2018 Dolphins: Back to Gasics

Status
Not open for further replies.
pdaj

pdaj

Fantasy Maven
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
3,385
From Springfield to Providence
sodenj5 said:
Mike Gesicki and Miami turned in that card QUICK.
Click to expand...
sodenj5 said:
Miami took Jerome Baker in Round 3.
Click to expand...
When it comes to TE, I love the old-school guys who can both block and catch the football. For a bit, I thought Dion Sims could develop into that type of guy, but then CHI stole him away, and he went on to regress quite a bit, even in the blocking department. I was hoping there'd be a Cameron Brate type somewhere in this draft, but the truth of the matter is, the "traditional TE" is becoming harder and harder to find. So, that being the case ...

YES, I'll take the huge, absolute-freak-of-an-athlete-ball-hawk at TE, who goes by the name of Gesicki. Gase was looking for a player who could attack the middle of the field and dominate 1:1 match-ups in the RZ, and he got him. This dude's going to be fun to watch. I don't care about the blocking, but he will have to get a little stronger to prevent being neutralized by LB in close quarters. He could very well be the next Jimmy Graham.

I'm also a fan of the Baker addition. I started watching a bit of his "tape" 6-8 weeks ago, when he was mentioned as a potential Miami target. Not only is Baker very fast, but he's a strong dude capable of taking on big linemen/TE. If he can develop in the pass coverage area, he's exactly what Miami needs for their nickel packages.
 
dwainw

dwainw

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
2,405
Minneapolis, MN
Thanks, guys. You're helping me remember what a nice groove Tannehill had been in prior to the injury. It's still interesting how polarizing he still is among fans and media, Miami writers among them. I think maybe that's more a symptom of less-than-stellar (is that too generous?) roster management and underperformance of the "weapons" at Tanny's disposal (DeVante Parker, every TE ever signed by Miami ever, etc.), but of course you can't necessarily separate those issues, so it's arguably justifiable. Anyway, I want to be cautiously optimistic about the future of this offense under Tannehill, but cautious optimism about this team has gotten tedious.

I will say that it has been a relief to see them not finding the need to spend precious early picks on OL as they have so many times in the past. If they manage to avoid it in round 4, that will be the first time since 2009 they haven't picked in at least one offensive lineman within the first four rounds. It was fun to look that up. (Not so fun to see that was the year their 2nd pick was Pat White.)

So do they start off with a QB today?
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
pdaj said:
When it comes to TE, I love the old-school guys who can both block and catch the football. For a bit, I thought Dion Sims could develop into that type of guy, but then CHI stole him away, and he went on to regress quite a bit, even in the blocking department. I was hoping there'd be a Cameron Brate type somewhere in this draft, but the truth of the matter is, the "traditional TE" is becoming harder and harder to find. So, that being the case ...

YES, I'll take the huge, absolute-freak-of-an-athlete-ball-hawk at TE, who goes by the name of Gesicki. Gase was looking for a player who could attack the middle of the field and dominate 1:1 match-ups in the RZ, and he got him. This dude's going to be fun to watch. I don't care about the blocking, but he will have to get a little stronger to prevent being neutralized by LB in close quarters. He could very well be the next Jimmy Graham.

I'm also a fan of the Baker addition. I started watching a bit of his "tape" 6-8 weeks ago, when he was mentioned as a potential Miami target. Not only is Baker very fast, but he's a strong dude capable of taking on big linemen/TE. If he can develop in the pass coverage area, he's exactly what Miami needs for their nickel packages.
Click to expand...
I hate to put a grade on a draft, especially one that’s still ongoing, but on paper Miami is crushing it.

Durham Smythe is literally an Anthony Fasano Jr TE from Notre Dame they just added in the 4th. A true, in line, excellent blocking TE. A great compliment to Gesicki. Miami will probably run a lot more 2TE sets now in the red zone.

They also grabbed Kalen Ballage, who I love. He’s a big, physical, fast back that catches the ball extremely well. A great compliment and partner for Kenyan Drake.

The only thing I see left on the list is kicker and backup QB.
 
Marbleheader

Marbleheader

Moderator
Moderator
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2004
11,729
2018
sodenj5 said:
I hate to put a grade on a draft, especially one that’s still ongoing, but on paper Miami is crushing it.

Durham Smythe is literally an Anthony Fasano Jr TE from Notre Dame they just added in the 4th. A true, in line, excellent blocking TE. A great compliment to Gesicki. Miami will probably run a lot more 2TE sets now in the red zone.

They also grabbed Kalen Ballage, who I love. He’s a big, physical, fast back that catches the ball extremely well. A great compliment and partner for Kenyan Drake.

The only thing I see left on the list is kicker and backup QB.
Click to expand...
2017
sodenj5 said:
I would agree. I think Harris, Asiata, and Raekwon will see the field right away in some capacity. The other guys are largely depth at positions where depth was lacking.


As a whole, I think Miami had a good draft. I think we knew that this retooling wasn't going to be able to be done in a single offseason. Last year, Miami went heavy offense, this year, heavy defense. By this time next year, a lot of these guys should be contributing and Miami should have less glaring holes that need to be patched up.
Click to expand...
2016
sodenj5 said:
Let's recap the draft quickly:


Miami gets maybe the best player in the draft at 13, immediately upgrading their line wherever he plays and getting a LT of the future. Home run. Jack was likely the pick if Tunsil didn't fall into their lap.


