Agreed, these Dolphins are much faster on both sides of the ball. But they're also more balanced. They added Michigan LB Mike McCray (widely anticipated to go in the 3rd-5th rounds) as a UDFA. McCray the exact opposite of Baker--he's an interior 2-down force in the mold of NaVorro Bowman. Speed is his achilles heel, but he does everything else well. I'm really excited about this kid, and I think he's going to beat out Chase Allen/Mike Hull.

I'm expecting a lot of improvement from the LB corps this season.

WLB:

• Kiko Alonso
• Jerome Baker

MLB:

• Raekwon McMillan
• Mike McCray

SLB:

• Stephone Anthony
• T.J. McDonald as S/LB flex

 

Baker most certainly doesn't lack strength in his game. I think he is very inconsistent in how to use his strength though. Sometimes he would get swallowed up. Other times he would shed nicely. I think the Baker pick is going to end up being a good one. I think it may take a year or two before we see his potential realized though.

 

The problem with getting these JJ style small fast linebackers is that we dont run a jj style defense that protects them from blockers and allows them to roam free sideline to sideline. JJ ran a more traditional 4-3 with two big DTs and good edge DEs up front to occupy defenders allowing the linebackers free roam. The wide nine with our current personnel does not allow us to run a JJ style defense and does not protect the linebackers from blockers. The wide 9 requires linebackers who are strong at the poa and can take on and beat blocks without losing their run fits.

 

With who the Dolphins have acquired and drafted over the past 2 years it's pretty clear that the Dolphins are not going to be running this traditional wide-9 you're talking about. They are going away from Will's and Sam's...and instead moving to mirrored OLB's and 4-2-5, 3-2-6, 3-3-5 type techniques. Of course you'll still see some traditional 4-3 play thrown in their. The LB's, except for maybe their Mike, won't need to have these characteristics you speak of. I mean, look at who they've picked up...

 

This trend is way overblown. Teams still do run the ball plenty often, and if they see is us concentrating to much on stopping the pass with more DBs and smallish linebackers you better believe they are going to run it down our throats.

 

Teams still run it plenty and you better believe they are going to power run it even more if they see us going more often with these db and smallish linebacker heavy alignments.

 

I'd expect it to become more package play based on the sticks etc. Jerome baker in some package stuff not in others. distance to the sticks dictating. more of a package based lb corp. than just a, b, and c period. hide the limitations and play to the strengths.

as much as possible.

 

more speed limits gains when teams are trying to regain the sticks. you get them into 2nd and 13 lets say and you play a drop coverage that you are willing to give up 6 on to get into your sub package on 3rd and 7 or whatever and by having more speed options you actually are able to get into that sub pack because you save yourself 2 yards when they hit the dump option instead of them being able to dictate and maintain the sticks on 3rd down.

and Miami absolutely needed more speed and range at lb and at safety

at the end of the day you are calling stuff/personnel packages based on the sticks more than anything else outside of the scoreboard. not even tom brady can live in 3rd and 8 plus all game long.

 

Remember when Alex Smith converted like, a 3rd & 19 on us with his legs?

We desperately needed a Jerome Baker in that scenario. Unless I'm remembering incorrectly.

 

Bingo. JJ ran a 4-3 stack with 2 gap technique DT's.

 

Your statement is a a contradiction. An attacking style defense that mirrors OLB prototypes which is reliant on the front 4 pass rush is the wide 9 philosophy that we'll be using.

 

Anyone who watched Kiko in coverage last season should be happy with the selection of Jerome Baker.

 

Both are important to a team's success. They follow hand in hand really.

 

That's why I included the word "traditional".

tra·di·tion·al
trəˈdiSH(ə)n(ə)l/
adjective

1. existing in or as part of a tradition; long-established.
   • habitually done, used, or found.

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

Again, it's clear Burke is targeting certain types of players that typically don't fit into a TRADITIONAL wide-9 scheme. All the signs are pointing to a fundamental change in how this defense runs. Will it work? Who knows, but there's a reason he's picking these types of players and it's not because he's purposefully trying to fit square pegs into round holes.

 

Funny how you comoletely left out Chase Allen but included mike mcray who hasn't even put on the uniform yet. Chase was our best rated linebacker last year I would say he is the mike #2 right now with a good chance at being the starting sam in base defense.

 

Going to get a LOT of penalties if we try to run those Defenses

 

lol.....I was trying to work and type at the same time...

 

Well played sir, well played! I'd laugh even more, but I'm embarrassed I didn't catch it right away.

 

Why do you think we want all these quick players, obviously to get away with all these illegal formations.

I'm glad it got pointed out though because I was doubting my own maths whilst reading the post.

 

With Minkah becoming the starter out of the gate why don’t we go full metal on this conversion for TJ McDonald, he plays and hits like a linebacker anyways, he would have above average coverage ability for a linebacker, he’s bigger than our third round pick, and he needs to find a position If he wants to be here.

 

Someone has to pick up the slack after the departures of Suh and Landry.

 

He's an inch taller than Baker, but he weighs less. The problem is mcdonald is a strong safety who we tried to turn into a free safety because we already have a great SS in Reshad Jones. Thats the problem i called out when we singned him is that he was basically another reshad jones and we didnt really have a position for him. Everyone got on my case about how miami didnt really need a true FS and mcdonald would be great with jones. One year later and I hate to say that I was proven right again. As far as moving him to LB dont see mcdonald as a linebacker on any consistent basis. He would have to put on at least 10 to 20lbs of muscle for that and even then it would take him a while to get comfortable with the position. I would keep him at safety as jones backup SS is his best position, lets not miscast him more than we already have. You could also play him at nickel or dime linebacker on passing downs while starting minkah at FS. In base defense however and anything other than obvious passing situatutions I would not play him at LB.

