The debate on Henne seems to be more towards the negative than the positive these days, which is fair. The bottom line though is this FO is saddled to him for the year. So if he's going to ever have a career as more than a backup in the NFL, this is probably his last stop. Cause I doubt anyone is going to take a chance on him again if he doesn't play some of the best football of his career this year.

As far as adding more weapons, the only thing they've really done is get him (theoretically) an upgrade at running back, although that's probably debatable for just about everyone here. The line changes should definitely help him some. But the bottom line is Chad Henne needs to step up his game, one way or the other. The other things will help, but a lot of our problems last year (namely the ints) rested squarely on his shoulders. No amount of receivers, running backs, or linemen are going to fix that problem. He needs to make better decisions with the football, and stop telegraphing his throws to the defense.

I think any changes they make are moot though if we play musical chairs with the linemen again.

 

I wouldn't say that... Look at a certain someone in the DC area. Who would've seen Beck progressing?

I'm sure he'll have some boneheaded plays, as anyone else, but I'm still pulling for him!

 

..and that is not a good thing, Sparano has staked his flag on Chad Henne improving, which atm looks like it could cost Sparano his job, to me that is misplaced loyalty to a player as it rarely pans out.

 

I'm not totally satisfied by any means. I still think we need another capable running back because I don't feel at all comfortable with an unproven rookie and Reggie Bush in that role. I also think, to improve our offense, we truly need another receiver. It may not be popular, but with B. Edwards out there, it would be a nice signing for us. Imagine: Marshall, Bess (in the slot), and Edwards. Then add Hartline in the four receiver set. That's pretty formidable if not scary. I feel that, other than safety, we're pretty solidified on the defensive side of the ball. There is also opportunity to upgrade, but that certainly was not our weakness last year other than being terrible with TO opportunities. I don't think we've improved by leaps and bounds offensively. Granted, with more TOs generated, our offense will improve with scoring just by way of giving them more scoring opportunities. I don't understand the Columbo signing at all. What is it with us and bringing in garbage O-linemen? Granted, I understand the need in having a solid line, but other than depth, the drafting of Pouncey was huge. We have to have guys who can be difference makers. Guys who can make the defense respect both the run and the pass equally. I'm not confident that we have done that. Another big time WR and a proven RB would give me a lot more confidence. And, based on last year, our STs have nowhere to go but up (I hope). We should focus on restructuring some contracts and bringing in some big play guys. Hell, the Jets were in worse cap shape than us, and they were able to maneuver enough to re-sign and sign some important pieces. Albeit, nothing fancy with the exception of Holmes. We should be able to do the same. I get it though - Ireland likes to be patient. But there comes a time when you have to dig in and be determined to make your team better than it was before. Not keep it pretty much the same and hope all the variables in games fall into place for you. You have to be confident entering games that your team matches up well, or over matches your opponent. And you have to be able to take those pieces you have and exploit the other team. Right now, I feel that we have yet to acquire those pieces.

 

Imo a rookie QB is atleast one sure-handed veteran WR. A couple would be even better. Aikman had Irvin, Farve had Sterling Sharpe, Montana had Dwight Clark. I realize most people think a QB best friend is dependable RB, I disagree unless your gameplan is based on the wishbone.

I do wish Ireland would go out and get a big bodied WR help further Henne development.

Blah, blah Brandon Marshall, not discounting him, but hes got his own battles to fight.

 

Yes.

Where we are at now, imo, is we had better hope the Oline gels and Thomas and Bush and Hilliard are stud running backs circa RW/RB/Cobbs in the first part of 09, with Sheets and Grigsby in the mix, to me that is our clearest path and one of the reasons that we are kicking the tires on Vet Olinemen...Sparano knows the running game simply must work or we are dead.

 

That's fine with me...Where's the TE we need ?? Where is the speed in the WR group ?? Who is going to be the RB group ?? Bush, Thomas and ??? What machinations will they be going thru on the OL...we've added O'Hara and Columbo both once good players, but are they good enough ?? Who will be the starting 5 and how many lineup changes are they going to make before they settle on one group ?? Who are the return guys going to be ?? We certainly haven't had any in the last 5 yrs....

I'd love to see Henne get the real opportunity that he deserves here and if they are going to give him some better weapons....Where are they ??

 

TBH, the guy I'd like to see return to Miami is not JT (though he will do just fine) it is Greg Camarillo, that was Henne's safety blanket.

 

I think when Sparano refers to Henne as the starter "right now", it indicates how he feels about the position. I'm not sure why he wouldn't want to bring in legitimate competition.

 

Heck, being the conspiracy theorist that I am, is this Ross' way of giving Ireland and Sparano just enough rope to hang themselves ?? Is Cowher on his radar ??

 

-Fasano is fine
-Hartline and Gates are speedy
-DTrain, Bush, Hilliard, Sheets
-Oline is being sorted out, better to do it now then to wait until there is 1 week left in camp
-Return guys look like Bess and Bush and Carroll or Gates

Covered extensively this offseason.

 

Could be Matt Moore, but why go through that when Henne has such a headstart? They could have signed Moore Day #1 of Free Agency.

Meaning to me, Henne was always going to be the guy.

 

If Henne is the rope, why exactly are they being hung???

 

Don't kid yourself GMJ, John Beck is not going to start in DC, it will be Grossman, Clemens will be the #2 and Beck will have -2 handicap./

 

Well, most of it ties into Denver.

 

If they had identified Moore as the guy to replace Henne, why wait to sign him?

 

Because they never identified him to do that. This is clear from their negotiations with Denver. There is no "the guy". There are guys. Moore is a guy, Orton is a guy.

When it became clear that the Orton trade wasn't going to happen last week, they needed Moore either as competition for Henne or to complete a trade with Denver.