They get a big, press coverage corner that they said was a guy they wanted and a guy they were targeting. CB was a giant hole they plugged. This is after they reportedly tried repeatedly to trade up for Jack, but didn't want to pay a ransom for a guy who's knee might only last 3-4 years. Love the pick of Howard, personally.


They get a complimentary back/return man that, again, they wanted. Drake fits well with Ajayi and brings a lot to the table.


They get a WR that, again, they really wanted. Could they have sat back and taken a LB or a DB that ends up being a quality backup? Sure. They got a guy they think is a second round talent and may contribute right away this year, possibly becoming a starter next year.


I'd say they should lean defense with remaining picks, but I like what they've done. In three years, if Tunsil is the starting LT, Howard is a starting CB, Drake is a successful partner in the backfield with Ajayi, and Caroo is a starter, this draft is a major home run.
Click to expand...
At least you are consistent. :)

Most Pats fans hate their drafts every year, just as consistently.
 
pdaj

pdaj

Fantasy Maven
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
3,385
From Springfield to Providence
Haha, overall, we're definitely a positive bunch over here, but Cleaver manages to balance out the group all on his own. Additionally, in fairness to Soden, the last couple of drafts have been quality, especially at the top. Dochaux and Taylor were really nice finds late in last year's draft.

2017:

DE Charles Harris
LB Raekwon McMillan
CB Cordrea Tankersley
G Isaac Asiata
DT Davon Dochaux
DT Vincent Taylor
WR Isaiah Ford

2016:

OT Laremy Tunsil
CB Xavien Howard
RB Kenyan Drake
WR Leonte Carroo
WR Jakeem Grant
CB/S Jordan Lucas

Kalen Ballage does seem to have the Drake, Tevin Coleman look to his game. Drake-Ballage could end up being a potent combo for Miami. Love this pick.
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
pdaj said:
Haha, overall, we're definitely a positive bunch over here, but Cleaver manages to balance out the group all on his own. Additionally, in fairness to Soden, the last couple of drafts have been quality, especially at the top. Dochaux and Taylor were really nice finds late in last year's draft.

2017:

DE Charles Harris
LB Raekwon McMillan
CB Cordrea Tankersley
G Isaac Asiata
DT Davon Dochaux
DT Vincent Taylor
WR Isaiah Ford

2016:

OT Laremy Tunsil
CB Xavien Howard
RB Kenyan Drake
WR Leonte Carroo
WR Jakeem Grant
CB/S Jordan Lucas

Kalen Ballage does seem to have the Drake, Tevin Coleman look to his game. Drake-Ballage could end up being a potent combo for Miami. Love this pick.
Click to expand...
I known I’m a bit of an optimist, but I don’t really see anyone in those posts that ended up being a bust with the exception being maybe saying Carroo could be a starter. And they drafted a kicker this year. The 2018 draft was on point in terms of filling needs with good players.

Outside of injury, I feel very good about Minkah and Gesicki being immediate impact players. I think Baker will see sub package duty right out if the gate, and Ballage will be an immediate special teams contributor/third down back.

Miami really has done well the last few years. Most of their missteps have been in free agency.
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
rymflaherty said:
First draft in team history where they didn’t draft a lineman.
Click to expand...
The line is pretty set for this year, and actually fairly deep. Ted Larsen, Issac Asiata, and Sam Young is better depth than they’ve had in a long time.

That being said, Sitton is clearly a temporary solution and Kilgore is a bit older, though he seems to be a player trending up. I would guess next year they take one or two guys to fortify the line.

They had such glaring holes in other spots, hard to plug all the holes at once. That is an interesting piece of Miami trivia though.
 
rymflaherty

rymflaherty

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 27, 2010
3,420
Norfolk
I don’t understand how people can say the Dolphins had the worst draft (Had Kipers lowest grade as well as failing grades from some lesser known analysts/sites)...is it all just because they didn’t go all in for a Quarterback?
If you’re not blown away, I would understand that, but I don’t see how you look at the positions addressed and the athletes brought in and not think it’s solid, or that the draft at least made sense. For once in what seems like forever there actually seemed to be a clear philosophy and plan behind what they were trying to accomplish. Heck, I’m pretty sure Omar Kelly even had nice things to say about most of the picks.
In a world where almost every pick is universally praised on air, I don’t understand how you’d look at this Dolphins draft and isolate it as the (one of)a worst.
Maybe Kiper is just worse than I already assumed he was...
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
rymflaherty said:
I don’t understand how people can say the Dolphins had the worst draft (Had Kipers lowest grade as well as failing grades from some lesser known analysts/sites)...is it all just because they didn’t go all in for a Quarterback?
If you’re not blown away, I would understand that, but I don’t see how you look at the positions addressed and the athletes brought in and not think it’s solid, or that the draft at least made sense. For once in what seems like forever there actually seemed to be a clear philosophy and plan behind what they were trying to accomplish. Heck, I’m pretty sure Omar Kelly even had nice things to say about most of the picks.
In a world where almost every pick is universally praised on air, I don’t understand how you’d look at this Dolphins draft and isolate it as the (one of)a worst.
Maybe Kiper is just worse than I already assumed he was...
Click to expand...
It doesn’t matter. Judging a draft right now is throwing a dart blindly. Truth is most teams are screwed if their starter goes down. We’ve seen it in back to back years in Miami. Drafting Luke Falk or Kyle Lauletta wouldn’t make them any less screwed, and as bad as it might sound, Osweiler is probably better this year than any QB drafted outside of the first round.