 

The biggest problem was that TJ was coming off of a suspension and playing on a new team. Add to that all the other defensive problems and you get what you see.

Who said that the Dolphins never needed a true FS? With all due respect, you keep harping on "you were proven right" about a lot of things and frankly I don't really see anything "proven".

 

It was me, and I'll admit I was wrong with respect to the FS-SS safety relationship in Burke's defense. Novel idea, right? Admitting when you're wrong.

That being said, I think both positions will have their equal opportunity when it comes to what they're responsible for in this defense next year. Disguises, blitzes, etc. People smarter than I have outlined it so I don't need to really go on.

"Proven right again"
Do I need to dig up the Davon Godchaux hot takes again from when right after he was drafted?

 

I have no problem admitting when I am wrong and I commend you for doing it. I admitted I was wrong about godchaux. I jumped the gun and overreacted after watching just one game of his which wasn't very impressive.

 

Yeah well! You! Uh..

Okay.

 

Being that the previous thought from last year was a utilization of interchangeable safeties from a 2 high look, McDonald and Jones both played the strong and free positions which was dependent on a different factors. A few of those where matchup based, and also the secondary rotation based on offensive passing strength. Neither one or the other was designated SS or FS.

 

I swear I though TJ was 225..hmm

 

Excuse my ignorance, but in our 2 high look (Jones always on the right, McDonald always on the left), is it the offense play design that dictates who is FS or SS is on a particular play? For example, if McDonald is strong against the run, but a weak pass defender, the offense coordinator would design the play to force McDonald into coverage, right?

 

Yes but it didnt work very well due to the fact that neither of them are FS and neither of them have good range in high coverage. They are both better playing near the line of scrimmage which is why we need a true FS.

 

Defenses are moving to a more hybrid look and using more dime packages or dime + packages. BB moved to the nickel package as his base years ago because more teams are using 3 WR's and it has become the standard formation for most offenses across the league. Well, BB has went further (he seems to always be a step ahead) and is playing tons of dime packages with 3 safeties and 3 Corners on the field.

A good example of what Miami may be trying to do with TJ and maybe even Minkah is Deone Bucannon. He's a safety that can play the WLB role in Base Defense or the Small Nickel (3CB’s 2S), the 3rd safety in “Big Nickel” packages (3S, 2CB), he can play the lone linebacker spot in dime packages, and can play in a Dime+ package, and never leave the field. That is a lot of looks for one player. He is essentially replacing your WLB and replacing the need for a rotational S that comes in only for certain packages.

The Dolphins have hinted towards wanting interchangeable safeties. That doesn’t mean they want McDonald and Jones to fill those roles. They have the ability to play FS, however, their strengths are support and playing in a robber/roam position in coverage. McDonald is good in run-support as well, but is also better at man coverage, which makes him the fqavortie to fill the hybrid S/LB role better than anyone else on the team, and at 6’3 and nearly 230lbs, he has the size to play there. What Miami needs is a Free Safety that can, at times, be efficient in the box and in run support. Minkah?!

Anyhow, this was the plan for TJ last season and it didn't work out. Most likely because he was rusty and injuries/drama on the rest of the defense.

 

Correct. While Jones and and McDonald didn't necessarily have a designated side, with defenses always being at a disadvantage, offenses for the large majority of the time dictate a defense and can align and attack the matchups they see fit. Though zone and man coverages, along with specific instances where the playcall designates the spots depending on who the DC wants at single high, allow for some variation on who will play Free or Strong.

Few examples:

1. Let's say we are in a Cover 2 shell (shell = simply the number of high safeties in the secondary) presnap, but with the intention of disguise of Cover 1 Robber (Man coverage with the SS lurking underneath) postsnap. We generally wouldn't react to simple shifts or motions b/c we want to present a zone look to the QB before moving into the playcall of man coverage in Cover 1 Robber postsnap. Therefore whichever safety ends up over the passing strength (commonly ID'd by which side the TE lines up on) would become the SS.

2. We are in Cover 1 (Man Free) and we want Jones to cover the TE. Being that it's man coverage and we have no intent of disguise, Jones would follow the TE vs any offensive shift or motion and the defense would adjust accordingly.

That said, an OC that wants McDonald in coverage can just make a pass call with early progression reads to his side of the field in an attempt to isolate or attack him whether we are in zone or man coverage. It's easy to exploit run vs pass deficiencies, but it becomes a little more of a chess match to try and isolate him as the single high defender or strong safety, which would be dependent on our defensive playcall and how it pertains to safety deployment. Though it can certainly be done.

If you have any more questions, or if I rambled on and didn't properly answer your original question, feel free to hit me up any time you wish.

 

That's not true. I study the Patriots defense more than any other in the league, and no one plays a high percentage of Dime, especially them. They highly utilize a 6 man front, specifically a 3-3 50 Bear.

 

I wrote, "playing tons of Dime". How did you get "high percentage" out of that? In relation to what? If the Pats play 10% in the Dime and the rest of the league plays 5% that would be a ton in relation to the rest of the league, but it wouldn't be a high percentage. So what are you arguing? Or are you just arguing for the sake of it as per usual?

Anyhow, doesn't matter. You're wrong. The Pats have been playing "A TON" of Dime over the past few years.


One example:

"New England’s dime package was the most-commonly used personnel group during the postseason (2017)."

https://www.patspulpit.com/2017/2/2...ing-the-playoffs-trey-flowers-elandon-Roberts

 

It's a misidentification of how they use their personnel, particularly Chung who was utilized mainly as a LB, due to injuries.