 and he might be available at our next pick at #18. Another potential fit would be DE Yetur Gross-Matos. He’s basically a 4-3 end 3-4 OLB type of player. We don’t always play an odd front and employ 4 DL at times during the game so he would have the ability to play multiple roles. K’Lavon Chaisson would be a similar player to Gross-Matos, but Chaisson is probably the better pass rusher of the two and much more explosive.
Free agents that are available are Jadaveon Clowney, although after last year it would be surprising if we revisited that avenue. I’ve decided to only look at players 28 or younger, not because that’s directly from Davie but that’s what I’d think would best suit our team. Shaq Lawson had a career high 6 sacks last season which isn’t fantastic but he’s another multiple role player (OLB/DE). Vic Beasley who has 37 sacks in 5 seasons with a career high 15 in 2016, hasn’t broken double digits since then though. Big Arik Armstead (6’7 292) from SF is a FA this season, coming off his career best 10 sacks as part of that fearsome SF defense. Armstead also added 54 tackles playing both DT and DE. SB winning DT Chris Jones is a FA who has 33 sacks in 4 seasons playing both DT/DE for KC. He’s another guy that could help us and free up a spot in the draft. That’s how I look at this, anyone we get either for the OL or DL in FA just frees up another spot in the draft to get a different type of player. It will be a good time to have all that cap space available because we can choose where we want to spend and I believe Miami is now a desirable team to play for with Coach Flores and MFFF reinforcing why he needed to be jettisoned. I’ll bet our pick at #18 won’t be such a pu$$y!
GO DOLPHINS!!
#staythecourse
Finsmob Unleashed 
I love Delpit and would be happy to draft him, as we need a guy like that.
McKinney is ok, but not before the 2nd round.
Thanks Naples – Do you also think that McKinney is more of a strong safety while Delpit is a free safety?
definitely and we need a FS more. We need at least 3 picks a year from that spot.
I then would move Bobby Mc back to slot corner.
SS in my mind (modern NFL) can be more of a light LB. I almost see Jerome Baker as a big SS for us, as fast as he is, and get him out of traffic and away from the OGs so he can be free to roam without getting so beat up.
Should we go after Dante Fowler in FA?
Vic Beasly? Matt Judon?
I’d be worried that Beasley iplays too light.
I’d rather get a bigger guy, a DE, like a 280 guy. I think we have serviceable OLBs.
Judon might be a guy who slacks off after his Big Contract, although I do not know him.
Fowler did not play as well in Jax as he should’ve due to being unhappy, which is a red flag on him .
I think Beasley is a low contract option as he was coached in college by our current DL coach. I think Emmanuel Ogbah would be the ideal fit. Smart player, good size profile, holds the edge in the run game, has pass rush ability(Not like Wake), and I believe he’s 26.
I also believe Shaq Lawson also becomes a legit target also.
per your excellent survey above Mike,
I’d love to get Epenesa @DE. But Chaisson would be a fine addition as well.
I’m much less enthused about Gos Matos, as he seems to be redundant to Jerome Baker, but I could be wrong.
dbolt
yeah Ogbah is not someone I know well, but your comments make him seem like he’s just what we need.
Can we afford him?
We can afford any player w/ our cap space. I look at Ogbah & Lawson as Young long term foundation blocks that you can probably get at a good market value. I think you can sign someone like that and draft a few DEs to learn and develop behind them while being part time pass rushers. I think Espensa from Iowa fits a similar profile. I’d like to see Miami land Jennings from Alabama as he is one of the most high IQ edge guys I’ve seen in a while.
We have talked about OG Thuney in free agency a bit. Here is some good info on him. Very solid in pass pro. Has only allowed 43 pressures and 1 sack in 1,497 reps in pass protection. They guess he will command 14.5 to 15 mil per.
https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/joe-thuney-free-agency-nfl-team-fits
Here is a 3 round mock that mirrors many posted on here (at least the 1st round anyway).
https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/mock-draft-machine-simulation-analysis-february-15-2020
Holy Shit! that is a basically perfect 3 round draft. I pray it goes exactly like that.
Or better.
These XFL return men are Tards. Why don’t they catch the kickoff on the fly?
I know the name K’Lavon Chaisson but don’t know much about him. He seems like a classic edge guy though.
From scouts at thedraftnetwork:
Player Summary – K’Lavon Chaisson is a dynamic threat off the edge — he possesses elite versatility, explosiveness and a prototypical build to play a hybrid EDGE. Chaisson is still developing as a pass rusher but his effectiveness in speed rushes and inside stunts will afford him a pathway to early disruption. Chaisson is a high end run defender with length and heavy hands — a true natural in that regard. The sky is the limit. Chaisson, with more rush versatility, can be a cornerstone defender.
He’s definitely an athletic freak. Young player who could become a dominant force in the NFL.
He’s 6’4″ 250
THE TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING celebrated the return from injury by Stamkos,Kucherov, and Cirilli by defeating the Flyers 5-3 in Amalie Arena. It was the Bolts 11th consecutive home win–an all-time franchise record! And how about goalie Andrei Vasilevsky, who is now 19-0-2 in his last 21 games??
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These frills are nice, but, as every Bolts’ fan knows, it’s the PLAYOFFS that really count. If the Lightning can avoid serious injuries, they’ll have a great chance of avenging their embarrassing first round collapse in last year’s playoffs. Time will tell.
Tampa is a really good team. As a Flyers fan we could have used a win as they are right on the cusp of making the playoffs. Still plenty of time but the NHL has a lot of parity. I want to see them make the playoffs because if they get hot they can beat any team. But they are also a hot and cold team.
NEW BLOG UP!!!