Per Adam Caplan both the Dolphins and Bears are showing interest in Mike Brisiel. Brisiel played for the Houston offensive line multiple years under Benton. He was generally considered the weakest link of a really fantastic zone blocking line. He got overpaid in the extreme by the Oakland Raiders, who released him in April.
Also I believe the Texans have released 2013 third round pick Brennan Williams. Williams missed all of 2013 with microfracture surgery and he's still not healthy enough to pass a physical, so they waived him with a failed physical designation.
I wouldn't mind picking up either player.
Mike Pouncey's injury means the Dolphins are currently faced with the daunting possibility of fielding three offensive linemen who have never played NFL football before (Dallas Thomas, Billy Turner, JaWuan James).
They could play Daryn Colledge, but he's old and they may not like what they see from him.
Mike Brisiel played right guard for Benton in Houston. That's important.
Daryn Colledge is a career left guard. Dallas Thomas has been competing at left guard and that's what he played in college (in addition to left tackle). Billy Turner was a left tackle at the FCS level last year. Ultimately, Shelley Smith should probably be playing left guard or center because he has significant weaknesses in pass pro at right guard. They may view Shelley as Pouncey's ideal replacement anyway.
As for Brennan Williams he was a very promising looking potential zone blocker coming out of UNC. His injury situation is unfortunate but perhaps you can take a flier and try and keep him around a while, pay his medical bills and see what you have from him in 2015. Since Benton was with the Texans when they drafted him, there's a strong possibility he reviewed Brennan's work at UNC. He may think highly of him, hence their drafting him in the third round.
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Pandarilla, dolfan32323, keithjackson and 3 others like this.
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If the plan is to move shelley to center while Pouncey is out, Brisiel at RG makes a lot of sense.
I'm very worried that we see no improvement on offense if we go in with the current starters at RG, LG and center. at least until Pouncey is healthy -
Can Michael Roos be an option? I'm just thinking out loud hear. He's on a one year deal with Tennessee. They drafted Lewan and signed Oher. They have Levitre and Warmack. Odds are he's on his way out. And he's still a very, very good lineman. My line of thinking is acquiring him to play Left Guard ala Andrew Whitworth who went from Tackle to Guard. I'm not sure if he can play there like Whitworth who actually played there a bit before but I think he would be interesting. Plus, he can be insurance for Brandon Albert.
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It should be considered a possibility. I don't know if Tennessee plans to cut him though.
Really the Dolphins should be looking at an "any of the above" type of approach to get better along the OL because it's the main impediment to them being a playoff team.Pandarilla likes this. -
I'd just point out that Whitworth also played guard in college as well, so he wasn't going into that transition blind. I also think that was purely out of necessity last year due to injuries. Whitworth is back at left tackle since Collins departed.
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Here's hoping Tyler Larsen comes out of no where and steals the starting center spot. Though it would be so many young guys playing they would be in spots they have played before.
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No idea what people are seeing in Tyler Larsen. He's just a guy.
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He appeared to do reasonably well at the Senior Bowl. As well as a guy like Brenner, abeit he is a rookie and Brenner has a year under his belt. Some draft media had him rated as a 4th round pick.
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Sometimes just a guy shows up adapts quickly and turns into someone. He has the most experience at center on our entire team other than Pouncey.
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The fact the Dolphins are still looking at a player for the OL who was considered the weak link on the Texans OL and was just cut by the Raiders a few months ago, leads me to believe that the OL for the Dolphins at this time remains a huge question mark entering this season.
I realize that the 2013 OL was one of the worst in the history of the Dolphin organization. Therefore the five new starters should be an upgrade over last years OL. I just don't know if they are going to be any better than a below average OL in 2014 and that means that the RB's will probably still find limited open holes to run through. Tannehill is probably still going to be under a lot of pressure when he is in the pocket. With a new OL beginning the season, hopefully Lazor will have more passing plays which will allow Tannehill to use his legs to roll out and not sit in the pocket as often as Tannehill was forced to do when Sherman was the OC. -
Perhaps the Fins could find a solution once pre-season cuts are made?
