They said it was tough because he lined up as a WR a lot and not much as a true TE this past season. I did have him in one of my mocks for that draft.

 

You would have to think the Dolphins will have some interest in him along with guys like Finley (if he's cut), Bennett, and Keller.

 

Bennett, get that man a uniform.

 

I really want them to draft one of the top TEs in this draft.

 

If we want a UFA tight end, better make a move on Cook. If we wait to see if Finley gets cut, we lose Cook to another team, and then find Finley staying with GB. I'd prefer Cook over Bennett or Keller personally.

 

Myers also a great option and Walker could also be a nice find. Tons of TEs out there.

 

Sign Cook and then bring back Fasano as the H-back/blocking TE/redzone TD scorer.

 

One thing is clear, with all the free agent and draft options at TE it would be indefensible if Ireland has us go into next season with Fasano and Egnew as our main TEs.

 

Finley's not gonna get tagged either. I think I'd prefer him. Bennett is another good one.

 

Finley is still under contract. I just read that he is due $3 million bonus at the end of March. He is a candidate to be cut or traded.

 

Finley is under contract at 8.5M but march 27 hes due a 3M signing bonus so we'll know quick what Gb plans to do there. Finley said today he won't take a paycut. Personally my top 5 TE options are:
1. Keller.... yeah hes jet scum but hes been underutilized and as a result underperformed.
2. Eifert...Hes separated himself from Ertz at this point. Been watching tape and hes good. Hes not another fasano or your typical ND te
3. Finley
4. Walker
5. Cook...just wayyyy too inconsistent for my liking. Tools are there but questioning whether he ever puts it all together

 

But honestly, if we address the receivers I am not sure we need an upgrade this season over Fasano. Dude scores TDs and catches well. Yeah he is not a seam threat like we would all want, but if we address receivers that will not be as big a need or want. I'd say, wanting to replace Fasano just for the seam threat is wanton.

 

If you or anyone else thinks Miami will be a serious threat with Fasano as a starting TE think again. Hes an ideal TE two though because he cqn play in the redzone and work underneath. But your NE's, Baltimore's, 49ers, GB, NYG etc...all the teams winning or playing in the big game every year are getting much better TE production then we get. Fix Te and wr and we can talk about building something sustainable

 

Keller is an interesting choice.

 

The dynamic offenses in the league have a seam threat with the TE...we need one, unless Egnew pulls off that role.

 

TE isn't our problem.

The problem is our oline. Our TEs have to block more than be targets. There's no point in grabbing that "seam buster" if his job is to stay put and block.

 

I agree with your thinking here Boik...I like Keller mainly because he may come the cheapest with as much upside as any of the FA TEs. Cook seems to be a lot of trouble, too Diva for my liking....

My worry about waiting for the draft is that a) Eiffert or possibly even Ertz could be jumped on before we get to pick, and I'm not sure that Ertz (assuming that like we seem to feel, the NFL teams see Eiffert as the better option) is not worthy of #12...That said, they may want to sign one of the FAs and give Egnew another year to see if he develops...

 

I would draft one of the big tight ends, or specifically one of the big Es. That is just me. However, as the draft approaches, the need for a cb is becoming more obvious by the minute. Even if Miami signs one or two in free agency I would draft a couple. I think there is some depth at that position in the draft, as well as wr. I didn't say top playmakers, but solid players.
And I am ready for some "smart football" from the top down to the last roster spot. I want to see Philbin get the kind of guys he needs to play "smart" football. If that means finding an instinctive linebacker even when that is not a great need with Dansby and Barnett on the roster then do so.

 

I would have Cook at the top of my list. Finley has consistently under produced in GB if they can't get production out of him then what makes anyone think we can? (And from watching GB film they have a lot of plays designed for him but he just doesn't get it done.) Keller is the same lots of targets but not the kind of production you want to see, he may suffer because of QB play so I would give you that concession.

I think Cook is just as much of an athlete as Finley but stronger and better than Keller and Walker. Eifert though I like a lot but, I'm not a guy who thinks you spend a high/mid 1st round pick on a TE.

 

Fasano was 34th in the league among TEs in yards last year and in the middle of the pack when it came to TDs. We need an upgrade.

 

Do you think his numbers were affected by having to block most of the time?

