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How can we keep AJ Francis?

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by FinNasty, Aug 19, 2013.

  1. FinNasty

    FinNasty Alabama don’t want this... Staff Member Club Member

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    I'm watching the replay again, starting in the 3rd quarter to watch some of our depth players (I may or may not have fallen asleep Saturday night somewhere near the end of the 3rd... :pity:). And I'll tell ya what... this guy AJ Francis is killing it. Literally almost every play he was changing the LOS and/or broke loose into the backfield. He is disrupting everything. I realize he's going against backups... but this guy is an UDFA rookie... so it's not like he's some vet dominating youngsters.

    So, my question is... how do we find a way to keep him? Realistically, what's the max number of DTs we can keep with our current roster construction? He seems like he has a ton of potential... and with both Starks and Soliai expiring after this season... it will be nice to have some youth grooming in the wings.
     
  2. Paul 13

    Paul 13 Chaotic Neutral & Unstable Genius Staff Member

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  3. gilv13

    gilv13 Well-Known Member

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    Stick him on the practice squad with a offer he can't refuse, and pray he doesn't get poached.
     
  4. Paul 13

    Paul 13 Chaotic Neutral & Unstable Genius Staff Member

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    and you're right, the guy has been killing it.. not just in this game either. There's no way he makes it to the practice squad. And so if keeping him means cutting Jelani Jenkins (our 4th round pick) you have to do that. With Starks out, we're riding with an extra DT anyway.
     
  5. FinNasty

    FinNasty Alabama don’t want this... Staff Member Club Member

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    The problem is I can't see him not getting poached. If we want him, we will need to use a roster spot IMO.
     
  6. MrClean

    MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member

    He has to clear waivers before he can be signed to the PS. That would never happen.
     
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  7. MrClean

    MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member

    We could carry 9 DL, 7 LBs and 9 DBs for 25 defensive players. That would mean 25 offensive players, such as
    3 QBs
    4 RB
    4 TE/FB/H-Backs
    5 WR
    9 OL

    Or carry 6 WRs and 6 LBs rather than 7. It is definitely doable and we better keep Francis.

    My friend Frank Coyle, draftinsiders.com ranked him the 16th DT, and a definite top 200 player before the draft. He named Francis the "Hidden Gem" among DTs. Therefore I studied him more than any of our other UDFAs and I am not all that surprised by his success so far.
     
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  8. MrClean

    MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member

  9. Disgustipate

    Disgustipate Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I think you've got to dump Vaughn Martin in order to do it, which I'm completely comfortable with. You can clearly rely on Kheeston Randall to get rotational snaps, you can afford to sit on some eggs at this point rather than carry a 5th experienced DT.

    If you do that and put Tracy Robertson on the PS I'd be pretty happy.
     
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  10. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    I wouldn't mind that at all. Kheeston has looked good and Vaughn hasn't impressed me at all.
     
  11. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I'd go the other way around. But that's totally valid.
     
  12. Paul 13

    Paul 13 Chaotic Neutral & Unstable Genius Staff Member

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    injuries necessitate that to be the case though... I mean Garner/Jerry... we don't know where they are right now. So I have them projected as well as their replacements. It is what it is.
     
  13. Paul 13

    Paul 13 Chaotic Neutral & Unstable Genius Staff Member

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    Vaughn Martin.. signed that 2 year deal worth $4m in the offseason... :pity:... you cut him here now, and you do actually save $925k against the cap. That's because his bonus was only $250k. And his guaranteed money must only be $750k.
     
  14. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    According to http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/miami-dolphins/vaughn-martin/

    You are right
     
    Paul 13 likes this.
  15. Limbo

    Limbo Mad Stillz

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    Gillislee making the 53 is odd to me because he really hasn't shown anything, imo. I'm of course just talking about the games - I realize practice may be a different story. He looks overmatched, doesn't appear he can be a factor at this level. Would we worry about someone scooping him up off waivers or the PS? Do we have to keep him because of the across-the-board injury histories of Miller, DT, and Gray? Better RBs get cut every year; I think we'd find an upgrade on waivers if we really want to, honestly. Hard to make a case for him over Francis, imo, if the decision did potentially come to that.
     
  16. CrunchTime

    CrunchTime Administrator Retired Administrator

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    Egnew did nothing his rookie year yet he is still around.Gillislee will be on the final 53 IMO .He is versatile and this team places a premium on versatility.Plus he will be insurance for the other injury prone RBs.
     
  17. Disgustipate

    Disgustipate Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    He's got good vision and the ability to make people miss. I don't know how you could possibly look at him and Gray side by side and think the latter is remarkably better.
     
