Barry Jackson Sports Buzz 1/17/16

"jim1 wrote:

Considering Pro Football Focus ranked Earl Mitchell by far the worst against the run of 104 defensive tackles --- one scout said he was surprised how often he was blown off the ball --- the Dolphins would have hoped Jordan Phillips would be ready to be a starter next season. The departing staff believe he’s not remotely ready for that and the front office also expects more.

Beyond issues with consistency, the Dolphins want Phillips in better shape; he has been told to lose 10 pounds (to 315) and reduce his body fat.

And “I need to get a little more physical,” he said.

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/2016/01/feedback-on-ums-recruiting-class-dolphins-marlins-heat.html

--- Jordan Phillips or Jake Fisher, hmmm... paging Mike Tannenbaum...

I still want to know what the hell that FO saw in Earl Mitchell.

"Rock Sexton wrote:

I still want to know what the hell that FO saw in Earl Mitchell.

A very mobile, disruptive DT. But if he's getting blown off the ball that badly, it's all for naught. Jordan Phillips darned well better work out. I don't know what business, or qualifications, Mike Tannenbaum has in dictating who we draft. Whatever his strong suits may be, I don't think that player analysis is one of them.

"jim1 wrote:

Considering Pro Football Focus ranked Earl Mitchell by far the worst against the run of 104 defensive tackles --- one scout said he was surprised how often he was blown off the ball --- the Dolphins would have hoped Jordan Phillips would be ready to be a starter next season. The departing staff believe he’s not remotely ready for that and the front office also expects more.

Beyond issues with consistency, the Dolphins want Phillips in better shape; he has been told to lose 10 pounds (to 315) and reduce his body fat.

And “I need to get a little more physical,” he said.

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/2016/01/feedback-on-ums-recruiting-class-dolphins-marlins-heat.html

--- Jordan Phillips or Jake Fisher, hmmm... paging Mike Tannenbaum...

I still have hopes for phillips, his working with suh keeps me there.....I had us taking Fisher.

"jim1 wrote:

Considering Pro Football Focus ranked Earl Mitchell by far the worst against the run of 104 defensive tackles --- one scout said he was surprised how often he was blown off the ball --- the Dolphins would have hoped Jordan Phillips would be ready to be a starter next season. The departing staff believe he’s not remotely ready for that and the front office also expects more.

Beyond issues with consistency, the Dolphins want Phillips in better shape; he has been told to lose 10 pounds (to 315) and reduce his body fat.

And “I need to get a little more physical,” he said.

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/2016/01/feedback-on-ums-recruiting-class-dolphins-marlins-heat.html

--- Jordan Phillips or Jake Fisher, hmmm... paging Mike Tannenbaum...

Good news bad news - the good is this is it for him as far as being allowed to pick players in the nfl. IMO after his stay in MIA there's no one else dumb enough that will hire him to do so. The bad? Well, he's still here...

I'm all for drafting huge planet theory type players with tremendous amounts of athletic ability, but Phillips was an underachiever in college and had a bad, surgically repaired back. OT Jake Fisher was a first round talent who slipped into the second round- imagine if he took over at RT and LT after the injuries, and was playing instead of Mike Fox and Dallas Thomas. Not only that, but Fisher would have been the heir apparent to Albert, and although he's playing well he comes with a hefty price tag. Fisher would have given this team a tremendous boost, no matter how you look at it.

"Rock Sexton wrote:

I still want to know what the hell that FO saw in Earl Mitchell.

Played in all but one game in his first four years in Houston, starting 14 his last year there, and showed promise. Looked like a good fit in Coyle's system at the time. And really, all he was asked to be was the 4th best DL on a line with Wake, Suh and Vernon coming into this year. Then the whole damn thing fell apart when the league figured out our schemes on both sides of the ball. Really bad coaching led to the players having their holes exploited.

I think that Mitchell is gone, for what its worth. We can save 2.5 mil, with a 1.0 mil dead cap hit by cutting him.

