OK girls and guys ... We're 10 games into the season - what position do you view as our biggest needs based on what you have seen to this point? My list would look something like this: OG: At least 1 legit starter (Mankins? ) ... preferably 2. OC: Berger is OK, but we've had as hard a time replacing Stevenson as we have Marino at QB. Its been a revolving door of poop & the occasional promising streak of games only to see the player eventually regress back to "meh" performances. CB: Outside of VD, our CB play has been a whole lot of inconsistency ... and even VD has had his off games RB: I'd like for Ronnie B to stay around and used better ... but perhaps he just isn't "their" kind of HB ILB: An upgrade for Crowder I think it would do wonders for this defense. He has his moments ... but they just feel like they are to far in between a lot of mediocrity TE: We have Fasano and a revolving door from the PS ... Either finding a good backup or a new starter that shows up every game would be nice. I would add Safety to that list ... but I think Clemons is the heir apparent to Bell & the flashes we have seen from Jones has gotten my attention the last couple of games. I think we'd be good with those two back there. Thoughts?
Good idea for a thread. As far as needs go, you've pretty much hit on all that would be on my list save for WR. I think it's pretty obvious that we still need that Mike Wallace-like deep threat on this offense. Part of me thinks that we'll address that in FA. As for a list of needs, I'd rank them as follows: 1. RB - I'd love to see us add a feature back like Mark Ingram and couple him with a smaller, faster, back like the Ahmad Bradshaw and Jamaal Charles caliber. A guy I like in the draft is Kendall Hunter from Oklahoma State. Either way, I think we need fresh legs back there, though I wouldn't be surprised if Ricky is around for one more year. 2. O-line - Really, how is this still a need? I think Logan Mankins has to be very high, if not on top of our FA wish-list given that Ireland already inquired about a trade, and he and Jake Long together on the left side of the O-line would be outstanding. I think Joe Berger is solid, but if you can get Stefan Wisniewski or Mike Pouncey (either at G or C) I think you have to pull the trigger. If, and this is a big if, Vernon Carey gets unloaded (personally I don't think he should be, but it wouldn't surprise me) and you keep John Jerry at G, I really like James Brewer form Indiana and Marcus Cannon from TCU. 3. CB - I think Davis and Smith are solid starters, but an upgrade is needed behind them. Sapp is really up and down, and I know a guy I really like is Chris L. Rucker from Michigan State. He's had some off-field issues this year, which may drop his stock, but I'd have no problem with him becoming a Dolphin. 4. WR/TE - I'll lump this one together for now. I got to see Lance Kendricks in person this year, and he's the real deal and I think he'd be a great #2 TE to Fasano or at least be a better version of what David Martin was for us in 2008. Richard Gordon from the U intrigues me, as does D.J. Williams from Arkansas. For WRs, as I mentioned above, a speed guy is a necessity. I like Titus Young from Boise State, DeVier Posey from Ohio State, Cecil Shorts from Mount Union (Pierre Garcon), and LaVonn Brazill from Ohio University. 5. ILB/OLB - I'll lump these two together. I think Da'Quan Bowers is my favorite prospect in the draft, and if somehow he fell to Miami's slot, take him and slide Misi inside. Misi's been pretty solid and I think he'll only get better, but IMO, he gets caught pinching in too often, and I think he showed in the Senior Bowl he's clearly better than Crowder (who I've defended for a while and have finally grown tired of doing so) in coverage. It'd be an absolute coup and would make Rex Ryan hate us more, but I think you have to give David Harris a look-see in free agency if he makes it there. 6. S - As you mentioned, Clemons and Jones seem like they're both getting it, and I think Jones could be a nice replacement to Yeremiah Bell. Tyrone Culver is still banged up, so I think you've got to look here for depth anyways. Eugene Clifford of Tennessee State (formerly an Ohio State recruit) is a late-round name I think bears watching. 7. QB - I'll leave this on my list for now, as I think we still don't fully know what we have in Henne. I'd be happy going into '11 with Henne, Thigpen, and Brandstater, but spending a 3rd or 4th round pick on a QB wouldn't shock me.
This will be Sparano's last stand. Henning will be fired, while David Lee will take over as OC.They will blame the lack of a running game for practically everything that's happened with the team this year (that's partly true). 1. Logan Mankins will get the best guard deal ever 2. Joe Berger and Richie Incognito will be retained with the latter winning the job in training camp. 3. They will leave Carey after re-structuring his deal as finding a new RT with limited resources presents a challenge. 4. Ronnie Brown may be retained depending on how he ends the season. 5. Remember how Miami looked at Michael Turner early on in FA in 2008? Expect them not to take Mark Ingram in the first round, instead opting to sign another RB such as Michael Bush. 6. Yeremiah Bell will be replaced by Jones at SS. 7. Crowder will be retained unless they can find an inexpensive upgrade in FA. 8. Now as for the draft: 1st- will be traded down perhaps to the late 1st once again to acquire a 2nd Miami will draft another OLB to make Cameron Wake's job easier. 2nd- Miami will draft a RB in the late 2nd round here a more explosive guy to compliment the other two. Last year they looked at McCluster, I think it'll be Jacquizz in the late second round. 3rd- This is where I see them grabbing a backup NT. 4th- An athletic TE. You can probably flip-flop the 3 and 4 perhaps but this is how I see them upgrading the running game and offense The possibility of Mike Pouncey being the late first round pick is ever present as well. They may see him as an Andre Gurode like player. It's important to note that to beat the absolute top 3-4 teams having a guy capable of taking on the NT is extremely important. Pouncey I can see being the right fit with Mankins on his left and perhaps a slightly lighter Jerry on his right. In that situation the 2nd RB will be acquired through FA with the OLB being the 2nd round pick. LT- Long, LG- Mankins, C- Pouncey, RG- Jerry, RT- Carey Pretty impressive.
