The rookies from last year need to step up in a big way this year; or at least one of them needs to show that they have some talent worth keeping. If not, we simply will not have the depth to compete on a week to week basis.

A lot will be asked of the players brought to the team via the last two draft classes if this team is to be successful. Unfortunately, the majority of the rookies last year did not see the number of snaps I think they needed to in order to make the jump that likely will be required. There is a learning curve that only reps will help.

 

I'm interested in Will Davis more than the other two. He's at least shown some flashes in camp last year. Hopefully he continues his growth.

 

Ive been saying that about Davis since the moment we drafted him. The guy after 5-7 yards is a complete disaster. If his WR is going to run a route 10-20 yards its over. It ends up into a 40 yard completion.

 

I'm holding out hope for two of the three to have an impact. We need someone to step up opposite Grimes. Walk Aiken is on the list as well, I don't see it as a reach if he pushes one of Davis, Taylor, or even Finnegan for a spot in the rotation. We'll see....We can expect Finnegan to be Finnegan on the field which at this point is a solid corner, but one of Davis, Taylor, or Aiken need to step up.

 

Finnegan is anything but solid. If you're expecting anything resembling solid you're going to be disappointed. He's washed up at this point.

 

at this point in their careers, Carroll to Finnegan is a downgrade, no question. I still can't believe we gave him that contract, then again I still can't believe we hired Hickey in the first place. our owner's ignorance never ceases to amaze me.

Grimes aint giving up zero TDs again.

Taylor is a complete question mark, same with Davis.

Wilson is nothing more than a solid nickel corner.

will we get the Rashard Jones from 2012 or 2013? who knows.

Will Delmas stay healthy? when he does get on the field, we don't even know if he'll be an upgrade over Clemons, who was solid.

so basically our pass rush better be GREAT cause this secondary is looking SHAKY right now lol...unless Aikens turns into a stud...he's certainly got the talent and physical gifts. but even if he does impress, we don't even know if Philbin will give him enough snaps to make a real impact.

 

One of the good things about Coyle, imo, is that he absolutely gets the most out DBs, IMO.

Even though the secondary worries me when I look at the roster, I feel like Coyle's system and gameplan will still put those guys in a position to do well. Can't say the same about the LBs.

 

This is the point of concern I raised in the thread arguing about Philbin not playing rookies/young guys enough.

 

They were injured though. Taylor and Jordan were injured before they got here and Davis was injured after he got here. You can't get a lot of snaps as a rookie when you're injured.

 

While I don't think we will be getting the 2010 Finnegan, I do think people forget how well Coyle has revived "washed up" DBs in years past.

 

Hope you are right. I'll be happy w/ solid.

 

Both Taylor and Davis should be healthy and mentally well ahead of where they were last season. Finnegan is a veteran presence and provides insurance either outside or inside. I personally don't care who starts opposite Grimes, as long as they are effective as they will get tested. Finnegan wasn't brought in as a long term option any more than Delmas was, who should be an upgrade over Clemons and hopefully, both guys will make it through the season healthy. As for Jones, he should be back to form and able to free lance more if the LB corp is improved. I think a lot of his struggles last season was having to cover for deficiencies with the LBs coverage assignments under Coyle.

As far as the ILBs, it's speculative right now, but doubtful that we see the same guys primarily in the same positions as much as last season. Misi and Jenkins should have larger roles at ILB and will probably see some time at Mike depending on situations and how well Misi adapts to it. Jenkins played some last season in relief of Ellerbe, and flashed some there. Ellerbe who mostly played weak-side linebacker while in Baltimore, struggled at times, but posted career highs in tackles, assists, INTs, and passes defended. He seemed lost a lot of the time and he and Wheeler struggled against the run and TEs, but he seemed to battle injuries all season. Hopefully, he'll be much improved in season 2 regardless of which position he plays.

Wheeler was a bigger disappointment I think. Guy is plenty fast, but plays too damn uncontrolled. He was constantly out of position, but failed to make plays when he was in position. Playing uncontrolled, he made a lot of mental mistakes as well. Tripp is generating a lot positive buzz right now (5th round LBs get much Dol-Fan love), but he needs to get stronger and will have to prove that he understands playing Mike in Coyle's complex schemes - and that he can hold up in the middle.

Wake (knee) and Jordan (shoulder) should be completely healthy, and coupled with Vernon, our pass rush should be better than last season. Really excited about our pass rush with these 3 healthy.

Statically, we were #8 in total defense, #16 is passing defense, and #24 in rushing defense. http://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2013/opp.htm
We gave up 335 points. League average was 375. We were #29 in fumble recoveries with 6, and #22 in rushing TDs given up with 14 TDs surrendered. A positive was that we were tied for 4th place in passing TDs given up.

Big question is how effective Earl Mitchell will be replacing Paul Soliai, who had a down year for us last season, but battled a knee injury. Rush Defense is a huge concern going into the season...

 

These are all reasons, for me at least, to be excited about camp and to see how the battles will go. My biggest hope going forward, is for some problems to be solved in the linebacker area. Can Coyle pull it off? I'm looking for signs...

 

It still strikes me as very strange they gave him THAT big a contract. Must be something we don't know about or can't see...there's GOT to be reasons they showed him the money.

I like the signing, just not the $$. I just hope he proves that worth.

