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Dolphins brass looking at ILB Rolando McClain

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by cobrajet, Apr 1, 2010.

  1. cobrajet

    cobrajet Mr. Ross - sell the team!

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    http://bleacherreport.com/tb/b3rr9

    I expect McClain to be a Dolphin as the article hints. A lot of people saw Tuna watching him very closely so to many this is no surprise.

    While teams look and visit with many players I think this really means something. McClain is an incredible talent and just happens to fulfill a major need on the team. I think this could be a done deal if he is available.

    Wouldn't you love to have this guy play next to Dansby?!

    :knucks:
     
    54Fins likes this.
  2. Anonymous

    Anonymous Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Why though? We just filled this need via FA. If we draft Mcclain, we ignore much bigger needs in FS, OLB, and WR.
     
  3. cobrajet

    cobrajet Mr. Ross - sell the team!

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    Good point; two things come to mind.

    1) I think it depends on what they do with JT at OLB. We were so/so at OLb, but we were aweful at S and ILB.

    2) I think at the end of the season Crowder was in question and they could be drafting an upgrade.

    There is so much D talent in this draft all departments of need will be addressed, but I sure hope they get this guy.
     
  4. adamprez2003

    adamprez2003 Senior Member

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    it would be an excellent pick. fits the prototype and makes the middle of the field untouchable. plus think of all the posts we could read on how ILB isnt really a "core" position

    I'm still in the OLB camp however. I think McClain is a fallback if another team grabs the OLB they want
     
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  5. cobrajet

    cobrajet Mr. Ross - sell the team!

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    Ya brother ~ I hear you loud and clear!
     
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  6. Anonymous

    Anonymous Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    You honestly think it would be a good pick if we draft him over Earl Thomas or Dez Bryant? It would make no sense. Crowder is an average player who can excel playing next to Karlos Dansby.
     
  7. finsnchips

    finsnchips Season Ticket Holder

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    I like McClain, but am seeing bigger needs at WR, FS and OLB. I kinda hope he gets drafted before us and it pushes a need down to us.

    I want to see Dez Bryant or Earl Thomas at #12.
     
  8. cobrajet

    cobrajet Mr. Ross - sell the team!

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    I don't think it's an 'either or thing' - I think it could be both. We could grab him in a later round depending on what happens. S and LB will be addressed early and often. There is enough talent here to go around here. This is the best Defensive draft in a decade.

    I think after the draft is over we will all be grinning like a slit melon.
     
  9. High Definition

    High Definition No Smoke / No Drink 2011+

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    Rather Bryant, Thomas, or Spiller... but unlike most other prospects, this one would NOT make me disappointed.
     
  10. adamprez2003

    adamprez2003 Senior Member

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    mcclain fits the prototype profile for the position that Parcells covets and has excellent character and intangibles. Thomas doesnt support the run as well as Parcells would prefer and we have to see what we have in Clemons. Bryant has the body but dont think he has the character nor plays the position Parcells covets. Plus we still have to see what we have in Turner. Turner wont be as good but he may turn into a good big physical receiver nontheless
     
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  11. 2k5

    2k5 I miss Ted Ginn Jr.

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    Dansby has made it pretty clear that he will be on the inside, so where does that leave Crowder? Draft day trade or third string I guess.
     
  12. cobrajet

    cobrajet Mr. Ross - sell the team!

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    I wonder what Crowder's future is? He is a solid player but if you look at the highlights of our loses he has some costly mistakes.

    Remember: they are still trying to trade Smiley for a draft pick ......
     
  13. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Would love if we were shopping crowder for a pick, I already plan on our third round linebacker we choose to replace him, so why not look for a 4th or 5th up until draft day.
     
  14. cobrajet

    cobrajet Mr. Ross - sell the team!

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    The possibilities are truly endless because there are so many talented Defensive players in this draft. Combine that with a whopping #12 pick and almost anything is possible. I think this is the most important draft this team has had in recent memory.
     
  15. Anonymous

    Anonymous Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Bill Parcells doesn't draft Offensive Lineman in the first. Bill Parcells doesn't draft Corner Backs in the first. Bill Parcells doesn't draft Pat White's.

    The past is the past. Bill Parcells has to adapt to todays game. It's a passing league. Rolando McClain will not help us against the pass. Is he better than Channing Crowder? Yes. But he won't make as big an impact as Earl Thomas or Dez Bryant.
     
