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much to do about nothing?

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by the 23rd, Mar 19, 2014.

  1. the 23rd

    the 23rd a.k.a. Rio

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    don't see all these holes people keep talking about.
    I would pick up Zack Martin, then Carlos Hyde at running back... afterwards, go BPA the rest of the way. we don't need much more in material of talent i.e. players, only quality competition.
    what we need is coaching, coaching, coaching! I find this ordeal to be much to do about nothing. a tempest in the tea pot!

    no more excuses, it's time to contend... there will always be parity in the NFL
    the onus should be on work & coaching after you have pieces that can compete. not too much is missing, Zach Martin, then Carlos Hyde...very doable.
     
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  2. the 23rd

    the 23rd a.k.a. Rio

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    all about this:
    1) QB: Tannehill & I would hold on to Moore for another season as a guarantee/back-up against the beating RT took last year.
    2) RB: Miller & Hyde provide the balance & threat on the field we will need (thunder & lightning)
    3) WR & TE: we are flush
    4)OL: with the acquisition of Zach Martin we have 4 of 5 starters & our bench strong i.e. Gardner & Thomas. can always bring back Clabo or Mckinnie if you have little faith in Gardner or Thomas. personally, I think it is more a matter of coaching then personnel.
    5) Defense: move Jordon to LB, let them compete for the start at CB.
    6) Special teams: not pleased with the kicker or the returns... would shop players that could add competition to these positions. Competition is the Elixir of Success !
     
  3. RevRick

    RevRick Long Haired Leaping Gnome Club Member

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    I must aver, that I am a purist, and it follows, that if thou must near closely employ the words of Good Will, would'st thou doest so in the full complexity and perfection of the matter and thereby allow the word's full import to attendeth thy thinking? The merest similitude of persiflage falls far from near the mark! The Play's the thing, my Man.. The Play's the thing!
     
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  4. PhinishLine

    PhinishLine Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I'm not trying to be a dick here at all. I do believe it's "Much ado about nothing."
     
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  5. the 23rd

    the 23rd a.k.a. Rio

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    1) PhinishLine: Shakespeare in the 20th century! be it as it may
    2) RevRick: too simple? so much banter? just the way I simply see it. pick up Martin & Hyde, move Dion to LB, then coach the team up. no more excuses.
     
  6. MrClean

    MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member

    I consider Zack Martin as similar to Logan Mankins, so he should be a day 1 starter at LG. I think Xavier Su'a-Filo should be equally good as a LG too though. So if Zack is gone at 19, just take Su'a-Filo.
     
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  7. Finrunner

    Finrunner Season Ticket Holder

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    Well, to be honest, a lot of the holes people are talking about are at the offensive line and running back positions, and, while those deficiencies can obviously be overcome, at this point, they're still there. And people that are talking about holes are generally talking about holes currently - not after the draft or even after free agency, but right now. And right now, we don't have both a competent OG and OT (right tackle) on the roster. It remains to be seen whether we have guys currently on the roster that can fill one of those positions, but right now, it's fair for reporters/draft analysts/fan/etc. to say that there are holes there. With regard to RB, it's difficult to say exactly how much Lamar Miller would have benefitted with a better offensive line. Obviously, he would have benefitted some, but as has been pointed out in some places on this forum, there are concerns about his ability to break tackles, get yards after contact, and convert short yardage opportunities. He may get better this year at those abilities, but the combination of Thomas and Gillislee behind him can't even elicit delusions of grandeur. You just know they're not the answer. That's why we hear RB as a hole.

    Also, there is probably talk of holes at LB. While moving and mixing has some merit, to most outside observers and to many insiders as well, we have a LBing deficiency. Our run defense was pretty weak last year relative to how it had been in recent previous years, and simply moving Jordan to OLB doesn't necessarily fix that. It may help, but I think we need an instinctive MLB who can ferret out plays pretty well and make more tackles within two yards of the line of scrimmage. Right now, that's a hole.

