There is more in this Barry Jackson blurb including comments by the 72 oldtimers about the current state of the Dolphins. To me the most meaningful quote in this blurb is made by SB Champion QB Bob Griese I have to agree .For a player who was not supposed to start this year he has already displayed the qualities that make a great QB.All he needs is more experience and weapons around him as Griese says .
I think to a certain extent, a lot of that is overrated. There has been a statistical drift since a lot of those guys, and it's quite easy for a rookie quarterback to play pretty well now.
I don't understand this. They start an unusually raw rookie QB who has all of 19 career college starts, but they're afraid the bleeping tight end is going to make a mistake? Good riddance.
The Chris Clemons hate is pretty asinine. He's played pretty well, and is a solid starting safety and fits what Kevin Coyle does well.
Yeah Clemons isn't a stud but he's a lot better than what we have had in the past. I'm not sure I'd like to add a hole at safety this offseason because we have MUCH more pressing needs.
If we could get him on a cheap 2 year deal, I'd be certainly do it, or a bit of a front loaded one. Then you need to draft a guy or two and groom them so that hopefully one can prove he's ready to take the reins back there. Whoever we draft needs to have range. I don't care if the guy is blazing fast in a 40 time. I want someone with some instincts. Instincts help to minimize a lack of speed in certain situations, thus allowing those players to be where they need to be. The guy doesn't have to be a pro bowler, just make some plays back there.
When your bringing in Tyrone culver midseason it's obvious some resources need to be spent on some development players.. Solid draft class.
The notion that Chris Clemons is anything more than a fairly limited backup is pants-on-head silly. His continued existence should not preclude the search for a better player, and frankly said player won't be all that difficult to find. As for Kevin Coyle's requirements, considering he turned Gibril Wilson and Chris Clemons into acceptable players within a scheme, I'd say a lukewarm corpse with puppet strings would fit what Kevin Coyle does well.
Except he didnt see any NFL defenses in college... Hes gonna be over 90 QB Rating over the last five games...I believe...maybe just under.
Based on what, exactly? You've got a boner for Ed Reed, who is not walking through that door anytime in the near future if ever? Chris Clemons has allowed receptions against him at the lowest rate of anyone in the NFL. He's allowed 12 receptions against him, which is the lowest in the NFL, and at the lowest per-snap percentage(once every 46.4 snaps). He's also credited with no touchdowns, and is top 10 in yardage allowed as well. Two interceptions isn't a lot, but considering he's not being thrown at? Fine. You should take that. It ain't like he's being protected either. The team runs a lot of single-high looks and he's frequently the deep guy. Acting like any slap-dick safety you find on the street could perform like Chris Clemons has been doing is just plain ignorant.
See Anonymous' post above. Anyway, here are two scenarios that I don't think even you will be able to argue with. Though I'm sure you'll prove me wrong. 1. Clemons walks or signs a backup-level contract. Start Richard Marshall to Clemons' spot. Re-sign Sean Smith. Sign either Brent Grimes or Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Starting secondary is CB Smith, CB Grimes/DRC, S Jones, S Marshall. 2. Clemons walks or signs a backup-level contract. Sign Dashon Goldson. Keep Marshall at CB. Sign one of Sean Smith, Brent Grimes, or DRC. Starting secondary is CB Marshall, CB Smith/Grimes/DRC, S Jones, S Goldson. There. Not only did I fix the Clemons problem, I upgraded CB too, and I did it in a cap-friendly way that emphasizes retaining our own free agents.
Let's put it this way, then- The player you have in your mind ain't walking through the door anytime soon. Ed Reed isn't that guy anymore. You have not demonstrated an actual "Clemons problem", you more along the lines of turned Madden into an 80's style text-based video game.
I'm unimpressed with Clemons. I frequently find myself saying that he had an opportunity to make a play there if he had just reacted or recognized it quicker. I'm not against bringing him back but I hope we're actively looking for a play maker to supplant him. I do think he's benefitted from being paired with a better play maker in Jones, but I don't think we should be satisfied with a S with so little instincts.
Where did I say we should bring in a 35 year old Ed Reed? You seem to confuse my holding up of Ed Reed's style of play as desirable from that specific safety position with a desire to actually sign Ed Reed as he will exist in 2013. Basically, I say I want a safety with ball skills as close to Reed's as possible, and you then turn around and try to insult me for wanting Ed Reed. There seems to be a disconnect here, which is pretty usual for the manner in which you reply to me. Re-sign two of your own players, move one player to another position… yep, those kinds of moves are exactly what the "Madden" video game pejorative describes. As opposed to, say, trading Chris Clemons for Troy Polamalu and Ben Roethlisberger. Boy, I'm really out on a limb here. And while we're on the topic of invented burdens of proof, you have not demonstrated any of the merits you apparently believe Clemons possesses. Actually, given how you continue to put down those who even hint at maybe bringing in a new player at a given position, I'm surprised you think there are any holes on this team. So much this, with the addendum that those improved instincts should come with some improved turnover generation. Actually, the entire defense could use that, but let's focus on one position at a time.
So wait... I referred to Ed Reed figuratively, ya'll took it literally, then I addressed it in that sense and now we're back to theoretical. WELP... Let me simplify it- The player you want probably does not in practice exist as available to us. You've little indication of the coaching staff want to do most if not all of that. I did sort of post stats how Clemons performs very well at the fundamentally important aspect of his job.
You're creating a problem to fix where there isn't one is the issue. A better solution: Re-sign Clemons and upgrade one of your corner spots. Then use Marshall as a third safety in obvious passing downs and as a sort of "Slash" defensive player in some other looks letting him roam the field in zone looks.
I'm doing some plastic surgery to fix a problem that already exists, and basically upgrading two positions with one contract. Clemons should not be on the field ahead of Marshall, IMO.
I just want to know why you neglect the fact that Clemons has been one of if not the best coverage safeties in the NFL this year. I like Marshall as well (at safety not corner) but he was FAR worse this season in coverage.
I disagree that Clemons is what you describe. I see a player who uses his high athleticism to mask the fact that he's usually not where he should be, nor do I see much in the way of ball skills out of him. I see him as mostly a run support safety who can use his athleticism to move toward the carrier and make the stop. I don't see him tipping passes or plucking balls very often. I'm happy with Clemons as a third safety. I'm not happy with him starting. Eric Weddle he ain't.
Jacoby Jones' TD in the 2009 season is pretty much indicative of how both Smith and Clemons have played through the years. I wouldn't create holes by getting rid of them, but I wouldn't call it a day and say we're done at those spots.
Maybe, but you're assuming its a douchey move to move on from a storied vet. Look at Favre. He was hurting the team. He decided he should keep playing, the team would have loved for him to retire a Packer, but he chose not too, not the team.
There are two hall of fame players in their way..Rodgers and Luck..would of done the same thing if I was either organization.. Lewis and Reed can still play..I just think that their organization and culture is so tight, that they will convince the two to retire a raven..
