Barry Jackson: Dolphins Expected to Re-Sign Anthony Fasano

I agree with the effort to bring back Fasano under the caveat of a must sign highly talented athletic tight end to go alongside Fasanos complimentary skillset.

I found this really funny and correct as hell from one of our true bloods.

For years, it has been a Dolphins’ problem that seemingly can never be solved. As they continue their elusive search for a high-impact stretch-the-field tight end, general manager Jeff Ireland keeps defending the maligned player he drafted; several intriguing veterans approach free agency; and Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti is making an impassioned plea for Miami to follow his advice on the issue.

“There’s one guy that can change this offense and that’s Tyler Eifert,” Buoniconti, a Notre Dame alum, said of the 6-6 Fighting Irish tight end and former receiver.

“But I’m not sure the Dolphins have the vision to get him,” Buoniconti said. “If he stays healthy, he will re-write the tight end record books. He’s that good. If the Dolphins had any sense of wanting to improve the team down the middle and open it up for other receivers, this is the guy. He’s a gem.

“I’m sure he doesn’t fit the mold for the Dolphins. He’s too good.”

Good analysis Nick..if Ireland passes on Eifert, lets go kick his ***...lol

Big C...when are you gonna give it up man?...Eifert can be a great player.

 

Does not sound like Finely is going anywhere.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/4717/jermichael-finley

 

Good. I like Fasano as a #2 TE. Solid blocker, solid red zone player, solid teammate. If he was more athletic and ran better he'd be fine as a starter. As it is, 2-3 years at between 1.5-2.5M per would be ideal.

And I definitely want Starks back!

 

I like fasano as a #2 as well. I'm not 100% on eifert at #12, but I would be cool with him if we could trade down a bit

 

This.....

...concerns me.

I know that every FO person, coach & player does the media speak, where they speak lots but say nothing, but this bothers me.

To me, it MIGHT indicate that Ireland and Philbin are not on the same page. I don't think Philbin or Sherm give two upside down backwards flying sh|ts about the stats Ireland sees. They constantly talk of wanting and liking "football" players. That means they want guys who are smart, dedicated and work hard. Ireland sees speed and size (as do most scouts, tbf).

Personally, and this is probably controversial, but I think you can win more with Philbin's football player ideal with less talent than you can win with speed & size and less "football player traits".

I see a lot of fans and draft watchers lose their minds over speed and size and zero in on those stats and neglect the other stuff. Consider 3 different LBs.

Zach Thomas: No head turning physical talent to speak of. Exceeds every "football player" trait.
Vernon Gholston: Exceeds every physical talent. Zero football player traits.
Ray Lewis: Exceeds every physical talent. Exceeds every "football player" trait.

You should always be looking for a Ray Lewis, but in the absence of one grab a Zach Thomas and ignore a Vernon Gholston.

 

I think there is a difference between expected to try and are expected to actually sign him. I like Fasano a lot but I wouldn't think he had a tremendous amount of fun this year how he was used. I wouldn't be surprised if he found greener pastures for his skillset.

 

Fasano is the very definition of a #1B. Solid enough to start,but probably best used with exactly what is described ale, a complimentary player with differing skills. Short routes to garner first downs, a red zone threat and a solid blocker in both the run game and pass, Fasano's impact is very much understated, but important. Remember, if we part with Jake Long, we may require more plays with an extra blocker on the blindside to double team, chip and re-direct pass rushers. Anthony is good for that as well as having sure hands. I would like for him to come back.

 

I have never said otherwise. He could be a great player, but so could Ertz. This is where we differ. I'm willing to give both of them credit. You seem to consider Ertz to be chopped liver. We can throw Escobar into the mix too. Also has all the tools and skill set to be a great player in the NFL.

 

The objective is to project who will be the best..that's what we've been doing..I see a drop off from what Eifert brings to the table compared to Ertz.

 

What would you like Ireland to say about him?

 

Not sure. Maybe something along the lines of he's getting better in the areas he needed to improve.

Again, I quantified my post as merely a concern as much as possible without sounding like it was written by a lawyer. Its not an indictment. Its concern that it MIGHT be a problem not that it is one.

 

huh?

 

“I think he’s making progress. I really have been on him pretty good since he’s been here and I think recently I’ve been fairly complimentary of him, how he practices, how he’s developing," said Sherman, who like head coach Joe Philbin as a VERY candid approach.

 

That's what I read. I didn't see "expected to re-sign". I saw "expected to try to re-sign Anthony Fasano for modest money".

 

I has an hunch they might try to stay status quo at this position :/

 

I'm both encouraged and discouraged by the comments. I'm encouraged b/c it seems to signify a recognition that Fasano is not a TE that you should be pinning your hopes on as a starter. I also think it signifies the recognition that you want a dynamic receiving TE in today's NFL rather than the blocker types from the Parcells' era. I am a bit discouraged b/c I don't see that dynamic ability in Egnew's on field play. I said this immediately after the draft. I don't care what his numbers are in shorts and I am not basing this on stat comparisons. I have been adamant that Pitta was a dynamic TE despite little production early on so I wouldn't be concerned about Egnew's production if I saw something that made me feel he'd develop. I just don't see enough flashes on the field from him. And that doesn't even account for the reports that Egnew still doesn't know the basics of the playbook or that some players called him a "*****". That just adds more reason to doubt his eventual development.

 

Ray Lewis did not exceed every physical trait. His height/size and speed very much in question when he came out. No one denied his talent, but there questions, make no mistake.

