For me, I don’t see how we can possibly make a remotely educated guess on where we feel Miami will lean or focus in the draft, especially the early rounds, until we come to some type of understanding on what we think the offense will look like. As we all know, the personnel needed to run different offensive schemes can vary greatly. Some require mobile quarterbacks, others require strong pocket passers, while others may require certain levels of arm strength. And again, this diversity isn’t limited to the quarterback position, as the size and skill set of runners, wideouts, tight ends, and even lineman can vary greatly depending on what a team is trying to do. So, to get the conversation started, what do I think Miami will be trying to do? Based on the information, misinformation, rumor, and innuendo, I tend to think Miami will remain a run first offense. The difference from prior years is that they will institute significantly more shotgun, play action to vertical passes, and multiple receiver sets in order to limit the obvious predictability that had beset them last year. So, if I’m right, which I may not be, what would Miami need? A New Quarterback: Chad Henne struggles greatly in the shotgun, in play action, and when making vertical throws. Before I get hammered by his supporters, I am not saying he can’t improve in those areas, I’m just saying those are currently significant weaknesses and areas where Miami will need the quarterback to have a strength. New Running Back(s): Ricky Williams has nothing left and is only productive when the hole is completely blocked for him. Ronnie Brown, despite my contentions that he was not used properly and would be exceptional if given 20-25 carries a game, doesn’t perform well when limited to three carries here and four carries there. He is a rhythm guy who gets better as the game goes on. Under the platoon system Miami seems to prefer he will never trust the play and find a groove. Definitely One and Ideally Two Explosive Wideouts: Davone Bess is terribly slow and only average after the catch. You couple this with his occasional drops and you have an issue. Is he a decent player? Yeah, but he’s more of a utility guy than a focal point. To me, he’s a four or five. I believe Hartline is still ascending and can serve as a solid two, although an upgrade wouldn’t be a detriment. Given that, what Miami needs and doesn’t have anywhere on the roster is a run after the catch slot threat AND a legitimate deep threat. The guy who can simply run by the defense and a guy that can take a slant to the house. A Seam Busting Tight End: Fasano is an average starter…he can do the job. What he can’t really do is press the seam. That is a player we need. So, how can we fix this? To me, the major piece is the quarterback who excels in the shotgun, on play actions, and when throwing down field. To me, and I know I’ve made this opinion known in prior posts, the guy is Ryan Mallett. He is a guy they have to have. Ideally they can move down and still get him. That would allow Miami to focus the extra second and rest of the draft on acquiring a power runner, change of pace back, deep threat, run after the catch wideout, and seam busting tight end, in no particular order. Obviously they won’t get them all, but they should be able to make a pretty solid step towards fixing the problem, especially if they wait until a little later to go runner. So, given all that, what type of offense do we expect AND how do you suggest they get there?
Ghetti, you dont see any information or disinformation, or innuendo that the regime covets a QB thats has functional QB athleticism and escapability talent? I have......I dont think smokescreens were being put it right after the season when Sparano declared what type of player he would like to see at the position. My personal opinion is one that I hope seems to jive with our regime, and that is, a QB that has an overall fast ''speed of motion'', can extend the pocket, extend the play, and can execute the positions responsibilities with quickness and precision. You might think iam putting a lot of emphasis on athletic ability for the position...you would be right, I am..Hi-level QB athleticism is a prerequisite in the QB that I would select.
Funny how you single out Bess as being average after the catch when he actually averaged 4.2 YAC as compared to Marshall's measly 2.8. Bess also scored 5 TD's compared to Marshall's 3. That utility four or five guy was more productive than our so called number 1 last season but Marshall gets yet another pass.
Here's the play-action you speak of, and here's what the down field results look like with a receiver who can outrun 3 defenders (fast enough to get past the defender and stay past the defender, while being difficult to overthrow b/c his speed can run under passes). [video=youtube;MyPtJF-IgPc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyPtJF-IgPc[/video]
your welcome. And THANK YOU for making an irrelevant post b/c nobody has said we need to bring Ted Ginn back.
Reports are that the new offense uses a mix of concepts similar to what the Jets and Pats run. My guess would be a Jet's like run game that uses many of the passes to the slot and backs like the Pats. The key to such a system would be a consistent running game. While I have never been a Henne fan, I don't find it wise to reach for a QB in the first that has such an extended pattern of drug rumors, bad attitude and poor work ethic. Ideally I would prefer to trade down, but if not (and the two first round worthy QBs are gone) I would target one of Jones, WR, Ingram, RB, Pouncy, G.
