This is the first thread that I've started so please excuse any rubbish I state. The line is key to tannehill succeeding this coming year. If we keep him on his feet much more, allow a RB to do their job, we will have a much more successful season. I want to see this line. Veldeer / Albert - Zack Martin - Pouncey - Dallas Thomas - Anthony Collins. I've seen Asamoah mentioned, I guess instead of Thomas. I couldn't honestly state if I thought Thomas had the ability to start but we should probably be looking to a second season player to actually play. Much cheaper too I'd guess. I couldn't pick between veldeer or Albert. I'd be happy with either. I'd be happiest with Monroe but Pitta has ruined that for us. If we don't go for Thomas or Asamoah, is there a RG available on day two that would suit us? One thing, I don't know how you guys guess at their wages so I've no idea if this even works financially.
I think it's possible to go overboard with trying to fix the line as well. Drafting a million players or throwing loads at money at veterans could be just as inefficient as having a bad line. Find guys who fit your scheme, don't rule out players on the roster(Thomas, Brenner), and don't be set on having high quality players at every position.
If I were GM I would acquire Demar Dotson, Dominic Raola, Josh Sitton, Jake Long, Joseph Barksdale and Shelly Smith. Then Lamar Miller is a 2000 yard back.
That's an awful lot of money on the line. I think Miami needs to focus on finding guys that fit their scheme rather than spending big on 2 higher priced tackles
LMAO Big fan of Miller at UM but he isn't cut out to be a big-time RB, even with a good OL. 1200 yards at most.
I think that getting either Albert or Monroe is a must to start with. Then, draft OL in the first round as well. That gives us three starters, along with Pouncey. With the two guard spots, I think that one ends up coming from someone currently on the roster, and the other is either a lesser expensive, short time UFA or another draft pick. The team needs to put a reasonable amount of resources into the line to get it going in the right direction and keep Tanny alive, and then if all goes well, bring in another starter at guard before the 2015 season as well, plus better depth.
I have to admit I don't agree with the sentiment that we have a potential starter at G currently on the roster. Brenner, IMO, is a perfect example of how poorly we've done at drafting to have to rely on him starting. And Dallas Thomas must not be any better seeing as he didn't unseat him at any point. The only real option we have is to keep Jerry, something i wish not to do. And on top of that, the backups suck. whoever we get to start better be Iron men because god forbid one of them goes down. No, i don't think theres such a thing as too much money or too many picks at this time. 58 sacks is ridiculous and cannot be tolerated again. This is why im personally on board with trading DJ or Wake because i think its that important to rebuild this offensive line. In hindsight, and I was 100% for the DJ pick over Lane Johnson, we made a mistake there. We need at least 4-5 new players on the offensive line. I don't care how we get them, 2-3 in FA or 3-4 in the draft, whatever, That sack total HAS to be lower than 40 next year. (Even that's not impressive but imagine what it'd have done for us this season?)
19 ot taylor lewan michigan 50 g xavier su’a-filo ucla 81 c weston richburg colorado state 112 de james gayle virginia tech 143 ot seantrel henderson miami 174 rb james wilder jr. Florida state 211 g zach fulton tennessee http://fanspeak.com/ontheclock/
I think the Dolphins will make a run for Albert and Zane Beadles and sign both to play LT and LG. They can probably draft a RT and RG.
Mike is a probowl centre. Why do people think he'd be improved as a player at guard if we moved him. i understand he'd be an upgrade on exisiting guards. But surely we build around him?
His skill set fits the guard position better IMO and its a position he's played before in college at an extremely high level.
The offensive line and RB are the keys to the offense right now, imo. I think at least one of the top OTs in free agency has to happen. But, then another at-least potential starter needs to be added in free agency. And an Olineman needs to be added in the first couple of rounds of the draft. Dallas Thomas looked worse than Jonathan Martin his rookie season so … I can't put much in him as a starter unless he dramatically changes. But, adding 3-5 new O-lineman - who are not just training camp fodder or #8 on depth chart players, but who can actually compete, is important. Whether they all start or not is another matter. But, at the very least they need to add 2-3 solid starters and have some significant competition.
