Why don't we just trade for a linebacker?

The LBs probably willl be a below average unit.

That said, it simply isn't realistic to have a team that doesn't have underperforming units. Trading future picks to fill current holes is a battleship football - a bad strategy IMO.

"Stringer Bell wrote:

The LBs probably willl be a below average unit.

That said, it simply isn't realistic to have a team that doesn't have underperforming units. Trading future picks to fill current holes is a battleship football - a bad strategy IMO.

Seahawks won a superbowl with a below average offensive line and below average wide receivers.

"Dol-Fan Dupree wrote:

Seahawks won a superbowl with a below average offensive line and below average wide receivers.

Every team in the NFL has units which are below average compared to other teams in the NFL. That is the nature of the salary cap which requires each team to select where they want to allocate their financial resources in an effort to be the best team they can be.

The Dolphins have a history over the past decade of wasting a lot of these resources on players who just weren't very good or in some cases, bad.

The Seahawks OL was not effective in pass blocking, but they were quite effective in the run blocking game. They also have a QB who is able to make plays when the pocket breaks down and one of the best running backs in the NFL.

The Seahawks also built one of the best defenses in the NFL and that is where they have decided to allocate the majority of their financial resources. Since they are the defending Super Bowl Champions, I would say that they did an excellent job of using their resources to the maximum, even if some of their offensive units are below average.

It is all about having a great GM and top head coach, who know how to build a winning organization. Unfortunately that is not something the Dolphins have not had for many years and it is also why the Dolphins are no longer looked at as a first class football organization around the nation or in the media.

Not too long ago it was oh no we suck at GM, HC, OC, QB, pass rusher, OT, WR, CB, FS, blah blah blah. I take it as a sign of progress that the habitual whiners are reduced to crying about LB play.

6th round pick for Patrick Willis. Who says no?

"Section126 wrote:

6th round pick for Patrick Willis. Who says no?

Willis and Bowman for a 4th and a conditional 6th, depending on how soon Bowman can suit up.

"GMJohnson wrote:

Not too long ago it was oh no we suck at GM, HC, OC, QB, pass rusher, OT, WR, CB, FS, blah blah blah. I take it as a sign of progress that the habitual whiners are reduced to crying about LB play.

Well unfortunately we can't trade for a coach...at least not while we still employ one. Then again I wouldn't put it past Ross to start negotiating with SF on a deal for Harbaugh while Philbin is still here, we all know he's done that before.

"Dol-Fan Dupree wrote:

Seahawks won a superbowl with a below average offensive line and below average wide receivers.

Our team wasn't good enough to overcome its deficiencies like Seattle was, because the rest of their team was so strong everywhere else, from coaching to special teams to the running game, fueled by a running back they traded for a couple years back I might add.

I'm not arguing we should give up a high pick, just a late one, like we should have done with Eugene Monroe.

"LBsFinest wrote:

Our team wasn't good enough to overcome its deficiencies like Seattle was, because the rest of their team was so strong everywhere else, from coaching to special teams to the running game, fueled by a running back they traded for a couple years back I might add.

I'm not arguing we should give up a high pick, just a late one, like we should have done with Eugene Monroe.

It would have been nice if they set themselves up to be able to take Brandin Cooks.

Still, I do think Lazor's offense will help cover some of Miami's deficiencies. If it doesn't at least it will not be boring to watch fail.

"ckparrothead wrote:

As for 2015 free agency, that's a tough one.

Sean Weatherspoon is a free agent but the Falcons really like him and will probably try and keep him. With the injuries he's faced in his career you could also argue he's damaged goods.

I certainly can't imagine the Titans allowing Akeem Ayers to walk.

The Jets will probably be committed to keeping David Harris.

The best and most realistic options are in all likelihood guys like K.J. Wright or Jacquian Williams. Possibly Bruce Carter or Akeem Jordan.

Seattle LB coach Ken Norton raves about KJ Wright, and with the team's recent injury history at LB I'm not sure they'd be willing to let their stud starter go, at least not until they know one of the youngsters are far enough along behind him.

To me, Vincent Rey would make the most sense since he's a Cincy guy and b/c the Bengals are higher on Emmanuel Lemur than Rey and wouldn't mind moving Burfict to ILB from what I recall. Plus they also have Sean Porter.

"phinsational wrote:

Seattle LB coach Ken Norton raves about KJ Wright, and with the team's recent injury history at LB I'm not sure they'd be willing to let their stud starter go, at least not until they know one of the youngsters are far enough along behind him.