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  16. #1dolphinsfan

    #1dolphinsfan New Member

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    I want Dez Bryant but if we go ILB i want Sean Weatherspoon who is a three down player that would make the middle of our defense so fast and donimant
     
  17. #1dolphinsfan

    #1dolphinsfan New Member

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    SOLB on Running plays
     
  18. Desides

    Desides Well-Known Member

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    At this point in his career, Jason Taylor's presence really shouldn't lull us into thinking we can ignore OLB. Really, we should have already addressed this position with someone not named Cameron Wake. I still think we should have taken Clint Sintim over Pat White, for example.

    And being awful at ILB isn't the reason for our defensive woes, which weren't all that woeful up front until injuries hit. Ayodele was worse than Crowder, and he's been massively upgraded with Dansby. Our real defensive focus should be on improving against the pass, which means a combination of maturation from our rookie corners, the addition of a ball-hawking free safety (I would pay Darren Sharper whatever he wants, presuming he passes a physical), and better short route pass coverage from the LBs... which we've already addressed with Dansby, and need to address at one of the OLB spots.

    Using the #12 pick to replace Crowder is extreme megadeath overkill. It's just unnecessary. I'd rather wait and see if Brandon Spikes is there at 43, which is looking more likely by the day. Spikes also has some versatility and could shift along the back of the line just as Dansby is projected, which can help mask some short-term deficiencies if we can't fully replenish the LB group due to a tumultuous draft.

    McClain's a good player, but I look at some of the tape and don't quite see the things being attributed to him. The guy can analyze a play immediately, and he's vastly superior to Crowder in that regard, but I still don't see the need to waste the #12 pick on an ILB considering the current configuration of this team.
     
    texanphinatic likes this.
  19. cobrajet

    cobrajet Mr. Ross - sell the team!

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    You are correct: McClain will not help us with the pass, but the other draft picks will.

    If we continue to have a problem at NT we will be glad we have him. I say grab him with both hands and run like hell!
     
  20. Roman529

    Roman529 Senior Member

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    I would rather trade down if Bryant and Thomas are gone and we have McClain still on the board. There are other LB's just as good that we could take later on.
     
  21. cobrajet

    cobrajet Mr. Ross - sell the team!

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    I agree, there are other play makers that should go that high. But McClain will fall to round 2 (..or 3?).
     
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  22. adamprez2003

    adamprez2003 Senior Member

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    jake long = jumbo elliott/ vontae davis = marc collins/ pat white = early stages of alzheimers or a fond remembrance of ray lucas which is a sign of early stages of alzheimers

    you can say its a passing league all you want but it doesnt change the fact that you need linebackers to play the type of defense this FO envisions. We still dont have the LBs to make this defense work. Untiul we do thats our biggest need
     
    The G Man likes this.
  23. Desides

    Desides Well-Known Member

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    I don't see how McClain makes it past the Giants at 15.
     
  24. Anonymous

    Anonymous Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Jumbo Elliot was a second round selection. Same with Marc Collins.

    We do need linebackers. I agree with you there. But we need outside linebackers, not inside linebackers. We addressed that need already with the addition of Karlos Dansby.

    Think of it like this. Which upgrade will have a bigger impact on our team?

    Channing Crowder to Rolando McCalin
    Gibril Wilson to Earl Thomas
    Ted Ginn Jr to Dez Bryant

    I don't know about you, but I see the obvious answer.
     
  25. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    The answer may be Paul Pasqualoni to Mike Nolan :)
     
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  26. cobrajet

    cobrajet Mr. Ross - sell the team!

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    I think there will be more cuts at Linebacker and McClain will be good depth behind Dansby.

    We won't get EVERYONE we need in this draft so expect a few positions that we are just OK at to go un-addressed. When they resigned Ferguson that should have told everyone that they may not address that position especially with Soliai progressing. NT will be OK for another year.

    We are also average at WR. And when the WR's get a full off season to adjust to Henne's bullet as apposed to Pennington gentle passes this will correct itself. If we didn't address this position we would be OK until next year.

    By far our MAJOR glaring needs are on defense at LB, DB and at S. It wasn't the NT, or the WR's that got burned by long passes game after game. That embarrassment led to the instant release of our DC, FS and a few LB's.

