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Shelley Smith signs with Dolphins

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Vertical Limit, Mar 14, 2014.

  1. Vertical Limit

    Vertical Limit Senior Member

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    per espn 2 year deal 5.5million
     
    Brasfin likes this.
  2. Vinny Fins

    Vinny Fins Feisty Brooklyn dolfan ️‍

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    I think I won this one.

    Tie goes to the runner! :P
     
  3. rdhstlr23

    rdhstlr23 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I like this one. Whether he's a starter or depth. I like this move.
     
  4. LBsFinest

    LBsFinest Banned

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    About time
     
  5. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    Jesus man
     
  6. Finrunner

    Finrunner Season Ticket Holder

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    Hooray!
     
  7. Limbo

    Limbo Mad Stillz

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    Yes
     
  8. bran

    bran Senior Member

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    this takes the sting out of the finnegan deal(which may not be so bad in the long run)
     
  9. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    This will be his third team in the last three years. The Texans and Rams gave up on him and I don't see him being anything but backup for the Dolphins. The Dolphins still need to find two quality guards and a quality RT in the next few months or Tannehill is going to be hitting the ground a lot again next year.

    Albert was a very good addition, but right now he is the only real upgrade I have seen from any of the Dolphins free agents signings so far.
     
  10. Fin-Omenal

    Fin-Omenal Initiated

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    He graded out pretty well when he started last year, and the fronts he saw in that division are lite years better than the Easts. He's athletic and will be our starting G opening day.
     
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  11. fins104

    fins104 New Member

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    Very good signing. He will be great in the run game even though he isn't great in the pass game.
     
  12. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    So you are saying that he isn't better than John Jerry or Brenner?
     
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  13. Vertical Limit

    Vertical Limit Senior Member

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    He's not special but he's solid and a stop gap solution. No reasonable person thought the offensive line was going to get fixed in one offseason, that's just impossible. They likely draft a tackle early and that will pretty much wrap it up. Dallas Thomas has got to step it up, 3 year starter in the SEC and he's a third round pick, he needs to get to work this offseason.
     
  14. DenverDolfan

    DenverDolfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Saw him plenty at CSU. I think the arrow is pointing up with him. Knows the new offensive line coach from Texans days.
     
  15. Finrunner

    Finrunner Season Ticket Holder

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    They didn't "give up" on him. Guys like Shelley Smith and also Anthony Collins are sort of buried and looking for a place where they can blossom and start. If Houston "gave up" on him, what the heck is Miami (who now has the same offensive line coach that was in Houston when Smith was there) doing wining and dining and signing him? Benton must see something, and Smith's run blocking grades are fantastic.

    Also, really reasonable contract -- and definite upgrade in our offense from John Jerry.
     
  16. 54Fins

    54Fins "In Gase we trust"

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    over there
    GreysonWinfield likes this.
  17. Brasfin

    Brasfin Well-Known Member

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    Brazil
  18. 54Fins

    54Fins "In Gase we trust"

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    over there
    :knucks:
     
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  19. Dolphins1Beatles

    Dolphins1Beatles Ziggy Stardust

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    We don't know how he'll perform but its a low risk deal...or the opposite of the Finnegan one.
     
  20. MrClean

    MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member

    As offensive guards go, he is an excellent athlete.
    Here are his combine numbers from 2010:
    Combine Invite: Yes
    Height: 6027
    Weight: 300
    40 Yrd Dash: 5.03
    20 Yrd Dash: 2.93
    10 Yrd Dash: 1.74
    225 Lb. Bench Reps: 26
    Vertical Jump: 34
    Broad Jump: 09'04"
    20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.71
    3-Cone Drill: 7.67

    A 34" vertical for a 300 lb lineman is almost unheard of. This year the best any guard did was 29". His broad of 9'4" is excellent for a guard too. This year the best broad by a guard was 9'1". His 5.03 forty would have been 2nd best for a guard this year. This is a man with a lot of lower body explosion. You know his first pro line coach had some say in the Dolphins pursuit of Smith. He's not going to give Hickey a positive report if it's not warranted.

    Scouting Report from 2010 pre-draft:

    Overview

    Despite missing the first three games of 2009 with an ankle injury suffered in preseason practice, Smith earned honorable-mention All-Mountain West honors because of his strength and athleticism.

    Smith redshirted coming off an all-state high school career in Arizona on both sides of the line, then played sparingly in 2006. He earned the starting left guard spot in 2007, then turned his game up a notch as a junior, receiving second-team all-conference accolades.

    Smith's ability to move defenders at will and get out in front of run plays will gain him fans among NFL offensive line coaches, especially those using zone-blocking schemes. The fact he was among the quickest (5.03-second 40, 1.74 10-yard split) and strongest (26 reps) guards at the combine means scouts will also be on board when coaches want to select him sometime Draft Saturday.

    Analysis

    Pass blocking: Strong initial contact, able to anchor against most tackles. Will bend at the waist and lean too far forward to engage or rest his hands instead of moving his feet; will lose his balance against quicker NFL tackles. Once a rusher falls, will work to keep him on the ground. Gets pushed back initially but anchors before giving up too much ground. Adept at punching inside with one hand, then moving to double on the edge on combo block. Keeps his head on a swivel while helping the center when no one is head-up against him. Aware of inside blitzes, and switches men quickly to pick them up.

    Run blocking: Average strength at the point of attack; won't turn men out of the hole but rarely gets beat, either. Not dominant up front but gets some push. Moves to second level to knock out the MIKE linebacker quickly and effectively. latches onto his target and sustains throughout the play, and sometimes through the whistle. Will do what it takes to eliminate linebacker, holding inside of the jersey when necessary.

