I think Armando is writing just to put something out. I don't think he has any actual ground (team sources) to go off of on this particular issue (at least at this point).

 

I don't know who they will target but I do know that any information that is given out right now is definitely a smoke screen.

 

UPGRADING at DT? It's kind of hard to upgrade on Soliai and Starks with a rookie, no? I think Star Lotulelei could be a massive steal if he stays around his low-teens projection, but for us? I don't know. I attended the "Other U," and so I had the pleasure of seeing the man push back double and triple teams for 20 or so games. He was a man amongst boys in the PAC-12, and I'd argue that no one is more pro-ready than he. Not to mention, he had solid pro-day (they wouldn't let him participate at the combine) numbers, has never had any any off-the-field issues, and is settled with a family. I think he could be a better version of Soliai (ironically, another former Ute), although, if he doesn't get doubled and tripled at the pro level and is given opportunity to rush the passer, he could be a scary good player. As Doug Farrar put it, "if you took game tape of Warren Sapp circa 1999 and sped it up about 20 percent, you'd have what Utah DT Star Lotuleiei is at his best."

I just can't see how he'd be a fit here, unless we don't retain Starks next year...but even then, we'd be using the 12th overall pick as depth with huge voids at CB and LT. I can't imagine that. DE may be a different story, but I don't think DT is realistic.

 

I could definitely see a defensive tackle being drafted. At this point replacing Starks and Soliai in the near future needs to be a consideration.

I also think that with such a wide-open draft, being free to go BPA is very important.

 

I can buy that they don't see Xavier Rhodes as a good fit for what they want to do in the system.

I don't buy for a minute that they don't see Lane Johnson as worthy of a #12 overall pick. That's smoke screen.

 

I could see it. Why retain Starks next year when we have his replacement on the team already at a quarter of the price. Plus Soliai would be close to leaving if he choses. I think that's what Ireland was thinkiong with Martin last year and Long. Get his replacement here earlier instead of drafting for need. A good policy IMO.

 

I wonder if it's actually Soliai that they have an eye towards replacing, as they might want someone that provides a bit more pressure on early downs even if it means losing a little in run defense.

 

I think you should really be looking at replacing Paul Soliai. He's not played particularly well since his breakout year, and he's got a year left on his contract and unless he's taking a cut he should be allowed to walk. If you can get someone who can rush the passer worth a **** that'd be nice too.

 

It's hard to say, because Ireland & Co. are not done in free agency right now... but as of now, I wouldn't call LT/RT and CB needs, I'd call them vacancies.

As it is now, our line would be Martin-Incognito-Pouncey-Jerry-Garner. The middle three are solid, if not good, but the outside warrants Ross taking out an insurance policy on Tannehill. IMO, if the front office and coaching staff believe that we can compete this year, we need to draft (or trade!) for this year. There will be DT's in 2014, too.

I will say, from a salary perspective, gunn34 makes a nice point. With a lot of guys under contract, and also looking to get extended (Pouncey, Reshad), it'd be wise to start trimming salary, and Starks (or Soliai, as PhinGeneral points out) would be a good place to start if we could replace him with a talent like Lotulelei.

It's all dependent on what happens between then and now, I guess. if the draft were tonight, I'd probably prefer a LT or CB.

...I'd love a Star Phins jersey, though!

 

I don't think defensive tackle will be on the board for Miami. I guess the big question is how do they feel about Sheldon Richardson, because Star Lotulelei and Sharrif Floyd won't be there. They do a lot of talking about wanting guys who just shut up and show up to work every day ready to go. I don't know if Sheldon is that kind of guy.

Dee Milliner won't be there and if they feel Xavier Rhodes isn't a fit the big question is how they feel about Desmond Trufant.

They've got to be looking at Bjoern Werner, and we HOPE they're looking at Tank Carradine at 12. They talk about wanting a defensive tackle to replace Tony McDaniel. If you draft either of those guys, that defensive tackle becomes Jared Odrick.

A nice question to ask, one that Armando seemed to casually brush aside in his blog post without even an exploration, is how they feel about a linebacker like Jarvis Jones. Jones would mean Ellerbe really does play Mike, Wheeler plays Sam, and Jarvis would play the spot Misi played last year in base downs and come down as a 4th right side rusher in nickel. Whether he rushes up or down would not really be a big deal, probably up more than down, as they have that kind of flexibility in the defense. That would really be right up Jeff Ireland's alley as far as getting a guy at 12 that is going to play a lot as a rookie. Unfortunately Misi would just go by the way side. He might be traded.