 

Then who was going to replace Henne? I'd find it nearly an impossible stretch to believe they wanted to replace Henne, but then passed on every viable option for a week, then signed Moore to do so.

INOW, Henne was going nowhere from the moment FA began, foolish on sparano's part imho, now we must hope the Oline and running game is potent.

 

Kyle Orton. Atleast thats who they were/are trying to acquire.

I'm also not sure how much Sparano figures into the decision making in regards to this. When you're acquiring any starting-caliber QB, its going to require a significant outlay, one that the GM is usually going to want to control.

 

Exactly. Well said.

 

Don't agree.

TE: Fasano is not inspiring. In fact he dissapears more than not. He's never shown himself to be a consistent go to guy and one was out there in Miller. We apparently could have cared less which to me is criminal. Unless Fasano has just been massively underused in our offense since he's been here we are failing miserably to upgrade this position as we have for years now.

WR: Gates is a rookie so his speed simply is not something we can rely on. WR is a spot that develops slow.
Hartline has shown some ability but he also has dissapeared. He could develop but you can't say we've done anything to "upgrade" this spot. Just hoping Hartline is going to improve. I'm not a fan of Edwards personally and he has issues but he has been progressing his talents and he is without a doubt an upgrade to Hartline. He also has played with Henne before. Would be a smart signing which means we probably aren't even interested.

RB: You've got to be kidding me here.
DTrain is an unknown commodity.
Bush is a scat back and an injury list regular.
Hilliard, Sheets....... Come on....
As it stands now we have WEAKENED this position.

If were going with Henne he should be given some upgraded weapons to deal with.
A vet RB signing is a MUST.
Either an upgrade at the #2 WR position or at the TE position is a must as well. Pick one of the 2 and I'd be satisfied were actually trying.

 

That's not completely out of the question by any means. BUT, Cowher, at the moment still seems to be content in the studio. Also, As successful as Cowher was as far as competitive teams, Tomlin has, in far fewer years achieved more with what might be less talent than Cowher had. That's the worrisome thing for me. Sparano is not a terrible coach. Not great by any means. And where Ireland once had me feeling confident in his abilities, I'm now starting to have some doubts. Which leads me to ask: Where do we go if this regime does not work out?

 

Oh, sorry, we could of course sign the entire roster of the all pro team, that however, does not seem feasible at this time.

Unknowns come with the territory in the NFL, there is no priority to consider them either good, nor bad, players especially prior to playing the first preseason game...there is that...insert expletive...

 

Come on man that answer is a cop out of epic proportions.
"Sign the entire All Pro team". Weak sauce.
You look to upgrade your team at key positions.
If were a team depending on a young QB progressing you need to give him some solid weapons.
You can't go into a year with question marks at TE, 2nd WR and RB.
That's absurd planning.

Can't believe you even typed that degrading response.

 

Man, hope isn't gonna get it done. I can already tell you (and you already KNOW THIS) this running back corp has nothing on the 2009 RW, RB tandem in 2009. Way too many questions. Way too many injuries (Bush), way to many questions to be answered heading into the season with an uncertain group. Penning our hopes on these guys is scary. I certainly hope there are talks going on with Ricky or Ronnie or someone. (My preference is RW. He is better -contrary to popular belief. And he is the kind of person who can lend a lot of vet leadership to the rook.

 

And perhaps they did, we cannot say either way until they at least play preseason games, this is what drives me batty, I'm fine with the unhappiness about 2010, what I do not care for is the assumption that young players are, of course, going to suck.

Gates can easily be Desean Jackson for all we know, Thomas can easily play like Larry Johnson, whom he has been compared to, why assume the negative?

 

Plenty of teams go into the season with much worse. I'm not sure how TE is a question mark either. Fasano is very good.

 

We've been over Fasano.
Nothing left to argue about.
Your valuation is much different then mine.

Plenty of teams are happy going into a season with this many question marks.... just not the good ones.

If you're happy with the priorities this team is showing that's your perogative.
I'm not and I think I've laid out my reasoning pretty damn well.
Agree or disagree I don't really care.

 

hmm, let me see if I can understand this logic GMJ:

A)you cannot trade draft picks, good teams are built through the draft
B)you cannot count on those picked to do anything after they are drafted as they are unknowns

What is the point again, of draft picks?

 

That would still leave us without a Pro Bowl #2 TE. Thats no way to develop a young QB.

 

This, exactly.

If the Dolphins improve in 2011, its going to be because the young talent we have has taken a step forward, not because of anyone we've signed.

 

FA's are fillins, it is rare that a truly Elite player hits the open market as they would in MLB, and when one does, typically they still sign with their original team, ie, D Williams and A Bradshaw, and yet, to trade draft picks for such a player is a bad move?

:dunno:

To me it just shows how the Draft has become a sort of mini NFL season all of it's own, were guys are all pros and 10 yr starters strictly on paper.

 

Sheesh. So if he struggles again, that means that tried and true excuses will still be made for the guy.

1. Was asked to lead the offense, when he's better suited to manage the game.
2. He didn't have enough playmakers around him.
3. He didn't have time to learn the offense.
4. We hired an OC that didn't set up the offense for Henne.
5. The Kyle Orton drama never allowed him to feel settled.
6. Brandon Marshall's change of attitude and brave opening up allowed him to become the leader on offense and took away Henne's ability to become a leader.
7. Re-shuffling of the offensive line.
8. He didn't have a real offseason.
9. It was only his 2nd FULL year of starting.

Any others? I just want to prepare myself in the event it happens.

BTW, this team has PLENTY of talent on the offensive side of the ball for Chad Henne to be successful. If the offense struggles again this season, he's gone. It's time to put up or shut up and enough with the reasons why he isn't successful.