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Merged: Jake Grove officially signed/Interview on WQAM

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by CrunchTime, Mar 2, 2009.

  1. plc001

    plc001 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Offensive line seems to be the one position where you can overcome deficiencies with proper coaching and conditioning. The lines are all about team work, you can't do it alone. Considering he is coming from a woeful Raiders squad, I'm willing to bet his potential is yet to be realized.
     
    mullingan likes this.
  2. HULKFish

    HULKFish Artist and Scribe

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    Thanks for the video Roman529 I always like seeing what type of character our players have. Looks to be a hard worker coming from that background! I'm sure Sparano and Parcells already have things in mind for this guy. Am I the only one that has a hard time seeing Satele at guard? I just don't see him being a driving force or fitting into this system at all. He's more like one of those old Denver zone blockers. Donald Thomas will hopefully be healthy along with Smiley. THAT would be a great front!
     
  3. Larryfinfan

    Larryfinfan 17-0...Priceless Club Member

    As to what this regime is looking for, Grove is an upgrade to Satele. He's certainly here to replace him at C. Berger is a depth signing. This opens up, IMO, another can of worms we all can peruse thru as now Satele is officially on the trading block...

    Oh, don't get me wrong, he could be kept on and moved to guard and he's cheap as starting OL come, but the Tuna will have a spot either during the draft, where he wants to move up and Satele could be prime bait for such a move...heck, I'd even look towards perhaps a Cromartie for Satele move, with some added compensation to us since Cromartie's stock is down right now...It just gives us some possibilities...
     
    HULKFish likes this.
  4. charlestonphan

    charlestonphan Junior Member

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    i think he went late in the first round, in the same draft they took robert gallery number one overall.
     
  5. GARDENHEAD

    GARDENHEAD Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Did Smiley stand out with the Niners? No. The trifecta can see what the average man cannot!!!!!
    Posted via Mobile Device
     
  6. surferosa

    surferosa Balance and Vision

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    2nd round, 45th pick overall.
     
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  7. dolpns13

    dolpns13 Chest Rockwell is my hero

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    :no: Doesnt sound like a good singing to me. This is the first time I have doubted the Trifecta. We just signed a guy who is the same height and weight, 5 years older, than our starting center, and is injury prone..

    This very confusing seeing we wanted someone much bigger than Satele, so why do we go after this guy?
     
  8. dolpns13

    dolpns13 Chest Rockwell is my hero

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    Raiders fan reaction to Jake Groves

    I went to the RaidersFan.net and heres their takes on Groves

    There is general consensus that the guy works hard but is also very injury prone. Seems they liked his attitude and play at times, but is inconsistent probably due to injury and they they all agree he is a huge injury concern. They didnt seem to disappointed that they may lose him. From the posts I conclude he is just an average Center

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------

    Welcome aboard. My wife and her entire family are from Miami. They are from the "Polk & Beans" projects and they went to Northwestern.
    IMHO Grove was undersized as a center. He just never did pan out like I thought he would. Maybe with a new environment and coaching staff he'll play better for you guys.
    Good luck and thank you so much for kicking the Patriots out of the playoffs last year!!! LOL
    Good luck with that this year because Brady is back

    Well Grove has been injured alot for us but he was making major strides last year even when kid kiff was here in camp he said that Jake Grove was working very hard to bulk up which he did. It showed in his game to he made BIG MAN TED WASHINGTON look like a baby . Grove didn't prove he was worth his Draft Selection yet but in due time maybe he will. Overall he is a good serviceable center that can play some gaurd as well (which is why Dolphins gave him a contract) He might not play center for your team he just might play gaurd so they can pull him on trap plays you guys do a lot of running so you need athletic lineman an thats what Grove is. Will he be a probowl player next year I doubt it but I wish him well.

    Maybe the Tuna sees something that we haven't seen for the past 5 seasons... Grove is decent/above average when he's healthy. He is NEVER healthy.
    Do you know anything about your team doctor? Is he saying that Grove's injuries are behind him, and that he doesn't have anything lingering? 5 years doesn't make sense unless the doc ok'd it or there was competition from another team (possibly division rival) to sign him. I'd also take a look at the clauses in the contract, once it's official, to see what kind of conditions are mapped out, should injury occur.

    I personally liked Grove but I don't think he ever lived up to his expectations. I thought we were getting a lineman with a nasty demeanor and he has been hurt and played soft at times. I think he started to turn things around a bit last year and I wouldn't have minded bringing him back but overall its not that big a loss for us. I do wish him well and hope that a change of scenery will help him. Good luck next year.