    You don't have to chase articles of fancy to figure out what they are thinking - their actions say it all. They didn't release any NT's or WR's did they? Their priority in this draft will be obvious.
    We will be lucky to get McClain and should take him with open arms, but not before drafting a star S asap. In fact if I were in their shoes I would trade up asap to get a superstar S before #12 and then draft another one at #12 also.

    Our failures at LB and S kept us out of the playoffs and we must stop the bleeding before we do any more refining of other positions.
     
    FinSane likes this.
  27. Rhody Phins Fan

    Rhody Phins Fan Well-Known Member

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    Those two look like gigantic improvements. Tough call because our defense was worse than our offense last year.
     
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  28. SeanP

    SeanP Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    We released Gibril a while back right? Need to rework that some to:

    Channing Crowder to Rolando McCalin
    No One/Untested Rookie to Earl Thomas
    Ted Ginn Jr to Dez Bryant
     
  29. CaribPhin

    CaribPhin Guest

    Why do we insist on posting BleacherReport garbage?
     
  30. rafael

    rafael Well-Known Member

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    I think that's a great point. I complained all year about our schemes. Along with scheme change, the other difference between our top 15 defense two years ago and last year was at FS. Improve the schemes and FS and we should be better on defense than we were a couple of years ago (with the addition of Dansby).
     
  31. The G Man

    The G Man Git 'r doooonnne!!!

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    I agree on trading back. But, I think we should try to do it almost regardless of who is still OTB at #12. Unless of course, it's Suh or Berry, which ain't happening.

    :lol:


    He won't IMHO.

    I don't see how you trade up, and keep #12.

    Back on topic, I like McClain, but I don't think he's a need pick with the Dansby singing. And, with our defensive woes, we need to fill a need position with a blue chip prospect if we are forced to pick (or, want to pick) at #12. OLB and FS are top priorities IMO.
     
  32. PHINANALYST

    PHINANALYST Well-Known Member

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    there are only a handful of picks that would be worth the 12th pick ...

    we do know that this regime has a penchant for doubling up on needy areas -- but we have not seen them go high priced FA and a #1 draft pick ...

    i don't see this as likely ... wouldn't be a bad pick mind you -- just don't see it with our problems at OLB and S.

    i look at this, just like i do with Iupati .... posturing .... for a trade down.
     
  33. Disgustipate

    Disgustipate Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    It's quite possible that any or all of those players will turn out to be worse than the player you are comparing them to? If their evaluation process suggests the best prospect is a player who is not a perceived need, it's in their best interest to take that player if it is at all a workable situation.
     
  34. byroan

    byroan Giggity Staff Member Administrator Luxury Box

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  35. CaribPhin

    CaribPhin Guest

  36. surferosa

    surferosa Balance and Vision

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    Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't McClain play some OLB his Freshman year? I think he is versatile enough to play anywhere in the LB corps - not unlike Junior Seau back in the day.
     
  37. Disgustipate

    Disgustipate Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    There are very few "true" linebackers who are worthwhile 3-4 OLBs, it just doesn't transfer all that well. When it does happen it's largely a part-time gig where a guy is just around long enough to get a DE converted, like Scott Fujita in Dallas or Ben Leber in San Diego.
     
  38. mlb1399

    mlb1399 Well-Known Member

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    I think you take BPA. ILB while not a glaring need still is a need especially if we are weak at NT. Crowder leaves a lot to be desired and makes very few plays in the middle. I wonder if Dansby could be moved to the outside? I personally would prefer an OLB that can get to the QB over any other positions but we certainly can upgrade talent at a lot of positions. I trust our FO to make the right decision whether it's Bryant, Thomas, OLB or McClain. I think we are at 2 drafts away from being a contender so you have to not only look at this draft but the next one as well.
     
  39. Skeet84

    Skeet84 New Member

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    Drafting McClain is not a smart move IMO. We already have 2 MLB's and what we need is OLB, WR, and a FS. Picking him @ 12 makes little sense he might not get much playing time. I would much rather target Brandon Graham, Thomas, or Dez
     
  40. Alex44

    Alex44 Boshosaurus Rex

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    If Dez and Earl Thomas are off the board I'd be fine with it honestly.
     

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