Fresh Meat: Sports Buzz

"RoninFin4 wrote:

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/2015/02/dolphins-making-lb-a-priority-inform-several-free-agents-theyre-wanted-back-lots-of-fins-heat-canes-.html

Credit to Disgustipate for posting this first. Some juicy nuggets in there:

- Miami and Charles Clay are in active negotiations according to Barry Jackson.
- Expected to pursue LB David Harris; may move Misi back to SAM. Take that as you will with respect to Misi and Dion Jordan.
- Not bringing back Jason Trusnik.
- Interested in bringing back Odrick, for the right price, Delmas and Jimmy Wilson (ugh).

More in the article.

The thought of keeping Wilson is going to keep me up at night.

Im sorry but David Harris is simply too old and slow to be anything other then a 34 ilb. Hes never been a 43 player at this level nor should he be. Hes still effective in a 34 but thats where he should stay. Id welcome him if we were going to a 34 but coyle is still here and hes not bright enough to recognize a scheme fit if it smacked him in the ding a ling.

From that link, its not actually clear if the organization said they were going after Harris or if someone is outside the org is just putting two and two together.

They went after dqwell jackson {good choice} last year at the same age i believe..offered him a contract..he went to the vikings and we tried the switch to misi..

"djphinfan wrote:

They went after dqwell jackson {good choice} last year at the same age i believe..offered him a contract..he went to the vikings and we tried the switch to misi..

He went to the Colts.

Meanwhile...

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000473938/article/percy-harvin-to-the-new-england-patriots-why-not

Imagine him and DGB with Brady next year, ouch.

I'm really not a fan of those linebackers at all. I don't think either of them are better than Koa Misi was last year, and they're just bodies that are going to get shuffled into the musical chairs that inevitably occur there.

"RoninFin4 wrote:

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/2015/02/dolphins-making-lb-a-priority-inform-several-free-agents-theyre-wanted-back-lots-of-fins-heat-canes-.html

Credit to Disgustipate for posting this first. Some juicy nuggets in there:

- Miami and Charles Clay are in active negotiations according to Barry Jackson.
- Expected to pursue LB David Harris; may move Misi back to SAM. Take that as you will with respect to Misi and Dion Jordan.
- Not bringing back Jason Trusnik.
- Interested in bringing back Odrick, for the right price, Delmas and Jimmy Wilson (ugh).

More in the article.

Hmm, Truz is a key ST guy, upgradeable hope they do keep that in mind when they do upgrade him. Also like the idea of keeping Jason Fox as the swing tackle.

"RoninFin4 wrote:

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/2015/02/dolphins-making-lb-a-priority-inform-several-free-agents-theyre-wanted-back-lots-of-fins-heat-canes-.html

Credit to Disgustipate for posting this first. Some juicy nuggets in there:

- Miami and Charles Clay are in active negotiations according to Barry Jackson.
- Expected to pursue LB David Harris; may move Misi back to SAM. Take that as you will with respect to Misi and Dion Jordan.
- Not bringing back Jason Trusnik.
- Interested in bringing back Odrick, for the right price, Delmas and Jimmy Wilson (ugh).

More in the article.

Just saw this article this morning.

-Great bring Clay back, he is needed.
-Hate the David Harris rumor....we just failed by signing FA Vets two years ago with Ellerbe/Wheeler now you want to bring someone in who is older at 31 and who has never played a 3-4. Ugh, come on this regime's stubborness and inability to see young talent on roster if beyond infuriating. Reading that Misi not Jordan to SAM is beyond ridiculous. Misi can't stay healthy and should be used as a chess piece and rotational player. Even McCain makes more sense to give a shot at SAM. To see our #3 pick on the bench and McCain on the bench while watching Misi get injured every game will make me crazy.
-Good news on Trusnik get younger more athletic
-Think that if anyone is gone it'll be Odrick. After watching the Safety class from draft, and FA Delmas on small deal with another insurance option might be the route. I am good without Jimmy Wilson.

"zwave21 wrote:

Just saw this article this morning.

-Great bring Clay back, he is needed.
-Hate the David Harris rumor....we just failed by signing FA Vets two years ago with Ellerbe/Wheeler now you want to bring someone in who is older at 31 and who has never played a 3-4. Ugh, come on this regime's stubborness and inability to see young talent on roster if beyond infuriating. Reading that Misi not Jordan to SAM is beyond ridiculous. Misi can't stay healthy and should be used as a chess piece and rotational player. Even McCain makes more sense to give a shot at SAM. To see our #3 pick on the bench and McCain on the bench while watching Misi get injured every game will make me crazy.
-Good news on Trusnik get younger more athletic
-Think that if anyone is gone it'll be Odrick. After watching the Safety class from draft, and FA Delmas on small deal with another insurance option might be the route. I am good without Jimmy Wilson.