    Grove has had some games where he played very good and has has some bad games. Last year he improved a lot over what he was when he first got here. I think the rotation of coaches and schemes has slowed his development as have his injuries.
    If he stays healthy and has the right coaches he can be very good for you but if he couldn't stay healthy when he was younger it will be harder now that he is older.

    If like underperforming ,injury prone and undersized players he will fit right in. I loved the draft pick at the time .I was wrong !! Oh Yeah , I forgot now he is overpaid as well !!

    He' a fcckin' bum...good luck with the stiff!!

    Grove is okay. Nothing spectacular, though. He had his share of penalties and could never stay healthy. I personally wish the man well but it is no big loss to our team.
     
    Big E likes this.
  9. dolpns13

    dolpns13 Chest Rockwell is my hero

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    Miami signed former Raiders center Jake Grove to a five-year, $29.5 million deal that includes $14 million in guaranteed money. In one year, the Dolphins have built a formidable front line

    http://blogs.nfl.com/
     
  10. Dorfdad

    Dorfdad Well-Known Member

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    Love this line

    "In one year, Miami has built one of football’s top young lines. It was not particularly cheap, but it will be highly effective. "
     
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  11. dolpns13

    dolpns13 Chest Rockwell is my hero

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    For 8 million more, and 6 million more in garauntees, we could have had Brown...
     
  12. Agua

    Agua Reality: Try It!

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    Grove is about to be introduced to the Tuna Health Plan. Seriously. You suck it up and play.
     
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  13. plc001

    plc001 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    3 points of contention.

    1) Size and weight does not equal talent. Looking at some of the better running teams C, they seem to all be rather smallish, I believe NE center is under 300lbs
    2) Lets say that Satele and Grove are equal in capability, but Satele is a better guard. Overall the line improved.
    3) The larger your rotation the more powerful your line will be. If you continually allow your big men to rest they will be more effective
     
  14. vmarcilfan75

    vmarcilfan75 blah...blah...blah... Club Member

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  15. dolpns13

    dolpns13 Chest Rockwell is my hero

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    We wanted size, but settled for a guy who is the same size as Satele, injury prone, and 30 years old. Not to mention, we could have spent just a tad bit more, and signed JAson Brown... This signing is outside of the mold of team we initially thought Sparano wanted and is the first signing by the trifecta I question and am unhappy with mainly because we could have had Brown for an extra 6 mil garaunteed.

    Lets just hope this isnt Seth McKinney Part 2
     
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  16. Clark Kent

    Clark Kent Fighter of the Nightman

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    Yeah... I can't help but feel we've wasted money on this signing. A never healthy, above average C...
     
  17. GARDENHEAD

    GARDENHEAD Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I love this signing.

    The biggest weakness of our offense last year was interior line.

    We now have good, quality players and depth at G and C. I can't wait till we run Ronnie and Ricky between the tackles.
     
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  18. Nappy Roots

    Nappy Roots Well-Known Member

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    wow thats a lot of money...not a fan of the move, but ill hold off judgment until he plays.
     
  19. orangefinfan

    orangefinfan New Member

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    Jake Grove Signed

    Dolphins | Grove signed
    Tue, 03 Mar 2009 09:16:47 -0800

    Adam Schefter, of NFL.com, reports the Miami Dolphins have signed free-agent C Jake Grove (Raiders) to a five-year, $29.5 million deal that includes $14 million in guaranteed money.
     
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  20. Rocky Raccoon

    Rocky Raccoon Greasepaint Ghost Staff Member

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    I honestly don't know much about him. I trust the front office though, and if he pans out our line should be terrific and set for years.
     
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  21. orangefinfan

    orangefinfan New Member

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    Opps, I see that they posted this in the other thread.
     
  22. Nappy Roots

    Nappy Roots Well-Known Member

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    also, why did we not just throw 8 more million at brown? makes little sense. Brown is 5 years younger, much better, and not a injury risk so far in his career.
     
  23. Phinperor

    Phinperor formerly In_Flames Luxury Box

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    Would have much rather had Mack or Unger in the draft, or signed Brown....oh well, gotta trust the FO with this move I guess. :confused2:
     
  24. DolfanTom

    DolfanTom Livin' and Dyin' w/ Ryan!

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    While we paid far more for Groves than for Berger, it appears for sure that the team is very serious about Sparano's belief that "you can never have enough lineman!"

    We've brought in Berger, now Groves, and have Thomas and Smiley coming back. And the draft hasn't happened yet. My guess is one way or another, we're going to have one quality line in place come September!
     
  25. DolfanTom

    DolfanTom Livin' and Dyin' w/ Ryan!

