When will enough be enough? http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sport...010/09/miami-dolphins-claim-four-linemen.html Can Sporano do anything other than clamor over more linemen? It's a shame we aren't this excited about getting TE's and DB's. We sure could use them.
Or maybe we have some interior troubles like the pre-season has been showing. Says a lot that just a few months ago Donald Thomas was looked at as a starter and now he can't even get claimed on waivers. But yah as far as the DL goes it's all about the money. Both guys were to be paid a substantial bonus if they made the opening day roster. However, outside of the scrimmage it wasn't like either were making a big move over the younger guys like McDaniel.
I just hope they get satisfied with some talent on the lines and stick with them so our team can gel together and develop an identity. Any team in the league would be thrilled to have our line talent, while we continue to fiddle endlessly. Meanwhile there are other positions on this team that are being ignored. It's a shame Sporano wasn't a DB guru maybe we'd be able to get some much needed talent there.
I think Sporano deserves more credit for the fact that we watched several players get hurt last season and we still managed to grind it out. We may not ever situate our oline but our 2nd string oline is generally a very experienced backup unit because of it.
Games are won and lost in the trenches, our running game was poor at best in all 4 preseason games, only exception being Ricky's great run vs. Dallas. I have no problem with Sparano continuing to try and improve the OL, without a decent OL, we'll look like the 1-15 Cam Cameron team with Beck back there. He does need to ultimately settle on the starters and get them some time together in games to gel, as it is I'm already writing off this season, because our OL is going to take 4-6 games to learn to play together and by that time, we'll be out of the playoff picture.
Is our starting O-line really going to be that bad? I really don't think so. We still have Jake and Vernon out on the ends. I'm not worried about either of them. Inside we still have John Jerry, Ritchie Incognito, Jake Grove, and Joe Berger. These guys all have been playing together all training camp so I'm not buying the argument that we're 2 months away from them bring competitive. I wont deny that they need to gel some but I expect that to happen pretty soon now that the actual starters will be getting the majority of the reps together. If we have an injury there we may be in trouble but so long as they're healthy we have a solid starting group. The only thing we're missing really is an exceptional pulling guard. If only Justin Smiley's shoulder could've held up. Our depth was absolute crap. They were either totally complacent or just had hit their ceiling and couldn't bust through. Either way they were bad and I like that we got rid of them rather then keep guys that could be a big liability if they had to be called upon. Are these new guys any better? Who knows...but we already knew what we had and it wasn't good so there's no sense keeping it. So much negativity since that 4th preseason game. I think its all a bit premature. True our starters looked bad against their scrubs but those scrubs were amped for that game and I feel like that had more to do with it than a lack of talent or ability on our part. I don't think the FO is doing terrible outside of letting Nate Ness hit wavers...that was really stupid considering the Will Allen situation. I'm not convinced David Martin would've been anything more then a progress stopper and the DL vets we released hadn't really separated themselves from the young guys. If the light really is coming on for Solai then it makes sense because we'll be able to play Starks at DE more. I think we'll be ok. Then again what the hell do I know?
People around the league would die for the talent that we have in the trenches, and ya, I know the importance of the trenches, but when will enough be enough? I know TS deserves a lot of credit but he is ignoring too many other positions that are in need. It doesn't seem that he can change the channel in this mind from the trenches. If we, again, run into a situation where our DB's are watching balls go over their heads like second basemen, more linemen won't help. I am both frustrated and concerned by the lineman revolving door. Our trenches are fine. Lets look at adding talent at TE and FS. At some point we must end this nauseating game of talent hopscotch. We have 5 games of hell in front of us and these guys need to know how to play together. The way this is going that cannot happen. These coaches need to stop their obsession with new talent and focus on winning games.
Lets see who we currently have on the Oline. Long Incognito Berger/Grove Jerry Carey ( Gove injured, Long tweak injury ) Murtha in the wings That was it guys, 7 offensive lineman that are , in 6 cases, legitmate NFL offensive lineman. Sorry, had no confidence in Gardner and very little in Murtha. In all actuality ? We have 5 offensive lineman that are NFL quality and one, not yet and another, Grove, that is injured 5 healthy offensive lineman and people are going bonkers because Sparano is looking for anything decent on the waiver wire ? And some wonder why we are grabbing offensive lineman on waivers ? 1 No time table yet set on return of Grove so, who is the backup guard ? If we did not find Olineman, nobody 2 Backup tackle, Lydon Murtha ? Er, never mind. They made a choice and that choice was evidently going into his third year, Thomas still not " getting it " Gardner, well, Murtha is better and thats not saying much Hartline, Feinga The players they picked up on waivers are, in some cases, better or at worst, as good as the people that were cut. These guys picked up are going to be the backups and PS and hey, maybe even not make the team if better becomes available.
Realistically, if we didn't jettison a banged up but fan favorite depth tight end, there would be like 75% less *****ing on this board right now.
I would have liked to see more Offensive linemen to be honest but the depth we have on the Dline is nice just means more fresh bodies.