Moving Misi to SAM doesn't mean Jordan isn't being moved to SAM or McCain doesn't have the chance to beat him out as well. Also, Misi getting injured would get them off of the bench.

Interesting that they have not communicated with Brian Hartline, especially since Hartline made a public declaration after the season that he waned to know the team's plans for him asap.

"Dol-Fan Dupree wrote:

Moving Misi to SAM doesn't mean Jordan isn't being moved to SAM or McCain doesn't have the chance to beat him out as well. Also, Misi getting injured would get them off of the bench.

Come on, Dupree you've watched this regime "stay the course" for 3 years and 2 of those with Dion. We've struggled at LB's all those years and it ain't new. If they haven't moved him by now I have little faith they'd do it now. But, I agree doesn't rule it out but I know that Philbin has always said "I like Koa, he's a football player, hardworker."

Cool Joe, but we want a ILB who excels and can stay on the field. Yes, Misi getting injured would get them in the game you'd think.... but I could imagine them signing a veteran to fill the need rather than be creative.

I like the David Harris rumor. He's a good player. He's a leader too, something we sorely need

"zwave21 wrote:

Come on, Dupree you've watched this regime "stay the course" for 3 years and 2 of those with Dion. We've struggled at LB's all those years and it ain't new. If they haven't moved him by now I have little faith they'd do it now. But, I agree doesn't rule it out but I know that Philbin has always said "I like Koa, he's a football player, hardworker."

Cool Joe, but we want a ILB who excels and can stay on the field. Yes, Misi getting injured would get them in the game you'd think.... but I could imagine them signing a veteran to fill the need rather than be creative.

While true, I would rather have Dion or McCain beat out Misi than just be given the spots. yes, Philbin doesn't seem to be the best at starting the right player, as Ellerbe was going to start in front of Jenkins, and Jenkins played much better than he did.

However Misi isn't a bad SLB. In fact, he is pretty good at it. Just gets hurt a lot.

"CitizenSnips wrote:

I like the David Harris rumor. He's a good player. He's a leader too, something we sorely need

The high degree of variation in the defense's play last year I thought suggested the absence of leadership on that side of the ball.

What happened to the Willis talk/rumor?

Beggars can't be choosers and Harris is almost certainly better than anyone we have now.

"Aqua4Ever04 wrote:

CK mentione Eric Kendricks being a great fit. After the combine and seeing how the draft board might shake down, I think you can put his name on the list of options at 14.

I'd probably peg him as 6th on my board after Cooper, Collins, Gordon, White, and Shelton. I just see him as more of a Will based on how Coyle has run this D. I don't think Jelani Jenkins is a fit for the middle and I'm somewhat iffy on Kendricks' fit there; wouldn't be opposed, just curious about how he'd fit.

There are things I like and things I don't like.

I like the talk about Jason Fox returning to lock down the swing tackle backup position. But like sports24/7, I find it hilarious they would be doing this after keeping Fox on the bench while Dallas Thomas established himself as the worst offensive lineman in football, only putting Fox on the field because Dallas got hurt. And now suddenly they want to keep Fox because was really good. Comic and tragic at the same time. I can't wait for these clowns to be fired.

I don't inherently dislike David Harris as he's a decent linebacker and probably brings some things from a leadership and communication standpoint that this defense needs. However I do dislike that Harris made $9 million last year and that could be a starting point in negotiations for his next contract (as in, he's likely to ask for the same amount, slightly more, or slightly less). He's worth half that. And that's only if you've thoroughly investigated the Patrick Willis situation and are convinced A) he's not available, B) his medical file is a huge problem, or C) the 49ers want a high pick for him despite the fact he's been made superfluous by the play of NaVorro Bowman and Chris Borland.

And if you do take on a David Harris you need to immediately trade EITHER Dion Jordan OR Koa Misi. Having Koa Misi man the Sam linebacker spot while Dion Jordan sits the bench leaking away his trade value is just a poor business practice. Jordan needs the chance to get playing time at that position. And so does Chris McCain. Ultimately the Dolphins should hold a competition between Jordan and McCain and may the best player win. If Koa Misi is present, that will not at all be a true competition any more than Dannell Ellerbe versus Jelani Jenkins was a true "competition". Even though Jelani CLEARLY was the better player, once you got him on the field. The coaches will hand the job to the player they've seen playing the spot and that is Koa Misi. So Chris McCain and Dion Jordan will spend another year on the bench wasting away. Bad business.