 

I know. I am saying that the yards concern could be mitigated by having better receivers. The main problem with the offense is that the receivers do not score TDs. This has been a problem for years and it has not been addressed. Fasano scores adequately and he is very reliable. He also catches the ball well, which means he runs good routes and Tennehill can gauge him and deliver where he is supposed to be. So there are a lot positives with Fasano other than being a beast yardage guy, which I do not think is required at TE position for a successful offense.
On the flip side, this is turning out to be a great TE FAcy. So we should solve that spot in FAcy.

 

Based on what?

 

Based on 2011 TD production and 2012 yardage production.
Fasano has more TD than Cook, Fasano is a more reliable endzone target.

 

I love Jared Cook. This is a guy that could explode, but likely morph into Jermaine Grasham type. He'll be pricey.

 

If Fred Davis physically checks-out, he's the best TE available IMO.

 

I think the problem was less the blocking and more of the route tree he was asked to run. It seems weird but he was actually pass blocking less(16.6% this year) then he has in the past(20.6% in 2011, 29.6% in 2010, 28.5% in 2009, 26.4% in 2008). It's just the routes and the ways he got into them didn't fit. He's a play action/pass block release into an intermediate route kind of guy, and instead he was in the slot and running shorter routes.

 

I think Eifert could be the one guy rising on the chart, and might be considered appropriate for 12 by the time the draft starts. He is a wildcard pick for me. I would not be shocked to see him jump to that range or higher. What the Dolphins do about Cook, or any tight end in free agency, will say a lot.

 

I like Eifert, but at what point are the options in free agency too palatable? It looks like you're going to have Martellus Bennett, Jared Cook, Fred Davis, Brandon Myers, Dustin Keller, and maybe Jermichael Finley on the market. There are some pretty good players.

I'm almost thinking that the best avenue presented to the Dolphins this offseason might be a two-tight end base offense. Grab the one quality in-line blocker in Martellus Bennett and find a guy to play in a more flexed out role.

 

I think Fasano can still be a red-zone threat as a TE2. But I tend to see a legitimate threat at TE and how he's defensed making the receivers and the running game more efficient more than I see better receivers making Fasano into some type of real threat.

 

The problem I have with Cook isnt that I disagree with anything you say. Its that this guy has been the exact same player you mention since the day he set foot on to the campus of South Carolina. He's never really evolved all that much despite near elite ability. That speaks to something more concerning like effort, drive and motivation. Hes a hell of a talent but Im not sure he will ever become what he has the tools to become.

 

I agree with this. The irony to me is that we had a guy who is very well suited to being in the slot and running shorter routes (Egnew) and we never used him. So we took a guy who is a good blocker and has been reasonably productive as an intermediate route guy on play action release plays and played him as short route slot WR much of the time, which si not his strength, and never used the relatively high draft pick who is pretty well suited for that role (and did it in college) and is a poor blocker. If Egnew can just play that role, I think we can be fine with Fasano and Egnew. The problem is that we saw so little of Egnew that we can't be all that confident that he will even be given the opportunity to play that role.

 

Or we could keep Fasano to play that in-line blocker role. I expect him to be a fair amount cheaper than Bennett and he's a known quantity.

 

I think Eifert is going to be a better pro than any of those veteran tight ends you listed there.

 

Well, I think the thing is that Fasano didn't work this last year. I've bought into the argument that Bennett is like Fasano with a little physical upside and consequencely might be able to do the stuff in the Dolphins offense they didn't get from Fasano.

 

Could be, but what's the opportunity cost? How much better will Eifert be that it's a better outcome/more cost effective than getting a tight end in FA and a WR in the draft?

 

Thatd be nice but Clay is a younger cheaper option for that role. And he plays special teams. If Fasano is back its to be the starting TE IMO. Makes no sense for him to take a backup role for back up money. He's a better player than that.

 

It would be far more cost effective to draft Eifert than sign Cook, Keller, Bennett, etc.

 

I'm working under the assumption that a goal of this off-season is to get both a starting wide receiver and tight end, and they will be of similar importance and resource allocation. Draft picks cost money according to slotting rather than position, free agents are according to position. Greg Jennings will probably cost twice of what one of the tight ends will, so say a tight end in FA/WR at #12 would be more cost effective than WR in FA and TE at #12.