A guard tends to benefit more from athleticism than a center. The logic is that it may be easier to find a passable center than a passable guard...and/or we'd get an overall improvement out of the line by having a strength at guard instead of a strength at center.
In all fairness Brenner was an UDFA rookie who was most likely thrown into the starting lineup before he was truly ready. I have no idea whether he'll ever be much of anything, but there are and have been plenty of late round/undrafted offensive linemen who have been successful in this league, perhaps more than any other position. I say we aim first for a decent offensive line and build from there.
Of course, this never happens. And, the team can't bank on either Lewan or Su'a-filo being there. I think the team needs 4 O-lineman (C is the only position that is set). They have to think about signing at least two in free agency that they can pencil in as starters. Possibly 3. These don't have to be studs on whom they spend $40 M each. They can go for 3 decent players - or maybe one big "hit" at LT and then an OG and RT or two OGs. And, then they can sign a couple of lower tier free agents. At that point they can go into the draft and if one of the top 4 OTs (unlikely at this point) fall their way they can land one. But, they can also look at OL in round 2. The reality is - there are 18 teams drafting ahead of Miami and nearly everyone of them have OL issues. If you look at the team needs lists, nearly all of them will have OL listed in the top 3-4 draft needs. That's one reason they are drafting there! But, while teams will draft QBs and DEs and WRs ahead of Miami, many of those teams will decide to go the OL route and I would say the odds are high the top 4 OTs worthy of drafting in the top 20-25 will be gone when Miami drafts. So, they can't just hope to rebuild the OL in the draft.
I don't know anyone who thinks that the Dolphins OL can be rebuilt just in the draft. The thing is, the OL will have 9 or ten players on the squad- how many solid contributors do we have penciled in for next year- one, right? Just Pouncey. Nate Garner is a decent backup and Brenner is undersized and questionable, graded out lousy, manhandled and benched late last year for poor play. So if we say Pouncey and Garner are keepers, that leaves 7 or 8 open slots. 2 free agents and 5 draft picks equals 7, you're just covering yourself there. I picked 5 OL in that simulation based on what was available and our immense needs on the OL, it's amazing how little we have in talent at that position. Yeatman is gone, McKinnie and Clabo are free agents and the rest, except for Pouncey, are journeymen types. We have no Guards to speak of, no Tackles. And yes, Lewan will most likely be gone at #19, and Zack Martin could very well be gone as well. To me Martin is the lynchpin, the last plug and play LT who to be available in the 1st round, or not. So my guess is that Miami signs a quality LT in FA because they have to. Hope that Martin is available to groom into LT, play him at Guard or RT until then. I'd still load up on OL in the draft, in a big way. This is an aberration, an OL that has one solid starter returning, first time I ever remember seeing that. I'd still be happy to land every one of the five OL that I picked in the simulator, and if anything I might swap out Santreal Henderson for Matt Patchan, go with the injury risk as opposed to the character/underachiever risk in Henderson. No matter how you cut it, this OL needs an overhaul like I've never seen in decades of watching pro football.
I thought Yeatman was an RFA this year, as is Watkins. Not saying they're going to become starters, but they are bodies and backups.
I believe you are correct. I also wouldn't mind bringing back McKinney for another year if the price is right for added depth, not necessarily to start.
If I read correctly neither Yeatman or Watkins are expected to be re-signed by Miami, plus Yeatman blew out his knee last year.
In fairness to Dallas Thomas the majority of linemen rookies last year struggled... maybe one more offseason to get stronger helps him become a better player... hopefully that's the case but we don't have many options and we have to hope he wins a starting job this offseason.. Got so many holes all over the damn roster. We're not going to fix the offensive line in one offseason. Likely sign a tackle and maybe a guard, and draft a tackle. But no team is going to start a first round pick and second round pick linemen in the first season, that's how you get your quarterback murdered.