 

Also Dallas Thomas. My gawd, I don't know why this such a hard thing for some guys to grasp. All this blather about Philbin being overcautious because he does not play rookies, and the rookies mentioned as evidence have basically been damaged goods.

 

Granted they were injured, but they still have a lot to prove this coming season. Perhaps they will all step up and prove they were worth the drafts picks the Dolphins used on them. Until they do though, the defense still remains a HUGE question mark entering this season.

 

im willing to bet on finnegan returning to form, and that there's going to be some crow to eat on jamar taylor...that dude is bad dude..

theres no step that has been lost on finnegan, he's in tremendous shape, highly motivated, and has gone on the record stating his accountability for the upcoming season,variables look damn good to me there.

I believe in Jamar taylor, only concern there is health, he got game.

 

Run defense and run offense are both going to be issues, imo. I feel like a broken record talking about how this team is hanging Tannehill out to dry with no run game to aid in his development, so I'll just leave it at that. Anyways...

I get that these days defending the pass is most important, and we have penetrators to pressure the QB. But man, every other team in our division wants to pound the rock. That's my concern. We lost our plugger Soliai, and we chose not to invest in a two-down thumper MLB when it really appeared to be a need in a lot of opinions on this site. I just think those six games in our division could be tough given the commitment to the run in Buffalo, NY, and New England. Hate being weak up the middle against these smash-mouth teams.

 

Agreed. We were 3rd in the NFL last year in passing play percentage at over 65%. Seattle and the 9ers passed the least in the league last season and had solid rushing games. While most of the league passed almost 60% of the time, they passed under 48% of the time.

The bills lead the AFC in sacks and pressures and were #2 in the NFL behind the panthers. NE, Miami, and then the stej rounded out the East in these categories.

Having a revamped OLine with bookend tackles and an improved running back corp with Moreno should help the entire team immensely.

 

jamar taylor is a badass.

check it,strait from jet magazine.

Size: 5-foot-11, 192 pounds
Bench press: 22 reps at 225 pounds (tied for fourth out of 49 defensive backs; tied for first among cornerbacks)
40-yard dash: 4.39 seconds (tied for fourth out of 53 defensive backs)
Vertical jump: 35 inches (tied for 30th out of 52)
Broad jump: 10 feet, 7 inches (tied for 11th out of 51)
Three-cone drill: 6.82 seconds (tied for 15th out of 38)
20-yard shuttle: 4.06 seconds (tied for fourth out of 40)
60-yard shuttle: Did not run (will run at pro day); only eight DBs ran

Read more here: http://blogs.idahostatesman.com/boi...econds-at-nfl-scouting-combine/#storylink=cpy

are you freakin kidding me..4.39 forty, official..22 reps..10'7 broad..dude hits like a truck..

man I hope this kid has his healthy cause he's gonna blow some sh&^ up.

 

Wow, didn't remember him being that fast.

 

i know right...i keep going back to watch him in college, such a good tackler of the football, good blitzer off the edge, will center you on the move and stick your ***..very unique abilty in that regard.

 

Buffalo will probably sweep us again.

 

Need the suck start revolver smiley if they do.

 

I totally agree, and that is somewhat a different topic. I've read comments about how Philbin is overcautious, and the main evidence given is that he does not play rookies. This is ludicrous. In 2012, he started Tannehill and Martin all year and Vernon played significant snaps in a reserve role. Last year, the first 3 picks already had injuries they were recovering from when they were drafted. The 4th rookie got hurt partway through camp. When they were healthy enough to play they were behind in their development. Would an overcautious head coach cut his veteran kicker early in camp and give that critical job to an unproven rookie? The #2 TE most of the season and the 4th LB were rookies. Were they not played more because Philbin was overcautious or because they just weren't better options than they guys ahead of them, if you know, actually winning the games was a priority? That should be pretty obvious to any logical person.

 

His physical tools and his ability as a corner have never been a question.

 

I just think had we drafted Jamar Taylor in the second round this year, everyone would think our secondary was locked up with the Grimes extension.

 

Ditto Yatil Green and the #2 WR spot.

 

So you don't think its a little premature to write off Taylor?

 

well he says he's healthy, so because he was injured last year should we just forget that he has great physical talent.?..i keep hearing from lots of folks who seemingly have given up and moved on, who arent excited about the kids talent along with a bill of health, i think what has happened is that they saw him give up 4 catches for substantial yards and thats it, hes toast.

if the player is healthy from our perspective the only thing to do is project how the talent will impact our team, and he is very talented..

sub 4.4 corner who hits like a truck.

 

im worried about the kidney thing, do we think that is the reason why he wanted to quit?

 

Jamar Taylor is going to blow out his knee?

 

If you write off Taylor write off Dion too. They both didn't show all they have in them due to injury.

 

on another phins board JT replied to someone on social media plattform and told him that this rumor of him quitting was taken way out of context

 

Ive seen the quote and he basically said it was a passing thought he had, because he was unable to get on the field and participate it made him frustrated like he should just give up sometimes.

He never actually wanted to quit. It's like when you're stuck in a rut on a work problem. Sometimes you want to just give up...but you never actually consider it.

 

Honestly think Finnegan will get beat in preseason by either one of our sophmores.

 

Of course not. All he has to do is stay healthy because he has everything else you could want. We can do no more as fans than just wait and see.