They’ve hitched their wagon to Tannehill for the next two years, for better or worse. There’s nothing to suggest he hasn’t made a complete recovery and is at any greater risk to miss any games than any other QB.

I think Miami did an outstanding job of filling their biggest holes and adding a ton of speed and athleticism on both sides of the ball that was sorely needed. We’ll see how it looks out on the field.

Kiper also killed the Saints last year for trading up to draft Kamara, banged the drum for Josh Allen as the best QB in this class, and said he would retire if Jimmy Clausen was a bust. That’s about all you need to know about Kiper.
 
DanoooME

DanoooME

above replacement level
SoSH Member
Mar 16, 2008
19,897
Henderson, NV
And Kiper gave the worst grade in 2012 for the Seahawks draft (Bruce Irvin, Bobby Wagner, Russell Wilson the first three picks)

It's a good sign when Kiper shits on your draft. Your team did well.
 
pdaj

pdaj

Fantasy Maven
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
3,385
From Springfield to Providence
I've been reading up on Cornell Armstrong, Miami's 6th round selection, since his name was called on Saturday, and I'm excited. This wasn't a throw-away pick. Armstrong's "tape" at Southern Miss looks similar to McCain's at Memphis. This dude's tough and fast; he doesn't shy away from contact. I think he's going to be in the mix at slot corner, likely backing up McCain this season. Keep your eye on this guy.

 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
pdaj said:
I've been reading up on Cornell Armstrong, Miami's 6th round selection, since his name was called on Saturday, and I'm excited. This wasn't a throw-away pick. Armstrong's "tape" at Southern Miss looks similar to McCain's at Memphis. This dude's tough and fast; he doesn't shy away from contact. I think he's going to be in the mix at slot corner, likely backing up McCain this season. Keep your eye on this guy.

Click to expand...
He does have shades of Bobby McCain in his game. What I love seeing in that clip is dudes throwing their hands up in frustration like this scrappy little guy has been all over them all game.

I personally would really like to see them keep McCain. Slot corner is becoming just as crucial as any other position in the secondary now and McCain has made himself into one of the best in the game.

He will be a free agent after this season. If they can keep him around for a reasonable amount, I would prefer that over having another young guy learning on the job again.
 
dwainw

dwainw

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
2,405
Minneapolis, MN
Among the 8 or 9 summaries I read, this is as widely varying of draft analyses of the Dolphins as I can remember. And yes, the negative reviews have everything to do with lack of faith in Tanny and or the perception of him as injury prone and the Dolphins leaving themselves without a viable Plan B.

I'm hoping this hiatus has given Tannehill time to significantly improve his football IQ and that it has intensified the fire in his belly. There is no shortage of people for him to try to prove wrong next season. And whether he paid any attention to the draft pundits or not, he's got to be drooling about the addition of Gesicki to go with that of Amendola, which should more than make up for the loss of Landry. I haven't heard any mention of that from the likes of Kiper or the others.
 
pdaj

pdaj

Fantasy Maven
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
3,385
From Springfield to Providence
Is the NFL season here yet?

Just stopping in to make this quick note:

Miami used the 7th round selection netted in the Landry trade to acquire Akeem Spence from the Lions. One has to be pleased with the low cost (draft pick & salary) expended for a capable contributor likely to upgrade the interior line rotation. He reportedly finished the season (final 6 games) strongly, and his former DL coach, Kris Kocurek, is now with Miami.
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
pdaj said:
Is the NFL season here yet?

Just stopping in to make this quick note:

Miami used the 7th round selection netted in the Landry trade to acquire Akeem Spence from the Lions. One has to be pleased with the low cost (draft pick & salary) expended for a capable contributor likely to upgrade the interior line rotation. He reportedly finished the season (final 6 games) strongly, and his former DL coach, Kris Kocurek, is now with Miami.
Click to expand...
The only area you can really point to that they didn’t improve this offseason is kicker and possibly DT.

No one player will replace Suh, but with a rotation of good players, Phillips, Godchaux, Spence, and Taylor, with the possibility of Hayes kicking inside in sub packages, Miami can get similar production from the group vs throwing a massive amount of the cap at one player.

They’ve taken a similar approach at WR. Miami basically ran the same 3 receivers out there for two years in nearly every scenario. This year they should have a bunch of different packages with more interchangeable players. It’s a Patriots-esque holistic approach instead of throwing a ton of money at Landry.
 
Lose Remerswaal

Lose Remerswaal

Experiencing Furry Panic
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2002
52,270
Dicker and Dicker of Beverly Hills
Two interesting stories about the Dolphins today.

1: Threatening to suspend players up to 4 games for players protesting the anthem on the field.
Teams have the right to punish players under the new rules the owners implemented, but Miami is the first team to suggest suspensions might be possible. I wonder if this might make players more or less likely to consider the Dolphins in Free Agency if they actually do this and are stronger enforcers than other teams

2: Danny Amendola compares Gase to Belichick.(guess which one he'd rather have a beer with)
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
Lose Remerswaal said:
Two interesting stories about the Dolphins today.

