--- if we can get one cheap then go for it but experience playing together and experience learning the D for the young players will help our INTs... they can only get better catching the ball

 

1. Situational Pass Rusher
2. Seam Busting tight end
3. Speed Back
4. Powerback
5. Interior Linemen

 

I think we need an interior OL more than a pass rusher Dupree

 

Odrick may negate #1, or at least minimize the need somewhat. Hopefully, he comes back like an angry dog this season.

I would also add speed receiver to the list. And, I'd have that pretty high. Like #2/#3.

And, I'd prioritize interior linemen over the RB's.

Otherwise, good list.

 

I think Jerry, Garner and Icongito could do well enough interior.

 

Odrick can help pressure up the middle and hopefully Stark can recapture the rush he had two years ago.

If that is the case, having Wake and another good pass rusher would be extremely powerful. Everyone keeps on saying that this is a passing league. There is NOTHING better against the rush than consistant 4 man pressure.

 

QB is the biggest need for me, but with that position exempt from this thread I think we need ...

1) Fast pass catching seam busting TE - whether we are trotting out Henne, a vet or a rook, adding this dimension to our offense would really help open things up. Fasano is a situational pass catcher, and does not really threaten the field.
2) Running Back - A high priority, but RBs tend to be easier to find than many positions. Going into a season with Sheets and Hilliard as my first 2 backs is not enticing at all.
3) True centerfielding Safety - Clemons is ok, but doesn't produce turnovers. Having someone back there snagging balls would do our team a world of good.
4) Interior OL - Im not as down on this spot as many, but it could stand to be upgraded.
5) Speed receiver - Similar to the seam busting TE, a speed receiver would help break open the field and prevent us from getting trapped in 15 yard boxes all game. Hartline, while ok, is not fast enough to consistently get by a good CB on his own without help. I want a guy who can just blow off the line and put the CB on the defensive from the get-go.

Other needs in no particular order that may be addressable in the right situation:
RT - Carey is serviceable, but clearly on the downside of his career.
OLB - A passrushing specialist
ILB - Replacement for Crowder, more physical, less injury prone
CB - Not 100% sold on the Smith/Davis starting combo, and Sapp could be replaced, and Allen is old and injury prone

 

Just for discussions sake, if the Dolphins don't trade back and end up with the 15th pick and nothing else until the 3rd round who and what do we select in the 1st? It seems like that puts all that more emphasis on the 15th pick and the need for it to be a good pick and less risky. That will be the interesting part, who will fall to the 15th with the best chance of being a successful pick?

 

1. Guard.
2. Seam Busting TE.
3. Center.
4. Running back.
5. Another pass rusher. You never have enough.

Not in any specific order and doesn't exclude anyone on the roster already from being the answer at that position of need.

 

with those 'needs' ... what are you drafting in rd 1 ... trade down or not ???

I'm not drafting a TE in RD1, not drafting a RB in RD1, There isn't a S worth drafting in RD1, so on these lists - we'd be down to:

OLB/ILB ... which there is no ILB in RD1; Speedy WR ... which is limited in RD1, unless you go with Smith late.

So, with these lists -- we'd be going OL all day in RD1 less a guy like Quinn/Smith @ SOLB or Smith @ WR.

 

Well, originally, I'd say go quarterback but with that out the window in this thread, I'd say go with a pass rusher or OL. Take someone like Danny Watkins after a trade down (or not) and I'd be thrilled.

 

alen, totally agree brother ...

 

He's better than a lot of people think or give him credit for IMO. You take him, slide him in at Guard and then let him take over for Vernon Carey when Carey (further?) breaks down.

 

1a. LG
1b. Outstanding COP/outlet back.
3. Seam busting TE.
4. Ball hawk FS.
5. Pass rush specialist.
6. Playmaking (or speed) WR
7. Power back.
8. NT depth
9. CB depth
10. RT grooming to replace Carey
11. ILB depth

However, if a 95 grade player (at all positions except QB) were available at our 1st round pick, I would prioritize it differently:
1. Ball hawk FS
2. Pass rusher
3a. CB slot
3b. ILB
5a. Playmaking WR
5b. Dual threat #1 RB
7. Elite #1 TE
8. Center
9. RT

 

ok everyone is talking about a ball hawk FS. i feel like clemons will get much better in is second season in this system. also has everyone forgot about reshad jones? he was only a rookie last year and looked pretty decent in those last couple of games.....i dont normally post things on here, just read everyones opinions. but on this one i feel like we have bigger needs than FS.

 

I'm guessing Rashad moves to SS once Bell is done.

Clemons is not a ball hawk. He was never one in college, so I seriously he'll all of a sudden become one in the NFL. That's not the kind of player he is.

 

Really? If a top flight QB was available you wouldn't take him?

You have a lot of faith in Chad Henne.

 

Counting on Garner could be a mistake imo. Not that he won't or can't play a full season but the line needs depth anyway so I think no matter what you address line somewhere. Maybe a RT/G prospect that has a chance of pushing for a starters job right away.

 

lol. I was just following the OP that said (non-QB). That being said, if I'm including QB in the 2nd list (and it doesn't require us to trade a future 1st rounder), he would go right to the top. Nothing against Henne b/c I believe we can win with him and feel he can still become a top 10 QB, but I'm not naive enough to pass on a guy like Bradford whom we could build an organization around.

 

I agree with this too..... although I hope we use a 6th on David Mims to groom at RT. Either way, at least someone would be able to fill the RT position. If the guy is Watkins, then Mims could move to G. Problem still solved. lol.