To me, Vincent Rey would make the most sense since he's a Cincy guy and b/c the Bengals are higher on Emmanuel Lemur than Rey and wouldn't mind moving Burfict to ILB from what I recall. Plus they also have Sean Porter.

I'm not buying the Vincent Rey stuff. I'm not buying that they're going to let him go. And if they do let him go then you have to wonder why because Emmanuel Lamur is a UDFA nobody. Also Rey Maualuga is a free agent so they could cheapen their books by letting him walk and sticking with Vincent Rey. I just don't see him walking.

It's true that Seattle likes K.J. Wright and well they should.

The problem is they have big contracts on guys all over the team and that's without counting Russell Wilson who will likely get a HUGE contract next off season. They already showed this off season that they will allow well performing mid-level contract players escape because they're trying to make room for the big contracts they have for guys like Richard Sherman, Russell Okung, Michael Bennett, Percy Harvin, Cliff Avril, Marshawn Lynch, Earl Thomas, Brandon Mebane, Max Unger and Kam Chancellor. They let Brandon Browner walk, easily could have paid him the same as NE gave him. They let Walter Thurmond walk for a song. They let Clinton McDonald walk for cheap. They let Golden Tate walk even though his $7 million per year deal would have been well worth it.

They profile like a team that would let a K.J. Wright walk away especially as they've got to give mega money to Russell Wilson. I think Bobby Wagner is more a priority to them than K.J. Wright. They've also got Bruce Irvin, Malcolm Smith (Super Bowl MVP) and Kevin Pierre-Louis kicking around that linebackers unit.

The offensive line was below average.

I'd disagree with calling the receivers below-average. They were average. Golden Tate was one of the most efficient wide receivers in football. Doug Baldwin was a very typical slot wide receiver possession guy. Jermaine Kearse was a young player but he was a well performing young player. Many teams have young players out there that aren't actually playing well.

I'd say that's average, not below average.

"Aqua4Ever04 wrote:

I think they were below average until that Super Bowl and then you saw their receivers play like they are capable with Percy Harvin in uniform. Doug Baldwin is a gamer and often overlooked. Jermaine Kearse has been making big plays since his time at U-Dub. And then Golden Tate was sensational last year.

Their offensive line looks even worse going into this year but I think their WRs are going to break out in a big way.

Golden Tate wasn't sensational. He was decent.

All the receivers had a hard time getting open. A fact that was constantly made on talk radio.

harvin doesn't count last year. He played in the Superbowl and Seahawks would have killed the Broncos without him.

Our Linebacker core is scary bad, Ireland ****ed us with Wheeler and Ellerbe, maybe the worst moves he made in his tenure here and that is saying something. I do think we have to explore all the options but realistically no one is going to just give up good LB talent at a cheap price, we are just going to have to try and hide those two and hope that maybe some young players can take snaps from them when they are ready.

This Ellerbe and Wheeler stuff is pretty funny. They haven't played a game in 8 months and yet they continue to get worse and worse by the hour.

"finfansince72 wrote:

Our Linebacker core is scary bad, Ireland ****ed us with Wheeler and Ellerbe, maybe the worst moves he made in his tenure here and that is saying something. I do think we have to explore all the options but realistically no one is going to just give up good LB talent at a cheap price, we are just going to have to try and hide those two and hope that maybe some young players can take snaps from them when they are ready.

You never know, Eagles got DeMeco Ryans from Houston for a 4th not too long ago, he had made a couple pro bowls up to that point.

"GMJohnson wrote:

This Ellerbe and Wheeler stuff is pretty funny. They haven't played a game in 8 months and yet they continue to get worse and worse by the hour.

Still defending your boo Ireland's signings, how cute!

"GMJohnson wrote:

Not too long ago it was oh no we suck at GM, HC, OC, QB, pass rusher, OT, WR, CB, FS, blah blah blah. I take it as a sign of progress that the habitual whiners are reduced to crying about LB play.

Perhaps you have missed the play of the Dolphins over the past decade. That must be why when you complain about the whiners who you feel have been too negative about the coaches, GM, and many of the players over that time period, you obviously didn't see how mediocre or worse most of these individuals have been over the decade.

It's great that you seem to always want to spin something positive from the past decade, but most of us who actually watched this team over that period of time, realize that this team suffered though some of the worst head coaches, GM's, and players this organization has had in it's entire history.

