Potential 2014 Defensive Lineup

"djphinfan wrote:

I only judge Ireland based on when Parcells left, I made that decision based on a lot of information that I believe to be logical...Jimmy Graham and Calais Cambell were two prospects coming out while Parcells was in charge..

I have issues with Ireland, no question, but if this current team makes the playoffs it will have meant that guys that he aquired got us there and played well, I just can't give that kind of success cause for termination..

Even though Jeff's decision to not address the OL at all is the single most glaring thing that has held this team back this year?

He overpaid drastically in free agency and didn't address the most glaring need the team had in the off season at all.

"KB21 wrote:

Even though Jeff's decision to not address the OL at all is the single most glaring thing that has held this team back this year?

He overpaid drastically in free agency and didn't address the most glaring need the team had in the off season at all.

Yup, he screwed up his evals on the oline, the overpaying in free agency is not yet defined though KB..the money spent was because he set the team up to spend it..

Like you said earlier if the disconnect between he and the coach is legit, then ok, but if this team makes it, I believe things have to be reevaluated..

Lets say they do make it..your talking about a 2nd year first time head coach and a very green Qb, alongside a top ten team in youth making the playoffs, thats got to be respected man..right?

"djphinfan wrote:

Lets say they do make it..your talking about a 2nd year first time head coach and a very green Qb, alongside a top ten team in youth making the playoffs, thats got to be respected man..right?

Not to mention some pretty good cap space to work with next offseason.

"Brasfin wrote:

Not to mention some pretty good cap space to work with next offseason.

And a slew of starters that will be free agents that will eat up said cap space if re-signed. That's not counting the guys on the OL who won't be on the roster either.

"djphinfan wrote:

Yup, he screwed up his evals on the oline, the overpaying in free agency is not yet defined though KB..the money spent was because he set the team up to spend it..

Like you said earlier if the disconnect between he and the coach is legit, then ok, but if this team makes it, I believe things have to be reevaluated..

Lets say they do make it..your talking about a 2nd year first time head coach and a very green Qb, alongside a top ten team in youth making the playoffs, thats got to be respected man..right?

No. Not when you consider the public backlash that is going to happen if Jeff Ireland is kept around. This isn't just about Jeff's poor record in evaluation and roster management. This is also about the fact that he was involved in the Dez Bryant thing....he was involved in the Jim Harbaugh thing....and now he is one of the main persons of interest in the Jonathan Martin thing. You cannot keep this guy who is abrasive to the fans and media on a continuous basis and has such a poor track record as a GM.

I'm also in favor of making a coaching change if for no other reason than we need a head coach who handles the media better, but I'd be more in favor of keeping Joe Philbin than I am Jeff Ireland. There's nothing that can happen short of winning the Superbowl that would make me think Jeff should be retained.

"RoninFin4 wrote:

And a slew of starters that will be free agents that will eat up said cap space if re-signed. That's not counting the guys on the OL who won't be on the roster either.

Creating holes to fill holes.....that's the Jeff Ireland way.

I know a majority of this thread has been rightly focused on the front 7, but let's take a quick look at the defensive backfield. Can Jimmy Wilson play FS if Clemons isn't brought back or tagged? I know he is having a solid year, but Miami only gave him a 1 year deal. The franchise tag for S should be around 8 million next year, and I don't feel like Clemons is worth that kind of money. He's also 29, so it's not too early to start thinking about his replacement.

"KB21 wrote:

No. Not when you consider the public backlash that is going to happen if Jeff Ireland is kept around. This isn't just about Jeff's poor record in evaluation and roster management. This is also about the fact that he was involved in the Dez Bryant thing....he was involved in the Jim Harbaugh thing....and now he is one of the main persons of interest in the Jonathan Martin thing. You cannot keep this guy who is abrasive to the fans and media on a continuous basis and has such a poor track record as a GM.

I'm also in favor of making a coaching change if for no other reason than we need a head coach who handles the media better, but I'd be more in favor of keeping Joe Philbin than I am Jeff Ireland. There's nothing that can happen short of winning the Superbowl that would make me think Jeff should be retained.

I'm purely discussing Ireland in a football context, if stuff comes out that link him directly to something he overlooked then I would agree with you, if they relationship between he and Philbin has gone sour and the team doesn't make the playoffs, but just in a football context, lets look at the team if the best case scenario happens they win 3 of 4 or run the table..what you have moving forward.

You would have the 8th youngest team in the league in the playoffs.

You would have a team that made the playoffs in the 2nd year of the new coach, that he helped hire.

You would have a Qb that got them there in his 2nd year that he drafted.