Yeah, we'll know for sure then. I'm looking at Weston Richburg, Brandon Thomas, Sua-Filo, Trai Turner and Zach Fulton at Guard- how would you rank those guys and who else do you like? Also, any thoughts on taking a late round flyer on Matt Patchan?
They were great players but it's rare to see that happen right away. I want Schwartz and one of the tackles to come over here, and then look at best linemen available in the second round. We got so many other areas to work on as well we don't even have a single red zone threat other than probably Clay. If Tannehill is going to get better we need to give him that big target that this team doesn't have. Demaryius Thomas/Dez Bryant type of player that is able to snatch footballs from anywhere. That's why I'm hoping that Ebron or Evans falls to 19 or that we trade up to a pick like 14 (away from the Jets) for either one.. If we land Ebron.. having a duo TE threat like Brady used to have, has too many positives for Tannehill.
Sua-Filo would be a decent option in the 2nd round. Brandon Thomas would be a good 3rd round choice. Trai Turner, marginal top 150 Zach Fulton, 7th rounder-UDFA Richburg is going to very likely make the grade where ever ya take him. He'd seem like a bit of a reach at our 2nd round pick, because ya think at that moment, oh we cudda got him later. In the 3rd you'd have to feel really comfortable with him being a value pick. If we pass on him in the 2nd and he is gone before our 3rd, depending on who actually was taken with the 2, we could regret passing on Richburg. See, a lot of people thought the Cowboys reached badly last year when they took Travis Frederick. I never felt that way. I thought if the team had a firm conviction on the player, it was smart to get him when ya can. I could see it being similar with Richburg. If we took him in the 2nd, some fans may be complaining we took him too early, bad value, could have got him later, etc. Well if he makes the team and starts, plays solid, he wouldn't have been a reach. I think I'd be happy with Richburg in the 2nd and of course the 3rd. This is a good year for centers IMO. Not blue chips, but several red chip prospects. If we signed Monroe, drafted Zack Martin and Richburg back to back, I think we'd have to feel pretty good about our OL. That leaves us with one guard spot to fill, or possibly RT, depending on where Zack lines up. Richburg is capable of playing guard too. Or Pouncey could move over to LG. He'd give us some insurance at C and a solid G at the very least.
Mike Pouncey is an excellent athlete for the position and can do stuff on the move than 95% of the league can't, I think maximizing his use in that area is the best thing for the line. In some blocking schemes that will be Center, in others it'll be Guard. I think if Bill Lazor's offense is like what he ran at Virginia, there's an argument that Pouncey would be put to better use at Guard with more man blocking. If there's going to be a lot of pulling, trapping, and play-action where a guard is going to be blocking an edge defender, I think Pouncey is your guy a guard. Having him anchor in the middle while someone else does it isn't as good a use of resources, in my mind.
Not opposed to McKinnie coming back for the right price and even Clabo was serviceable the 2nd half of the season.
I'm confident about us finding a combo of guys to work. I know, I've no reason right. I look at the market, the draft, and what slim pickings are left on our roster and I think we can build something, especially with that extra ten million in cap.
I would like to see the fins sign LT Monroe & RG Geoff Schwartz, draft Zack Martin in the 1st round & Gabe Jackson in the second round.
Clabo was better than serviceable in the 2nd half... he graded out as a good RT. I would resign him and cross fingers and toes that his play for next season approaches the level he had for the last half of the prior season. That reduces the need to find one of the four OL we need. In a perfect world I would try to sign Moore, and Mack, resign Clabo, move Pouncey, not have to sign a first rnd Tackle, but find a good Guard & Tackle combination later rounds in the draft (as in after the first round!) I would also keep Brenner since his Rookie UFDA year could be just an indicator of what he could grow into. Keep McKinnie if he is amenable as a safety valve against someone being an utter FUBAR!
I assume you mean Monroe. Cannot think of a FA OL named Moore. I like Mack too, but he got the transition tag. That means the Browns have 7 days to match any offer. IMO, that usually means another team negotiates the contract for the team using that tag. In the mean time, waiting for Cleveland to likely match the offer, we'd lose out on other FAs who are not tagged.