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PhinFan1968 To 2020, and BEYOND! Club Member
Here's the way I see it, and I'll state up front that I hope we sign an FA or 2 before the pre-season (maybe Brisel and a back-up T), but going strictly with that we have, I'd expect:
LT Albert -- Runaway improvement over 2013 LT. Injury concerns scare me, we need depth.
LG Thomas -- Solid performance expected, not mind blowing stuff, Albert may be able to help him improve.
C Brenner -- Filled in last year and did "OK." We're gonna feel the drop-off from Pouncey no matter who starts there anyway.
RG Smith -- Poor pass-pro, great run-game work...mixed bag, 'cuz we desperately need both. Maybe Brisel...maybe Turner before the end of the season?
RT James -- Could he possibly be any worse than Clabo? I expect "average" level play from him there, possibly slightly above.
Scheme...scheme...scheme. Our O-line won't be the catalyst to success (even though the blind side should be fairly well protected), it will have to be covered and game altered around it, unless the new team of OL coaches can work some magic. Sherman leaving and his replacement in Lazor should help. I know OTAs isn't the rule for gauging play, but it sure seemed like the QBs were being gotten to a lot more than I would like. Need this to improve in camp/pre-season, else I'm less-than-optimistic...and that's against my nature.
Still hoping we can sign a guy or two, for experience and depth if anything. -
Gents, I agree with you. I'm just hoping for once we are the team that finds some gem out of the crap and produce a player that comes in and plays solid. I don't need him to be a probowler but solid.
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I thought he held up reasonably well at the Senior Bowl practices. I watched the sessions and he played against some strong competition, abeit other rookies.
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There is a talent upgrade across the board, and please don't forget that Sherman didn't nothing to protect our biggest weakness, he literally kept the pocket the same, he didn't move it to help the Olineman get some thinking going on from the defenders they were facing, all defenses knew exactly where Tannehill was gonna be, because that's what he freakin did!!!
We will struggle early, Pouncey being out will hurt, but the projection of them looking better than last year during an entire season is such a good bet...once again, Clabo and Martin were turnstiles bro, they sucked donkey balls..
Having the worst set of tackles in the league bar none is no way to play the game of football at this level.
So cheer up, put your super skinnies on and go sit at a bar by yourself. -
would like to see them assign these positions, coach up the team
LT- Albert
LG -Thomas
C-Gardner/Pouncey
RG-Turner
RT James -
3 rookies on the offensive line has a chance to be Dolphins 2009 secondary bad
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It can't be worse than last year....
can it? -
B/c playing Center in the league is as much how smart a player is over what a great athlete they are, tho that said think Nate Garner has something of Jeff Dellenbach in him
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PhinFan1968 To 2020, and BEYOND! Club Member
Also has a chance to be something special...like when Webb started at LT and the other rook at RG, IIRC.
Edit: I have worries about the Oline too, but it's easy to forget that last year's line, scheme, coaching, is NOT the same as this year's. Same team, new line. -
Bryce Quigley URFA San Diego OT/OG/C. A better and younger version of Nate Garner.
Probably won't won't make the final cut. He may actually still not be 100%. -
Do
Dolphins had ample opportunity to sign him. He did have injury issue and probably would not have passed physical. I liked him. I would prefer "true" center, but that may not happen this year. -
Jordan Mills was terrible. But Kyle Long was pretty awesome for stretches.
Also the Chicago Bears had Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Martellus Bennett, Matt Forte and Jay Cutler. And they went 8-8. Just sayin. -
funny thing is if Philbin's fired and the next coach/offensive coordinator want a power/man blocking scheme we could be looking at another overhaul of this line, especially the interior, they might prefer a bigger (and cheaper) center than Pouncey, some new guards, etc
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Branden Albert played LG in college due to the presence of Eugene Monroe. If we signed Roos, a better option for this season maybe to play him at LT and Albert at LG. Both are top LTs but Albert has experience at LG.Anonymous likes this.
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This. And Kyle Long was terrible for stretches too.
Living in Chicago I saw first hand
Their O-Line improved because Trestman and McCown. Cutler was inconsistent as he always is too.ckparrothead likes this. -
I get it. Well done Den.
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