From Yahoo Sports...Dolphins picking WR Bryant or linebacker

Rule changes made in the last decade highly favor the offense. QBs and WRs can hardly be looked at without a flag being thrown these days. This league has been trending towards being offensively advantaged, and to deny it is crazy. You still need an offense that can put points on the board, and more importantly strike fast and hard when needed. All super bowl winners did this. All that passrush would have been for naught had the Giants and Steelers not won with a late offensive crunch time drive.

Is defense important? Of course! Definitely! Nobody is saying we should ignore defense. But to say we "need" to take linebackers the first 4 picks, or "need" to draft all defense is going overboard. Will we add defense and linebackers? Yes, and we should! But to simply ignore offense, a unit that is much closer to being a top unit than defense would be silly if you have the chance to draft a top talent.

 

I keep hearing this, yet no one can tell me how he did 24 bench press reps at 225 if he had an injured shoulder. He had surgery on it in Jan 2009, but his bench press tells me the shoulder is sound again.

 

So, they played in a pass oriented league, which indicates likely higher scoring games overall and teams marching up and down the field. Yet they finished 3rd nationally in total defense.

 

to quote Other's Peoples Money "you can change the rules but you can never change the game" Even if a good defense means keeping teams to 24 points instead of 14 points, defense will win championships more than offenses. Minnesota shut down the Saints vaunted offense and only lost because New Orleans defense caused turnover after turnover. Offensively we have our pieces in place: a QB and a offensive line. Everything else is secondary. Lets get the defense the pass rushers it needs and add a DB or two and that will go far more to bringing a championship than adding a tertiary weapon. Once we have the defense in place we can start tinkering with the outside guys. Noone is saying an added weapon on the offense isnt wanted but Priorities first

 

I haven't heard any clearance about his shoulder, which is why I'm still questioning it. That and he's had it dislocated twice so I'm a bit hesitant. I love the guy though.

 

The priority should be making sure our young QB is successful this year.......and he desperately needs some help

 

I think the key to Henne becoming better this year will be how familiar he gets with the weapons he has already, better pre snap reads, improving his ability to diagnose where the blitzes are coming from, better deep play accuracy and learning to look off the defenders better. He was surpisingly good at reading coverages last year so I dont think he has much improvement in that area

Having said that I kind of expected us to draft him a seam busting TE but it seems we're kind of quiet on the tight end draft rumors. Hoping we get Quarless or Pitta but who knows. If we dont add that or even if we do I think there is a good chance we do add one more WR prospect. Just wont be with our first. Could be LaFell, could be Ford, could be someone else but we'll add a weapon or two for Henne

 

So basically you're saying it's all on him to make the crap he's got to work with, better than they are........ nice

You can't expect much improvement until the WR and TE units are upgraded. It's just not realistic to expect much more than what we saw last year...

Putting it all on Henne is ridiculous.....

 

did you see an all pro QB last year? i didnt. i saw a damn good rookie though. i dont see how accuracy is contingent on who he's throwing too. i dont see why reading a blitz better is somehow asking too much of him? why is asking him to look off the defenders somehow too much for him too handle. I love Henne. I think he's got a bright future but I also see the flaws in his game. The passing game functioned last year with what we had and that was due both to Henne and our receivers. Now in year two they should have better chemistry and therefore should be improved somewhat even if we do nothing. And like I said, I dont expect us to do nothing in terms of adding a weapon or two. It just wont be Dez IMO.

Wanting better receivers is fine but expecting more from Henne is something we should also want and there are areas Henne has to improve that have nothing to do with the receivers

 

The Vikings did not stop the Saints offense. They put up 31 on them.

 

Adamp, don't you think the OLB prospects in round 2 are better than the WR prospects?