1: Threatening to suspend players up to 4 games for players protesting the anthem on the field.
Teams have the right to punish players under the new rules the owners implemented, but Miami is the first team to suggest suspensions might be possible. I wonder if this might make players more or less likely to consider the Dolphins in Free Agency if they actually do this and are stronger enforcers than other teams

2: Danny Amendola compares Gase to Belichick.(guess which one he'd rather have a beer with)
Click to expand...
The anthem thing is so tired I can’t believe it’s still a thing. The NFL owners passed a rule that all players must stand for the anthem if they’re on the field. Players can stay off the field should they choose to do so.

Miami had to submit to the NFL basically their answer to disciplining the players that violate the new rule. Miami said players violating the new rule could be fined or suspended up to four games.

It has since come out that the NFL and NFLPA are still negotiating the exact details of the new rule and that Miami is still internally discussing how exactly they’re going to handle anthem protest violators, this was just their blanket, maximum, worst-case policy because they are required to have something in place. As is every NFL team now.
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT

Sources with Dolphins and NFL say Miami merely submitted annual discipline schedule, as required by league at dates set in conjunction with camp. Dolphins are among first to report for camp. They have not finalized any objective discipline measures for protesting during Anthem.

I also think there’s a greater than 0% chance that this was leaked by the NFL to test the waters and the blowback was so quick and resoundingly negative they’ve since backtracked and said nothing is set in stone.
 
rymflaherty

rymflaherty

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 27, 2010
3,420
Norfolk
Of course it has to be the Dolphins that submitted first...always this team...always negative National stories...

With that said...I’m actually kind of excited for this season . It feels like for the first time in forever they actually had a plan. I’m not sure I agreed with all of it, but I’m interested to see how it works...also probably helps that my expectations are such that I’m also not going to get upset if it winds up a disaster.
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
Former head coach Tony Sparano passed away unexpectedly over the weekend at the age of 56.


While Tony has his flaws as a tactician, there was zero question that his players loved playing for him. The Wildcat game in New England is still probably a top 5 Dolphins game this decade.

Many former players took to Twitter to express their condolences for Sparano’s family.
 
pdaj

pdaj

Fantasy Maven
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
3,385
From Springfield to Providence
The Sparano news was definitely saddening. I was fine when Miami moved on from his as the team's HC, but he always seemed like a straightforward, grounded, and likeable dude. That '09 season was a ton of fun, and he deserves a immense credit for that. All his teams played hard for him, which is typically one of the signs of a "good guy". The response to his passing certainly looked to confirm that. Gone way, way too early, unfortunately. RIP, Coach!

In regards to training camp, I'm excited about this team. (Yes, I'm a 1/2-glass-full type, but I've also been beaten down by years of mediocrity and ineptitude. I only have one aqua-colored lens in my summer shades, and the lens is broken.)

The positives:

  • Health. Really, that's #1. So far, so good. No major injuries to report.
  • Of course, Tannehill's health is a priority, but he's also reportedly moving well, looking good, and in full command of the offense. This is, without a doubt, the decisive year for Tanny.
  • I love, love the potential of this year's secondary. After recent seasons with "stop-gaps" and backups such as Baccari Rambo, Alterraun Verner, Byron Maxwell (the '17 version), Nate Allen, and Michael Thomas, I'm ridiculously excited about the potential depth/talent of this year's secondary, especially considering that Reshad Jones was needed on the field for over 97% of defensive snaps in '17.
    At corner, there's Howard/Tankersley/McTyer/McCain/Lippett/Armstrong/Davis, and at safety, there's Jones/McDonald/Minkah/Maurice/Aikens. This staff is going to have some difficult decisions to make.
  • The defensive line looks deep; the rotation could be a force for opposing offenses.
  • I already have an Amendola man-crush the size of Florida. The dude just gets it; and, unsurprisingly, Tannehill's been peppering him for completions from the jump. If he can stay on the field ...
  • Remember the 1:1 nightmare Julius Thomas was supposed to be fore opposing defenses? Remember the dropped passes? Mike Gesicki might be the solution, in the RZ at the very least.
My concerns:

  • The LB group. I'll be looking at these guys all preseason long. Will they be good enough, especially on passing downs?
  • DeVante Parker. We're at the portion of the season where writers churn out positive, fluff pieces like they're breathing air, and yet, reports on Parker are "eh". Stills/Wilson/Amendola/Grant/Ford. Could Parker be a trade chip?
  • I like Frank Gore, but if Drake gets injured at all this year, the offense's ceiling will be lowered quite a bit. It'll be interesting to see how Ballage looks in PS games.
My proclamation:

Assuming Tannehill stays healthy, if #17 does not take the clear next step that I'm expecting from him this season, I will never talk about this guy being a really good, potential Top 10 QB in the league. For me, if it doesn't happen this year, it's just not happening.

My prediction:

A 9-7 season, with a decent chance at 10-6. Yes, I'm bullish on this year's team.

Disclaimer: I reserve the right to amend this prediction following any catastrophic injuries occurring during preseason.
 
Last edited:
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
pdaj said:
The Sparano news was definitely saddening. I was fine when Miami moved on from his as the team's HC, but he always seemed like a straightforward, grounded, and likeable dude. That '09 season was a ton of fun, and he deserves a immense credit for that. All his teams played hard for him, which is typically one of the signs of a "good guy". The response to his passing certainly looked to confirm that. Gone way, way too early, unfortunately. RIP, Coach!

