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Draft or free agency for Dolphins disastrous LB unit?

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Carmen Cygni, Jan 21, 2018.

  1. Carmen Cygni

    Carmen Cygni Well-Known Member

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    By David Hyde

    Full article: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/dave-hyde-blog/fl-sp-hyde5-dolphins-lb-20180116-story.html

    It touches on the unnecessary extension of Alonso, the bad scheme fit for Timmons, the ill signing of Maualuga (almost forgot about him), The 5th rd draft pick given up for Anthony, and the early injury to McMillan.

    So with all those poor decisions and the unfortunate injury behind us, where do we go from here to fix the worst unit on the defense? FA? Draft? Both?

    I think you have to expect McMillan to come back from his knee injury and man the the middle. He's a natural at Mike. So then what do we do for the Sam and Will?

    Chase Allen is a possible in house option at Sam, which is a two down spot for us currently.

    I haven't delved into the depths of the draft yet (that's offseason fun for me) but in just taking some quick glances at articles and film, and as much as Roquan Smith stood out this year, VT OLB Tremaine Edmunds appears to be the best fit for our scheme. My first impression is that he has the size and strength to be stout at the LOS and has the range and mobility for pass defense.

    I also haven't looked over FA at any options as to who might be available.

    How would you fix this unit?
     
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  2. hitman8

    hitman8 Well-Known Member

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    I would definitely target Edmunds in the draft. He would be perfect for the Sam spot. We are pretty much stuck with Alonso at will at this point because of the idiotic contract we just gave him. Unless we find somebody dumb enough to trade for him we are stuck with him. I would only play him for 2 downs though. I don't want to see him on the field on passing downs anymore. Chase allen looks like a natural Mike to me. I would plug him in as McMillan's backup at Mike at this point. He could also play Sam but he is a more natural Mike. He is decent in coverage but that is the weakest part of his game.

    I would also target a decent free agent once we cut timmons who was a complete waste of time. Maybe try to sign Zach Brown again. Basically we need to use both the draft and free agency to adequately address the position which is still probably the weakest unit on the team along with oline.
     
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  3. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Carmen, you did a lot of work on Edmunds?
     
  4. Carmen Cygni

    Carmen Cygni Well-Known Member

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    No sir, not yet. Just a few articles, some with clips. I need to re-up a few subscriptions to get a hold of some collegiate game tape.
     
  5. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I’m about 250 reps in and I’m worried about instincts and vision..He’s so young though I have to figure out if it’s youth or you know, a lack of vision and instincts..
     
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  6. invid

    invid Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Plenty on YouTube!
     
  7. Phoenician Fan

    Phoenician Fan Well-Known Member

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    Deluca
     
  8. Carmen Cygni

    Carmen Cygni Well-Known Member

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    Highlights or actual game film?

    I prefer actual game footage with all their snap counts to properly scout a player.
     
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  9. adamprez2003

    adamprez2003 Senior Member

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    Nigel Graham from the eagles would shore up our coverage problems. He' young and plays in the wide 9. He will also cost a lot. If you want to get a cheap bargain I think barkevious mingo from the Colts might be worth a look. You won' get sacks but He's good at run support and pass coverage.

    In the draft, raquon and Treadwell seem to be the consensus picks but I'm not sold on them 100 percent. I might rather wait a round or two to get better value. Arius Moore, sione teuhema, and keishawn berria are 2nd 3rd day picks and udfas I am interested in.
     
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  10. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    I think it's mostly fixed all by itself- let Timmons walk, slide Kiko outside and plug in McMillan as originally planned. Then let Allen compete for that final slot wherever it happens to fall- I would make LB a top 3-4 round priority. Honestly, I'm secretly hoping that the BPA at #11 is a linebacker, but I have a gut feeling that it's going to be a quarterback or the best RB overall. I'm good with that either way though.

    What I WOULDN'T DO is hit free agency for an aging veteran- we may as well extend Timmons if that's the strategy. We have a pretty young team and that's been our one challenge slot for years now- imagine if we had someone young like Mack out there just blowing up the field!?!

    So that would be my goal- count on McMillan and find 1/2 young guys to compete with Kiko, Allen and others. With that said, I know nothing about college football players entering the draft so I'll have to defer to others there.
     
  11. Carmen Cygni

    Carmen Cygni Well-Known Member

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    Problem is, we saw what he can do, or rather what he can't do, as an OLB this year. Very unimpressive. He's failed at both Mike and Will in our defense.
     
  12. Puka-head

    Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member

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    Slightly left of center
    Can't have to many LB's. They are the core of your special teams also. Draft at least two. There are some VERY good prospects this year. We need depth and starters at every spot so a 1-2 and a 5-6-7 wouldn't hurt my feelings. Throw in a FS ball hawk and a couple of big mean Malafalas at G and C and then find speed wherever you can. This team is SLOW. That FS needs to be able to fly, and so do the LB's
     
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  13. invid

    invid Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Every snap, just not every game. Type in "Tremaine Edmunds vs." in the search and you should make out fine. It's the broadcast angle, not the all-22 though. The broadcast angle is fine for looking at certain positions, but makes it hard to look at cornerbacks, wide receivers, and safeties.
     
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  14. Redwine4all

    Redwine4all Well-Known Member

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    Draft Tremaine Edmunds in first round...
     
  15. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    We're going to just disagree on this one- I saw Kiko making lots of plays all year long behind a largely pedestrian LB group. I would personally blame the defensive scheme itself though...we just didn't cover up holes like we should have and our LB's seemed to be in coverage far too often. I mean, hell, there were plays where Wake was covering a guy downfield...Wake!
     
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  16. danmarino

    danmarino Tua is H1M! Club Member

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    He's not my first pick, but if that happened I'd be happy.
     
  17. danmarino

    danmarino Tua is H1M! Club Member

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    People tend to grade players in a vacuum. LB's are hard to grade because not only do you have to take into account their limitations, but the entire defense's as well.

    Kiko is very athletically gifted. He, like 99% of all LB's, needs help in order to excel. He's not the best at anything, but he can pretty much do it all. He's not going to be able to cover TE's like Gronk or Kelce (not many LB's can), but he can cover most RB's for a reasonable amount of time. He can rush the passer, and he can defend the run.
     
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  18. Walter

    Walter Well-Known Member

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    Kinda early for predictions but at this stage wouldn't mind

    FA.... Andrew Norwell G. Panthers

    Draft Minkah Fitzpatrick or Roqaun Smith
     
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  19. adamprez2003

    adamprez2003 Senior Member

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    Just read an interesting article that said Burke is looking to go even more hybrid nickel and dime packages next year. Will basically become our base defense. The plans are for McDonald to replace the WLB. We would have two linebackers, the Mike and sam. We will need a FS unless mate Allen is the guy. Starting to think Minka Fitzpatrick might be in our crosshairs
     
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  20. Walter

    Walter Well-Known Member

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    I like the fact that Fitz has a massive amount of versatility as a S and even CB and someone who might have an effect on TE's...that seem to be another of the huge Achilles heal we possess...

    I'm more interested that we pick up atleast one QUALITY lineman in FA.... Plus IMO Pouncey though He can be outstanding is just to hard to depend on through a season due to injuries. (makes 2)

    And with our top pick know they won't even really think about a QB.... I see us still in that perpetual early stage of rebuilding so I'm not looking for the quick fix like some, to think that we are one or two players away...Damn we need 2 just on the OL...
     
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  21. Carmen Cygni

    Carmen Cygni Well-Known Member

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    1008 . . . that's the number of defensive snap counts Alonso had for '17. So while the casual onlooker watches the game and hollers in excitement at a few good handful of positive plays that Alonso made, when you go back and analyze his game, on a per snap basis via coaches film, it's quite awful.
     
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  22. Carmen Cygni

    Carmen Cygni Well-Known Member

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    That sounds like good news and my initial reaction is a positive one, though I have to wonder what is in the plans to defend the run game in such packages.
     
  23. adamprez2003

    adamprez2003 Senior Member

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    Well the patriots were bad against the run this year and this is almost copying their playbook but belichik switched to the nickel and even dime alignments because of all the 3 and 4 receiver sets he was seeing. What we will see is jones, McDonald and the FS all play the run. Whoever our FS is will have to be good against the run for this to work imo

    When we run into more traditional running teams we will probably revert back to a more traditinal 4-3 alignment with 3 linebackers. But since passing seems to be the order of the day this could well become our base defense
     
  24. dolphin25

    dolphin25 Well-Known Member

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    I don't think he will make a change. I'd like to read the article.
     
  25. Carmen Cygni

    Carmen Cygni Well-Known Member

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    Not true. They were 2nd in the league, only to Minnesota, for least amount of rushing TD given up (6).

    If this occurs, we will be nothing like them. We don't have the personnel versatility ( or coaching knowledge, IMO) to make it so.

    Patriots base D last year was a 3-3-5 w/ a 50 front & Bear alignment. They also played many other alignments (4-3 Even, 4-2-5, 2-4-5, etc.) in both their front 7 and secondary that we would never be able to match. We also don't have a back 7 that can play strong M2M that creates a free defender. A free safety is a must to be able to successfully employ a subpackage as our base D, b/c of the need for an extra man in the the box vs the run.
     