 

I would strongly disagree.

 

Really?

I thought I remembered he was in the low end of the excellent scale on a couple of things for the time and all the questions were about his outside of football life. I'm old so my memory could be wrong.

 

Correct. Both of those were very much in question coming out. Over the years his reputation has grown Paul Bunyan like, but he's always been a good but not great individual defender and a fantastic team leader.

 

I guess I am in the minority again, but I would be fine with letting Fasano go, IF we draft one of the better ones available.

 

I am not that high on him either. Im not too excited by this news. He is not a bad player and its the safe move to sign him to a modest contract. From the sounds of things they are not confident that Egnew is going to be ready. Resigning him takes some of the pressure off of them to find a TE this off season. They still need one and should go for one if they see one they like but they will not be forced to reach for one if Fasano is on the roster.

In short its not a great aquisition but it is the smart play by Ireland.

 

Obiously no seam buster, but a very good TE2 who can be relied to block and catch the occasional pass. If you get him at that price tag, it's hard to take issue with it.

 

Huh what?.. Not sure what's confusing, I don't see them as neck and neck.

 

I think he is asking why.

I think Ertz is better of the two, but I don't see a big drop off. Ertz is a better blocker and all around TE, but Eifert is more athletic and may have more room to grow as a player.

 

Can't just wait for Egnew to develop. Luring Keller would be HUGE for this team.
Broken records are heard once in a while.

 

I recall him weighing only 226 lbs at the combine in 1996.

 

Old??? Since when is 38 old? I'd say you're just past puberty.
If you feel old already, you'll be in a helluva shape by the time you hit your 50s.

 

Great for us if we can have Fasano as a #2.

Looking at this from Fasano's standpoint, though, why would he a) want #2 money b) want a #2 role on a team when he could potentially be a #1 elsewhere?

 

Because he could not be a #1 on a good team.

 

By the way

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...fert-looks-like-the-nfl-drafts-top-tight-end/

 

Looks can be deceiving, pappy. Have him pull up his shorts and then look again.

 

I concur Conu. Time after time Ray has said that he was not the biggest, fastest, or most highly recruited. What separated him from the others is effort and a desire to be great.


I have watched much more video on Ertz than Eifert, so my opinion is skewed to a degree due to this, but Ertz would be a heck of a pick 1) in the late first if we move up and grab him or 2) if he falls to the second round (which I doubt at our spot, but early 2R is possible). Ertz has great size (6-6ish or so), great hands, runs pretty good routes, and can get open from what I saw in his play.

 

I see the Dolphins as feeling Hartline, Starks, and Fasano are the three guys they sort of have to re-sign. I agree with this thinking. Reggie is good but his play making is well overstated while his play decimating is understated. The Falcons had ~1300 rushing yards last season and two backs who averaged 3.8 and 3.6 YPC. Philbin is well acquainted with winning sans a good running back. Snagging a lower priced option like Mike Goodson who CK has been touting seems like the avenue they'll take to complement Miller.

Long is going to be expensive whether or not he plays well. I could see a tagged season for him or else Joeckel (who won't make it to 12)/Fischer in first round.

Jennings as a FA is possible but the longer it takes to get to FA the less likely I feel this is. Miles Austin could become a cap casualty and I could very well see him in Miami if he gets cut since the 'Boys are`$18 million over the cap and Ireland was one of the people responsible for him getting to the Cowboys from the powerhouse that is Monmouth.

Assuming Long walks away and we go OT in the first round, SS probably gets tagged and a CB is drafted. I'm thinking in this scenario that Michael Johnson gets signed and Ryan Swope is drafted as well.

WR's

Miles Austin
Brian Hartline
Davone Bess
Ryan Swope
Rishard Matthews/Jeff Fuller

TE's
Charles Clay
Anthony Fasano
Michael Egnew
(Maybe someone like Bennett or Myers)

O-Line
Eric Fischer
Richie Incognito
Mike Pouncey
John Jerry
Jonathan Martin

DB's (Hopefully Marshall is cut)
Sean Smith
Dmitri Patterson
Logan Ryan/Will Davis
Chris Clemons
Reshad Jones

D-Line
Michael Johnson
Randy Starks
Paul Soliai
Cameron Wake

RB's
Lamar Miller
Mike Goodson
Daniel Thomas
Jonas Gray

 

My reasoning for letting Fasano go is, we are not going to get over the hump if we stay with the same players that kept us from getting OVER that hump. Fasano and Bush can be replaced with younger guys that can bring new blood to the team. I would even be willing to let Hartline go if we can find a younger, faster, play maker. I am ok with keeping Hartline on a short term deal to see if he can improve with the other new blood that is brought in.
Get some upgrades on the OL, along with some faster, younger skill position players and let them all grow up together.

Its already gotten old to me to keep the same ol, same ol, just because they are on MY team.

 

So you dont want Bush or Fasano because you want new blood but you do want to resign Hartline. That makes no sense to me.

 

I know many will not like this but it sure seems like Miami is making excusses for not improving just by resigning Hartline and Fasano those two players are not playmakers. its starting to sound like last year with our front office and the sad thing is many here are buying into the smoke and mirrors .

if we sign a really good wr and really good tighend and then draft secondary players I will be happy but if we end up with Bess and Hartline again then Miami deserves to go 1- 15 next year.


i dont mean the last part that is just frustration and fear.

 

All this from a mis-quoted Barry Jackson column? Oh my.