In regards to training camp, I'm excited about this team. (Yes, I'm a 1/2-glass-full type, but I've also been beaten down by years of mediocrity and ineptitude. I only have one aqua-colored lens in my summer shades, and the lens is broken.)

The positives:

  • Health. Really, that's #1. So far, so good. No major injuries to report.
  • Of course, Tannehill's health is a priority, but he's also reportedly moving well, looking good, and in full command of the offense. This is, without a doubt, the decisive year for Tanny.
  • I love, love the potential of this year's secondary. After recent seasons with "stop-gaps" and backups such as Baccari Rambo, Alterraun Verner, Byron Maxwell (the '17 version), Nate Allen, and Michael Thomas, I'm ridiculously excited about the potential depth/talent of this year's secondary, especially considering that Reshad Jones was needed on the field for over 97% of defensive snaps in '17.
    At corner, there's Howard/Tankersley/McTyer/McCain/Lippett/Armstrong/Davis, and at safety, there's Jones/McDonald/Minkah/Maurice/Aikens. This staff is going to have some difficult decisions to make.
  • The defensive line looks deep; the rotation could be a force for opposing offenses.
  • I already have an Amendola man-crush the size of Florida. The dude just gets it; and, unsurprisingly, Tannehill's been peppering him for completions from the jump. If he can stay on the field ...
  • Remember the 1:1 nightmare Julius Thomas was supposed to be fore opposing defenses? Remember the dropped passes? Mike Gesicki might be the solution, in the RZ at the very least.
My concerns:

  • The LB group. I'll be looking at these guys all preseason long. Will they be good enough, especially on passing downs?
  • DeVante Parker. We're at the portion of the season where writers churn out positive, fluff pieces like they're breathing air, and yet, reports on Parker are "eh". Stills/Wilson/Amendola/Grant/Ford. Could Parker be a trade chip?
  • I like Frank Gore, but if Drake gets injured at all this year, the offense's ceiling will be lowered quite a bit. It'll be interesting to see how Ballage looks in PS games.
My proclamation:

Assuming Tannehill stays healthy, if #17 does not take the clear next step that I'm expecting from him this season, I will never talk about this guy being a really good, potential Top 10 QB in the league. For me, if it doesn't happen this year, it's just not happening.

My prediction:

A 9-7 season, with a decent chance at 10-6. Yes, I'm bullish on this year's team.

Disclaimer: I reserve the right to amend this prediction following any catastrophic injuries occurring during preseason.
Click to expand...
I’m along these lines. Health thus far is a major, major plus. And this secondary has immense potential. It could be the best unit in this team.

I was skeptical that Xavien Howard was going to carry over his performance from the end of last year. Reports so far on him have been he’s been absolutely blanketing Parker all camp and he looks better now than he did last year. I love the Minkah pick, but if Xavien Howard plays up to his ceiling, he might be the most important player on the defense.

Parker has been having a dull camp, in part due to Howard apparently having his way with him, but im nearly ready to cut bait on him. I would rather see Grant or Wilson get his reps than watch Parker be mediocre.

The other guy that made some early waves is Mike Gesicki. He’s been having his growing pains in terms of learning the routes and his blocking responsibilities, but the man looks absolutely unstoppable in the red zone.

This rep is with Minkah blanketed all over him.


Shoot this in my veins.
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
DeadlySplitter said:
not the best look.

Click to expand...
Eh is what it is. Wright was likely on the fringe of the roster anyways. Skirmishes happen in training camps. Drake is a fiery guy who set the NFL record for a helmet long-toss against Buffalo last year.

Taking an uncalled for cheap shot on the team’s starting RB when you’re on the fringe of the roster is a pretty boneheaded move. Dolphins dropping him like a bag of rocks is pretty much the best move they could have made.
 
dwainw

dwainw

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
2,405
Minneapolis, MN
My hope for a .500 or better season this year is gradually fading as this pre-season wears on. Things like the Wright incident, relatively minor as sodenj points out, but when added to stuff like a mediocre game v. TB, Davonte Parker's lack of progress, the unsettled revolving depth chart at cornerback, Tanny kicking a Kalen Ballage out of the huddle during a scrimmage (great leadership by Tanny or shitty development by a rookie?), ongoing pre-snap penalty issues, etc., I feel like I'm being injected with an unhealthy dose of realism laced with dangerous levels of pessimism.

When you throw in the relative quiet of my fellow Dolphins-loving brothers on this board, what's an anguished fan to do? (Admittedly, while immersing one's self in Red Sox awesome is no cure, but it's a helluva way to ease the pain.)
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
dwainw said:
My hope for a .500 or better season this year is gradually fading as this pre-season wears on. Things like the Wright incident, relatively minor as sodenj points out, but when added to stuff like a mediocre game v. TB, Davonte Parker's lack of progress, the unsettled revolving depth chart at cornerback, Tanny kicking a Kalen Ballage out of the huddle during a scrimmage (great leadership by Tanny or shitty development by a rookie?), ongoing pre-snap penalty issues, etc., I feel like I'm being injected with an unhealthy dose of realism laced with dangerous levels of pessimism.

When you throw in the relative quiet of my fellow Dolphins-loving brothers on this board, what's an anguished fan to do? (Admittedly, while immersing one's self in Red Sox awesome is no cure, but it's a helluva way to ease the pain.)
Click to expand...
The Ballage thing is more a Tannehill trying to hold people accountable thing than Ballage sucking. He actually looked excellent against TB, including a very noticeable blitz pickup on a Miami third down conversion. He also had a fumble while he hurdled a defender on a long run.

