Right now Jamil Douglas, Dallas Thomas and Billy Turner are competing for two starting Guard spots. Do you feel more comfortable betting in the two winners of that competition or would you rather pay Mathis a big salary to secure on of those Guard spots? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Has anyone clarified our cap situation for the next few years if we do sign Mathis? I've been all for signing him because I don't trust Thomas (especially him), but what happens to our cap?
I believe the Dolphins will let the competition play out with who we have in camp now. I would love to have Mathis for a couple of years but we cannot afford him at this time.
What concerns me is that even if two of those youngins step up, with Turner and Douglas winning the competition... our depth is still Dallas Thomas. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I prefer signing Mathis and having one of the younger guys (Turner, Douglas or Thomas) fill the last spot. I see the inside run as a key to our offense and would rather not trust 2/3 of that to young players (or Thomas at all if I'm being honest). Not to mention that we have a plethora of good to really good DTs in our division so signing on of the top Gs seems like a good idea.
I agree Dallas Thomas or Jamil Douglas as depth is worrisome. Not that I agree with it, but I feel like the front office and staff will at least see how guys like Jacques McClendon, Jeff Linkenbach, Donald Hawkins and the UDFAs like Walker, Savage, and Leidtke all acquit themselves in camp before they make a move. My hope is that Jamil Douglas emerges at left guard as Billy Turner seems to be the favorite on the right. That said, I think Dallas Thomas will begin the season at left guard and hopefully Douglas will supplant him at some point in 2015. I'd like to be able to make a move for Mathis, if possible. Perhaps there's some sort of package deal where Miami gives up Dion Jordan and...something <pick/player> for Mathis and potentially Matt Barkley (a Lazor favorite and a developmental QB to groom to replace Moore down the line). I just don't know if/when that might materialize.
In a sense it's like the team is taking a boom or bust approach to the OL. If all goes well and everyone remains healthy the OL of Albert, Douglas, Pouncey, Turner & James could do quite well, but if Albert gets injured again, Douglas isn't up to it, nor Turner, then we're up the NFL creek without a paddle. If the team can see it's way clear to not bolster the DL, how come it's (seemingly) happy with this OL?
You might wanna watch the games where Thomas played guard. Or check around the league to see how good the typical back up offensive guard is. No offense but the Dallas Thomas shtick is embarrassingly exaggerated.
The Dolphins must have the world's greatest offense if people are seriously concerned about who's gonna play LG. It was Daryn Colledge last year and Incognito before that. Instead of hyperventilating try thinking about how you're NOT concerned about QB, WR, OT, etc.
I am concerned about the QB, WR AND OT. OT - I'm concerned we have no depth and if Albert goes down we'll be in trouble - like last year. WR- I'm concerned that if the OL doesn't play well or at least hold up, T17 won't have the time to let long plays develop properly. QB - I'm concerned that the most sacked QB over the last two years will become the most sacked QB over the last three years, or worse, will be seriously injured.
If we can afford to give him a prove it 1 year deal like Grimes and Keller got in 2013, I'm all for it.
As someone on the outside, I would pay for Mathis. But I have a hunch that our coaches and front office thInk some people are going to step up this year
The reason they're not going to get him IMO is because they don't want to allocate resources to that position. I don't think they view it as important enough to spend money on. I think they're fine allocating toward center and tackle but not guard.
Well, they've positioned themselves to offer Mitchell in a trade that would be an even swap for Mathis.
If Mathis is cut by the Eagles. and a fair but team friendly offer by the Fins is the best he can get, I'm all for getting him. I am opposed to trading for him though, both due to his contract and giving up picks.
Hm. that's interesting. I'm not sure they wanna move Mitchell though. Unless Suh has voiced a preference for playing with his guy from Detroit beside him. Give a choice of A) Suh-Mosley with Phillips/Francis/Johnson as depth + Mathis-Pouncey-Turner with Douglas as depth OR B) Suh-Mitchell with Phillips/Francis/Johnson as depth + Thomas-Pouncey-Turner with Douglas as depth I think we win more games with A.
Hard to not like or want Mathis , as long as the price is acceptable. Both salary and acquisition wise. Still holding some hope he ends up here .
I'm on that train...this has been one awesome off-season IMHO...only thing that could blow it over the top would be Mathis.
What team is not going to have issues if their Pro Bowl LT is unavailable? The offense is designed around quick passes, 1, 3, 5 step drops. If the offense is balanced average pass pro will be good enough. Before Tannehill came into the league the most sacked QBs in the NFL were Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger. There's nothing wrong w/ talking about weaknesses and voicing concerns but there needs to be some context. The reasons to be optimistic about this year's offense far outweigh the reasons to be worried, IMHO.
That's a relief. We're talking offensive guard here folks. I wonder how many of the people who are concerned about OG can name 5 OG combos league wide.
Different question: Does Evan Mathis raise our chances of being a Superbowl contender? If so, by how much?
Offensive guard has about as much impact on the average game as a kicker or punter. Philly is trying to get rid of their All Pro OG, the Pats got rid of Logan Mankins in exchange for a mid round pick and a backup TE. James Carpenter was let go by... Lol google him and find out. Who played OG for Green Bay and Indy last year? Hint: Donald Thomas, yeah that Donald Thomas was starting for Indy before he went on IR in September. They still made the AFCCG.
Yeah, but those teams either have a history of putting together a good OL (e.g. NE) or they have a QB that is harder to take down (e.g. Luck, RW). We really haven't proven we can put together a good OL even with some 1st round talent, at least if you measure it by pressure up the middle. Maybe the problem is our coaches and not our players (which would preserve your argument), but until I see our coaches put together a good OL that can stop pressure up the middle, I think we need a talent injection there, which is why Mathis would be good (if it doesn't hurt our cap situation too much). How much of a difference would plugging the OG position make? I'd say on average 3+ points per game, which is about the same as what maybe a great kicker vs. average might do (going with your analogy). That's also enough to give us maybe one more win per season, possibly.
To me, this is a no brainer. IF you have the money, you sign Mathis, try to backload the contract to 2017. He immediately, dramatically upgrades our weakest position that also happens to be one of the most critical components to winning the division with the DLines we will face this year.
That's a good point about the coaches. They need to either develop some young guys to fill the positions or scheme around the issue if it becomes one. They can't go running to the GM for FA's and high draft picks every time something comes up. Buffalo has as good a set of DTs as you'll find in the NFL. D Thomas came in to replace Shelly Smith and held his own. He did it again the next two weeks vs KC and Oakland. He replaced Colledge vs Jax and helped stabilize the interior. Obviously he was out of his league at OT but that was against guys like Mario Williams-Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil. He wasn't at all terrible vs Ninkovich, Griffen or Coples. It helps me to go back and study the tape instead of trying to remember off the top of my head or looking at PFF numbers.
Me too, borderline negligent if they don't make a move...every preseason puff piece has a caveat about the Dolphins. It's the guards.
Quality OL play allows RT17 to operate at his best, which is huge. Its not like its baseball, where we're talking about a crap third baseman being replaced by an all star and how many wins that adds to a team.
Yes,Thomas has been at Indy for several years now..they are needed in the running game allot and it helps if good in pass pro also.
Yes,yes, if we can get him..bring him on..I don't really know what is taking so long..I think T-Baum is prolonging the inevitable imho.
I don't think anyone outside of the Dolphins organization has any faith in Dallas Thomas. I certainly don't trust him at any position on the line as a starter or back up. If you can make the money work for Mathis you do the deal. I don't see it happening though.