Well, now that the season is essentially over, hopefully we'll see young players getting a shot. Rishard Matthews showed that he can play receiver today (after showing it in the preseason, wonder why he didn't get any reps till now, but I digress). Michael Egnew can't be any worse as a blocker than a wide receiver that we line up next to our tackle. He can't be any worse than Charles Clay. he can't be any worse as a wide receiver than the overpaid POS that is Anthony Fasano. I want to know what we have in this guy before we devote some serious $ to the position. Lamar Miller has looked good in limited opportunities. I'd like to see him get more reps instead of Reggie Bush who likely won't be back. Unless he wants to play for a home town discount. Thigpen showed he can play. Why not give him some reps as a slot wide receiver. He would have the ability to go deep on an out and up route that D Bess won't give you. If you're going to play Reggie. Put him split out wide more and more. See if he can give you what you lack in the wide receiver position (the ability to beat a CORNERBACK ONE ON ONE OUTSIDE!!) I want to see what we have in Will Yeatman. (who?) no seriously, he (left tackle) looked good in the preseason.... but that was against scrubs. Can he do it against the big boys? Because we have a decision to make with Jake Long. No way am I paying him what he is going to ask for with him making the probowl again this year. Shockingly. Sean "Soft" Smith. I'm sorry but I think Nolan Carroll has outplayed him recently. He's going to ask for how much next offseason? We need to see more out of him the last six weeks. He's got to show up against the Pats. big time. Or we can move on from him. This is a passing league. I'm not going crazy overpaying an average corner. And before you say, lets draft a corner... i'd rather draft someone who can get to the passer opposite Cam Wake with some measure of consistency than draft a corner who is going to be hamstrung by the REFS in this league. Odrick, sadly is really proving to be a bust of a pick. So you've got two big decisions on Jake and Sean.... right now, I'm leaning to no on both unless they give us some serious hometown discounts. They've got six weeks to prove me wrong. Which young players am I missing?
Incognito pisses me off. Disgustipate is absolutely right. He isn't good enough to talk and act like he does. Hell, I'd say he isn't good period, at this point.
I'll answer the question first... I think the focus should clearly be Tannehill and if he can continue to learn. I cooled quite a bit after my post game rant and it is what it is at this point. Tannehill has basically two full seasons to prove he's the guy. If not then we have taken yet another step back. Rishard Mathews..Lets get him some reps Lamar Miller....lets get him some reps. Develope the young guys and lets keep the mainstays like Cam Wake, Starks, Soliai, and Davone Bess healthy for next year. Not much to be happy about right now. Tannehill needs some more weapons and until he gets that fair shake the grade is an incomplete. I want a Demaryius Thomas to throw to, or a Roddy White. Bess and Hartline are nice options but not number 1's. That much we have discovered.
In FA, I'd contemplate resigning Fasano and Smith. Has to be at the right price. I would hope they resign Hartline and Starks quick.
Yeah... Hartline, even though he has his limitations, has some value to us as a wide receiver. I wouldn't go nuts.... so average salary a year? $4 to $5m.... sounds like a lot. but 4 years $20m... $12m guaranteed... not so bad. Starks, I would resign but I wouldn't go crazy over. Right around $5m per.
I would definitely re-sign Randy Starks ($5-6M/yr), Brian Hartline ($3-4M/yr), Sean Smith ($4-5M/yr). I don't know what game you were watching when you decided to praise Nolan Carroll but bash Sean Smith. As far as Jake Long goes, I would franchise tag Long then either trade him or hope he returns to All-Pro form in 2013 before letting him walk. I would let Reggie Bush walk unless he comes back for very cheap. Matt Moore I would let walk also if he wants more than $2.5M/yr. Anthony Fasano is a guy I think you should try to re-sign if at all possible at a fair price because the guys behind him aren't looking starter-material at this point in their careers. Rich Incognito is a potential cut depending on how much money we would save if we were to release him (I know he makes $4.0M in 2013 but curious what his dead cap would be if cut). I would love to add a wide receiver through free agency too; be that Dwayne Bowe, Greg Jennings, Mike Wallace, or whomever. In the draft, I'd look to address another pass rusher opposite Wake, another cornerback to play boundary with Smith (Marshall remains nickel), a safety to replace Chris Clemons, and playmakers on offense (wide receiver). Guard/tackle is another position to address pending on what we do with Long... we could use another guard regardless, just don't draft a guard until day three.