There will be ebbs and flows for all of the rookies, but this class has looked particularly impressive thus far. Minkah and Gesicki are going to be Day One starters. Jerome Baker might have had the most impressive showing of any player vs TB last week and he continues to get increased reps this week. He might not but a “starter” in base personnel in Week 1, but he will very likely see sub package duty. Ballage looks very talented, but has to clean some mental errors up, which is the same for basically every rookie.

Parker getting hurt may actually be a blessing in disguise. I would love to see Wilson and Grant get a large portion of his snaps until Parker can prove that he should be out there.

If anything, I’ve actually been really encouraged the last 2 weeks at the development of the rookies and how the team seems to be coming together.
 
rymflaherty

rymflaherty

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 27, 2010
3,420
Norfolk
It would be nice to see something from the offense the next couple weeks.
I’m not trying to be hyperbolic or cynical when I say that I honestly can’t remember the last time a Dolphins 1st team offense has thrown up TD’s and looks sharp in a pre-season.

Every year is the same. Sloppy play, penalties killing drives, settling for FG’s, etc.
a million excuses are made, were told the pre-season doesn’t matter, but then every year it bleeds into the actual season and the offense is mediocre at best.
I just want to see something to give me some hope. Give me a reason to think this team might be exciting to watch...please...
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
rymflaherty said:
It would be nice to see something from the offense the next couple weeks.
I’m not trying to be hyperbolic or cynical when I say that I honestly can’t remember the last time a Dolphins 1st team offense has thrown up TD’s and looks sharp in a pre-season.

Every year is the same. Sloppy play, penalties killing drives, settling for FG’s, etc.
a million excuses are made, were told the pre-season doesn’t matter, but then every year it bleeds into the actual season and the offense is mediocre at best.
I just want to see something to give me some hope. Give me a reason to think this team might be exciting to watch...please...
Click to expand...
The penalties are sloppy as hell. They absolutely need to be cleaned up.

I couldn’t care less about scoring. Gase basically said they’re holding stuff back in the preseason. Mike Gesicki has been a beast in practices in the red zone and has zero receptions so far. No need to show your hand for a few retweets in August.
 
rymflaherty

rymflaherty

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 27, 2010
3,420
Norfolk
I wouldn’t care about the scoring either, except for the fact that they never seem to magically turn it on once the games count.
I wasn’t even complaining about this last game, my post was from Thursday, just a random thought I had, then they came out and played that same shit game that I described again on Friday.

I do still like Gase, so maybe sadly (or insanely) if they get through the next two weeks healthy, I’ll still hold hope that things will be more dynamic when it matters...it’s just that I make that argument with myself every year and every year I wind up wrong.
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
rymflaherty said:
I wouldn’t care about the scoring either, except for the fact that they never seem to magically turn it on once the games count.
I wasn’t even complaining about this last game, my post was from Thursday, just a random thought I had, then they came out and played that same shit game that I described again on Friday.

I do still like Gase, so maybe sadly (or insanely) if they get through the next two weeks healthy, I’ll still hold hope that things will be more dynamic when it matters...it’s just that I make that argument with myself every year and every year I wind up wrong.
Click to expand...

Certainly understand your concern, but making it through the preseason relatively unscathed should be the primary objective.

Gesicki has one red zone target and it should have been an easy TD. Sold the sluggo route, Fales somehow overthrew him by about 5 feet, and he nearly came down with a circus catch. If he can stay healthy and be even half decent as a blocker, Gesicki will be a monster in Gase’s offense. The route running, athleticism and catching ability are all already there. Rightly, they’ve been focused primarily on his blocking and not having him flex out or run routes from the slot.

The no-huddle stuff seems to be actually working and has a good flow and tempo. That’s actually pretty important, because Gase has been trying to implement it since he got here.

Everyone knows the third game is basically a dress rehearsal for the real games. I’ll be watching closely. It’ll be interesting to see if they start to show any of the stuff they’ve been working on in practices.
 
SMU_Sox

SMU_Sox

queer eye for the next pats guy
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2009
8,945
Dallas
Can you use Gesicki and blocking in the same sentence unless it is Mike Gesicki cannot block? As someone who had him as a later day 2 pick how has his blocking looked so far? Has he made any strides?
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
SMU_Sox said:
Can you use Gesicki and blocking in the same sentence unless it is Mike Gesicki cannot block? As someone who had him as a later day 2 pick how has his blocking looked so far? Has he made any strides?
Click to expand...
I don’t think anyone reasonably expects him to block at Gronk levels. One good thing is that from everything I can gather, they’re absolutely throwing the kitchen sink at him in practices in terms of blitz pickups and blocking assignments. Sometimes he performs well, other times he has absolutely whiffed.

I think most have agreed that he has improved but still has a ways to go in terms of being a competent blocker or a “complete” tight end.

I won’t say that he’s going to be a superstar on day one, and there will be instances where his blocking might have him off the field, but it seems like he and Gase are a near perfect fit for what Gase has wanted to do with Y-ISO stuff he did in Denver with Thomas. He doesn’t need to be an excellent blocker, just passable.
 
dwainw

dwainw

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
2,405
Minneapolis, MN
rymflaherty said:
I wouldn’t care about the scoring either, except for the fact that they never seem to magically turn it on once the games count. I wasn’t even complaining about this last game, my post was from Thursday, just a random thought I had, then they came out and played that same shit game that I described again. on Friday.