    Pulling/trapping: Very good feet to get out of his stance, behind the line and greet defenders whether trapping inside or getting out on the edge. Will explode into linebacker in space and sustain the block when his hands are in contact. Will punch at times, knocking back defender but allowing him to return to the ball. Effective cut blocker.

    Initial Quickness: Adequate off the snap in pass pro; does not get beat immediately. Will need to improve at the next level firing off the ball as a run blocker when facing better competition.

    Downfield: Very good mobility, able to head 25-30 yards downfield to block. Plays with enough nastiness to plant a defensive back or linebacker into the turf and stay on them. Will get off one block to follow running back downfield and find another target. Misses defenders coming from the inside and gets too picky in his downfield targets, allowing the tackle to be made.

    Intangibles: Veteran of 31 starts was looked to as one of the leaders on the offense. Ankle injury that caused him to miss first part of 2009 should not be an issue. Plays hard every snap, willing to protect and back up teammates on the field.
     
  21. MrClean

    MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member

    PFF graded Smith as the 4th best run blocking guard in the league last year and the 23rd best overall guard. Their grades are cumulative so the more snaps, the more chance to help, (or hurt) your grade. He only played 371 snaps and was still able to accumulate those grades. Please continue to feel free to be a Debby Downer or a Negative Nelly if you like, but those grades are darned impressive.

    Albert was not a very good addition. Albert was an EXCELLENT addition. He was tied for the 4th best pass blocking left tackle in 2013. He was tied for 7th best in 2012. We got him now. That is EXCELLENT!!!
     
  22. Fame

    Fame Well-Known Member

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    He's only 27 and he's already an excellent run blocker. Great move. No brainer.
     
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  23. Sceeto

    Sceeto Well-Known Member

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    Man, some of you seem like you were expecting them to sign a whole new OL full of Pro-bowlers all in FA. Easy does it. :)
     
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  24. Brown42000

    Brown42000 Chillin

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    Coming from the one of many ripping the Finnegan deal, which was needed and a risk worth taking. This fan base is truly battered.
     
  25. vt_dolfan

    vt_dolfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    OMG For FsSake.....why didnt we sign him during the first few days of free agency.....why did it take do damned long?
     
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  26. Silverphin

    Silverphin Well-Known Member

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    ...I take it you're being facetious.
     
  27. vt_dolfan

    vt_dolfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    Very..lol

    Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk
     
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  28. 77FinFan

    77FinFan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    :lol:
     
  29. byroan

    byroan Giggity Staff Member Administrator Luxury Box

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    This is Revis 3rd team in a few years. Guess he sucks too.

    Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk
     
  30. MrClean

    MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member

    Well, you know Shelley Smith has to be one of the toughest sum*****es around, growing up with the name Shelley. It is like in that old Johnny Cash song, A Boy Named Sue. :yes:

    [video=youtube;X-hYLL7Gpos]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-hYLL7Gpos[/video]
     
  31. Eop05

    Eop05 Junior Member Club Member

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    Much needed upgrade. Great signing.
     
  32. Alex44

    Alex44 Boshosaurus Rex

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    Very pleased with Hickey so far. Not so much on Finnegan but everyone else. Feeling good about being a Dolphin fan.
     
  33. 77FinFan

    77FinFan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Think he will play left for right?
     
  34. bran

    bran Senior Member

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    sounds like the guy has a lot of upside and is still young, he is great in run blocking which we all know was beyond awful.
     
  35. Rocky Raccoon

    Rocky Raccoon Greasepaint Ghost Staff Member

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    Love this move.

    With Albert, Smith and Pouncey, suddenly things are looking a lot better on the line.
     
  36. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

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    He's got a point though. They didn't sign him yesterday, which is clear sign of incompetence.

    Clearly.
     
  37. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    I always value your opinion. I'm just not as thrilled with some of the free agent signings as you are. I also guess that the Texans and Rams weren't that impressed with the play of Smith either, since both of them have just let him leave in free agency the past two years.

    If the PFF ratings of a player is so important to you, you must hate the Finnegan signing then. Especially since he was rated near the bottom of all CB's last season.

    It is not that I am down on the team. I have just ALWAYS thought that you build a solid team through the draft. Not by signing players which other teams don't want to pay anymore. I am far more interested in seeing how the draft turns out for the Dolphins than getting worked up over free agents. Most of the free agents signed by the Dolphins will probably end up being no better than the players they replaced or possibly worse. That has been the way most free agent signings have worked out for the Dolphins over the past decade.

    As far as Albert is concerned. He is certainly a major upgrade over what the Dolphins had at LT last year. I just worry about how he will hold up at his age because of his injury history. If he was in his mid 20's and had no history of injuries, I would feel this was an excellent signing. Because of his history of a back injury, along with injuries to one arm and one knee during the 2013 season, you have to wonder if perhaps his best years aren't already behind him.

    I hope this turns out to be the excellent signing you state it is, but right now I'll stick with it being a very good signing and hope he proves to be an excellent signing during the 2014 season.
     
  38. RevRick

    RevRick Long Haired Leaping Gnome Club Member

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    I think you might have misspelled the last word... it should be "batty."
     
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  39. pmj

    pmj New Member

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    I mean we have a qb on a rookie contract and had a lot of expiring contracts, so we have space. Signing FAs does not prevent Hickey from drafting good players. I don't understand this argument that you shouldn't use cap space bc you need to build through the draft. It's just that the teams that draft well usually don't have cap space bc they end up having to pay their players.
     
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  40. finfansince72

    finfansince72 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Yeah the season is going to start next week. Good thing we signed him before the season starts.
     
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