Of course this is the opinion of a Bleacher Report writer. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1052850-br-nfl-1000-top-32-centers
He's pretty average overall, but he was pretty inconsistent. Sometimes he looked like an elite Center(Which is the important thing IMO), but sometimes he got his *** kicked(vs. Denver and Broderick Bunkley for one). I think if we're running a lot of zone blocking, we're in good shape with Pouncey. You're in a position where a quality Center could be a big impact.
He also mentioned in an interview on Finsiders a few weeks ago that Ratliff took him to school as well.
Joe Berger pass blocked better for us in 2010, than Pouncey did in 2011. IMO, had we kept Berger in the lineup rather than Carey, and played Pouncey at RG, our pass blocking as a unit would have been better. According to PFF, Berger was the 18th best Center in 2010, and Pouncey was the 21st best in 2011.
Still scratching my head as to why they insisted Columbo was the answer at RT. It was obvious he was in way over his head especially since they were bringing in extra help to help protect on his side. It gave me flash backs of Wannstedt's love of Fiedler but Fiedler did his job way better than Columbo did his.
I think Columbo was likely Tony Sparano's call. After the Harbaugh debacle, Sparano got some personnel power, and I don't know what it could possibly be if it wasn't exercised in Columbo.
Fiedler's main problem was being not durable. He was constantly playing hurt, or missing games hurt, or so it seems to me. At least one season, I think his missing multiple games cost us making the playoffs. Either 2002 or 2003.
It was not so much signing Marc "Qb Killah" Colombo that was the problem maybe he could have turned it around, it was sticking with him when it was blatantly obvious he was terrible..that was bizzarre, like sticking with Chad Henne, if Sparano could not see the obvious then he should have been fired sooner. As for Fiedler, the interesting thing about him is his 01 or 00 season was as fine as anyone outside of Marino had with us, he even rushed for close to 300 yds, he just never duplicated it.
I have to agree with you. Pouncey only appeared to be better than he really was because the Dolphins were so bad at the center position prior to his arrival. I think he is an adequate offensive lineman in the NFL, but he certainly is not the player his brother is. I don't see him ever being an elite offensive lineman in the NFL, but he should be good enough to be able to be a starter in the NFL for several more years. I also think his natural position should be at the guard position and hopefully the Dolphins will get a center in free agency or in the draft and this will allow them to move Pouncey to RG this season.
The Columbo signing was Ireland's call 100%. The reason Fisher did not take the job with the Dolphins was because Ross wanted Ireland to retain total control over player personnel decisions. I just can not believe that after trying to replace Sparano after the 2010 season, Ross and Ireland let Sparano have any say so in player personnel decisions last year. I find it funny that Ireland seems to get all the credit for selecting Pouncey in the draft and yet Sparano gets all the blame for the signing of Columbo. If Sparano has to be blamed for bringing Columbo to the Dolphins, then he must also get all the credit for the drafting of Pouncey. I was no fan of Sparano and I was glad to see him fired, but I have contended all along that the real problem with the Dolphins is Ireland. Now that Sparano is no longer around to take all the heat, Ireland supporters will soon realize that Ross should have fired Ireland the same day he fired Sparano.
I sort of agree. All the talk of the Colombo signing being because of Sparano is 100% total speculation. I give Ireland credit on both Colombo, and Pouncey. Also, Bush, Burnett, and Matt Moore. So he had one bad signing out of several. That can happen to any GM.
Maurkice Pouncey is not as good as Mike and not really even that good of a player. I've never seen an interior linemen get destroyed as badly as Maurkice did vs. Kyle Williams. There's absolutely no question that Tony Sparano gained some personnel power when he signed his contract extension in the wake of the Harbaugh debacle. There are numerous citations on this. If there was one area that this power was exercised, it's going to be Colombo. A veteran player signed to a short-term contract, one that Sparano had coached directly before, and that he was extremely vocal in supporting. They almost certainly didn't give Sparano power over linemen in the draft.
The link says Sparano would be given an expanded role, and that could be interpreted in more than one way. It also says final say remained totally with Ireland. That sounds to me like Sparano can request specific players or suggest. "Expanded role", doesn't indicate any personnel power beyond that IMO.
If the Dolphins are running a zone blocking system I think they can get away with having heavy tackles in John Jerry at RT, Saturday at C, Pouncey at LG, and Incognito at RG. It's not ideal but there are only so many changes you can make. I still think a line of: LT- Long LG- Pouncey C- Saturday RG- Incognito RT- Jerry Would do the job especially in a short-passing offense.