If it makes you happy referring to us as whiners, so be it. I just feel that we have been more about expressing the truth in regards to how inept this organization has been over the last ten years, while you have continued to tell us all that things really weren't that bad. Unfortunately you were wrong and things were that bad.

We all hope that going forward, things will get better. But until this head coach shows he can put a winning team on the field for an entire season, there have to continued doubts about his ability as an NFL head coach.

"GMJohnson wrote:

This Ellerbe and Wheeler stuff is pretty funny. They haven't played a game in 8 months and yet they continue to get worse and worse by the hour.

Since they were terrible last year, I doubt if they can get much worse. If they do, I suspect they will be unemployed as soon as this season is over.

"GMJohnson wrote:

This Ellerbe and Wheeler stuff is pretty funny. They haven't played a game in 8 months and yet they continue to get worse and worse by the hour.

The Dolphins played a game last Friday night. Ellerbe and Wheeler struggled during the game. Don't know you if you managed to catch it. It's on Preseason Live if you have a subscription...

"jw3102 wrote:

Perhaps you have missed the play of the Dolphins over the past decade. That must be why when you complain about the whiners who you feel have been too negative about the coaches, GM, and
many of the players over that time period, you obviously didn't see how mediocre to bad most of these individuals have been over the decade.

It's great that you seem to always want to spin something positive from the past decade, but most of us who actually watched this team over that period of time, realize that this team suffered though some of the worst head coaches, GM's, and players this organization has had in it's entire history.

If it makes you happy referring to us as whiners, so be it. I just feel that we have been more about expressing the truth about how inept this organization has been over the last ten years, while you
have continued to tell us all that things really weren't that bad. Unfortunately you were wrong and things were that bad.

We all hope that going forward, things will get better. But until this head coach shows he can put a winning team on the field for an entire season, there have to continue to be doubts about his ability as an NFL head coach.

There's nothing about your POV that's not well understood, it's just that not everyone wants to have a year round pity party. Blaming/criticizing the current players/staff for what happened 10 years ago is silly, it's 2014 and every team is 0-0, your record from the past doesn't count. Which kinda sucks b/c if the past counted Miami would start the season with the #1 seed in the AFC, #4 overall, and #2 overall if you throw out all the Packers/Bears wins from the 40's and 50's and only count games from the modern era.

There's nothing wrong with doubts, even the best teams have weaknesses. Though if you look league wide, and you certainly should before you classify our LB group, I think you'd find our group is a middle of the pack type group. Overall, our defense, on paper, is one of the top 10 units in the league. So when people are constantly zeroed in on whatever the (perceived/real) weakness of the team then, in this case LBs, yeah I call that whining.

If the QB position was weak you'd be talking about that all day. Hell when Henne was under center every other thread was about QB. Now we have Tannehill in there and you cant find a thread of more than few pages b/c there's not much to ***** about with him. Instead we're talking about Ellerbe and Wheeler LOL. I'm willing to bet most of the people complaining about them are ball watchers who don't even pay attention to LB play. But one guy says they suck, then 2, then 4, and pretty soon half the forum is in on it. It's unfortunate.

"ckparrothead wrote:

The Dolphins played a game last Friday night. Ellerbe and Wheeler struggled during the game. Don't know you if you managed to catch it. It's on Preseason Live if you have a subscription...

The "game"? LOL WTF were you watching dude, they played one series, so save the sarcasm.

Oh, and...

I watch the games, not just the Dolphins, every game I can find the time to watch. I know you watch the games too, but a lot of people don't, they just wander around repeating what they heard from other folks, on ESPN, talk radio, etc.

They played one series, about 15 or 16 snaps, and they struggled. You said they keep getting worse without having actually played a game. They did play a game. I don't know if they looked worse. They certainly didn't look better.

"ckparrothead wrote:

They played one series, about 15 or 16 snaps, and they struggled. You said they keep getting worse without having actually played a game. They did play a game. I don't know if they looked worse. They certainly didn't look better.

They played one series. I don't care if they struggled or they had 10TFLs 4 sacks and 2 INTs in those 16 snaps, it's still a PS, aka glorified scrimmage, aka practice w game uniforms on. I don't care that Tannehill had a near perfect one series, or that Hartline and Wallace didn't suit up, either. It doesn't count. I thought most people understood that but I guess I was wrong.