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Sports Buzz: Jordan looks for improvement

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by jim1, Jan 22, 2014.

  1. jim1

    jim1 New Member

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    Dion Jordan’s name has come up a lot early this offseason because he was the poster child for disagreement between the Dolphins front office (which thought the third overall pick should play more) and the coaching staff (which didn’t).

    As it turned out, only three non-injured rookie first-round picks logged fewer snaps than Jordan, and all three (Bjoern Werner, Datone Jones and Sylvester Williams) were selected between 24th and 28th. But Jordan blames nobody; instead, he points the finger at himself.

    “I need to get stronger, and I’ve got to add to my repertoire,” he said in a private moment recently. “I’m a speed rusher. I have to find a way to get around the edge. This offseason, I need to get much better. And I’ve got to get better with my understanding of the game.”

    Though some evaluators believe he is best suited for outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense, the Dolphins appear likely to leave him at defensive end in their 4-3 instead of having him compete with Koa Misi at outside linebacker, because they value Misi against the run. The challenge will be figuring out how to create more playing time for him, barring injuries to Wake or Vernon.

    Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/spor...hurricanes-marlins-chatter.html#storylink=cpy


    --- How about moving him to the ineffective Wheeler's spot?
     
  2. anlgp

    anlgp ↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → B A

    I'm with the FO on this one. It's great that he logged more time than other rookies (if I'm understanding that right), but I couldn't believe they took him out on run downs. Let me get this straight:

    We traded UP to get him, which COST us picks and MORE MONEY and he gets PULLED OFF THE FIELD ON RUN DOWNS BECAUSE HE SUPPOSEDLY IS NOT THAT GOOD AT THAT PART OF THE GAME?

    How is he supposed to get better if not trial by fire?
     
  3. jim1

    jim1 New Member

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    Move him to OLB where he belongs instead of forcing weight onto his thin but muscular frame. His strengths are pass rushing and playing in space, even he admits that he had problems bending the arc from his DE position.
     
    anlgp likes this.
  4. anlgp

    anlgp ↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → B A

    I agree to move him to his natural position. He still needs to play the run, though, IMO. I want him to be an every down player.
     
  5. Alex44

    Alex44 Boshosaurus Rex

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    Then mean he only played more than three firlrst rounders who weren't injured.

    However in his limited time I saw only positives. Of course he has to learn...every rookie does. I still scratch my head at his lack of use.
     
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  6. jim1

    jim1 New Member

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    Sure, have him play the run from OLB where he's be better at it. We have in Jordan a player who's in some ways a spectacular pass rusher and a phenomenal player in space especially at his height playing DE where we already have one good DE and one great one. Then we have at OLB, Jordan's natural position, imo one of the worst and most overpaid OLBs in the league in Philip Wheeler. And, of course, the coaching staff and FO plan to keep him at DE and want him to put on weight. HE'S AN OLB, WE NEED AND EFFECTIVE, PASS RUSHING OLB. It's like the Dolphins whiffing on a natural fit.
     
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  7. Fame

    Fame Well-Known Member

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    Granted, we only have a small sample size, but he looked really, really good playing in space last season. He has some pretty killer natural instincts in my opinion and in a few years we might look back on how much of a coup it was for us to get him.
     
  8. jim1

    jim1 New Member

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    Sure, if we move him to OLB where he can maximize his talents.
     
  9. rafael

    rafael Well-Known Member

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    I liked hearing that he was going to seek out JT. Finally! I've been saying since he was drafted that that was what he should do. They have very similar body types and similar athleticism except that Jordan has more pure speed. JT's best skill those first couple of years was his ability to play the run do to his use of leverage and his length. He didn't become a great pass rusher until later. Jordan has the length, he just needs to learn how to use leverage.

    And I agree with those outside evaluators that Jordan's best position is probably OLB. IMO he's similar to JT who was a very good DE but became a defensive league MVP candidate when Saban had the insight to move to LB.
     
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  10. Disgustipate

    Disgustipate Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I don't know that a 3-4 defense is necessary to get the best out of Jordan, but the coverage component should be a part of it, and it looks like it will be.
     
  11. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I agree, this is promising. I said this in the draft thread, but if Kevin Coyle is hell-bent on bringing the Cincinnati defense to Miami, then I think Dion Jordan is our version of what Michael Johnson is. Tall, rangy, weak-side DE who can do some things in reverse (Jordan probably more so). I think the trick is IF you get him to perform like a starter, what do you do with Olivier Vernon?

    Conventional opinion I'd imagine is to turn him into Wallace Gilberry. Unconventionally, I think you could look at him as an OLB. After all, he played it in college and Mike Zimmer turned James Harrison, a player with fairly similar dimensions to Vernon (6'0" 275lbs. vs 6'2" 268lbs.) into a 4-3 SAM. I thought Vernon showed well as a rookie when they had him doing the stand-up things they had Jordan doing this past season.

    If that's what it takes to get both of them on the field along with Wake and allows you to get one of the two between Ellerbe and Wheeler OFF the field, I think you have to consider it if Jordan gets to the point of being able to beat out Vernon as a starter at DE.

    Cincinnati got bigger in 2013 at LB with the addition of Harrison and losing Manny Lawson via free agency. I think Miami could do that as well if you put OV or Jordan at the Koa Misi spot and moved Misi to where Wheeler is playing. You're biting a cap bullet, but's relatively palatable given the circumstances of such a shift.
     
  12. anlgp

    anlgp ↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → B A

    I think he should be more OLB, too.
     
  13. rdhstlr23

    rdhstlr23 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I think Kacy Rodgers can get him there. I worry that Kevin Coyle won't play him when he does.
     
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  14. FanMarino

    FanMarino Season Ticket Holder

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    Dion Jordan needs to show he's a 3rd pick in the 1st round by being the next DeMarkus Ware down the stretch in the 3-4 imo or suddenly get weight gain and the ability to go consistently 1 on 1 with LTs from a 3 point stance. I've watched Dion a lot when he has had limited snaps. His pass rushing curve is weak imo. He just looks undersized slightly with below par technique. I'm always looking and thinking of #99 when I look at Jordan. That's his performance level I'm expecting regarding his speed and No1 Defensive player coming out of the Draft but when I see him I'm seeing a Rookie slotted in to not make plays. It just never happened, week after week. With his limited reps he looks underpowered and missing. I will say.....if any decent coach sees sense who has a nowse of talent spotting and wants to utilize and coach Dion Jordan, because imo he's no way a bust then we might have our next Jason Taylor. Ive got zero confidence in the puppet master right now whos pulling on those strings. See Ellerbe and Wheeler.....
     

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