 

Hard to say. LaFell, Thomas and Benn all have potential. Prospects like Worilds dont fit our scheme IMO (better for Pittsburgh or San Diego) Do we draft a Norwood in the 2nd rd? Is that really an answer? Seems just as risky as drafting LaFell with less upside

I think there is just as much of a droppoff in talent from the (Graham, Hughes, Kindle) bunch as there is from Dez to WR and it could be more or less depending on what Lafell, Thomas and Benn turn into

 

it was 28 in regulation and 7 came off a short field from a turnover. The Vikings defense should have held them to 7 points in the 2nd half were it not for the turnover. Conversely the Vikings left 14 points IIRC on the field from turnovers. The Saints defense was collapsing yardage wise but made up for it with key turnovers

 

That's where I disagree. There is a lot of talent this draft at OLB. Enough for someone to come in via our second round pick and start for us day one. I can't say the same about the receivers in this class.

That is why I am for Dez Bryant. You know he will start for us and contribue from day one.

 

Of course we should expect certain improvements but without better targets he's always going to be limited.........period.

And going into his second season, we should be focusing on making sure he progresses, not trying to build a team that wins 13-10......in a league with teams that dominate by putting up big points, on everyone they play.

 

I see. I just glanced at the scoreboard and didn't really look into it. Thanks.

 

No NFL GM goes into a draft with the notion that you draft all defense or all offense. Passing up on potentially great players for your team because you've pigeon holed yourself into 'all offense or all defense' mindset is pretty stupid.

 

all of them have flaws however. worilds is somewhat one dimensional. we have worilds already in wake. not saying there wont be starters from rd 2 on but it gets much more difficult picking the starters from the busts in that round. who do you think could start for us right away from the 2nd rd on? who's going to be better than anderson, wake and moses?

and i'm not saying you're wrong BTW. I have some players that I want badly in the rds after the 1st. Greg Hardy and Adrian Tracy intrigue me alot but they carry huge risks

 

From what I've read, Jason Worilds can be a good SOLB for us. I know Boomer is very high on him and wonders why he isn't a potential first round pick.

I can see Worilds and Griffin starting for us at the Sam. Also, I can see Miami going with an ILB with that pick, Daryl Washington, Sean lee, or Sean Weatherspoon, shifting Dansby to OLB and bringing him back inside on passing situations.

I feel one of those players will be available when we pick in the second, and they can start for us. I left out pass rushers because I think Taylor will be coming back and Nolan will do wonders with Cameron Wake.

 

well you usually build a team to win your division and then see what happens in the playoffs. Jets, Patriots and Bills? 13-10 sounds good to me

 

good luck with that........because the Jets and Pats will both be drafting more play makers this year

 

you picked good names there. I like them all to some degree or other. I do feel Worilds is better for Pittsburgh type 3-4 but I'm not 100% sure what kind of 3-4 we will run here. I suspect it will be the traditional Parcells Fairbanks Bullough type but who knows what Nolan is going to do with it? I think Weatherspoon will be gone by the time we pick in the 2nd but I would love to get him. Griffin has the potential thats for sure but some concerns about his agility and desire need to be considered. Washington is probably better suited for a 4-3. He isnt that big a guy. Sean Lee is interesting. I like him but could he replace Crowder? Could you move him outside? If JT is resigned and Dansby is moved to OLB then you can get away for another year without drafting the position but the signs look like JT is gone and Ireland said in his presser that Dansby was brought in to play inside

 

not worried about the Jets. We have Ted "Jets killer" Ginn lol. He will probably return three kickoffs in each game this year against them lol.

BTW your worst nightmare might happen. Dez worked out for the Patriots. Do they trade up into the top 10 and draft him?

 

Just admit that you don't want a WR because you're still blinded by your love for Teddy........and......if the Pats move up and take Bryant, it will be your worst night mare as well.

 

nah i just want to give him one more year. if the results are the same as last year then its time to cut him loose. The experiment has failed. But if him and Henne can develop some chemistry this year it could be alot of fun


as for dez going to the patriots. it doesnt worry me that much. receivers dont worry me as much as QBs and offensive lines. i'm more interested in how new england's oline will shape up this year. if it keeps brady clean like last year and they learn how to run to the right that worries me more than a rookie receiver

since i gave you your nightmare scenario i might as well give you your dream scenario. its possible ginn is a draft day trade. lol. how happy you would be

 

Amazing how you and others can ignore the need for play making targets in the passing game.....especially with it right in front of your face every Sunday. To say they are insignificant is ignoring the facts...not to mention ignoring how many big plays we leave on the field every week.

