http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/29/report-dolphins-will-meet-with-samson-satele-others/ I like the mention of Dan Koppen (though that is speculation from PFT). But, I would like to see us work him out. He is a smart player, was a great center for the Pats. And, his veteran experience would be great for the Dolphins young line as well as add stability for Tannehill. Don't know how well recovered he is from his ACL nor what kind of shape he is in - but it's been basically 1 year. And, it certainly would not hurt to have him in for a workout. Just work him out. Satele has improved his play since leaving Miami but I'm still not a huge fan. Adding a vet though could really help until Pouncey returns.
I'm sure I heard on a podcast just this week a colts fan slating him as the worst in the league. I'm not sure if thats true. Hope he shows up well.
The free agent options at center are really not very good. I believe the options are Fernando Velasco (who tore his Achilles in December), Dan Koppen (age: 36), Samson Satele (30 years old, hasn't played well in a number of years), Brad Meester (age: 37) and Ryan Cook (31 years old, doesn't fit the ZBS at all). I think the free agent options at guard are better. Travelle Wharton may be old but he played well last year. Daryn Colledge is 32 years old but played 1000+ snaps last year, drew mediocre grades from PFF, and has experience with Philbin. Nobody's mentioned Mike Brisiel yet. He was vastly overpaid in Oakland but he played for Benton before in Houston and was part of one of the better zone blocking OLs that I've seen. I'm not sure how well he fits the ZBS but I did film study of Garrett Reynolds and he did well in Atlanta at right guard. Old as Brian Waters is, he still played at a high level last year with Dallas. I'm not too into Wade Smith as an option but he certainly would come in familiar with Benton's scheme. My inclination is if you think you have an option on the roster to play center, you should pursue that even if it means robbing the guard position in order to do it. Then you can just pull one of the FA guards out there. There are at least three guards that you know would be immediate scheme fits (Daryn Colledge, Mike Brisiel, Wade Smith).
Was very inconsistent in Oakland but flashed periods of quite good play. He has had an injury bug though
Was never a fan, just lacked the anchor strength to have a good running game..but, whatta ya gonna do at this point..I'm sure Pouncey is doing everything possible to get back ASAP.. We still have two and a half months before week 1... Come on pounce..
I would be flat out shocked if Pouncey was available for Week 1. Shocked. I think the Miami Dolphins are bracing themselves, for what Dolphins fans should be bracing themselves for, Mike Pouncey out for at least a couple of weeks and some mediocre play this year. I'm not sure if people are aware, but a torn labrum in your hip is a HUGE issue. It's not just a single issue, but it's typically a recurring issue. Even if Pouncey somehow magically comes back quickly and misses a game or two, he isn't going to be close to the player that he was. And that isn't Pouncey's fault. It's the nature of the injury. It's a serious injury.
CK pointed it out earlier. Percy Harvin. I waited for him all year (fantasy) and it was just tease after tease, disappointment after disappointment. He's a great player if not a knucklehead. If he is here for the long haul, I'd rather wait. He is just one piece of the line.
Percy Harvin didn't play until Week 11. Far as I can tell it was the exact same injury and surgery. In fact there was language when Percy had his surgery saying it was just a "slight" tear in his acetabular labrum, whereas when we heard about this surgery for Pouncey some were saying it's a "significant" tear. Of course, the difference between "slight" and "significant" could be nil, as they are vague words often used by people who intend to describe something the way they want it perceived. Either way it was the same injury and he didn't play until Week 11, and even then just 20 snaps before being put back on the shelf until deep into the playoffs. I've heard at least one experienced football media person say that torn hip labrums are especially bad for interior linemen. I don't have any way of knowing whether he's off base for that or what.
I'm curious as to how much more it affects a receiver versus a center and the movement involved at each position.
Me too. I've only heard one person (@RosterWatch) specifically differentiate on that basis and the overall tenor was negative. He said it's even worse for interior OLs.
I agree. I think it is likely that Pouncey will probably miss the first six weeks of the regular season, if not more. It is going to be tough for him to get into football shape while in recovery and like you, I think his play once he does eventually return to the lineup will not be up to the standard we expect from him during the coming season. Hopefully he will wait to return to the lineup only after he has fully recovered. I would rather see him miss some games this season, or even the entire season and come back 100 percent healthy in 2015.
Truthfully the center that the Dolphins are working out that I like the best of all of them is Steve Vallos. That has a chance to actually end up a decent signing.
Was there any elaboration on that? My guess was that it'd have been worse for a receiver given the amount of sprinting involved; though I can certainly see from the standpoint of contact and getting hit/tripped/rolled into being more detrimental to a lineman. Especially in terms of re-injury once healed.
If only this injury had happened to a New England Patriot, BSPN would be all over it like a fat kid on a cupcake.
He personifies JAG to me. He's been on several teams and not one of them ever thought he was good enough to be a regular starter.