I do still like Gase, so maybe sadly (or insanely) if they get through the next two weeks healthy, I’ll still hold hope that things will be more dynamic when it matters...it’s just that I make that argument with myself every year and every year I wind up wrong.
Click to expand...
While my gut agrees with your gut, rym, to a large extent I understand giving the offense a "pass" at this point. As protective as they've been with Tanny, as many (theoretically) correctable penalties as they've had, and with injuries and conservative play-calling limiting full use of their arsenal, they've still managed to move the chains, albeit not so much in the red zone.

But I think you have to be concerned about the defense. On the whole, its inconsistency is nearing alarming levels to me. For every encouraging individual performer (Robert Quinn, Xavien Howard), there's a guy who at times seems lost (Cordrea Tankersley, Raekwon McMillan), and for every promising, if not dominant, position (safety, defensive ends), there's a hole (linebacker, cornerback). And then you see recurring themes from previous seasons rearing their ugly heads (will we ever be able to contain a tight end again?), and you end up right where rym started with the feelings about the offense: here we go again.

Reports from spring workouts and mini-camps sprinkled with liberal doses of eternal optimism allowed me to ignore the national consensus and see this as an 8-win team going into training camp, while hoping some breakout performances might bump that to 9 or 10. What we've seen so far has dispelled those ideas and demonstrated they have a lot more work to do with not a lot of time to do it.

Question heading into this week against Baltimore, for you students of the game: do you think they'll let it rip on offense, or do you even think they should? And what will you pay closest attention to on defense?
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
dwainw said:
While my gut agrees with your gut, rym, to a large extent I understand giving the offense a "pass" at this point. As protective as they've been with Tanny, as many (theoretically) correctable penalties as they've had, and with injuries and conservative play-calling limiting full use of their arsenal, they've still managed to move the chains, albeit not so much in the red zone.

But I think you have to be concerned about the defense. On the whole, its inconsistency is nearing alarming levels to me. For every encouraging individual performer (Robert Quinn, Xavien Howard), there's a guy who at times seems lost (Cordrea Tankersley, Raekwon McMillan), and for every promising, if not dominant, position (safety, defensive ends), there's a hole (linebacker, cornerback). And then you see recurring themes from previous seasons rearing their ugly heads (will we ever be able to contain a tight end again?), and you end up right where rym started with the feelings about the offense: here we go again.

Reports from spring workouts and mini-camps sprinkled with liberal doses of eternal optimism allowed me to ignore the national consensus and see this as an 8-win team going into training camp, while hoping some breakout performances might bump that to 9 or 10. What we've seen so far has dispelled those ideas and demonstrated they have a lot more work to do with not a lot of time to do it.

Question heading into this week against Baltimore, for you students of the game: do you think they'll let it rip on offense, or do you even think they should? And what will you pay closest attention to on defense?
Click to expand...
The tidbits I’ve been able to glean suggest they have some interesting packages with Wilson and Grant, Wilson in the backfield, and certainly a number of looks for Gesicki in the red zone. I guess we don’t see anything we haven’t seen yet. Maybe they split Gesicki out and let him run some routes.

I agree that the defense is a much larger concern. While I’m sure they’re dialing up some basic coverages, bottom line is if your run fits suck, it doesn’t matter what the play call is. It’s bad fundamental football.

Baker has flashed quite a bit. His speed is badly needed. I’m not concerned about Minkah, but I am concerned that the CB2 slot might effect him negatively. If they plan on leaving Bobby McCain outside as their CB2, Minkah likely takes the slot snaps. In the first game he flashed several times as a FS breaking up passes and coming up to tackle. He played a bunch of slot reps in game 2 and was...ok. I think he would be fine there, but I think he’s a potential game changer at FS.
 
dwainw

dwainw

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
2,405
Minneapolis, MN
sodenj5 said:
The tidbits I’ve been able to glean suggest they have some interesting packages with Wilson and Grant, Wilson in the backfield, and certainly a number of looks for Gesicki in the red zone. I guess we don’t see anything we haven’t seen yet. Maybe they split Gesicki out and let him run some routes.

I agree that the defense is a much larger concern. While I’m sure they’re dialing up some basic coverages, bottom line is if your run fits suck, it doesn’t matter what the play call is. It’s bad fundamental football.

Baker has flashed quite a bit. His speed is badly needed. I’m not concerned about Minkah, but I am concerned that the CB2 slot might effect him negatively. If they plan on leaving Bobby McCain outside as their CB2, Minkah likely takes the slot snaps. In the first game he flashed several times as a FS breaking up passes and coming up to tackle. He played a bunch of slot reps in game 2 and was...ok. I think he would be fine there, but I think he’s a potential game changer at FS.
Click to expand...
Thanks soden. FWIW, Tony Lippett will be back in action, so that bears watching. Any thoughts on how he might ultimately factor into things?
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
dwainw said:
Thanks soden. FWIW, Tony Lippett will be back in action, so that bears watching. Any thoughts on how he might ultimately factor into things?
Click to expand...
It sounds like Lippett isn’t 100% back physically or mentally. He might not be all the way back until 2019.
 
dwainw

dwainw

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
2,405
Minneapolis, MN
sodenj5 said:
It sounds like Lippett isn’t 100% back physically or mentally. He might not be all the way back until 2019.
Click to expand...
Hmm, I was going off this report.

