Its worth pointing out that this is not the first time he has said he would like to come to Miami. I dont remember all the details but one of our posters was at a function with him 2 years or so ago and he talked about not liking the gap responsibilities he is forced to play in the Pats D. This was back when Saban was our coach and he liked Sabans D better, said he would like to play here. Given that I am not an expert on NT alignments I dont know if the gap responsibilities we give now are the same as NE or not but it sounds like he would still like to come back home to Florida, something I think he said the other time too. As to whether they will let him walk..... I dont know. They dont have a lot of vets left on that team but with their multiple second round picks maybe they feel they could let him walk and still improve that defensive line overall. Something they need to do if they want to not get bounced in the first round again next year. And the article could indeed be right about him simply using us for leverage.
He's almost certainly being franchised, for one. Secondly, if he hit the open market, I'd not want them to play what he would cost for a guy who cannot contribute at all in passing situations.
Randy Starks, Vince Wilfork, Kendall Langford. That would be one HELL of a starting defensive line with solid depth in Phillip Merling and Paul Soliai.
I wonder how much cap money we are going to have to play with? Ronnie is a obviously a guy that we may or may not pay but who else needs a new contract? KFFL has Pennington Ronnie Bess Fasano JT And a couple others like Will Allen and Ricky Williams who have already been given new deals. Pennington is gone I would think unless he is willing to sign as a cheap backup, Ronnie will get some cash from someone, Bess is certainly a guy we want to keep, Fasano hasnt played well enough to get a major contract, and JT isnt going to demand a tone of coin I wouldnt think. If there is no new CBA both Ronnie and Fasano would be restricted free agents instead of UFAs.
If Albert Haynesworth Demanded a 100 million dollar 7 year contract, Just imagine how much Wilfork will demand in an uncapped year.....
Right. Whether or not a new CBA gets done Wilfork is going to believe he's worth even more than Haynsworth. THe crazy thing is someone will most likely pay him... That is, if he doesn't sign a franchise tender.
Really dont agree with that at all. Wilfork is insane if he thinks he is worth more the Haynsworth. He might get a contract that is in the 10 mil a year range but no way is anyone going to give him one for 100 million over 7 years.
Why? The job of a NT is to take up at least 2 guys and free up your LB's to make plays. During his time in Tenn he faced a double team on pretty much every play and was still the most disruptive D linemen in the league. Lets keep in mind that the reason he got that massive contract it was because he was the best interior D line player in the league, and there wasnt even a close second. The only real knock on him is that he has injury issues.
I understand what you're trying to say but In a 3-4 defensive scheme, the nose tackle is the sole defensive tackle, lining up directly opposite the center in the "0-technique" position. While in a 4-3 there are two defensive tackles stuffing the middle and applying pressure.
Sure, but being able to take on 2 blockers and still provide penitration is what makes a good NT. If a guy can do that as a 4-3 tackle at the level Haynsworth did then I would feel pretty comfortable with his ability to do the same at the NT position. Any number of players who were very good 4-3 tackles have made the transition to NT, you just have to have the anchor to do it.
I thought I remember him saying that he hated Miami when he came out? I remember an article or something where a bunch of U players were stating that they resented the Dolphins franchise for some reason or another? Also, I haven't seen much of Wilfork this season. Is he still the force he was a few years back? What little I did see of him, he didn't stand out.
Right but in a 4-3 you generally have 2 defensive tackles taking on a center and two guards. Where as in a 3-4 the lone Nose tackle has to take on all three. Haynsworth has the size to play the position so I'm not saying he couldn't make the switch. What I am saying is there is a clear difference between a 4-3 Defensive Tackle and a 3-4 Nose tackle and until Haynesworth proves he can play the 3-4 Nose tackle at the level of a Vince Wilfork then one would have to give a decided Edge to Wilfork.
Actually NTs are not asked to take on the center and both guards, usually a center and one guard. If there was a NT out there who could hold ground against 3 guys on a consistent basis he would be the best NT in football history.
Your right most 4-3 DT's can't make the transition. Starks and Tony McDaniel were 4-3 DTs and quickly moved to DE in a 3-4. They simply don't have the size to hold up in the middle of a 3-4. NOTE: Not to contradict myself but both Starks and McDaniel were forced to fill in at NT when Furg went down. I expect depth to be added at that position so that isn't the case in the future.