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    Not sure it's wasted, but that 14 million guaranteed is slightly high to me. I'd be happier in the 10 mill range.
     
  26. Tiki

    Tiki New Member

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    Why wouldn't he sign with us? I mean if you were an Oakland player, wouldn't you want to get out of that hell hole? Also the Phins are certainly up and coming, just another reason.

    Don't know much about this guy, but from what I read, he has talent and would think that Tony will be able to further help develop him. Love that we have continued to add to our lines. While not splashy, we have made some very good moves thus far in FA.
     
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  27. Tiki

    Tiki New Member

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    Dont disagree, but we have to make moves that are available to us. We can't just go after a position just because we need help there, the right player has to be available.

    Don't discount that if we are stout up front on defense, that will help our secondary. OK, perhaps hide our weakness, but every team has to do this. Until we find ourselves in the right position to make the right move. It's a process.
     
  28. Tiki

    Tiki New Member

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    Won't say it is out of the realm of possibilities, but I don't see us trading Satale. Not before we at least move him over to guard and see what he can do. He is athletic and still very young. Also he is clearly the #2 center should our starter go down, which, if he is our starting guard, will lessen the impact of continuity along the line if he has to move over.
     
  29. ATVZ400

    ATVZ400 Senior Member

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  30. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    To all those saying we could have had Brown for just 8 million more, remember there's a cap. That 8 million more could be another WR, CB, etc.
     
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  31. Nappy Roots

    Nappy Roots Well-Known Member

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    in reality its an extra 2 million a year tops. so we arent getting a WR or CB of any quality for that.
     
  32. Agua

    Agua Reality: Try It!

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    Well, you've got to trust that this FO knows what its doing with OL.
     
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  33. Tiki

    Tiki New Member

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    Per Adam Schefter Grove is SIGNED

    Apparently he signed yesterday while I can't find any thing written about it any where else, including the Phin team site. 5 year deal for 29.5 million, with 14 guaranteed.

    In the past 12 months we have invested 153.5 million just on the offensive line, for Long, Carey, Smiley and Grove. Those four plus Donald Thomas, could be our starting line.

    We now have perhaps one of the youngest lines in the NFL, which bodes well for the future.

    Here's the link: http://blogs.nfl.com/category/adam-schefter/
     
  34. The Aqua Crush

    The Aqua Crush New Member

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    I think it shouldn't be overlooked that too much youth without one vet on the line had its problems. As soon as smiley went down it put a tremendous amount of pressure on Jake.

    youth is great, but you do need a vet someone in the line and with Smiley's injury history, its a good move in my opinion.

    They obviously saw something about his game they liked, they are always looking for the right guy in their minds.

    I think a dose of their workout / offseason program could do wonders for our new Jake on the oline.
     
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  35. The Aqua Crush

    The Aqua Crush New Member

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    Not only the team, but he probably sees the upswing of playing on a solid oline from tackle to tackle. That has to be incentive right there.
     
  36. CrunchTime

    CrunchTime Administrator Retired Administrator

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    One small point we should consider .Satele has been criticized for his line calls and apparently does not communicate well .

    From what I have heard Jake Grove is very good at making calls .He had a 31 on his wonderlic score and you want your center to be cerebral and communicative .
     
  37. The Aqua Crush

    The Aqua Crush New Member

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    And as soon as our one vet who did all the communicating for the line went down, so did the play of the line. Not terribly bad, but noticable.

    I have a feeling if Smiley ever went down again, Grove will be the commincator.

    This FO really knows the type of traits they look for at each position. It's no wonder they acquire the pieces they do and generally end up fitting in quite well.
     
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  38. cdz12250

    cdz12250 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    It's not a small point at all. It's a huge point. The center is the quarterback of the offensive line. He reads the defense and calls the blocking schemes. You need to be smart enough both to read and communicate. You can have an athletically gifted center, but if he's just another body and is dumb as a post the line as a whole will never reach its potential.
     
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  39. Fin Fan In Cali

    Fin Fan In Cali Dolphin fan since 1970 Luxury Box

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    Dolphins signed C Jake Grove to a five-year, $29.5 million contract with $14 million guaranteed.
    Grove, 29, battled injuries throughout his Raiders career, starting over 12 games just once in five years. But the former No. 45 overall pick was always known as a top talent and Miami was set on replacing undersized Samson Satele. Satele, a Cam Cameron holdover, will now be a backup. The Fins have $154M in deals invested at center, left guard, and both tackle positions.
    Source: NFL.com


    http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playernews.aspx?sport=NFL
     
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  40. RalphX19X

    RalphX19X >:)

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    He got alot of money.
     

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