The first is OG Jake Scott: -MD website The second is LB Philip Wheeler: - La Crapola *FreeStyle posted about Wheeler earlier in another thread, but I figured everyone would want to see it. Personally I like both of these potential signings a lot if they happen. Wheeler especially has shown consistent improvement and could be a real steal.
Wheeler and Scott would be two very solid signings. I'm honestly surprised Scott isn't getting more play in FA.
I agree with everything about Scott. He hasn't missed a game since 04. The lack of interest makes no sense. I'm assuming he's going to be expensive though since his last deal was 4 years for almost 20 in 08.
31 but with about as clean of an injury record as one could have. I can't see him taking less than his last deal. Hopefully it's loaded in a way that doesn't hit us too hard this year.
Pony up and pay for quality on the O line. Give Scott a deal and move forward. I am so tired of seeing our QBs eat more dirt than earthworms. As far as Wheeler, he was a good prospect leaving out of Ga Tech. He was a big part of our D and definately applied pressue and demanded double teams. He was a bit small for a pro LB but I imagine he could add a little weight. I imagine in the right environment he could develop nicely. Here's his bio from us.... http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/wheeler_philip00.html
Scott would help solidify this line with only RT being a question. However if they draft someone in say the 4th round I'm sure they can get someone to play it alright between that pick/Garner and Murtha. Athletic lighter guard to. I think Scott only plays in the 290 range.
The only bad thing is that so many younger fans when people bring up Jake Scott of the Miami Dolphins are gonna think of the RT and not the stone cold baddest mutha ****er that ever played the game.
Sign them both, nice to see Ireland finally making some decent moves in FA. I was feeling really left behind so far in FA, and not just because of Peyton or Flynn.
I'm not here to say Ireland is great or sucks but I will say too many fans get sucked into the need to sign big FA's out of the box. I'm going with the belief that had Philbin wanted Flynn he would have been signed. Receiver still has to be addressed though. Maybe Philben feels they can address those needs in the draft, be above average this year and they put a press on next year through bigger FA signings and stability at the QB position. Of course I may be 100% wrong and we are all F'd.
I'm certainly no expert on the WCO, but my assumption would be that the increase in 3-step drops will, by itself, help the offensive line tremendously. Moore, or whoever else it is, won't be standing back there for very long most snaps. But I agree this would be a good signing.
Well, here's the thing.... Hicks = upgrade to Colombo (of course, that's not too difficult to do.) Scott = upgrade to Carey Pouncey part deux = upgrade to rookie Pouncey. RI = RI may not exactly fit in the zone blocking scheme we likely will run certainly not at LG, but might do better at RG. Long healthy = upgrade to Long last season. Then you have Murtha who played well when asked last year and Jerry who played better at G than his short stint at T. Garner is a full year removed from his ACL, so he should also be better... RI is a candidate for getting cut (money) if Scott is signed and would be looked at as a gain for us at LG... The OL could be improved with simply addition by subtraction...and coaching/scheme.
Aside from retaining Soliai at a very reasonable price and shoring up the secondary by signing Richard Marshall?
I'm all on board for signing Scott. Give him a nice deal with a nice bonus so that his contract is backloaded towards the years when the salary cap is supposed to bump upwards.
You're right. I forgot about Soliai, however, if we are switching to a 4-3 I'm not sure he's an ideal fit. Marshall is OK. But when that is your marquee FA signing two and a half weeks into FA, its cause for concern, IMO.
I can name about 28 teams that haven't made a splash in free agency. Some are better than us and some are worse than us. Of course you want to plug holes in free agency and I'm glad that seems to be the focus rather than making a huge splash. If we end up with Scott I'll consider this a strong FA period.
What holes have we really plugged? Marshall plugs one I suppose, especially if they plan to play him at safety. Not sure how much of an upgrade Hicks would be. If we sign Scott that would be an excellent signing, but I'd hardly say it makes this a strong FA period for us. But to each his own. Don't forget, we also created a huge hole by trading away Marshall.
We didn't create that, we were simply left to deal with another mess that he made. No chance Marshall isn't our new FS either, imo.
To me a strong free agency period is filling in holes solidly without making a splash. In all honesty we don't have very many holes. I would have considered our biggest hole going into this offseason as our coaching. Coaching alone should make our offense better which in return will allow our defense to be better simply by not being put in precarious positions all the time. So I believe Marshall will be our FS and a very good one. We cut Bell who in my opinion is a liability in pass coverage. Insert Clemons who I believe will have a very good season at the SS position where he isn't required to make as many reads and decisions as at the FS position. He will be able to use his natural athleticism to make plays. Resigned Solia which I believe to be a big signing. Even in the 4-3 it is important to have a DT who can take up multiple blockers on running downs and push the line back into the QB's face. Signing Scott would sure up an offensive line that really held us back. I think people will like what they see from Matt Moore when he isn't on his back every play against every decent defense. I also think Garrard is a good fit in our offense if he is healthy again. Very accurate passer with decent mobility screams Philbin. Not to say we have a long term answer at QB but we will be a lot more solid than most people think. So going into the draft we are looking for a WR (or two), TE (possibly), QB (I'd expect someone mid round) and a pass rushing end. Not too bad.
Whether or not its a hole we created or one we were left to deal with is irrelevant. It's a hole that was created, which hasn't been addressed yet. As far as Richard Marshall goes, I agree he should be our new FS.
The issue I have with this FA period for the Dolphins is they didn't address the biggest need (QB). And created a another glaring one (WR). So as good as the Marshall, Hicks and Soliai signings/resignings may be, the QB/WR issues make this FA period a wash, IMO.
you have issue with our new coaches decision on not to sign his former QB? I don't understand this PSG??
Wait, Hicks won't be an upgrade to Colombo ?? I doubt that... Look, we have more holes to fill but the one that was created with trading Marshall may not be quite as big as everyone want's to make it out to be... The big question for this team, as it stands right now (knowing the FA isn't over and the draft is yet to come), is really whether Gates, Clay, Thomas, Jerry, Murtha, Clemons, Jones and Wilson develop as many of us think they can... These guys can make or break because each can fill a hole we have....Gates - speed WR, Clay - speedy FB/h-back/TE, Thomas - can he have a more solid year (as he showed some flashes of last year) this year, Can Jerry and Murtha, along with Hicks, fill in the OL spots we have open, Clemons/Jones - Will either of these guys break out and become more solid players ?? Can Wilson be in the mix in the secondary, even with the addition of Marshall....To me, these guys will determine how many holes are filled or not filled...anyone we get in the draft to fill one of the holes is just icing on the cake...
I have issues with David Garrard being the answer. I guess you can chalk it up to a decade and half worth of frustration. We don't know if it was the coach or GM who said no to Flynn. We'll probably never know what really happened behind closed doors.
I think the biggest question for this team is what kind of play we are going to get from the QB position. And I have to admit, I'm not expecting to be very good.