Suck for Luck J/K Pay very close attention to who is in the upcoming draft. Play the rookies now if they aren't good enough get rid of the bad eggs and reload the holes.
Incognito makes 5.3 million next season, and I THINK Miami saves something like 4 million if they cut him. He's definitely gone. I think the Rams could be a potential suitor for Long. They have two firsts and have been looking for a tackle ever since Pace retired.
Wow. Get out of my head. Everything you said here is exactly how I feel about the offseason. Starks, Smith and Hartline are must re-signs. Long franchised. Fasano maybe. Bush maybe. Get a WR in free agency. Cut Incognito. Exactly my thoughts.
I was just thinking base salary for me reason. It's AWFULLY hard for me to justify having him on the roster with that cap number.
Whether Tannehill is the right Qb, whether Philbin is the right coach, and whether the last two draft classes will turn out on the positive or negative side for the Gm.
With the Colts at 6-3 and the Bears at 7-2 even the extra draft picks we have currently don't have the luster they once did.
I think its still hard to say anything about Rishard Matthews. sure he was on the field today, drew a DPI call, and made a catch or two. From what we saw in preseason (although it was against scrubs) it does look like he has some ability, but we need to see him play more to know for sure. Egnew... that's troubling. He seems like the textbook Ireland pick. Drafted, good potential, doesn't see the field in year one, we hang on, and decide to go with him year two and he's a major flop. That's what I see happening here. However, at this point, just put him on the field. Unless he's clearly too stupid to still comprehend the playbook, and where he needs to be lined up on each play. If he still hasn't picked it up by this point in the year... is he really worth waiting for? Miller needs to see more touches. End of story there. Kid looks to have tons of ability and potential, why we arent using it is beyond me. Lets come out in two RB sets, Reggie and Miller, send Reggie out wide pre-snap, he instantly creates a mismatch on a LB on his own, and you still have the threat to run the ball. Why not? Thigpen, I'm all for trying it as you've said. Seriously, it can't hurt. what we're doing now isnt working, so why not try something else? He's got speed, thats for sure. Reggie... I agree, as I said above with my comments on Miller. Yeatman? No thanks. Long... I'd still strongly explore re-signing him, but its got to be a contract that makes sense for the team, not just for Jake. Sean Smith... again, if its a contract favorable to the team, I re-sign him. Not as our #1 CB though. That's a hole that Smith can't fill. We've seen that experiment already this year.
How about over the rest of the year we focus on recovering fumbles? Our offense has fumbled 11 times and lost 9. Yet our defense has forced 15 and only recovered 3. I don't even want to think about all the missed INTs our D has had, but it's got to be more than opposing defenses have missed.
How about seeing what Lamar Miller can do? Or will they keep shoving Daniel Thomas down our throats because Ireland moved up to draft him? Please tell me Thomas won't be our #1 back in 2013....
I dont get all the hate for DT lately. The last few games he's run hard, been decisive, and done a great job in pass protection. He's looked good to me lately. I do agree though, more Miller would be good.
After watching the following: 1. Legedu Naanee continuing to squander opportunity after opportunity until he was finally fired 2. Lamar Miller continuing to be restrained 3. Rishard Matthews finally getting on the field and looking GOOD 4. Reggie Bush being torpedoed ...I am more empowered than ever to say that any player that hasn't been on the field much yet, including Michael Egnew, could be an All Pro for all we know. These coaches are not utilizing the few resources at their disposal very well, IMO.
