I thought the plan was to position ourselves to have incognito be in this conversation.... But apparently not. We desperately need him. Maybe Carroll or Wilson are possibilities.
It's difficult to tell based on the Bucs game, technically speaking Matthews got into the game before McNutt I believe, but I dont know if that was because Hartline tweaked his hand or what but both technically rotated with starters.
My top 5 surprise cuts: Marcus Thigpen Michael Egnew Austin Spitler Nolan Carroll Jimmy Wilson I personally wouldn't consider Vaughn Martin a "surprise" cut.
jesus man, just post in the rant forum, thats the best place for you....but anyways for me its vaughn martin , because of AJ Francis, we have no other guy on the roster who has done anything in return duty, so i think cutting thigpen is a pipe dream....i predicted it in march or april though....we'll see.
Why would we cut Spitler. Real good on ST and cheap. He has survived into the Philbin era. Agree with Nolan Carroll he'll be gone. No way they cut Thigpen.
That's why they'd be my surprise cuts. Of those 5, the only 2 I think might be in some jeopardy would be Egnew and Spitler. Egnew just hasn't shown much since being drafted. Are you really comfortable with Austin Spitler playing a game or two? Dannell Ellerbe has never played in a full season's worth of games. He's hit 13 twice. I think Miami could upgrade over Spitler. That said, I'd still be surprised if he's gone.
Conversely, my top 5 underdogs to make the roster would be: Chad Bumphis Sam Brenner Tracy Robertson Jelani Jenkins Don Jones Of those five, Bumphis and Robertson have shown consistently that they can do good things when given a chance. Sam Brenner's logged a lot of snaps this preseason for some reason. Jelani Jenkins and Don Jones have been on virtually all special teams throughout preseason, despite not being very high on the depth chart or showing a whole lot when they've played on defense.
I would rather trade him for a 7th rounder than cut him and watch the Bills, Jets or Patriots sign him. I think they would be all over that, if anything just as an information grab. Plus he is a solid backup and we have the cap. Thigpen is on the hot seat, return specialists are a fungible commodity. Daniel Thomas has not looked great, but I suspect Ireland doesn't want to admit defeat on him or Egnew yet. Lance Louis I think needs to really show something to not be a cut.
i hope louis sticks, they knew that he would be just getting back into playing form right at the season start, he would provide great depth at first, could still push for playing time later
DT is the only back who can catch the football out of the backfield and get positive yardage. The Ireland angle is entertaining but tiresome.
Oh, and dion Jordan goes on the ir list to be brought back in 8 weeks..... i don't really believe that one, but you said "shocking prediction"...
He was one of my two guys that I hadn't listed yet. But was going to wait until Thursday's game to see how they played him. I do like him a lot. He is a mini Oronde Gadsden.
Neither is Thomas...or Egnew...or John Jerry...unfortunately for Gray he doesn't have the benefit of being drafted as a major reach to secure a roster spot.
Thigpen survives for now. Nobody behind him has had enough work at it. Moore survives cuts. Would even be a bad precedent to trade him because Ireland and his teammates fought hard to get him back. Short of a real wow offer that can't be refused (4th) Louis goes since he can't beat Jerry and Garner is more flexible as a reserve. My hopeful shocker. Daniel Thomas. Replaced by vet or cuts. Looks to be a couple solid backs who will be squeezed out.
The possible fear that Moore could play in the east, against us, should say something. Moore is a quality backup. No reason to release him. Give him the first team offense, and he's more than capable of having success. His pre season is irrelevant.
I had to do a double take the other night b/c I saw Wheeler come off the field and Jenkins come in for the 3rd down/nickel w/ the starters. Good for him, even though he's a Gator.
Are you predicting he takes his third cut of the preseason? I didn't think he landed yet, after Arizona sliced him.
Oh stop your crying that wasn't even close to a rant. So we don't have a lot of depth on this team, everyone here knows it. So there won't be anyone important cut, everyone knows that also. Take me out of your cross hairs - I'm not guilty on this one. So we keep that bum over this bum or this bum over that bum. No impact long term, any of it. If someone significant gets cut (Like Matt Moore - Never going to happen) then Ireland blew it. Tyms Bumphis McNutt Gillislee Gray Spitler Garner Louis Trusnick Kovacs - I can live without ANY of them. I can't wait for the day when I have to cry over some of these cuts, but then I imagine then I'll be too happy to cry.
LOL. This post saying you're not a ranting....is the very definition of a rant. And in case you missed it from the game thread: (Font size and bold were not mine.)
Stop it - Your confusing my meanings. I am a realist - not a pessimist. I don't deny anyone here the right to dream, your dreams are your own. I have some great things to say about this team and feel it is well beyond the teams of recent years. Ryan Tannehill is a HUGE suprise in how he is coming along and that alone should excite every Dolphins fan. And I don't rant - it is what it is. We have no depth. These bubble guys are insignificant and if any of them are around in a couple of seasons, they either worked their tails off or we will have failed in the next two offseasons. The realist fans can say the same thing about the eternal optimists, these undeniably pretentious opinions about where this team is at. They come from the heart, not the mind. Although the heart will guide the mind into these rationalizations to make it all fit nice and neat. This team can do no wrong. We don't necessarily abhore you, as you might us, but it surely gets in the way of any kind of intellegent discussions about how to improve what we have, get where were going (Superbowl), or how we could have gotten there faster. Trust me, it is a two-sided coin, but then you have never tried to have a discussion about Dan Marino with an eternal optimistic Dolphins fan. It is like trying to talk religion to a christian. (Just don't go there) I really mean no harm to anyone here - if you don't like what I have to say, don't read it. I have no animosity, no hatred, and have tried to be respectful. I love the Dolphins as much as ANY of you. I have season tickets and have attended every game since 1972.(Even the Superbowl in Stanford Stadium versus the 49ers) From the old Orange Bowl to Joe Robbie Stadium. I have paid, suffered, and earned the right to say whatever it is I believe to be the truth about this team. You can bank that.
They've been able to get Jenkins on the field in the nickel D against Tampa and Houston in consecutive weeks. Coming out of Florida he was known as a pass-coverage LB, so I think that's a niche role he can fill, aside from special teams. I think he does that better than Jonathan Freeny, and thus he should be on the roster, IMO. They way Philbin has talked about the backup LB holdovers - Freeny, Spitler, and Trusnick - I'm not sure I see Jenkins fitting in; but through Jeff Ireland's perspective, I can see him pushing for Jenkins as he's historically gone for the younger players when there's a close competition.
Jimmy Wilson and Jonas Gray. Wilson just seems to make a lot of bonehead plays and not enough good ones. Gray, think he tailed off as the preseason went on. Think he got tired and that fumble was just a horrible fumble, that I think is the nail in his coffin.
I do recall that during the broadcast Griese stated that he knew that Matthews was the #4 WR or easily ahead of McNutt and the other receivers (words to that effect). He didn't not explain how he knew.
Jonas Gray is my choice here. He's really failed to impress me this preseason. Gillislee hasn't either but he's a kid and I do agree he'd do OK on the practice squad. I see us signing a player like Slaton last year. There's teams out there way deeper at RB than us.