IMO Lex can suffice as our power back, so I'd rather go LG with one of our 1st picks and then prioritize a playmaking COP back like Taiwan Jones rather than a power back..... while drafting our power back later on-- Allen Bradford. Behind a healthy Oline, I think Lex, Taiwan, Bradford, and Graig Cooper could be effective.

1. Danny Watkins
2. Taiwan Jones
3. Chris Carter
4. Buster Srine
5. Julius Thomas
6. David Mims
7. Allen Bradford
7. Graig Cooper
7. Some special teams guy who gets cut in training camp

 

RB Resolution:
draft Ingram, with Kory Sheets you've got a change of pace in the run game & would complete the stable

 

We can solve the RB position later in the draft IMO. Its not one I would invest a high pick in, despite how much I like Ingram.

 

its somewhat gutwrenching thinking about losing him..

 

1) Center (Pouncey, Stefen Wisniewski, Rodney Hudson)
2) Pulling-Guard
3) RB
4) TE
5) QB or ReturnSpecialist

per value as they fall in the draft

 

Can't get too attached to him. ;)

 

1) I think we should trade down, if that's not possible pick the best player on the board @ 15 (REGARDLESS OF POSITION) , then in the third & forth round pick the best available offensive linesmen & later in the draft a RB & TE.
2) would bring in a veteran QB on the cheap to compete with Henne & Thigpen
3) next year will be a better draft for QB's. free-agency, arena football or the Canadian league may provide some of what we need in 2011. not to worry :no: we are not going to the SuperBowl in 201

 

If we trade down, then I hope Ponder is the target. Otherwise, excluding QBs, Danny Watkins can be our Logan Mankins.

 

The first domino to fall has to be quarterback. You can't use any of the resources (draft picks) until you know you have that quarterback position addressed, one way or another. If you've got the proper intel to believe you can get a Carson Palmer, so be it...go ahead and use the picks on whatever. If not, I think you need to target a QB at #15...Ryan Mallett or Christian Ponder.

You have to sort of split these things into needs and wants. There aren't actually many needs.

Need #1: Quarterback - There's a reason the Dolphins are plastering the entire position with attention in the Draft. They have to find one. You can't be competitive in this league without one and Chad Henne showed some pretty big chinks in the armor. They could find themselves starting Chad again, but they need a visible and convincing plan for that position in order to get their owner, the fans, and the players in the locker room to buy into Ireland and Sparano's program.

Need #2: Running back - The Dolphins are also plastering this position. They spoke with every running back during Shrine week, probably did the same at the other All Star games. Lex Hilliard is the only guy on roster, they want to bring in two or maybe even three more ball carriers between the Draft and free agency.

Need #3: Move Tight End - The Dolphins have two tight end positions in their playbook. Anthony Fasano has occupied the on-the-line position since their arrival. The move tight end position is vacant, having previously been occupied by David Martin and then Joey Haynos, followed by a parade of lesser talents in 2010. This doesn't have to be the seam buster that everyone thinks, but the position requirements do make it conducive to that.

That's really it for the needs. I notice the Dolphins have given the most attention to those three positions in the Draft. They've sifted through a lot of running backs, a lot of quarterbacks and a lot of tight ends because those are the three positions where they HAVE to acquire people in order to even field a team. Even stuff like Guard/Center is optional. They re-signed Richie Incognito who will compete at Center with Joe Berger. Nate Garner returns from injury. If worse comes to worse, they could very well decide that between Garner, Incognito, Berger and Jerry, they have the three interior spots covered.

Want #1: Guard - Incognito and Berger will compete for the Center job. The Dolphins know they didn't do enough damage at the 2nd level and they could decide they need to give Garner and Jerry someone to compete with them.

Want #2: Wide Receiver/Returner - The #4 and #5 spots on the roster are currently occupied by Roberto Wallace and Marlon Moore. I think they'd like to keep them but maybe have them compete for #5 instead of occupying #4 and #5. When it comes to filling this position they seem to be focusing on guys with return ability.

Want #3: Pass Rusher - It's pretty clear there is room on the team for another pass rusher, a guy that is more effective than Quentin Moses. This acquisition could have the potential to eat into Koa Misi's nickel snaps.

Want #4: Backup Tackle - The Andrew Gardner experiment failed out, and I don't see how they can buy on Lydon Murtha. I think they'll look late in the Draft for a diamond in the rough to train on as a backup swing tackle, someone like a Derek Newton, as Nate Garner could end up starting at Guard, and they wouldn't put him at Left Tackle anyway.

Want #5: Slot Corner - You would think we have enough at that position between Vontae Davis, Sean Smith, Will Allen, Nolan Carroll, Benny Sapp and Nate Ness. However, I think they don't want to keep Will Allen around longer than they have to, and I doubt they have long term plans for Benny Sapp. Nolan Carroll seems like a perimeter player, Vontae Davis has been strictly perimeter, and ideally you don't want Sean Smith moving in as much unless it's against a Tight End. I think the Dolphins want a slot corner that can grow to be better than Benny Sapp. They have been paying an awful lot of attention to that position.

 

Nice rundown, pretty much mirrors my own thoughts, though you bring up an interesting theory about the slot CB spot.

 

If they don’t have DeMarcus Ware type size requirements for a situational pass rusher, it might be worth trading one of our multitude of 7th round picks to Cleveland for Marcus Benard. He probably doesn’t have a place on their roster now that they’re shifting to a 4-3, but he can rush the passer from the strong side in a 3-4. 7.5 sacks in 2010.