Love that offensive line Jaj - that would be pretty impressive. Not sure about this, just spit-balling here, but would retaining Berger at C be that bad a move having Pouncey play RG (which I think he did his entire career up to this point) and sticking John Jerry at RT? Obviously that's some cost-cutting with Carey, but I think that line would be solid as well. As for free agent RBs - DeAngelo Williams and Michael Bush seem to be the two biggest names out there. Any others you'd look at? Ahmad Bradshaw, Addai?
I can see it but Jerry's pass protection might not be good enough to do that. They'll cut costs with Bell, not having a 5m payment to Pennington,and they'll let McDaniel go replacing him with Odrick, and perhaps Will Allen will be let go off (though it's not a huge savings, perhaps Harris is kept). I think they'll basically go for broke this year telling Ross that Carey's base salary of 5m is worth it. It's tough to replace him just yet. The problem with Berger is that Berger's run-blocking is nothing special. If the team is to return to being a powerful running team a guy like Pouncey is required at C to tangle with NTs on each play and Pouncey I think is the best guy available to do that. As for Mankins and Jerry I think they can wallop at the second level (Mankins definitely). They'll probably try to run over the league next year and why not? Ronnie Brown-Michael Bush-Leon Washington, that's a group that I can see being much better than L.T.- Greene. I think that offense can make some noise, especially if Polite is healthy.
I think RB HAS to be addressed at some point early. I think there's a chance Ronnie is retained as they like him and at this point he shouldn't command a lot of money. Even if they pick up a FA (which I expect) like a Michael Bush, I think you still have to draft a HB fairly early. I've said it in another thread, but if you're looking at a 3rd round type, both UM backs (Cooper and Berry) I think would be great options. Both are between the tackles runners that run hard. OLB will be addressed at some point because you can't have enough in a 3-4. I doubt they go here too early as Wake is a stud and they spent a high pick on Misi last year. A playmaking TE HAS to be added. Fasano has had a solid year, but IMO they need a guy who will scare defenses and give you some big play ability. Center and LG also have to addressed IMO. Berger and Incognito haven't been as bad as you may think, but Sparano wants a dominant line and these guys inside are not dominant right now. I really don't get the notion to get rid of Carey. He's as solid a RT as there are in the NFL and look how much of a battle it's been to find the interior of the line, why would you want to mess with trying to find a RT? A speed WR is a necessity. This WR corps has been pretty good this year, but the one thing missing is a deep threat. ILB is something that might have to be addressed. Crowder has been okay, but they could use an upgrade in the "banger" role next to Dansby. I think Edds will help next year in the rotation there, but he's not in that mold and Dobbins has proven to be nothing worth while. I don't think CB is that much of a priority. You have some very good young talent in Davis and Smith (not sure why he doesn't get a whole lot of love but has been playing very well). They also have a couple of young guys with upside in Carroll and Ness. They'll need to add a nickle guy, but honestly I think that's something that should and will be addressed in FA.
Not that it means anything, but Draft Tek currently has us taking Mark Ingram, who is my early favorite. I think you could pair Ingram with Ricky and, perhaps, a healthy Kory Sheets. In free agency, I think you target speed at receiver or a reasonable tight end. Whichever you can't find, you look to in the middle rounds of the draft.
Alen, aside from Ingram, any other RBs you like this year? I know you mentioned Mikel LeShoure in another thread, but curious as to any others.
Jacquizz Rodgers to an extent, Daniel Thomas I think has some talent, I still like Evan Royster, Kendall Hunter intrigues me, and I like Ryan Williams. I've talked about it before but Mark Ingram WILL be in this Draft. He will be entering it.
Thanks. I'm pretty anxious to watch Kendall Hunter tonight. I'd love to have Ingram, and if there were a way to make a move to pickup an early 2nd rounder and team him with Mike Pouncey, I'd be pretty happy.
Yeah I've watched Hunter for two or three years now. Whenever I watched him, he was a bit reminiscent of Thomas Jones because of the power in the lower legs and the way they bounce from hole to hole.
Pouncey, if at Guard, IMO is a good prospect. He's not as good as his brother, who was fantastic at UF and is going to be the same in this league.
One of these days they have to acquire a C capable of handling the three NTs in the AFC East. It would give such an advantage to have a guy strong enough to tangle with a NT by himself.
