Tony McDaniel wants to play Nose Tackle

"NolePhin wrote:

Haynesworth is 6'6 or so, as far as height goes.

But Albert Haynesworth is 350 pounds. Mcdaniels is 305 pounds. Big difference in weight there.
If anything, this shows that he can be versatile and play anywhere on the line.

I don't think height is really an issue. There have been plenty of tall DTs playing interior techniques. Terdell Sands is 6'7", John Henderson as well. Marcus Stroud is 6'6", etc. and so on. These guys have or do play positions basically identical to a 1-gap 3-4 NT.

If he was going to be a full time NT, and the Dolphins wanted him to play a Parcells-style 2-gap 3-4, then odds are he'd gain some weight. If they stick with the 1-gap, he's probably fine.

There's also a possibility he might be a passing-down NT. Bringing back Jason Taylor might mean more 3-3/3-2 nickel and dime packages, which means they'd be looking for a NT a bit lighter, and a bit more penetration oriented than a regular 320 pound guy.

"padre31 wrote:

Hmm...you know, we have the personnel to run the 4-3

Merling, Starks, McDaniel, Lankford..

Fergie, Wright, Soliai, a back ups

Anywho, the current staff has been spot on in both their player evaluations and squeezing production out of players who had underperformed up until now in their careers, if McD and Wake have the goods, and are coachable, we will squeeze performance out of them out on the field.

We definitely do.

I remember reading an article that had some coach interviews where they said they were going to run a lot of hybrid schemes. This was back in mini-camp and before JT, but I'm sure that his signing only solidified this idea. I think this came up around the same time that all the Quarters talk began.

Anyways, I think we're going to be a lot more creative on D with all the interesting additions we've made with guys like McDaniel, Wake, JT, etc.

"padre31 wrote:

Disagree Alen, the Jags moved McDaniels after signing him to a contract extension, the new GM cleared house, but at one time McD was considered a good replacement for Marcus Stroud.

Del Rio saw something in him, but that one year playoff run skewed everything, the new GM wanted his guys, Del Rio is trying to save his job, so they let McD go for cheap.

I've also heard that he was lazy, I dont know if thats true or not.

"slickj101 wrote:

We definitely do.

I remember reading an article that had some coach interviews where they said they were going to run a lot of hybrid schemes. This was back in mini-camp and before JT, but I'm sure that his signing only solidified this idea. I think this came up around the same time that all the Quarters talk began.

Anyways, I think we're going to be a lot more creative on D with all the interesting additions we've made with guys like McDaniel, Wake, JT, etc.

My dirty NFL secret is I despise the 3-4 with a passion, I like the 4-3 as it is just easier to find skilled players to man the defensive front 7.

I do believe we will run a hybrid system, if McD can stay healthy he could be an interior nickel rusher on a 4 man line, ditto Starks.

"padre31 wrote:

My dirty NFL secret is I despise the 3-4 with a passion, I like the 4-3 as it is just easier to find skilled players to man the defensive front 7.

I do believe we will run a hybrid system, if McD can stay healthy he could be an interior nickel rusher on a 4 man line, ditto Starks.

I think that's exactly why I love the 3-4.

Of course i looks a lot nicer when you have the Steelers front 7.

"slickj101 wrote:

I think that's exactly why I love the 3-4.

Of course i looks a lot nicer when you have the Steelers front 7.

And it took the steelers how long and how many draft picks to but the guys into the system?

The 4-3...easy, Shula retired, JJ installed the 4-3...voila!...defense much much better all it took was adding Gardner to Bowens, add Zach Thomas, develop JT, Mixon, Brommel, and we had a good defense for a long time.

The 3-4 requires too many skills on behalf the linebackers, even now, can anyone say our situation at ILB is even above average?

"padre31 wrote:

even now, can anyone say our situation at ILB is even above average?

Nope and that's why I was so disappointed that we didn't address that need in the draft, especially seeing that Rey was dropping down the boards and the possibility of moving a guy like Sintim to the inside.

"like2god wrote:

Nope and that's why I was so disappointed that we didn't address that need in the draft, especially seeing that Rey was dropping down the boards and the possibility of moving a guy like Sintim to the inside.

