Position battles shaping up for weekend mini-camp http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/thed...ion-battles-shaping-up-for-weekend-mini-camp/
Thanks for the article ATVZ400, I can always count on you keeping me up to date with the newest Dolphin articles!
This is important as well: Next Wednesday is the last OTA with a three day minicamp this coming up weekend, then it is the month long wait until Training Camp opens. Merling v Stark and McDaniels is also an important competition, as is kick return duties.
I think the author meant strong-side linebacker unless he's talking about the back up role to Joey Porter?
Good point Alen, and I Really don't want to see JT at Strong side backer to be honest on running plays in the first place
Well one mistake is that Roth plays the strongside and not the weakside but other than that not a bad article. Doesn't really expand to much on what we already know although I don't agree with punter being on there since early reports had Bond struggling mightily.
Well the other thing about that quote to me is that this is the last weekend for some of the UDFA's to prove they deserve a shot at even going to training camp. I believe we still have to cut a few people in order to get to the 80 man limit for training camp once we start signing our draft picks.
I haven't even thought about that till now Don't we usually have at least a couple of rookies signed by this point?
Well I think since we start training camp later this year I think we could afford to wait a little bit longer. I don't remember ever starting training camp in august.
Or starting the regular season mid-September. I don't remember the NFL season ever starting September 13th, it just seems to much later than before.
I'm most interested in the Wide Receiver battle for this season. Ginn is most likely the one starter, but who will be the second. Bess played great last year, but that was due to Camarillo's injury. Will Turner play up to 2 if he keeps impressing.
I dont quite understand what you mean that Bess played great due to Cam's injury. I think Bess will be the starter at the beginning of the season because Cam's knee probably will prohibit him from being on the field full at 100%.
As big a fan as I am of JT, he belongs on the WOLB not SOLB where Roth is, and either way every player will have to EARN his starting spot, that's the way Sparano operates. I see JT more in line to back up Joey Porter and ion the roving line-up-where-you-want spot like 2006 in certain passing downs. I sure look forward to seeing if/how they figure out how to get JP/JT/Cam Wake all on the field pass rushing together. That could be a mean pass rush for opposing teams to deal with.
I think Jason can play strong side linebacker, just not full-time. He can be what many hoped a draft selection in this past draft would have been, a situational pass rusher on third downs. Jason, whose older now, could be effective in that role and it would keep him fresh, extending his career at the same time. If Turner shows enough, it wouldn't surprise me to see him opposite of Ginn with Bess working the slot. Bess works the zone defenses very well.
I wonder who told the writer this.."Taylor isn’t accustomed to coming off the bench and he’s not planning to accept that role now"....? Before anyone tries to answer, let me clarify - it's a rhetorical question. Taylor already stated more than once he would do whatever was asked of him - he just wanted to play again for Miami. He may not be content to be a back up, but according to his own words he'll accept that role if that's what he's given.
JT on the strongside full time would be a waste though, and we signed Wake as a OLB/Pass Rushing specialist and more then likely we will all see him plenty in the preseason and in pads. IMO, "if" Wake shows enough, if Roth goes down with an injury we see him start at the strongside and JT retain a sort of Bandit role. Why put JT back in the phone booth? We have enough depth now at OLB we won't be forced to do that with him.
Who said fulltime? The post was based on the idea that "if" Roth was injured this season there is a case to be made that JT still probably shouldn't take his starting spot.
You quoted my post, in which I said that Jason could play situational pass rusher well, saying that Jason playing full-time would be a waste. Did you accidentally quote my post? I never said anything about how he should play full-time strong side 'backer.
Eh, to me JT will be fine, the question for the staff is how will they use him so he'll still be fresh in the 2nd half. It's funny, right now all the pre pre season NFL shows are giving predictions and "who' acquired whom and who will win the division..in mid June, and the talk is all JT and Wilson, players like Grove, Wake and Green are not even mentioned and they could be three huge pieces for us this season. Grove to help the inside running game and control the clock and keep Brady off the field. Green could play the nickel (in J Allen's spot) giving us hopefully 4 starting quality Cb's when we play...the patriots And Wake as another guy who can rush the passer. I watched the denver game again today, what struck me was how every offense singled out Jason Allen, and how the Broncos Dummervil reminded me of Cam Wake, only shorter.