He's a good backup, but I do not want to see him be the featured back next season. Or better hope the passing game improves greatly.
What Ross should be focusing on right now is finding a replacement for Ireland before this season is over. He needs to fire Ireland and hire a new GM who can come in immediately and start getting an idea of who he wants to go forward with and who he wants to get rid of. The sooner Ross makes this move, the sooner the new GM can start preparing for the next draft and free agency period. If Ireland remains the GM beyond this season. I predict attendance will continue to decline and the Dolphins will finish below 500 in 2013. The only hope this franchise has of turning this around is by replacing one of the worst GM's in the NFL.
I'd like to go back about a decade and see how many times we've finished in the upper half of the league in takeaways. I can't imagine it'd be more than 2 or 3 times. Edit: Found it. This doesn't take into account net, but then again if you're not forcing or recovering turnovers your net probably isn't very good either. Takeaways per game (NFL rank): 2003- 5th 2004- 23rd 2005- 10th 2006- 20th 2007- 30th 2008- 10th 2009- 28th 2010- 29th 2011- 27th 2012- 29th Not only does this bear out my guess, but it's even more pathetic considering half the time we've been near the bottom. Takeaways
And 2003, 2005 and 2008 are the only winning seasons on that list. I feel like I've watched Dansby drop an INT in 80% of our games since signing him.
I think that is more along the line of a weird preconception that has developed. It has gotten to the point where Dansby makes a great deflection by jumping out in front of a player with one hand and people are wondering why he didn't intercept the pass.
I know, it comes with the territory of being a highly paid free agent signing though, fans expect those game changing plays like a pick 6 or stripping the ball from someone (and recovering it), and rightfully so. Have to do the job and then some.
You would think the Bears would be game for the idea of finally improving their OL enough to not get Jay Cutler killed. The Lions and Steelers would seem like candidates as well.
Honestly, I cannot believe some of the posts. Too many of you are like last nights announcer, Mike Mayock. The guy makes me want to puke. He simple does not shut up and 70% of the stuff that comes out of his mouth is friggin unreal. Most of you do realize that Shermans offense/blocking schemes for the offense really blows right. Want to see our offense ? Watch a replay of a Texas A&M game while he was there. In some situations our guards are to release or not barely chip their guy and go to the LBers and the RB is to pick up the man coming in, some realize that right ? Do not care what anyone has to comment, been watching BIG12 football for 20 years. THIS OFFENSIVE SCHEME/BLOCKING and playcalling IS FRIGGIN IDENTICAL to what buried Texas A&M and got Sherman fired. Their Oline got blown up regularly since Sherman left the team with almost the same players, same exact Oline some 5th year seniors, are hammering people under the new offense. They are 8-2 and playing well, without Sherman. What we are seeing is not zone blocking folks, not at all and like I said, Mike Mayock is and always has been a ********. You are never going to have a running game by switching rbs OF WHICH Reggie Bush is not your inbetween the tackles every down back. The few plays Thomas was in he did pretty decent but Sherman has not changed. Thomas does not do well one play he is either yanked or they try 3 crap passes in a row ( with no receivers ) Tell ya, Not saying this kid Tannehill is the answer or not to blame but am saying this offense is crap. Wait till we play the Seahawks. Pete Carrol still has huge connections in D1 Football. They do not have to watch our game tape, they can watch ours or Texas A&M piss poor offense prior to this year, its all the same. This team needs an OC that is not stuck in the stone age and has a little life in him. Sherman should have been shelved when he was fired last year and the only reason he is even in the NFL is because of his prior relationship with Philbin.
I don't think that would stop them from acquiring Long. He was OK his rookie season, horrible last season and injured this season. They could still look to acquire Long, move Saffold to the right and have a line for Bradford.
Lol So he made a great play, not a mistake. And Sean Smith worth 5M a year?! Sometimes I wonder if we all watch the same games.