Well, that is a part of the reason why I prefer the 4-3, ILB is fairly easy to find as well, but the whole season is predicated on the idea that Sparano and Ireland know what they are doing.

"padre31 wrote:

And it took the steelers how long and how many draft picks to but the guys into the system?

The 4-3...easy, Shula retired, JJ installed the 4-3...voila!...defense much much better all it took was adding Gardner to Bowens, add Zach Thomas, develop JT, Mixon, Brommel, and we had a good defense for a long time.

The 3-4 requires too many skills on behalf the linebackers, even now, can anyone say our situation at ILB is even above average?

And after they got the right guys in place they've won how many super bowls recently? If it takes us that long and we win that many super bowls I'm all for it. I know you would be too. I like the 3-4 over the 4-3 personally, even if it does require more athletic linebackers and stronger Dlinemen.

As far as ILBs go we're weak up the entire gut of our defense. That triangle (NT, ILB, ILB) is weak right now due to depth or talent of player.

We did alright last year and I would guess the second year guys have progressed quite a bit and will be able to play the run a bit better. Or at least that's the running hope I'm going with.

As far as drafting a LB goes next class is loaded with them.. if we need help there (we probably do and we will see as the season goes on) we'll draft it next year.

"padre31 wrote:

And it took the steelers how long and how many draft picks to but the guys into the system?

The 4-3...easy, Shula retired, JJ installed the 4-3...voila!...defense much much better all it took was adding Gardner to Bowens, add Zach Thomas, develop JT, Mixon, Brommel, and we had a good defense for a long time.

The 3-4 requires too many skills on behalf the linebackers, even now, can anyone say our situation at ILB is even above average?

We were using primarily the 4-3 in the last few years of Shula.

"anlgp wrote:

And after they got the right guys in place they've won how many super bowls recently? If it takes us that long and we win that many super bowls I'm all for it. I know you would be too. I like the 3-4 over the 4-3 personally, even if it does require more athletic linebackers and stronger Dlinemen.

They switched over to the 3-4 in 1993 though.

As far as ILBs go we're weak up the entire gut of our defense. That triangle (NT, ILB, ILB) is weak right now due to depth or talent of player.

To me, we are simply average up the gut, part of that is Fergie's age, another part is Channing C's lack of plays and no one else to make them.

We did alright last year and I would guess the second year guys have progressed quite a bit and will be able to play the run a bit better. Or at least that's the running hope I'm going with.

Soliai, McD, Starks, whomever, if a new more mobile NT emerges we will be in much better shape than we were last season.

As far as drafting a LB goes next class is loaded with them.. if we need help there (we probably do and we will see as the season goes on) we'll draft it next year.

Well, outside of the up the gut players, we are fairly set at most positions Anlgp, next year we need a ILB and maybe a Guard, maybe a running back.

"MrClean wrote:

We were using primarily the 4-3 in the last few years of Shula.

A far different form of it, and without Gardner, when JJ arrived the Del Rio's could no longer hack it, we brought in younger players and predicated the defense on physicality over read and react.

And of course, we added Gardner and Stubbs etc.

"padre31 wrote:

Well, outside of the up the gut players, we are fairly set at most positions Anlgp, next year we need a ILB and maybe a Guard, maybe a running back.

long term OLB pass rusher is still an issue. Porter and Taylor are older than younger and we don't really know the full scope of the other players at the position yet. Some of them may emerge or we may have some serious depth issues on our hands at OLB as well as ILB.

"anlgp wrote:

long term OLB pass rusher is still an issue. Porter and Taylor are older than younger and we don't really know the full scope of the other players at the position yet. Some of them may emerge or we may have some serious depth issues on our hands at OLB as well as ILB.

Disagree anlgp, if anything we have too many OLB's, and we will resign Matty Roth, that leaves one spot open if JP or JT go down, or both, and we have Wake or Anderson to fill in at that slot.

ILB is a different matter, Reggie Torbor better eat his wheaties or he will be floating out of Miami.

"padre31 wrote:

Disagree anlgp, if anything we have too many OLB's, and we will resign Matty Roth, that leaves one spot open if JP or JT go down, or both, and we have Wake or Anderson to fill in at that slot.

ILB is a different matter, Reggie Torbor better eat his wheaties or he will be floating out of Miami.