But Bess is slow and he is a utility guy is what was said so he doesn't have the natural abliilty of say a Marshall so your excuse for Brandon is canceled out.
It's not so much that you need more speed all over the place or you have to get rid of someone, but you do need a 4th WR with speed to rotate in and a second TE with speed to rotate in as well as a RB that can get YAC. Some kind of big play threat while keep the yardage churning consistency of the three WRs and Fasano going would be ideal. You just can't have Ronnie Brown in the backfield with them. That's the balance you need. DeAngelo Williams back there and sure you can do that.
Could have absolutely nothing to do with teams putting two defenders in Marshall's area at almost all times, plus a shadowing safety? Something even natural ability is hard to overcome...
It's kinda hard to get over 2.8 YAC when you have two or three people waiting to tackle you as soon as you catch the ball. Nothing against Bess, because I honestly do like the cat, but he's not demanding the same type of coverage that Marshall is getting.
Yup. That's one reason I want an upgrade at #2 WR----- so that the faster <than Bess> Hartline can play the slot on 1st down, 2nd & long, and 3rd and long to help spread out the field more for Brandon. Marshall, Hartline, and Sims Walker would pose an entirely different threat than Marshall, Bess, and Hartline, with the former upgrading 2 positions on 1st down, 2nd & long, and 3rd and long. Then Bess comes in on 2nd & short and 3rd & short..... or rotates in to give a breather (either so Hartline can sub out, or Sims Walker can sub out while Hartline moves to #2). IMO the versatility and dynamics would be tremendous if we could do this. We'd go from pokey, bland, and predictable to opened-up and tough to cover across the board....... and we wouldn't even need the draft to accomplish it.
IMO it's all about spacing. A player with Bess' quickness, balance and instincts should be practically impossible to cover one on one as long as you force the defense to cover the whole field. Marshall provides a similar benefit, but his skills set should be more effective in the redzone. I think the best way to create that spacing is with a seam TE. The seam through is an easier throw for a QB and it's one that Henne can throw well. A speed WR will work outside more often and that's a lower percentage throw that Henne is particularly bad at. You could compensate with well timed roll-outs which Henne was surprising decent at, but that will be up to the OC. And no matter what it's still going to be a lower percentage completion that the TE throws. For the relatively infrequent targets out there, I think that Hartline and whomever the 4th WR is (probably Moore), can be good enough. I wouldn't mind an upgrade, but I see the impact as minor compared to what a seam TE, a consistent running game and even a receiving back will provide.
I'm in complete agreeance with you on the TE (which is one of the reasons I've believed landing a great TE is crucial to this draft, where as others have considered it a luxury). Considering TEs can take some time to develop in the NFL, would you be against Hartline occasionally playing the slot to help open things up? If Hart & Marshall are lined up next to each other, I'm inclined to believe that Hartline would be capable of effectively running more routes on the tree than Bess (at least in the intermediate+ range) to help spread out the triangle and give Marshall more space. Would that not improve our ability to attack Cover 2 <especially if we have a seam-splitting TE to go with it>? Hartline has the ability to attack the deep outs (where Bess doesnt) which would pull the FS, right? Wouldn't that in return open up more room for Marshall underneath or a TE to stretch the middle? How about if a Sims-Walker is playing #2 and running a vertical while Hart is running a flag----- what does that do for a TE over the middle, Marshall short-intermediate, and an explosive back in the flats? For the reason that Bess is an elite 3rd down converter is the same reason I feel he's a good weapon inside the redzone (or at least inside the 10). The problem I saw was Henning not utilizing our short field quickness enough there. IMO Bess & Marshall could've been much more productive stat wise if Henning allowed Henne more pass attempts. IMO Henne on 3rd and <7 IMO should somewhat parallel Henne in the redzone. Not surprisingly, his QB ratings were both the best aspects of his game. Excluding the late, forced Jets INT, Chad would have had about a 95+ QB rating in the redzone with 10 TDs per 1 INT. I completely agree on the TE and COP back additions. If Sparano allows Daboll to be aggressive in the redzone, then our current group with an added COP back and/or receiving TE could make us extremely difficult to defend inside the 20 IMO. I'm hoping for Jordan Cameron & Taiwan Jones........ which means we'll instead draft 2 guys who are more conservative. lol.