I do not like that they're not pursuing Jason Trusnik. I've been a critic of how he played in the past but under Mark Duffner he looked like a new, better player. He plays with veteran intelligence, and he can man all three linebacker spots. He's also a good special teams player. Given what I just said above I certainly understand wanting to clear the way for youngsters to end up on the field like Jordie Tripp and Chris McCain. But Trusnik is cheap, and if you get a McCain out there and he can't cover a wheel route to save his life or Tripp can't make the defensive calls, then if you have Trusnik in the fold you can quickly rectify mistakes by taking them out, putting the more experienced guy in, and waiting until the young player shows you in practice that he's cleaned up his failings.

Re-signing Jimmy Wilson is another one of those so tragic it's comical things.

Re-signing Louis Delmas is probably just a good idea.

"Aqua4Ever04 wrote:

I think we all agree he's an instinctual player that knows when and where to shoot his gun. In that sense, I feel much more comfortable about a guy developing into a more rounded role opposed to taking a guy who has the physical prowess and trying to smash instincts into his already over-capacitated brain.

Kendricks seems like the kind of guy that will learn the responsibilities of any spot you line him up at. I believe the term I'm describing is a high floor/low bust potential. And if we know anything about Joe Philbin, he loves to play it safe.

I think that's very fair. Just a curious fit based on who Coyle's tried at MLB and Mike Zimmer going back to when Coyle was with the Bengals. They've always seemed to prefer bigger, stout, 2-down guys. That's not to say Kendricks couldn't beef up a bit and play lights out; certainly damn well could (and I think he probably would).

"ckparrothead wrote:

There are things I like and things I don't like.

I like the talk about Jason Fox returning to lock down the swing tackle backup position. But like sports24/7, I find it hilarious they would be doing this after keeping Fox on the bench while Dallas Thomas established himself as the worst offensive lineman in football, only putting Fox on the field because Dallas got hurt. And now suddenly they want to keep Fox because was really good. Comic and tragic at the same time. I can't wait for these clowns to be fired.

I don't inherently dislike David Harris as he's a decent linebacker and probably brings some things from a leadership and communication standpoint that this defense needs. However I do dislike that Harris made $9 million last year and that could be a starting point in negotiations for his next contract (as in, he's likely to ask for the same amount, slightly more, or slightly less). He's worth half that. And that's only if you've thoroughly investigated the Patrick Willis situation and are convinced A) he's not available, B) his medical file is a huge problem, or C) the 49ers want a high pick for him despite the fact he's been made superfluous by the play of NaVorro Bowman and Chris Borland.

And if you do take on a David Harris you need to immediately trade EITHER Dion Jordan OR Koa Misi. Having Koa Misi man the Sam linebacker spot while Dion Jordan sits the bench leaking away his trade value is just a poor business practice. Jordan needs the chance to get playing time at that position. And so does Chris McCain. Ultimately the Dolphins should hold a competition between Jordan and McCain and may the best player win. If Koa Misi is present, that will not at all be a true competition any more than Dannell Ellerbe versus Jelani Jenkins was a true "competition". Even though Jelani CLEARLY was the better player, once you got him on the field. The coaches will hand the job to the player they've seen playing the spot and that is Koa Misi. So Chris McCain and Dion Jordan will spend another year on the bench wasting away. Bad business.

I do not like that they're not pursuing Jason Trusnik. I've been a critic of how he played in the past but under Mark Duffner he looked like a new, better player. He plays with veteran intelligence, and he can man all three linebacker spots. He's also a good special teams player. Given what I just said above I certainly understand wanting to clear the way for youngsters to end up on the field like Jordie Tripp and Chris McCain. But Trusnik is cheap, and if you get a McCain out there and he can't cover a wheel route to save his life or Tripp can't make the defensive calls, then if you have Trusnik in the fold you can quickly rectify mistakes by taking them out, putting the more experienced guy in, and waiting until the young player shows you in practice that he's cleaned up his failings.

Re-signing Jimmy Wilson is another one of those so tragic it's comical things.

Re-signing Louis Delmas is probably just a good idea.

can you talk about Fox and his reps last year, what did you see from him in the small sample size?

I don't get the Dallas Thomas hate. He's probably gonna be the starting RG this year and from what I saw last year I'm willing to bet he does well.