Re: Mitchell, he was AWFUL last year. Completely AWFUL, but Miami also had him playing a 3-technique a lot early on, which he'd never done. So, in part, I'd blame it on a poor coaching decision, but even when he did play his normal 1-technique, he was AWFUL. The interesting thing will be to see if in fact Vance Joseph does go straight into the 3-4, Earl Mitchell played the NT spot in that EXACT defense, so he may have some life left yet here in Miami. But, if it were me, I'd cut him and target a Damon Harrison or Brandon Mebane in free agency.

Re: Phillips, I'm fine with the pick. In hindsight, the right move would've been to take Denzel Perryman, IMO, but Philips will be fine. He needs some technique refinement, for sure, especially against the run. That will come in time, IMO. Working with Suh again will also help. Keep in mind, he was also coming from a 3-4 defense at OU, some some of his alignments and assignments may have been different once he got to Miami. I think under Vance Joseph he'll be playing a role more akin to what he was used to at OU, but he was pretty raw coming out and I think the front office expected that. Again, signing a Brandon Mebane type on a short-term deal would do wonders for Phillips and the defense as a whole.

Re: Jake Fisher, he ended up getting used as a fullback and switching his jersey number to 44 later in the year after Ryan Hewitt went down. I think that speaks to his athleticism, but it's telling that they activated Cedric Ogbuhei late in the year and had him as their swing tackle OVER Eric Winston and Fisher. We'll see who replaces Andre Smith this offseason. Other than his reception, Fisher wasn't anything special as a blocker; he was like Alge Crumpler, but not as good.

"RoninFin4 wrote:

Re: Mitchell, he was AWFUL last year. Completely AWFUL, but Miami also had him playing a 3-technique a lot early on, which he'd never done. So, in part, I'd blame it on a poor coaching decision, but even when he did play his normal 1-technique, he was AWFUL. The interesting thing will be to see if in fact Vance Joseph does go straight into the 3-4, Earl Mitchell played the NT spot in that EXACT defense, so he may have some life left yet here in Miami. But, if it were me, I'd cut him and target a Damon Harrison or Brandon Mebane in free agency.

Re: Phillips, I'm fine with the pick. In hindsight, the right move would've been to take Denzel Perryman, IMO, but Philips will be fine. He needs some technique refinement, for sure, especially against the run. That will come in time, IMO. Working with Suh again will also help. Keep in mind, he was also coming from a 3-4 defense at OU, some some of his alignments and assignments may have been different once he got to Miami. I think under Vance Joseph he'll be playing a role more akin to what he was used to at OU, but he was pretty raw coming out and I think the front office expected that. Again, signing a Brandon Mebane type on a short-term deal would do wonders for Phillips and the defense as a whole.

Re: Jake Fisher, he ended up getting used as a fullback and switching his jersey number to 44 later in the year after Ryan Hewitt went down. I think that speaks to his athleticism, but it's telling that they activated Cedric Ogbuhei late in the year and had him as their swing tackle OVER Eric Winston and Fisher. We'll see who replaces Andre Smith this offseason. Other than his reception, Fisher wasn't anything special as a blocker; he was like Alge Crumpler, but not as good.

Regarding Phillips at OU. Was he a NT in that 3-4 defense? Or an OE?

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I wanted Perryman in the second round last year really badly. I don't know how much that would have changed 2015, but we'd be better set up for the future.

"Unlucky 13 wrote:

I wanted Perryman in the second round last year really badly. I don't know how much that would have changed 2015, but we'd be better set up for the future.

Can't say that for sure. Maybe if we had drafted Perryman, his impact would have been such that the team would have gotten enough wins for Philbin to be kept and thus missing out on Adam Gase this year (who may or may not be a great HC in the future). Crazy to think that one little decision can impact a relatively distant future.

"Brasfin wrote:

Can't say that for sure. Maybe if we had drafted Perryman, his impact would have been such that the team would have gotten enough wins for Philbin to be kept and thus missing out on Adam Gase this year (who may or may not be a great HC in the future). Crazy to think that one little decision can impact a relatively distant future.

Sometimes the draft can be a blessing in disguise I do not know if I could take another year of Philbin.