And I could care less what we do concerning Ginn.......as long as he's not what we're continuing to try and pass off as a play maker. He's just too soft ....

 

not ignore...put off for another year....2011 quite possibly the greatest wide receiver draft ever. at least 4 pro bowl potential prospects and possibly more. in the meantime lets give our young receivers another year to prove they belong

besides... its a Parcells team not a Mike Martz team. Gotta fit the needs to the scheme

 

It's usually a bad idea to "wait til next year" to fill a core position when you have the opportunity to take a stud. If Bryant is available we should take him.
If he's not then we should probably pass on WR and wait.

And Parcells' teams actually have a tendency to throw quite a bit when they can. It's a myth that he only has these run first teams. They ran a comparison of passing attempts for the Parcells' coached teams against other teams of the era and he was above the average.

 

Wow. Seems small and was still stout at the POA. Might get man-handled in the pros. Great hands and fantastic motor, though. I love how he never gives up outside position even risking missing the tackle. Thanks for the vid.

 

Good, bad, mediocre. Use any adjective you choose. My point is that the Bills OVERALL STRATEGY was to score alot of points with thier fast paced-high powered offense. Their intent was to build a lead, force opposing teams out of thier game plan (to pass) then use Bruce Smith to wreak havoc. Its alot similar to what the Colts do with Manning and co. setting the table for Freeney, Mathis and co.

The opposite game strategy is to have a great defense that suffocates the opposing team, forcing turnovers, sacks, bad field position etc. That sets up the offense to run, run, run, covert third downs and protect the ball.

My overall point is that in todays NFL you cant have both. Free agency and the salary cap make it impossible. Right now, the Dolphins are a couple players away from having an elite offense. A #1WR, a seam busting TE, and a LG who may or may not already be on the team. Those needs could easily be filled before September of this year.

Defense is another story. To field an elite defense we need a new NT, which cant be found in the draft. We need a run stuffing OLB, a pass rushing OLB, a thumper ILB, and a ball hawk safety to play centerfield. No chance of us getting all of those players in one draft. NTs take several years to develop. All of the top OLB candidates are college DEs who will need to learn a new position. ILB and FS can be filled right away, but adding 4-5 rookies to one side of the ball is a recipe for disaster any way you slice it.

So IMO we're closer to having a 90's Bills-current Colts type team than we are to recreating the 90' Giants-current Jets type team. Thats all Im saying.

 

good post
we have different philosophies of course
my whole take is the saints in 08 were 8-8 and missed the playoffs with basically the same offense they had in 09. brees almost broke marino's record with 5069 passing yards. the saints added to their defense brought in a new D coordinator and forced a lot of turnovers. they also ran the ball for something like 130 yards a game
that is a big reason for the improvement imo

you made some great points and i respect them.

 

Hmmm. W Allen, Ferguson and Crowder (top DB, DL, LB) were out for those games as well were they not? Taylor had a shoulder. Porter had a knee. Vontae missed most of the Steelers game. Its hard to see your point about that not being the real offense when the defense was in just as bad of a shape.

As for drafting for the defense, sure we can do that, but be prepared to wait 2-3 years for these NTs and OLBs to learn thier new positions. In our defense, FS and ILB are the only positions we can fill with a rookie. Personally, Id rather spend #1-#2 picks on guys who can start right away. Tje only time the FO strayed from that philosophy was for Pat White, and well, I rest my case.

 

Same to you KP. Nothing wrong w/ a lil friendly disagreement. We all want our team to do well, we just have different ideas on how to get it done.

 

No one disputes that getting a top end edge rusher would be more helpful than getting a WR. The problem is that there arent any top end edge rushers in this draft. Just a handful of college DEs who may or may not be good 3-4 OLBs and will take a couple years to learn the position either way. Ditto for NT, except it takes even longer.

