Miami's Strength is Offense and It's Because of Rounds Where They Are Drafted

1st round draft picks doesn't equate to success Landry. Don't know how old you are (and I'm NOT intending to sound insulting) but in 1995, the Miami Dolphins had some 28 first round draft picks on their roster from Dan Marino to Trace Armstrong.

It was yet ANOTHER disappointing season for us Dolphins fans

 

I disagree as well and I think a lot of people don't understand this, but your 1st and 2nd rounders are SUPPOSED TO start almost immediately. Your 3rd and 4th rounders are SUPPOSED TO be top prospects that are huge role players before becoming starters. This should happen on all 32 teams if the scouts and management are doing their jobs correctly.

Are there busts? Sure. But the vast majority of early picks should be working out. That makes those 5th-9th round selections that much more important plus the unsigned free agent rookies- that's the one area you can really make a difference over others in your division. Hull at LB is a good example....he was a "bonus signing" from free agency a few years ago and he's contributed some each season. Not a star, mind you, but a good solid player that has a potential future in the regular rotation.

Obviously Hull won't outplay the average 1st round linebacker selected, but that's not the point here. Some 1st rounders wash out, get hurt, have attitudes, etc. and every team needs quality depth. It's my opinion that what you do from the 5th round onward is what really builds a championship team- that's how you avoid having to take linemen in the first round and focus on those high skill positions (QB, RB, WR, corner, LB, etc). Without those Hull type picks though, you never seem to get there.

 

Quite right but the premise still stands. First round draft picks don't equate to success however....and I will give you THIS however...

If those first round draft picks are STILL on the team AND starters, then their quality still has merit.

 

Well, as far as higher draft picks go in this era (2012 to present), it hasn't been for a lack of trying.

Oliver Vernon, 3rd round 2012 - developed great. left as an overpaid free agent.

Dion Jordan, traded up to the #3 pick in 2013. One of the biggest busts in franchise history.

Jamar Taylor, 2nd round, 2013. Never developed much, always hurt. Left as UFA.

Will Davis, 3rd round 2013. Never developed.

Walt Aikens, 4th round 2014. Nothing more than a ST player.

Jordan Phillips, 2nd round, 2015. Pending. Shows flashes. Do or die this year.

Then all of the other young players from the last few drafts who show a lot of promise, but its too soon to tell. Its not that the team hasn't tried, or put the resources into the D. Its just that it hasnt worked out.

 

I think both rookies will be lucky to make the 53 man roster. In short, they're not here to push Phillips. Now, if they go out and add a veteran like Dan Williams, Sen'Derrick Marks, Paul Soliai, etc. then yeah, that move would be to push Phillips. It sounds like, by all accounts, Phillips got he message during OTAs and mini-camp. Excited to see what he does come TC.

 

I agree. I'm more worried about those rookies making the roster than I am confident they'll push anybody. I wouldn't be surprised if we add an older vet DT that gets cut. I actually see that as the position we are most likely to add from outside.

 

Jamar Taylor was traded to the Browns, where the reports are he is developing.
Will Davis was playing well for the Ravens before he got injured.
For those two at least I think there is an arguable case that the lack of development in Miami is more due to our bumbling coaching staff than our inept FO.

For DJ, and I am on the record as being a long time detractor of him, lots of people have argued that our coaching staff (a) didn't want him in the first place because our defensive scheme didn't fit his player type and (b) failed to develop him. I don't think DJ would ever be a star, but again our coaching staff failed to develop him into a player who could contribute as other staffs would have.

Jelani Jenkins was another 4th rounder who flashed potential, but was often injured and left us as a FA for a title contender (Oakland).

Edit: I forgot Vontae Davis. Who was on the road to bustville with the phins but became a star with semi-competent coaching in Indy.

 

You're right. I'd forgotten about the trades. Still, we gave the players time, and then sold them for pennies on the dollar at the end. And you're also right that our coaching sucked out loud for a long time. I'm a big believer that a lot of players could have/would have done better given different circumstances.

That being said, my comments were basically to show that the team did in fact spent draft currency on the defense during those years. It wasn't all offense. We just don't have a lot to show for it at this point yet. Hopefully, the ones from the last three classes step up this season.

 

To continue about our former coaching staff. It wasn't just on defense. This year there will be 3 starting RBs in the NFL who were late round draft picks developed by Miami: Jay Ajayi, Lamar Miller and Mike Gillislee. None of whom were given playing time by our old staff unless forced to by injury.

 

You're right because at the end of the day we spent the draft capital and we have nothing to show for it apart from the compensatory pick we got (will get?) for OV.

Whether it was due to selecting the wrong players or coaching failure is kind of irrelevant. My money is on coaching failure as the main culprit, but if others want to argue it was an FO failure I can see why they'd belive that.

 

I'm worried about the run defense still, don't get me wrong. I'm just not sure Davon Godchaux or Vincent Taylor are going to be the guys that'd come in and push Jordan Phillips; I think that starting spot next to Suh is his until proven otherwise. But, if they add a vet like Dan Williams or some such, then I think that's absolutely a move to push Jordan Phillips.