Our own Jason Ferguson started as a 4-3 tackle, Jenkins was a 4-3 DT before anchoring the Jets D as a NT. Ted Washington played both NT and 4-3 DT over the course of his career. Its also worth pointing out that most guys who end up at NT originally played 4-3 DT anyway as so few college programs run a 3-4 D... Though more do now then in the past. Hell, Keith Traylor started in the NFL as a LB before he ate his way into NT status. Hard to believe but true. My point being that NT isnt some magical position that you have to be born into and play all your career, its a position that any number of 4-3 DT have transitioned into. And who knows, Heynsworth may get the chance in Washington if they switch to a 3-4 with their new coach. Though again, his injury history might be a concern.... Though its a concern regardless of what position he plays. NT seems to be a position you can play at for a long time though, Ferg is old for NFL standards and Traylor played until he was what? 38 or something?
Starks actually did a decent job year before last at NT in that game where we found ourselves without Solia and Ferg.
Here is a quote from a really good article on the 3-4 Nose tackle position. Here is a link tot he whole story its worth the read!
There's not really this kind of difference in the modern game anymore. It used to be pretty much a 3-4 defense was synonymous with the DL playing 2-gap assignments. The NT and the DEs would line up directly over the Center and Tackles respectively, read where the run was going, and tried to fill the closer gap in their responsibility. Consequently, the linebackers had to be bigger because the Guard was completely uncovered and could slide out onto the ILBs if they were so inclined. This was Parcells trademark defense for the longest time, and Bill Belichick and Eric Mangini are basically the guys who run it nowadays, with Dom Capers doing a little bit. Believe it or not, Pasqualoni from a defensive standpoint runs closer to Wade Phillips than traditional Parcells. Pretty much everyone runs a 1-gap 3-4 nowadays, where the NT is lined up as a 1-technique, the weakside DE as a 3-technique, and the strongside DE in kind of a variable position. The NT and Weakside DE positions are essentially the same alignment and responsibility as the two 4-3 DT positions. Haynesworth has played his career as a 3-technique, but he's spent alot of time as a 1-technique too. There wouldn't be much of a transition at all for him to most 3-4 defenses.
Naw he actually got creamed in that game if I remember correctly. There is a reason we quickly moved him to the DE position.
As already stated by me I'm not saying Hayensworth couldn't make the transition. What I'm saying is until he proves that he can make the transition and play it as well as Wilfork who has been the cream of the crop for 3-4 NT's that Wilfork > Haynesworth and thus will demand more money. Especially if the year is uncapped.
Thats what people thought after the game.... But CK actually went back and broke down the film and found that he played very well. I have found too that when you watch a game in real time you think a certain player did badly but when you get the emotion of the game out of the way and watch the tape again your opinion changes. That being said I am not saying Starks would be a really good NT and a guy I want to start there. He could probably play the position, and would play it for us if our other guys there went down but he is far too effective as a DE for me to want him to switch positions. Dude should have went to the pro bowl.
I was hoping someone who was a little more of an expert on alignments then me would chime in, thanks.
No one will pay Wilfork that kind of money. If he goes without the tag I could see Miami offering 8m a year or so for him. Wilfork would be even better as a 3-4 one-gap NT rather than a 3-4 two-gap player. I hate the fact that he made that dirty hit on Losman years ago that pissed me off.
No it does not but it fits Wilfork exceptionally well. If you sign Wilfork chances are you force New England to draft a replacement which they've been very poor at in recent years. Their drafts have fallen off since 2005-2006 or so. It might be worth the cost just to be able to put a 325LB hole straight in the middle of that New England. As for our defense, we'd have an indefinite upgrade in the middle of the line. Add a Karlos Dansby (I know it's big time money but Ross has the wallet) in the middle of the defense and we're a terrific run-stopping unit that's merely a draft away from fielding a top defense.
I have a feeling that this years FA is going to be a ton of fun! So much speculation! Uncapped year! Lots of Jrs. declaring for the draft! There are just so many variables into what every team will do. I cant wait! Throw in our staff coaching the SR bowl to get a jump on evaluating talent! I need more exclamation points!!!!!!!!
