Lots of folks have been complaining about a large sum of our salary cap space being taken up by the O-line. That is not a bad thing. If you look at Parcells' last SB win with the Giants, they did it with Phil Simms/ mostly Jeff Hostetler, average receivers, and an old running back (Otis Anderson). HOW? Because they had a great defense and a damn good offensive line. A good offensive line will make your QB, WRs, and RBs look better. And a stingy defense will keep you in any game. I'm all for signing Brown. That should make our line well above average for several years with Smiley coming back and if Donald Thomas comes back as strong as he looked very early last season - plus the depth we have and will bring in. If we sign Brown, and I hope we do, we can look at WR, DBs, LBs, DT plus depth where ever we see fit. (Likely more O-line, D-line, and a late round RB).
there is no question parcells builds from the line outwards.....getting brown after locking up carrey and long and smiley......and getting production from thomas....holy **** bro....watch out....we will be dominating every defense....pounding the rock, milking the clock, and winning games 13-3......i love it
All locked in for quite a few years. The expectations will be high, but i can't see a situation where that line wouldn't succeed, obviously anythign is possible, but i really doubt they wouldn't dominate. The pieces are being put into place, the youth is there, the experience together is comming and if they play well together i have a strong feeling it could be one of those lines that it won't matter who the RB is, they will do well. (IE: The broncos and chief's lines from a few years ago.)
I do think that if we sign Jason Brown it increases the chances that we'll not resign Ronnie Brown. It'll depend on how big of a contract he'll be asking for but I don't think we should put as much money at RB if we become one of those lines that any RB can be successful behind.
That's exactly how I feel. We can let Ronnie Brown go and draft a running back in the late rounds. Behind our line( granted we sign Jason brown), I guarantee that running back will be succesful.
I'm not ready to make any guarantees but I do think the salary cap would force us to play it that way. It's a shame too, b/c Ronnie is one of my favorite Dolphins.
I feel the same way but if you have a line like that, the running back position might be a revolving door of 2-5 year backs. Get good value in return, keep the player young and fresh in their career, it will suck to lose any good back, but it can become quite advantageous, and i think it's an advantage having a lot of money invested in a top end O line can do for the club. As much as it will suck to see Ronnie or any other good back come through here let go, I think it is better than having to draft a RB high, pay a huge salary to just to make up for the inefficiencies of a poorly built line.