Miami has a need at corner opposite Xavien Howard. Bobby McCain, a natural slot corner, is playing there now.

But neither Cordrea Tankersley nor Torry McTyer has staked a claim to the position. This opens an opportunity for Lippett to climb his way back.

“I’ve had the same approach I’ve had every day,” Lippett said. “Just get better. Compete. And just continue to grind. I can’t control all that other stuff. So I just have to let it play out.”

But is he physically ready to compete?

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Lippett said. “I feel close to myself. I’m going to keep grinding. Keep getting right every day.”
Click to expand...
So in re-reading that, I see more of the usual cliched positive spin from a player with his fingers crossed than anything definitive. Either way, your point is taken as it would be inevitably hard to know what to expect from someone coming back from his injury, not to mention the setback with his foot. That position seems so tenuous, though, it feels like the team may be close to needing to grasp at straws.
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
dwainw said:
Hmm, I was going off this report.



So in re-reading that, I see more of the usual cliched positive spin from a player with his fingers crossed than anything definitive. Either way, your point is taken as it would be inevitably hard to know what to expect from someone coming back from his injury, not to mention the setback with his foot. That position seems so tenuous, though, it feels like the team may be close to needing to grasp at straws.
Click to expand...
CB2 is a legit open slot right now. They’re flirting with McCain playing first and second downs outside and kicking inside on third downs like Chris Harris does in Denver. Tankersley has looked flat out bad so far. Lippett seems like he needs more time and reps. He might contribute sometime this year, but he isn’t going to be the starter Week 1.

McTyer is really the only other guy that has remotely challenged for the spot. I think everyone is hoping Tankersley figures it out over the next few weeks, otherwise it’s probably going to be McCain in base and maybe McTyer in sub packages.
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
Third preseason game and we finally got a first-team TD.

I would say that the defense looked encouraging. TJ McDonald actually had a very good first half, flying around and making plays against the run and vs the pass. We heard that he had a really good camp last year. If he can play as well as he played in that game, with Minkah and Reshad on the field as well, Miami will have some dynamic players in the secondary.

Offense looked decent. Amendola made a great play for Miami's TD. Drake looks like he's going to be an absolute star this year if he stays healthy. Tannehill looked poised and has been running the offense efficiently.

Encouraging all-around effort from the starters.
 
dwainw

dwainw

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
2,405
Minneapolis, MN
So this was written. It appears to be based quite a bit more on the writer's hope of someone moving toward unseating the Patriots in the division rather than sound analysis.

Complaining about the Patriots' prolific performance is old hat. Oh, Brady threw for over 4,000 passing yards and a 104.3 passer rating with Riley McCarron as his third-leading receiver? Color me numb. The sun rose? Swell. Yeah, New England will win another division title, but it will feel like a swan song. The revolution is coming and its names are Kenyan Drake, Albert Wilson and Minkah Fitzpatrick. While the Patriots will win the East with a fine 11-5 record, Miami will sweep the Pats, building upon last December's Monday night beatdown, and surprise the league by stealing the second wild-card spot from the media darlings in Houston.
Click to expand...
Outlandish? Sure. But, hey, at least it's fodder for discussion as opening day approaches.

Anyway, there's not much about the off-season or this pre-season that supports the likelihood of the above scenario unfolding. The discussion has to start and end with expecting a career year from Tannehill, who is obviously one of the biggest question marks in the league. If this team can shore up holes in its secondary and linebacking depth, keep Tanny off his ass, and experience some decent luck (for example, staying healthier than the rest of the division), I see its ceiling as being in the running for the second wild card, as boldly suggested above. Its floor is the same old, same old.
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
I think Miami has been hilariously underrated to the point now where the pendulum has begun to swing in the other direction.

I agree that their ceiling this season is likely an 8 or 9 win team fighting for a wild card.
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT

Also this tweet basically sums up the preseason QB battle. Fales entered camp as the favorite, however Osweiler has looked better each week, and has looked much better particularly against Atlanta.

For less than a million bucks, it seems like Miami has locked up their backup this year.
 
johnmd20

johnmd20

mad dog
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 30, 2003
62,085
New York City
I'll never get tired of the name Fales.

And this team has absolutely no chance to win 8 games, let alone 9. They don't have any good players. That's usually a problem.
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
johnmd20 said:
I'll never get tired of the name Fales.

And this team has absolutely no chance to win 8 games, let alone 9. They don't have any good players. That's usually a problem.
Click to expand...
Ah, the ole “everybody sucks” analysis.
 
johnmd20

johnmd20

mad dog
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 30, 2003
62,085
New York City
sodenj5 said:
Ah, the ole “everybody sucks” analysis.
Click to expand...
Sure, it's lousy analysis, until you look at the roster and it checks out.

You want to bet the team doesn't win 8 games? Let's make the over under 7.5 and I'd be happy to wager whatever amount you would like.
 
sodenj5

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,621
CT
johnmd20 said:
Sure, it's lousy analysis, until you look at the roster and it checks out.

You want to bet the team doesn't win 8 games? Let's make the over under 7.5 and I'd be happy to wager whatever amount you would like.
Click to expand...
100 bucks at 7.5 wins if you want to donate to the Jimmy Fund. I don’t need your money, but you will be wrong.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom