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Still rebuilding for 2021

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Pauly, Apr 25, 2020.

  1. Pauly

    Pauly Season Ticket Holder

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    My thoughts in the draft is that the team is following the plan to tear down, build a base to compete in the future. The future is not 2020.

    Without getting into the individual picks the common thread with most of them is that they are young guys (by that I mean younger than the average draftee) that have strong competitiveness and strong physical talent. These are guys who aren’t going to slot straight into an NFL starting line up and play NFL ball. These are guys who need coaching and development to get to their best.

    I’m not saying these guys won’t contribute as rookies. More that they are further away from their ceilings than many highly drafted players. Obviously this is a vote of confidence in Flores and the coaching staff’s ability to develop players.

    Importantly it appears Grier is drafting with the question of who will be long term starters as his paramount concern. Drafting NFL ready players with lower ceilings is will help us get to 8-8 or 9-7 sooner, but if we want to get to the regular 12-4 seasons type team we don’t get there in one draft after what we went through in 2019.
     
  2. Rick 1966

    Rick 1966 Professional Hipshooter

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    You're probably right. But he'd better not think too far beyond 2021-22, because nothing in life is guaranteed.
     
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  3. Dorfdad

    Dorfdad Well-Known Member

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    I agree this looks like a solid depth / Year 2 kinda draft. I’m looking at this as Flores real first year of coaching. Last year was just a fire sale and him learning to be a coach. This year he should have command of everything.

    2022 is what we’re setting up for IMHO. 2 years from now
     
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  4. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    I'm totally with you, and I think that its for the best. 2020 doesn't really matter, beyond teaching the players, getting them into the system and getting them working together as groups and a team. Wins and losses can be thrown out the window. This about building a sustainable group who can develop into a good team down the road. Hopefully, that means that they're competitive in 2021, and in the playoff hunt at the end of the season. And than again hopefully, in 2022, they can be a team that's looked at as a solid bet to make it to the Divisional Round. For me, what happens after that is always unpredictible.
     
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  5. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    I'm not against another building year as long as we see progress and some of these linemen developing. I wouldn't be shocked if that 7th round pick takes more snaps at QB this season than Tua, that's 100% okay in my book. As long as we see that fire that we closed the season out with, I think we'll be fine playing these rookies and grinding out a handful of wins- I'm thinking in the 6 to 8 range? It really depends on how much training camp we're able to get in.

    I am excited though to get this season underway since we've finally set an actual path. I think the defense is going to be much improved and it's exciting seeing an offense come together from the ground up. We still need some pass rushers and I'm guessing that's the 2021 draft like Pauly said...I'm good with that though! Maybe we knock it out of the park tomorrow with UFDA's though.
     
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  6. Rick 1966

    Rick 1966 Professional Hipshooter

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    Powell, WY

    I would be. Tua is going to be starting by about week 8 IMHO.
     
  7. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    Right now, I think that's something that no one can really know. It will depend on both how good or bad the rest of the team is playing, whether the rest of the offense is in sync or not, how well the OL is blocking, and the general vibe around the team. And most important of all, his health and whether the coaches feel that he's ready to be on the field.

    While him getting onto the field around then wouldn't shock me, it also wouldn't be a surprise if he sat nearly the whole season out.
     
  8. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    The draft is about picking players with an understanding of their ceiling.



    That’s why I think this was a very effective draft..

    Tua, what a special prospect, 21 years old..does things that can’t be taught, full HD vision of the field at all times, super accurate, innately super accurate, fast in all aspects of the game, including the fastest release ive seen since Marino, confident, leader, and wants to be coached..the Qb talent level is off the charts, off script availability is there at a high level while being a precision pocket passer..

    Been saying it for years, Steve Young reincarnated.

    Jackson’s upside is ridiculous, he’s 20, all he’s missing is technique in pass protection, he is a plus athlete for the position who is already good as a run blocker, aggressive, can center his opponent at the 2nd level, and has a bit of a nasty streak to him.

    Look at Igbe..only played the position for two years..sticky icky corner who has the best hips in the draft, projects to the slot with Cod skills, speed, and a physical presence as press corner, will be our slot corner..very important position.
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2020
  9. Surfs Up 99

    Surfs Up 99 Team Flores & Team Tua

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    You know, I need to quit being so selfish. I mean, if down the road, I look back on this draft and all I can say is this is where we got Tua, our franchise QB, and built a decent OL to protect him, I should be happy, right? Hasn't this been what I (and most of the rest of us) have been asking for all these years? Let that sink in. We might just have our franchise QB! Man, that alone is huge! Now, if we add in the rest of our off-season (courtesy of CK from yesterday, minus our 7th rounders), we haven't done that bad, right? Look at that list! We got some ballers on there. It's a good start. Rome wasn't built in a day. I am happy as hell! We may just have our franchise QB!

    CKTweet.PNG
     
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  10. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Remember this is RyNs fitzpatricks team this year, we have lot of assets to continue this build next year too, the roster was so depleted we needed foundation players..