I guess the diversity that JT brings to the table, the ability to rush from anywhere on the defense {inside rush included} eliminates the battle for the outside linebacker position on 1st and 2nd down {let roth have it}. In the end, Iam sure JT's pitch count will be right up there with roth once its said and done. I want JT and Roth to be able to move inside in some situations as much as the next person, 'BUT THE FLAT, THE FLAT' keeps popping in my head, Channing and akin can somewhat cover the flats, JT and Roth cannot. Receiver battle will come down to the 5th spot. I think the locks our Ginn, Bess, Cammy, Patrick....Hartline and london battle it out..I also think we will keep six {cammies uncertainty}, so the loser of that battle will still make the team. Can Donald recover in time to unseat Brandon Frye...That is a serious battle. one iam hoping for the Dtrain to pull off.. The battle for the 2nd corner is of epic porportions, and the nickel for that matter. Iam willing to take a few lumps to get our rooks on the field. Can Green battle and beat the rooks for starter and nickel playing time? LETS GET IT ON!! I want someone to battle ferguson, i thought his play was overrated last year. Iam hoping this Mcdaniels cat can play the nose, his height and strength makes him very intriguing there, talk about blocking a passing lane. Ive heard him say that from a strength perspective, hes very confident. Guys, we all know our defense up the middle is our weakness, Ferguson, crowder and akin better not get their butts ran over, cause the inability to stop the run on the inside is totally demoralizing for a team. With the size and talent we have on the edges in this defense, offenses are gonna test us up the middle. I need to see a jump in Channings game, especially in the strength dept, subpar flexibility in his torso keeps him from making some big plays imo. Lets hope the smarter you get the better player you become directly apllies to his game ,because i dont see how his body can get much stronger. Hes thin thru the hips, small jointed player. but damn do we need that gator to step up... Iam not telling ya'll anything we dont know, iam just really starting to worry about it {interior defense}..That, and the inability to cover scatbacks in the open field, in the flat, will be our biggest battles to overcome.
What up my brother.. I look at him like this, we needed a hybrid and Jason Taylor was THEE best hybrid linebacker available thru free agency or the draft in the immediate future. { unless we had a shot at our boy english,lol}
I think coming from the outside backer position, JT can diagnose, shed and finish pretty damn good. he's been goin against premiere left tackles his whole career. Thats a good battle to watch. JT will be attacking the los from every angle and position, run or pass. Pascqualoni should have fun with him.. Use that Football IQ.
I meant he played great and subbed in for GC because of his injury. I think Bess should be the other starter but really it depends on the health of GC.
Thats what I was thinking if when we go to 3 receiver looks. When two receivers are on the field though I think its Bess and Ginn. Hell if we go 4 receiver sets I could see London and Turner on the outside with Ginn and Bess on the inside.
Ok I gotcha now. Yea Bess stepped up big time. Most of his production came after Cam went down and just really showed himself on the field.
i didn't take the quote as JT wouldn't be on the team if he weren't the starter, but that the competitive juices still flow in JT and he is aiming at being the starter, not the backup. I'm sure he'll take the role he ends up with as you said, he's already acknowledged that. But he's not going to lie down and give the job to anyone, Roth or otherwise...
Tough call on the outside linebackers spots. I do wish Ayedele and Crowder had more competition in the middle though... Plenty of packages I see in our future. OK, here's what we need to do... 3rd and long: Up FRONT: McDaniels/Langford/Merling/JT In the Middle: Crowder Backfield: WAllen/Bell/Wilson/Davis/Smith/Clemons playing a little under or Bell/Wilson Call that our "Giraffe" package! (to go along with the Elephant etc.) That would be tough to pass on so many long and fast bodies! To go into our new Quarters formation... This could audible into any formation...
Not bad, how about a 3-2-6 with JP,Wake,Roth as the Dline with JT and Bell as the Lb's and 5 Cb's and a safety?
Cammy was running routes with the other WRs in the videos from the 6/2/09 OTAs. AFAIK he's still number 83.