  18. MrClean

    MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member

    Egnew was a 3rd. Gillislee is a 5th. Big difference. We cut a 6th last year. It is not unusual to see 5ths get cut.
     
  19. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    I think with contract issues looming for Starks & Soliai next year, you keep promising rookie DTs, like AJ Francis.
     
  20. Destroyer

    Destroyer There for every play.

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    He better not get cut.
     
  21. Alex13

    Alex13 Tua Time !!! Club Member

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    [​IMG]
     
  22. Daben

    Daben Well-Known Member

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    Puts that thread about AJ Francis' entirely comedic remarks about having a less well defined physique into proportion. You find a way to keep good football players, you don't keep an inferior player just to fulfil a quota, as they tend to end up inactive anyway.
     
  23. Paul 13

    Paul 13 Chaotic Neutral & Unstable Genius Staff Member

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    Have to admit, it's unnerving to think that Jenkins (4th round pick) and Gillislee (5th round pick) could both be cut.
     
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  24. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Vaughn Martin hasn't been good since the scrimmage, cut his *** and his two mill dollar contract, and keep big sexy.
     
  25. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    There's no perspective, noone said he couldn't do what he's doing, it really wasn't even about his play, the debate came down to regardless of how good you are as a player, if you take your tool, your body, very very seriously, it will perform at a higher level, lets hope big sexy understands this simple concept in sports and changes his current mindset to a more professional one, a more scientific one..
     
  26. FinNasty

    FinNasty Alabama don’t want this... Staff Member Club Member

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    If its b/c you have players performing at a high level above them... that's not such a bad thing.
     
  27. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    Why?

    To me its a good thing. Teams that become good, don't always keep their 4th and 5th round picks.
     
  28. Disgustipate

    Disgustipate Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I don't think it's that realistic that either Gillislee or Jenkins are cut.
     
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  29. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    I think people took it the wrong way. Even if they are ripped linemen will always call themselves fat players. It is just the nature of the position.
     
  30. Paul 13

    Paul 13 Chaotic Neutral & Unstable Genius Staff Member

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    It's extremely rare for a 4th rounder to not make the roster in their rookie season.
     
  31. Paul 13

    Paul 13 Chaotic Neutral & Unstable Genius Staff Member

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    Maybe they both end up on an injured list.
     
  32. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    Can you quantify that statement?
     
  33. Clark Kent

    Clark Kent Fighter of the Nightman

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    Totaly disingenuous bull****. Miami is getting sooo good, we can now can afford to throw picks away? Couldn't make use of it, huh? No holes to fill, huh? A little preemptive Ireland defense, perhaps? Otherwise,

    Who doesn't keep 4th round picks, again? I'd seriously like to see a list of 4th rounders cut in the year they were drafted... over the last 5 years. At the top of the 4th round no less. And after all that dumbass trading down and then up again.

    If our 4th round picks are cut, it's a serious indictment against Ireland. Round 4 was loaded with good prospects and we drafted Jenkins of all people. Of course, Miami fans do what they do, and talked it up like he was some gem, despite the fact it was an obviously stupid pick.

    And there was still some guys worth taking in Gillisee's spot, despite it being at the end of the 5th. Although this one may be more forgivable, because DT and Miller were the only real RB's on the roster. No one knew if Gray was ready to go, so I can understand it more. Still, there was talent available and we wasted another pick.
     
  34. STColeridge

    STColeridge Banned

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    Easy fix. Keep two QBs. No one is going to sign Devlin. Cut him and tell him to stay in shape, and if disaster strikes, we give him a call. I'll be pissed quite frankly if we waste a roster spot on Devlin. He is not a future starter.
     
  35. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    Totally over reactionary bull****.
     
  36. Clark Kent

    Clark Kent Fighter of the Nightman

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    You're right. Cutting top of the 4th round picks happens all the time. Totally normal, everyday, common thing. It wouldn't be a waste at all. We're a good team now, it's OK.

















    [​IMG]
     
  37. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    Look, you're getting waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more out of my post then was intended.
     
  38. rafael

    rafael Well-Known Member

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    After the 3rd round there is a substantial drop off in terms of how many make the team. In my experience, you'll get about 5 players who'll make the team out of the typical 8 that are drafted. Generally the players from the first three rounds stick and then you'll have two of the guys from the later rounds make it on average.
     
    Fin D likes this.
  39. MrClean

    MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member

    I suggest you go back and look at the past 4 or 5 drafts and check the players in the 4th in each draft. I think you could pretty easily determine which players made the roster as rookies.
     
  40. MrClean

    MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member

    I take my tool very seriously. I even named my tool. I call it John Henry.
     

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