    You're right that nobody should be Chicken Littling, running around in a panic, screaming that the sky is falling. Free Agency isn't over and at least some of the OL holes can be mitigated, still, and perhaps other positions as well. Philbin has been an advocate of building through the draft, and that's where we should focus to get playmakers and superior starters. Hickey has said he's a BPA proponent, so we'll see how the draft goes. After that, a lot of the "holes" talk will die down, but then you'll hear concerns of starting rookies and whatnot. Just how the news cycle works.

    The main crux is that even if the defense is pretty much status quo from last year, with a rebuilt line, a better running game, Lazor's new (and hopefully improved) offense, and a better Ryan Tannehill, we should be a playoff team. If both the offense and the defense get better, then we're talking.
     
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  8. the 23rd

    the 23rd a.k.a. Rio

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    my only real concern:
    you know the thing that sticks in the back of my mind is the 58 sacks RT suffered last year. the guy fell apart in his last two games of the season. if he returns with an improved offensive line, running game & isn't seeing ghosts on the field. he will indeed be the franchise QB we have awaited for so long. as far as I'm concerned everything else is much to do about nothing. let them compete & coach them up. not to worry. we will make the play-offs in 2014.
     
  9. Pennington's Limp Arm

    Pennington's Limp Arm Well-Known Member

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    Part of the sack problem was a putrid run game that earned no respect from the opposition's front 7.
    No change in the backfield yet and no guarantee Hyde will be on the board for us in round 2. Finding an impact back in round 2 is far from certain.

    The line still has glaring holes. Albert is a huge get, Smith is an upgrade (but not a homerun), Pouncey could still be suspended, plus the other two question marks.... which are rightfully generating discussion. If Hickey doesn't go OL in round 1 (like everyone suggests), I think there will be a lot of concern.

    The fact it seems we're pigeon holed into taking best Offensive Lineman available in the first round is atleast a little concerning. Currently we are handcuffed entering the draft.
     
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  10. Larry Little

    Larry Little Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    At RB, I don't believe Miller is the answer. He has the physical talent, I just don't think the guy has it between the ears.

    At TE, I'd like to see them add a top-tier pass-catcher. I think we have a good core with Clay, Sims, and Egnew.

    At LB, we need a 'real' Mike. A QB of the defense. We don't have one. I think it's the difference between us having a 'pretty good' and a 'great' defense right now.

    OL still needs help. They need to somehow find a RT and another guard. Whether those guys are on the team already, or if they'll need to find them in the draft, I don't know. I'd like to see us take an athletic O-lineman early... in the 1st or 2nd. Zach Martin would be great, but, that's the popular choice. Things don't usually work out like that. He could be gone, or, the Phins may love someone else at a skill position in the 1st. TE, RB, or WR.


    To recap... I don't see the Phins as being a major overhaul project, but they need some pieces to be legit playoff contenders. They need that 'alpha-dog, blue-chip' player on offense to compliment Tannehill. A RB, WR, or TE. Doesn't matter where. Just someone. On defense, I think the team has good talent and depth. The secondary looks very good. The pass rush is there. They just need a star MLB to bring it all together... IMO.
     
  11. DPlus47

    DPlus47 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Measure for Measure, I believe the team needs a running game. I also agree with your point about MLB: they need improvement there. Overall, last year's team was close, but it ended as A Comedy of Errors. Such an ending tends to make people worry: was the coaching staff incapable of teaching and/or motivating? Was the talent just bad? Was it a mixture of both?

    I'm in the latter camp: the coaches weren't great and the talent could use improvement. Now's our chance to complain/discuss, etc. We all want the same thing. The offseason is a long, somewhat boring haul. As someone once said, though: All's Well That Ends Well.
     
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  12. the 23rd

    the 23rd a.k.a. Rio

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    Titans have released veteran kicker Rob Bironas.
     
  13. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Maybe Cooks and Skov should be our first two picks, or Ebron and Skov, only problem it doesn't seem like we were active enough on the oline to avoid not going after oline early in the draft..
     