You would have a defense that came on very strong and is loaded with talent.

You would have a team that had all it's draft picks.

You would have a team that has the 3rd most cap space in the NFL at around 20 million.

You would have the class of free agents that he aquired playing well.

Now I know we have some free agents, but I can't sit here and say we can't resign the majority if we get rid of a couple and sign our own.

Just in a football context I can't fire the guy with that kind of season that early in the regime change, the other stuff we have to wait and see how severe it is.

"KB21 wrote:

Creating holes to fill holes.....that's the Jeff Ireland way.

You don't think we can sign our own with our cap space and getting rid of Patterson?

"djphinfan wrote:

You don't think we can sign our own with our cap space and getting rid of Patterson?

Not and address the OL as well.

Chris Clemons should be pretty high on the list of people to re-sign. Teams don't catch passes against him.

"Disgustipate wrote:

Chris Clemons should be pretty high on the list of people to re-sign. Teams don't catch passes against him.

I'd be comfortable with bringing our entire secondary back next year considering the improvements in 2013, including Patterson, unless his salary prevents us from signing something a bit more desirable on the offensive side of the ball.

"KB21 wrote:

The sad thing is, our front office should know these U of M players and other local talent better than anyone. This Jeff Ireland lead front office has passed on Calais Campbell, Jimmy Graham, Colin McCarthy, T.Y. Hilton, and Orlando Franklin.

Geographic proximity helps little, if at all. Every team can watch the same film of these players. Every team can call the coaches and inquire about these guys. The fact that they are close doesn't mean the Dolphins should be able to scout them any better. And as I understand it, the Dolphins liked Graham and wanted him, but just thought they could get him a little later. That was a miscalculation, but not one that had anything to do with geography.

Chris Clemons is my #1 re-sign target at this point.

"RoninFin4 wrote:

Chris Clemons is my #1 re-sign target at this point.

We could probably resign Clemons, Starks, and Soliai if we didn't have a receiver with a $13+ million cap number for next year.

"KB21 wrote:

We could probably resign Clemons, Starks, and Soliai if we didn't have a receiver with a $13+ million cap number for next year.

Miami could sign all three of those, even with the $13 million cap number of Wallace. Especially if they role over the cap space from this year.

"invid wrote:

I'd be comfortable with bringing our entire secondary back next year considering the improvements in 2013, including Patterson, unless his salary prevents us from signing something a bit more desirable on the offensive side of the ball.

Pattersons contract is too much and we have Jamar and Davis..they have to play, and we need that 5 mill..we will have to make some tough decisions and his makes the most sense..were playing well without him..

"RoninFin4 wrote:

Chris Clemons is my #1 re-sign target at this point.

Wow..I've defended that dude for four years every off season, and it was based on the breakdown of one game where I saw his potential and skillset flash so hard that I knew he would develop.

"KB21 wrote:

We could probably resign Clemons, Starks, and Soliai if we didn't have a receiver with a $13+ million cap number for next year.

If these guys want to stay here and want play together I think we can get it done..

"djphinfan wrote:

If these guys want to stay here and want play together I think we can get it done..

What will it cost us down the road though? Resigning these guys is what should have been the focus this past offseason and not signing the guys we signed.

"djphinfan wrote:

Pattersons contract is too much and we have Jamar and Davis..they have to play, and we need that 5 mill..we will have to make some tough decisions and his makes the most sense..were playing well without him..

Could give him a new contract and defer the cost of his contract to the future.

"KB21 wrote:

What will it cost us down the road though? Resigning these guys is what should have been the focus this past offseason and not signing the guys we signed.

I don't think either Starks nor Soliai were guys that should have been re-signed except in retrospect. Both of them are having career seasons after being good but inconsistent for a couple years(including in both cases contract years).

"Disgustipate wrote:

I don't think either Starks nor Soliai were guys that should have been re-signed except in retrospect. Both of them are having career seasons after being good but inconsistent for a couple years(including in both cases contract years).

When has Starks or Soliai been inconsistent?

"djphinfan wrote:

Pattersons contract is too much and we have Jamar and Davis..they have to play, and we need that 5 mill..we will have to make some tough decisions and his makes the most sense..were playing well without him..

I don't think you can not pay Patterson as good as he's been this year when he's been on the field. If anything, you don't resign Nolan Carroll if you think one of Taylor or Davis can step up in the time being.

"Dol-Fan Dupree wrote:

When has Starks or Soliai been inconsistent?

Most of their respective careers? Paul Soliai has had two good years in his career(his breakout season and this year), and Starks pretty notably goes into slumps, with last year being a pretty clear example. The guy was great the first half and not very good the second.