As I said, I don't buy for a second that they don't like Lane Johnson. That's pure smoke screen, IMO. Xavier Rhodes has a ring of truth to it but their explanation on Johnson did not. He might not be available, anyway...hence the smoke screen.

The guy that goes unmentioned is Tavon Austin. He only comes back into the frame though if they successfully trade Davone Bess.

 

Count me as fully on board the Jarvis Jones bandwagon.

 

Trying to go into the draft with no glaring weaknesses is a good idea so that you can be free to take BPA if a special player drops. That said, I think you have to have a sense of who is likely to be available at certain spots to know what to prioritize in FA leading up to the draft. I think we need to add an OT (can be RT or LT) and one proven CB. I would probably try to get 2 CBs, as there are still some good ones left in FA and their price seems pretty reasonable. Grimes would be a good fit (assuming he's healthy) and I think Antoine Winfield would be a great fit talent-wise, although he is probably older than they want. I don't love any of the CBs at 12, but there are a few that should be available in the 2nd (or later in the first with a trade up/down) that would work. I'd be surprised if Lane Johnson wasn't a strong consideration at 12 if he is there. I also like Armstead in the 2nd. I could even get on board with Johnson in the 1st and Armstead in the 2nd to give us 2 guys with silly amounts of speed and athleticism for our ZBS. Austin is still the guy I really want, but I think it is very unlikely -- the Dolphins simply never take the guy I want them to take in the first.

 

Sheldon is definitely a talker..one thing about Ireland, he is good at draft poker..

 

Personally, I think Mando would be a good poster here on ThePhins.com. He's as knowledgeable as most of us and his assumptions are fine... I wouldn't be shocked if he's read thru this forum for ideas...not that it's really wrong, but that could very well be his "sources"...

I think Ireland has said before (although I can't remember exactly where) that the ideal thing is to go into the draft to not HAVE to take a particular position player at any spot... It makes a lot of sense... This time of year, I wouldn't trust anyone's 'sources'...it's usually smoke and mirror stuff to put other teams off the trail, and a perfectly legitimate way to operate... Again, seems as though he's putting two and two together to come up with his assumptions...

 

I think with early 1st rounders you should always draft BPA unless for us it was a center or QB. EVerything else should be in play because we need as much talent as we can get. If some how Star drops and he rates that high, then take him. Both our starting DTs are FAs next year. If its Jones, I don't have a problem. Another draft guy on twitter today, forget who, said watching tape of Carradine who had 12 sacks and 80 tackles before he got hurt would be a top three player. If he's at 12 I think we need to rish it. Funny the three I name all have some sort of medical rish to them. Carradine, after watching some tape, would be an amazing player to put on our team. Across from Wake, DL is then sick. Let our LBs run and blitz free. I'm starting to lean heavily on the Carradine bandwagon.

 

I think David Amerson also fits as a zone corner. Great awareness and ball skills. 18 INTs the last 2 seasons is pretty impressive.

 

I actually think this draft in the 2nd and 3rd rounds has lots of zone corners, guys like Banks or Slay, the kid from Rutgers, Logan, Amerson. I think we could grab two corners in those rounds and be in pretty good shape.

 

Ireland can upgrade DT by improving the depth, as well a providing a better long term solution.

 

Well, Mando has this one right, we are almost to a place where we can go in any direction at #12.

I do think we need more guys who provide an organic passrush from 4-7 looks, the problem is teams are also going to hurry up offenses which means if you take Star or Floyd unless they start they will find it hard to sub into games.

BUT, Starks and Soliai are also FA's next yr

 

IMO, drafting Austin is not contingent on moving Bess. Moving Bess is contingent upon getting Austin. He is the least talked about prospect for Miami in the media at this time, but they may have spent the most resources scouting him to this point.

 

You could always just draft a really talented player at a certain position such as DT then trade the veteran to another team for a pick. It opens up 8.5m in cap space say in Stark's situation. Draft Richardson, play him at three technique. Deal Starks for a 2nd+4th and then sign an expensive player around 8m in FA next year.

I'd rather have the best prospect available and move pieces around after that then get a mediocre guy. They've spoken quite a bit to Richardson. You could start Odrick for year one and have Richardson gain experience off the bench and in the nickel package. Deal Starks during the draft and gain a large amount of cap space (perhaps you can even move future salary forward, such as restructuring Wallace's deal to bring 8m from next year's cap hit forward).

