I don't know what we have in Drake. I wasn't a fan of drafting him, but he has shown flashes. I'm curious to see how he develops this season.

 

I think the talent and potential is there, but I can't say I've been a believer. It's more wait and see for me. I guess a more accurate statement might be that I trust Gase's ability to get the best out of most players. So while I may not be a believer in Drake, I am a believer in Gase.

 

Between Williams and Drake, I think we are set at backup. I have long thought that we needed to use Drake more. I would've liked to see him on the field on 3rd and long situations. I always held my breath when we passed to Ajayi. I always felt like he was going to bobble a pass into a defender's hands. However, pass catching is Drake's specialty, and he has speed to burn. I think that a check down to him on third and long at least gives us the chance of a conversion if he could make one defender miss. I also absolutely love Drake in the return game. Honestly, if we cut Grant and gave the return duties to Drake, I think that it is an overall improvement. I honestly think that Grant's unreliable hands make him far more of a viability than an asset. I think due to sheer luck, he did not cost us more than he did in terms of turnovers. We were in so many close games last year, that I am positive a turnover on special teams would have been the difference between and win and a loss.

I think Damien Williams is underrated mainly because he was an undrafted free agent. Although, DeAngelo is a bigger name, at this point in their careers, I would rather have Damien. Damien is a poor man's Ajayi in terms of power running which is exactly what we need. I still have doubts about our o-line, and I am not exactly sure about our Guard situation. Again, I think Williams has a role on our team. He was absolutely phenomenal in the red zone and had a nose for the end zone.

 

remember Chicago's Refrigerator under Ditka? what about using Suh as a F/B on short yardage situations?

 

I have to believe Gase knows a lot more than any of us regarding his team. That is why he is the head coach and we are nothing but second guessers.

 

I think that we're good with the three we've got this season. Id like to see ajayi get 20 touches a game, and drake 10. If drake can be a good speedy change up with good hands, then we let Williams walk next year and draft a developmental guy as #3.

 

If we're after a veteran RB I hear Daniel Thomas is available.

 

Ajayi was a pretty good receiver out of the backfield at Boise State. He may have looked awkward or uncertain b/c he hadn't worked enough on his routes at Miami, but he has decent hands. In fact, he caught more passes his last season in college than Drake did in all three years combined at Alabama. So I'm not sure where you get the idea that "pass catching is Drake's specialty".

 

Love that! Why the F don't we do that?

 

Imagine our 120 mil $ DT getting injured playing FB, that wouldn't go over well.

My favorite Fridge memory is when Dwight Stevenson, with his left arm strapped to his body because of a collar bone I think, put Fridge on the ground 3 times, dominating him with just one arm.

The over looked Dolphin great, in the convo of "best at his position", not just on the Dolphins, but all time, regarded by many of the most reputable experts as the best C to every play the game by a clear margin, the perfect C.

The most impressive Dolphin stat of all time;

Dwight Stevenson was elected to the HoF based on 87 starts.

His first year as a starter was the 9 game * strike season, the season that doesn't exist, then 4 years of full seasons, and then his 9 game career ending injury season.

An OL getting into the HoF on 4 full seasons, he was the starter for just 6 years, only 4 of which he started 10 games, 5 PBs(back when they meant something) and 4 APs, but getting into the HoF with such a short career, especially on OL, where longevity is usually a strong factor, is unheard of.

That 87 starts to the HoF stat tells you just how amazing this guy was, but that is exactly the same reason why he's forgotten, 83-87 is the only time we saw him.

 

Sorry to go OT.

 

I think we only have three players in our history who are in that GOAT at their position conversation, Dwight Stephensen, Paul Warfield and Dan Marino. And I see Dwight as the only one that wins the conversation. If you look at non-players then you'd add Shula and maybe Arnsparger to the conversation as well.

 

Come on, man! Are you serious?!?! Comparing Ajayi's college stats to Drake's is absurd. As a freshman, Drake was behind TJ Yeldon AND Eddie Lacy. He only played in 5 games his junior year due to injury... And then his senior year, he was a backup to Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry. I think we can agree that Alabama's backfield was just a tad bit crowded during his tenure.

I love the old Bill Bellicheck quote, "Statistics are for losers." I really think that this a prime example of that quote. Comparing a situational player to a full time player using statistics will largely tell you nothing. Of course the full time player will most likely lead in every volume based statistic, but it certainly does not prove nor even suggest that the full time player has a better specific skillset than the part time player. Honestly, it is just a lazy comparison. You gotta watch the games to make real meaningful comparisons. Just watch Ajayi catch a pass. It never looks pretty. Watch Drake catch a pass. It seems effortless. If you don't believe me, ask yourself, "Why has Ajayi worked on his pass catching this offseason?" and why have his coaches spoken about him improving so much in this area. I'll give you the answer - he's not very good at it!

 

Ajayi caught 50 passes his last year in college. This is not a guy who can't catch or is unreliable as a receiver. This is a guy who has proven he can be an all-around back. Claiming he can't is a ridiculous and unsupportable statement. And I stated specifically why Ajayi may have looked more stiff catching passes. Ajayi didn't work on it his first season and he was so lax in his preparation last year that he didn't even make the trip to game 1 as Gase needed to light a fire in him or kick him to the curb. So why would he work on it now? Obviously because he hasn't worked on it before as a pro. But he clearly does have natural ability since he's done it a ton in college and everybody is praising him for it now.

And your argument for this being Drake's specialty is based on nothing more than "he looks smooth". He didn't do it much in college. He's had 9 receptions as a pro. This isn't a comparison between the volume stats of ten year vet and rookie. This is claiming that a guy that has proven he can do it, can't and that a guy who has almost never done it can. The one advantage that Drake had was that he spent his one offseason being groomed as a third down back. So obviously he got a ton of receiving practice. I hope he would look smoother after that. Now personally, I do believe that Drake can be a good receiving back, but it is rubbish to claim that Ajayi can't.

 

I remember a few years ago with Paul Soliai. Would be interested to see what they have with Phillips with the ball in his hands

 

I'm going to try not to sound rude Landry, but you seem to have the affinity for older players. Arian Foster was supposed to be a beast and looked what happened.

I'll pass on DeAngelo Williams. I think we're set just fine at the RB position.

 

We look great at RB right now. Drake has explosive potential, and Damien Williams is a Ronnie Brown clone if I ever saw one. Save the $.

More likely we would need a Vet WR, should Carroo flame out.

I wish we would sign a vet DT, slot CB/S, etc.

 

While I agree there is no burning need for a vet RB, I would still give Reshard Jennings a call.

 

I've actually spent a great deal of time imagining that, lol.

 

I think the reason we don't see more of that sort of thing is because number one, it's a tell, 2, the big guys are slower to the hole and cannot center an opponent as accurately as a smaller fullback who specializes in blocking..i dig the idea though..if you kind find the big guy to do it I'm all for it..I think a guy could be Jordan Phillips, dude has great athleticism, and could even help him get more engaged within the game.

 

Drew Morgan will play like a vet.