"Brasfin wrote:

Can't say that for sure. Maybe if we had drafted Perryman, his impact would have been such that the team would have gotten enough wins for Philbin to be kept and thus missing out on Adam Gase this year (who may or may not be a great HC in the future). Crazy to think that one little decision can impact a relatively distant future.

If we're talking about a single decision with the biggest domino effect for the Dolphins this century, I'd say it's missing out on Brees, first in the draft (where many wanted him) and second in FA. If Wannstedt takes Brees, we might actually have a SB win. Wannstedt was bad at a ton of stuff, but in-game decisions were quite good. If Brees is signed as a FA under Saban, Saban might have taken us very far too.

I saw the game when he got hurt... I thought his shoulder was turned to dust. I was wrong too.

Looking back I too wish we would have gotten him... but I was not devastated at the time. Some of our QB pickups since then have left me bashing my head against the wall. Garrard is first on that list.

you didn't even quote the most interesting part of that article...

### Besides Ryan Tannehill needing to work with new coach Adam Gase on technical issues, the feedback inside the building is that Tannehill must become a better leader, something that frustrated at least one member of the former staff. Tannehill is likable, but a Dolphins person described him as an introvert, and it’s telling that teammates voted center Mike Pouncey, not the quarterback, as the winner of their leadership award.

Shocking you mention that Roy... I can't think any Dolphin fan gives a crap what that putrid staff thought of anything.. Including your man crush Philbin. Their player evaluations were spot on! Right Roy?

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"roy_miami wrote:

you didn't even quote the most interesting part of that article...

Glad to know that we drafted an introvert who was already to be a project with a top 10 pick then to put the cherry on top gave him Joe Philbin to help develop him.

This organization blows.

"Fin-O wrote:

Glad to know that we drafted an introvert who was already to be a project with a top 10 pick then to put the cherry on top gave him Joe Philbin to help develop him.

This organization blows.

Being an Introvert should not be a non factor for drafting Tannehill. Plenty of QB's probably are but it comes down to more of like you said putting a better staff around him instead, of switching coordinators every year.

"Unlucky 13 wrote:

I wanted Perryman in the second round last year really badly. I don't know how much that would have changed 2015, but we'd be better set up for the future.

Perryman went before our pick so

"djphinfan wrote:

Perryman went before our pick so

We traded the 47th pick (+ a 6th) to Philly in exchange for their 2nd and two 5ths. Perryman was taken with the 48th pick.

"RachelD wrote:

Being an Introvert should not be a non factor for drafting Tannehill. Plenty of QB's probably are but it comes down to more of like you said putting a better staff around him instead, of switching coordinators every year.

I would have to disagree, most QBs are alpha's, even the more quiet types like Pennington or Montana were very vocal leaders, guys that can say something to someone even if they don't want to, a guy that either wants or has no problem being "the man".

Not to say that an introvert can't be a good QB, but he has to be able take charge, and he also has to not struggle with that burden, and most introverts don't want the attention that goes with the job, being very private people by and large, and most introverts don't make for good leaders, no matter how talented they may be.

"Fin-O wrote:

Glad to know that we drafted an introvert who was already to be a project with a top 10 pick then to put the cherry on top gave him Joe Philbin to help develop him.

This organization blows.

You're throwing around the term introvert like its an insult. A good quarterback doesn't need to be a loud, in your face guy to be successful. Joe Montana strikes me as an introvert. Same with Troy Aikman.

"Unlucky 13 wrote:

You're throwing around the term introvert like its an insult. A good quarterback doesn't need to be a loud, in your face guy to be successful. Joe Montana strikes me as an introvert. Same with Troy Aikman.

I doubt there are any introverts that speak for a living on national TV.

"roy_miami wrote:

I doubt there are any introverts that speak for a living on national TV.

A lot more than you'd think, actually.

"roy_miami wrote:

I doubt there are any introverts that speak for a living on national TV.

Funny you say that because Jeb Bush is an introvert, so maybe thier is some truth to it. Seems pretty awkward when speaking and never seems really comfortable, So I couldn't imagine having to be a QB and do that.