We do have a lot of OLB's but how many of them are quality and not just quantity?

"anlgp wrote:

We do have a lot of OLB's but how many of them are quality and not just quantity?

That is what we will have to find out, bringing in a rookie high draft pick is no guarantee of success, neither is having a cast of characters, someone will have to shine to win the "heir apparent" title.

"padre31 wrote:

A far different form of it, and without Gardner, when JJ arrived the Del Rio's could no longer hack it, we brought in younger players and predicated the defense on physicality over read and react.

And of course, we added Gardner and Stubbs etc.

His name is Gardener, not Gardner, Stubbs was on his last legs and nothing but a stop gap. Del Rio never played a down for the Phins other than one preseason, so he is not an example of anything we moved away from. Granted we upgraded one DT spot, but Stubbs was a severe downgrade from Coleman.
The LB corps would have been better had Cox not left. Replacing Vincent with TBuck was a drop off too.

JJ's defenses were predicated on speed and attacking above all, not physicality

They were both 4-3 schemes before and after JJ's arrival, and any differences between how it was run before and after was due more to personnel changes than anything else. It is ridiculous to say Shula didn't want a physical defense, because he leaned toward a read/react. He sacrificed speed to keep some size and physicality, which probably hurt us against teams like Buffalo as much as anything, being too slow overall to match up.

"padre31 wrote:

Disagree anlgp, if anything we have too many OLB's, and we will resign Matty Roth, that leaves one spot open if JP or JT go down, or both, and we have Wake or Anderson to fill in at that slot.

ILB is a different matter, Reggie Torbor better eat his wheaties or he will be floating out of Miami.

He is the only experienced inside depth we have. Why would he be "floating" out of Miami?

"MrClean wrote:

His name is Gardener, not Gardner, Stubbs was on his last legs and nothing but a stop gap. Del Rio never played a down for the Phins other than one preseason, so he is not an example of anything we moved away from. Granted we upgraded one DT spot, but Stubbs was a severe downgrade from Coleman.
The LB corps would have been better had Cox not left. Replacing Vincent with TBuck was a drop off too.

Because Shula had maxed out the salary cap.

Del Rio retired because he lost his job to Zach Thomas.

Stubbs had his leg broken while leading us in sacks during the season.

JJ's defenses were predicated on speed and attacking above all, not physicality

Speed is not an element of physicality?

They were both 4-3 schemes before and after JJ's arrival, and any differences between how it was run before and after was due more to personnel changes than anything else. It is ridiculous to say Shula didn't want a physical defense, because he leaned toward a read/react. He sacrificed speed to keep some size and physicality, which probably hurt us against teams like Buffalo as much as anything, being too slow overall to match up.

Not really, JJ's preferred scheme was completely different then Shula's, and it is odd thought that "personnel changes" does not mean faster, stronger, smaller.

"MrClean wrote:

He is the only experienced inside depth we have. Why would he be "floating" out of Miami?

Because he is expensive and underperforms perhaps?

The 3-4 is harder to perfect than the 4-3( probably due to the fact that 3-4 NTs are rare), but you cannot deny it's dominance. If we can perfect the 3-4, we will have a dominant and scary defense.

JJs defenses were clearly not physical ... no one was 'afraid' to come and play the PHINS ... neither JT or ZT punished anyone ... it just wasn't their game.

yes, speed is a physical element ... but when talking physical style defenses - such as the Ravens ... it is the punishing aspect that is perceived.

ultimately, we want both ... fast and punishing ... and that is what the Ravens are - and what we are aiming to be -- and we are getting there quickly.

WRT McDaniel, i believe CK intimated when we signed him that a transition to NT would be in the cards .... i think the question mark with him is not his physical attributes ... but his desire and toughness ... if he has a breakthrough there -- he will be very successful as an every down NT ... until then, he will likely be a 'situational NT'.

GettingOldFurguson, StepUpSolai, StretchMcDanials will hold down the NT until we can make it our priority in the next draft.
we need a premier NT to anchor this defense :yes: if we want to win a SuperBowl in 2010

Here are the stats on Paul Soliai.

http://www.nfl.com/players/paulsoliai/profile?id=SOL128376

Tony McDaniel

http://www.nfl.com/players/tonymcdaniel/profile?id=MCD147425