  26. adamprez2003

    adamprez2003 Senior Member

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    That' a good point. The defense toughened up in the red zone. They were 20th in rushing yards and 30th in passing yards. But in the red zone they were probably top ten. Bend but don' break. And since the offense scores tds you will lose eventually if you kick fgs
     
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  27. Carmen Cygni

    Carmen Cygni Well-Known Member

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    Yep. After NE made adjustments with their new personnel, they have been the #1 scoring defense since week 6. For me, the only thing that truly matters on defense is points given, then takeaways.
     
  28. guerteltier

    guerteltier New Member

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    I´ll vote for strengthen the LB in both the free agency and the draft. The Phins have Raekwon McMillan returning after injury and Kiko sitting with his huge contract, but they need much more than that. If he is available at 11, Roquan Smith will be a No brainer to get to Miami. But nevertheless, the LB unit also needs experience and a guy who is able to lead the young squad. Remember: Roquan Smith will be 21 at draft day, Raek is also 21. Stephone Anthony is 25, Kiko is 27 years of age. As the Phins should likely cut Timmons to save about 5.475 Million Dollar, they should look after an experienced player of outragous skills who will be free agent and is projected to cost about 4.9 Million (spotrac.com):NaVorro Bowman. With the three times pro bowl-selection the LB unit will become one of the powerfull parts of the team. Bowman, McMillan, Smith, Anthony and Alonso would be a perfect fit at this position ;-)
     
  29. adamprez2003

    adamprez2003 Senior Member

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    I agree
     
  30. Walter

    Walter Well-Known Member

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    Would be nice....

    But very unlikely: New Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther would like to see NaVorro Bowman re-signed, and Bowman, who joined the Raiders in Week 7 last year, has said he is open to returning to Oakland.

    Plus The Raiders (pk. 10) are considered by many a landing spot for Roguan Smith.....

    Other free agent ILB
    Mason Foster, Redskins...29
    Avery Williamson, Titans....26
    Gerald Hodges, Saints...27

    Nigel Bradham Eagles... OLB
     
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2018
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  31. guerteltier

    guerteltier New Member

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    I agree; as I noticed the latest mock drafts, Oakland usually picks LB at 10th spot (hopefully, they grab for Edmunds or Landry). So I had another idea, what the Phins could do to improve the LB squad: by picking an edge defender like Harold Landry or Marcus Davenport (in combination with downtrading, likely with the Cardinals) - then there is no nedd to re-sign Hayes. In free agency, grab for Nigel Bradham and Zach Brown - this could also fix the needs at LB, EDGE and OT (because I likely trade down with Arizona for a third round-pick and their OT D.J. Humphries). Four gaps closed (and the Phins would earn another promising pick) by using only little more salary (Timmons and Hayes are projected to earn 13 Million, signing the three FAs and picking similar to my plan wouldn´t be much more expensive).
     
  32. Walter

    Walter Well-Known Member

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    Not a fan of DJ Humphries even without the MCL injury and dislocated kneecap..

    There will be good vets available in FA that if staff is awake could finally realize the Need to be acquired and hopefully we don't go into our Ground Hog day approach of the last 15 years and go with cheap half azz save money fingers crossed potential starters that always turn out to be depth if lucky and has the organization bewildered 3-4 games into season at what to do. OL has to be top or very close to top on the Needs List, IMO

    Nigel Bradham and Zach Brown.... still my beating heart, would be more than hoped for

    Stick at 11 BPA fingers crossed Fitzpatrick, Raiders go DT, hello Roguan Smith, Nelson,

    also to throw in a little intrigue feel the right QB is not out of the question...Don't have alot of confidence in RT. But we will see and it would be nice to be prepare if needed. 5 years of RT on exhibit and still wondering actually says something to me. Not like were going to the Superbowl the next couple years....

    But we have to make an impact with a LB and OL in the FA market understanding that were not near a legit contender but with the right moves could be in 3-4 years, ( Coaching staff being the major screw up that is going to put the 3-4 years on). So like to see improvement with acquisitions that will be around when we actually have a shot and not get the FA moving into their twilight years just for the temporary fix...
     
  33. PSG

    PSG Clear Eyes. Full Hearts.

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    We are so bad at LB I wouldnt be surprised if we spend $$$$ in FA AND draft one in the 1st
     
  34. Phoenician Fan

    Phoenician Fan Well-Known Member

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    Highly likely Nigel Bradham hits free agency. Highly unlikely Avery Williamson hits free agency.
     

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