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  14. Da 'Fins

    Da 'Fins Season Ticket Holder Staff Member Club Member

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    Well stated. Dead on with respect to LB and OL and RB, imo. I also think that we could improve in other areas (where I would say, we are simply average or slightly above average). One thing that fans get lulled into is seeing the glaring poverty on the OL - it is easy to think that average play at another position means you are "set" there. But, why, if you are building a SB contender, should you be satisfied with a mid-level player at position A, for example? I'm not saying get rid of the starter. But, if you can upgrade that spot by adding a veteran at a relatively decent price, who would bring in competition, and you have the space, why not?

    But, it's clear those positions above need to be addressed at some point - by bringing in a starter (if we drafted Martin - I would be elated; I fear, however, with all the OL needs ahead of us, that he will be gone); and then bringing in a mid-rounder to compete at the other spot.
     
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  15. Da 'Fins

    Da 'Fins Season Ticket Holder Staff Member Club Member

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    Been saying exactly that in the Free Agency thread (and getting crushed for it, lol).
     
  16. Finrunner

    Finrunner Season Ticket Holder

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    Agreed.

    Free Agency isn't over yet, so, like I said above, there are things that can be mitigated. Still, hindsight is awesome! And speaking with at least a little of it after the first week(s) of FA, I had been a proponent of targeting Strief (although, to be fair, it looked like he really wanted to stay in NO and didn't want to come to Miami) and a guard (Schwartz was the one I was hoping, but either we never targeted or he just was signed before we did) in addition to the moves on the line we made (Albert/Smith). I think we had the wherewithal to make moves like that and still be okay regarding the salary cap, even with the other moves we made at DT/CB. And in that way, to my thinking, we were free to go BPA come the NFL Draft.

    With the way things stand, sure we can go BPA (I'm in favor of that), but if we do and it turns out the O-line gets the short draw in players we select, I kind of feel of feel like history is repeating itself in some ways from last year because again we've been at least a little derelict with the O-line. That affects the whole offense. Running game. Pass Protection. Down and distance. Short yardage situations and what you can/can't do. Everything. And then, what if Albert gets hurt or Pouncey has a suspension?

    I'm still hoping for a late signing of maybe Winston or Justice (not sure who else is out there that can man the RT position competently) -- I don't know about re-signing McKinney; just don't think he's a good enough run blocker at this point in his career to make the switch and play RT (but the guys I mentioned may have similar troubles at this point in their careers) -- just to have a little security blanket.

    I want more weapons (Ebron or Cooks, as you state, would look nice in Dolphins uniforms) early in the draft or a dynamic MLB, but I'll sure feel insecure if we go that way not having made any more moves on the line. Will wait and see, though.
     
  17. Cass

    Cass Active Member

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    I like Matt Moore, but he's a heck of a cap hit for a backup qb. I think we cut him.
     
  18. scotty_irnbru

    scotty_irnbru Well-Known Member

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    Surely we look at the total cost of that position. If Moore is $4M and Tannehill is $6M, we are still only spending half of what the giants or the saints or the ravens are spending. Nobody is gonna trade for Moore. It's just not gonna happen. He's a safety blanket, I'm ok keeping him here at that price because we've seen he can be reasonably effective. If RT gets injured I'd be happier with him than devlin, or most other FA qbs.
     
  19. BicketyBam

    BicketyBam No Fist Pumps Allowed

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    $4 mil isn't that bad considering the room you have under the cap. How much time is left on his contract? He's a good backup to have when the rest of the pieces are in place.
     
  20. DPlus47

    DPlus47 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I'd be all over a new kicker for the right price.
     
  21. the 23rd

    the 23rd a.k.a. Rio

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    exactly my thought... bring him in & let them compete
    it doesn't take three years to develop a kicker. either they have the skill set or they don't.
    we simply left too many points on the field last year needlessly.
     

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