The only guys likely to be available @ 12 who can come in and start right away are IMO, Dez, McClain and E Thomas. We just signed Dansby so that makes McClain a bad vaule. E Thomas would be a great pick, but there are a couple FSs to be had in the 2nd-3rd round who would still fit nicely. As for WR, if we dont take Dez @ 12, forget it. Benn is the only other #1 WR out there for us and he's long gone by #43. If Dez seemes like a character issue then fine, but other than that I cant come up with a good enough reason to pass him up.

Alot of people want to see JPP, Morgan, Kindle, Graham etc. But the reality is that no one knows if Kindle will be any better than Worilds. Or if JPP will be better than Griffen. Or if Morgan will make more plays than Gibson, Misi, or Hughes. Its all a crapshoot. On the other hand, no one will credibly claim that Dez isnt the top WR in this draft. No one else is even close. AJ Green and Julio Jones arent close either, IMO. Sure its a roll of the dice to take a WR, but I dont think you say that Bryant is any more of a risk than Derrick Morgan, Brandon Graham or Pierre Paul etc.

 

its not waiting for next year for the sake of waiting for next year. its waiting for next year because we got rid of both of our starting outside linebackers (the FO is proceeding as if JT is gone) and have to replace them to have even a chance at a functioning defense. The receivers we had got us a 21st ranked passing game with the equivalent of a rookie QB who should only be improved this year as will the chemistry between Henne and the young receivers. It can be improved but at least it functions unlike our linebacker core without Porter and Taylor. We'll be ranked in the teens next year even if we do nothing with our receivers just by virtue of having another year together. Still I do expect us to draft a TE or even another WR just not in the first

Also the passing has nothing to do with receivers in Parcells offenses. His philosophy is grounded in the Erhardt Perkins system. Pass to score, run to win. its based off of the threat of the run. Thats why he always wants a strong running game. Once he gets teams to play the run he's more than happy throwing off of it. Its basic football 101, when the defense expects run then you pass, if the defense expects pass then you consider running depending on down and distance. He isnt averse to getting receivers but he doesnt place the same importance on them as Mike Martz does from his Coryell based system. This is a Parcells team built in his image and that means we are getting linebackers before a shiny new receiver

 

to believe we are going to draft Dez Bryant you have to believe that we will draft a WR to help improve the 21st ranked passing offense over a OLB on a 26th ranked defense that has just lost both its starting OLBs and now has a couple of journeymen in the starting roles. If we were going to draft Dez we wouldve kept Porter and Taylor as insurance. The fact we dont care if Taylor leaves is about as clear cut as tea leaves can be. You dont scrap your starting two OLBs if your plan is to address the position in the 2nd round or later

Add in the fact that Parcells drafts linebackers everywhere he goes and he hasnt had a chance to yet in Miami and it just seems that its inevitable

Thats the way I read it at least

 

Seems like I recall Sparano commenting that Joey's backup played better than he did. Joey would never be a backup for us, so it could be as simple as cutting ties with Joey was to open things up for Charlie Anderson, the guy Sparano was referring to. I am not a bit concerned if we go into the season with Anderson starting at JACK. I'm more concerned with Crowder playing MIKE and obviously Moses at SAM.

We could draft 2-3 LBs, but it may not be in the 1st. This class is deeper than most, much more so than last yrs, so to get good LBs we don't need to necessarily do it at 12.

 

well the one thing i'll say about parcells is dont put anything past him. watch us trade up to get Suh

 

Bro, I'd be cool with that, just as long we pick an impact player in this draft, Cb's and Lt's are fine, but we need some horsepower on this team not more blue collar plugger types.

 

Going after Bryant means believing that we were bottom 5 in the league when it came to converting third and long at 22% while the league average is 37% - 40%. Being able to pass when you need to is vital in a passing league.

And knowing that we were actually ranked 22nd on defense roughly about where our pass offense was ranked.(per NFL.com)

Also Parcells passed on Clay Matthews (a guy we liked enough to bring in for three visits) last year and then on several 2nd round LBs as well. He also passed on Chris Long the year before that. So it's a complete fantasy to claim that Parcells hasn't had an opportunity to draft a LB.