    Really like Solomon Kindley too.
     
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  11. tirty8

    tirty8 Well-Known Member

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    For once, the Dolphins are actually doing EXACTLY what I would have done. I will show you what I think the blue print is and where we are.

    This all began when Gase was fired, and Ross decided to tear it down.

    2019 - Tear it down. Get rid of bad contracts, aging vets, and guys who do not want to be here. This was the most painful part, but we acquired the cap space and draft picks that you saw us use this offseason.

    2020 - Get a franchise QB. Build the trenches/culture. If you notice the common denominator with all these guys, they are all family oriented high character guys. For the first time in ages, we took the offensive line very, very seriously. Some say we overdrafted. I think we properly invested.

    2021 -
    Phase I - I really hope that this part exists in the Grier's plan. But we really need to fix our mistakes. Now some of you are saying, "We already did that." No, I am talking about the mistakes we made in the draft and free agency. Again, you guys are probably wondering what I am talking about. My plan focuses on the imperfections. I PROMISE you guys that some of our free agents/draft picks are not gonna pan out. Ross's biggest problem is that he is overly loyal, and it trickles down to the front office, coaches, and fans. There is no better example than Dion Jordan. Even on this board, people wanted to just give him one more chance, and would point at a clip of him covering Gronk. Honestly, we should have cut bait much earlier. People got caught up on highlights and draft position/capital spent to get him. Now hopefully, the high character helps us avoid some of the off the field concerns of Jordan. Take our offensive line. Arguably, we overinvested. Let's just say our offensive line plays terribly next season, and guys do not even appear to be improving. We need to be fully willing to draft/sign new guys. Hoping they get better is not a plan.

    Don Shula warned that players with potential will get coaches fired.

    Phase II - Hopefully, the mistakes we made this offseason were minimal. But this should be the most fun part of our rebuild. This is the final phase of the rebuild. We should be targeting weapons preferably on the offensive side of the ball. Luxury picks at RB or big time receivers should be coming in. Perhaps we snag a freak defensive player. But the big takeaway here is that the these skill guys are placed in a positoi
     
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  12. Surfs Up 99

    Surfs Up 99 Team Flores & Team Tua

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    The Draft Network has a nice recap of our draft. If interested, please follow the link below to read more about each category.

    Best pick: Tua
    Biggest Surprise: A well-balanced draft
    Day 3 Sleeper: Curtis Weaver
    X-Factor: Player development
    Summary: In all, the Dolphins did exactly what they set out to do...

    https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/miami-dolphins-nfl-draft-recap-2020
     
  13. Pauly

    Pauly Season Ticket Holder

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    Well we saw last year that Flores and by extension Grier were willing to cut bait on coaches (OL coach ore-season OC post season) and productive players (Minkah Fitzpatrick in particular but Kenny Stills and Kenyan Drake as well) who didn’t fit the vision of what they wanted the team to be. I have hopes that what you refer to as phase I (rectifying the mistakes in the rebuild process) will be done with a Din Shula like efficiency over emotion process.
     
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  14. Surfs Up 99

    Surfs Up 99 Team Flores & Team Tua

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    I don't think you have to worry about the team willing to move on if a guy isn't working out. Take a look at our LS, for example, Taybor Pepper was only here a year, and we replaced him this year. To be fair, maybe that isn't a good example because a LS, or a kicker or punter might have a shorter leash than say an O-lineman, and a QB probably has the longest leash, but you get what I mean. They have expectations and if a guy isn't doing enough to meet them, adios. We still have two guys to cut to get us down to 90. I wouldn't be surprised if one of our OL was cut.
     
  15. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Defender of the Truth

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    Maybe, maybe not. I think it’s all going to depend on how the team overall is playing and I don’t necessarily mean wins and losses. If Fitzpatrick is leading the offensive unit and they are getting better and better;

    Linemen executing blocks properly
    Receivers running precise routes and making catches
    Running backs making effective runs and picking up blocks

    You could see Fitzpatrick starting the majority of the season for continuity in the offensive development.

    If the offensive unit is developing and getting better and better, but the Dolphins overall record doesn’t reflect a much improved team, you could see Tagovailoa starting around week 10/11 to give him the opportunity to begin his development in an efficient offensive unit.

    However, if the stupidity of screaming fans, marketing, etc takes precedence and Tagovailoa is thrown to the wolves behind and ineffective offensive unit, you’re going to see an overall repeat of Tannehill’s time in Miami. He make individual good plays but the win/loss record will result in public cries for Tagovailoa’s head on a pike.

    Make no mistake, Miami’s record this season will be sub 500. Don’t judge the Dolphins this year on wins and losses. Judge them on week to week improvement. As long as the team consistently improves, 2021 will be the season to expect wins over losses
     
  16. Kud_II

    Kud_II Realist Division

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    If the picks work out in 2021 yes. Otherwise "Oh no we suck again"

    BEST OF LUCK DRAFT PICKS, ESPECIALLY TUA TAGAVAILOA
     

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