 

If we go into the draft without any major holes, then it is reasonable to assume we wouldn't receive significant contribution from all 5 premium picks. To that end, if they feel he is worth it, we would have the ammo to move up for Milliner.

 

I don't see Richardson being on their draft board at 12 to be honest.

I think THEIR list will come down to: Bjoern Werner, Tank Carradine, Xavier Rhodes, Desmond Trufant, Lane Johnson, Jarvis Jones, Tavon Austin.

I refuse to take Rhodes off on the basis of something someone in the front office told Mando. This time of year is too full of disinformation for that. But I will put Trufant on the short list because of it, because what was said passes the plausibility test.

 

I'm suprised Mando didnt realize the strong possibility of his source feeding him 100% bull****.

 

Stop lying. You're not surprised at all. :)

 

IMO most of what is being reported here is just common sense. I have no idea whether Armando has a real source or if such a source would tell him the truth. I would guess that the team's board at #12 has Werner and Austin at the top and maybe Jones depending on what the team doctors think about his stenosis. I think OT could be on the list after those, but I doubt CB is on the list at 12. I fully expect that by the time the draft rolls around we will have signed a T and a CB although I don't know whether they will be big enough names that people here will think they aren't still needs. But Ireland has said in the past that his goal is to go into the draft without a must-fill need so I expect he'll do that here.

 

I don't know that I'd expect Werner to be their top choice among the pass rushers. He's been a left side guy and while he is a good run defender and can give some of what they seem to like about Odrick/Vernon at RDE, they might be interested in a more athletic, dynamic guy to rotate in that spot.

 

I think Werner is a perfect fit opposite Wake. In fact, I would guess that Werner and Austin are the two players that most fit what the Dolphins want. I wouldn't be surprised if there has been discussions about ways to try and get both of them. I doubt it's likely but I wouldn't be surprised if they are debating trading up if one or the other falls a bit. I think something like that could be the "exciting" draft plan that the reported (Silva?) mentioned.

 

Right now the people inside the Dolphins facility are buzzing about Tavon Austin. That's who they think Jeff Ireland is taking at 12. I've heard that from two sources now.

That doesn't mean they're right. In fact I think it means it's still less likely than likely. It just is what it is.

I agree Werner is a fit for them at right end. He's more efficient rushing the passer from the right side than the left. He's a guy that feels the snap more consistently than just about any player at that position I've seen. He sees things and reacts to them at a different speed. It's why he gets his hands on so many batted balls. He sees the quarterback and the backfield and reacts to them in time to retrace into the passing lane, jump, and get his hands up. That same hard wiring is why he's able to react to the snap more quickly than the other guys. There's also an explosiveness to his movement that is underrated. A full body snap that maybe isn't measured well in a vertical or broad jump.

He needs coaches in his ear about his tendency to stop before the whistle. But I have seen so many defensive linemen come out with the same issue that way and become totally different in the pros. Between pro coaches letting you know on a daily basis that that kind of sh-t doesn't fly at this level, and between your peers and teammates looking at you funny and saying the same, it seems like unless there's a serious and persistent conditioning problem, that kind of thing can be worked out.

The other thing he needs to do is learn some proper counters. His eyes are too good to be going outside shoulder every time. He should be using his gifted powers of observation and reaction to recognize a bad step from the offensive lineman or perhaps his shoulder pads turning too far, to where can use his hands, plant and either go inside him or drive his hands right into the breast plate and convert speed to power. But I think on the left side sometimes he's got too much he's reading in the backfield to do that as consistently. On the right side perhaps he's got less to read and can pay more attention to the tackle's leverage.

 

That Philbin response says everything about the structure of the team. Draft belongs SOLELY to ireland. He has [mis]Appropriated the Draft to himself.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolp...ossibilities-closed-others.html#storylink=cpy
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Could be. We do have the ammunition to do it if either one falls a little bit. I agree that Werner fits what they want if what they want is what they did last year. But I'm not sure it is. In some ways, this offseason has been about getting rid of guys that played at least reasonably well last year but who arguably aren't ideal fits for what they really want to do going forward. Arguably, Long, Bush, SSmith, Dansby, Burnett, and Fasano fit in this category. So I don't necessarily assume that what they did last year is what they want to do going forward. It may, but it may not. I think they are using this offseason to remodel the team to fit the new regime's vision.