http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/..._dolpi.html?cxntfid=blogs_inside_the_dolphins Safety Yeremiah Bell is due for a nice payday. The Miami Dolphins are expected to sign Bell to a long-term deal before free agency kicks off Feb. 27. If the Dolphins don’t, they could end up losing the best safety on the verge of hitting the market. This a great news. I was hoping this would get done. ESPN Insider concurs, rating Carey second (with 76 points) to Carolina Panthers perennial Pro Bowler Jordan Gross (81) among 21 offensive tackles who could become UFAs. Carey, 27, is durable (60 consecutive starts) and also played the left side for an entire season (2007). Insider considers him a notch above Cincinnati’s Shawn Andrews (75) and Philadelphia’s Tra Thomas (72), two mammoth players with bigger names than Carey.
Yeah IMO bringing Bell back ought to be a priority. Really, due to how well the defensive backfield started to come together towards the end of the season; it would be nice to see all 4 starters back for next year - for the right price, of course. I'm not saying we shouldn't look to upgrade, as well. But is there really any way to say for sure another safety is going to be able to step right in and work with Bell as well as Hill. Right off I mean. Same thing with Goodman. No problem whatsoever with upgrading, but I'd like to see the entire starting backfield returning to kick off the season. It's looking like Carey is going to very, very expensive. I'm becoming less and less optimistic that he'll return. I think it was a post by ck that somewhat illustrated how much cheaper it would be to find Carey's replacement early in the draft. I can see us going that route.
I agree on Carey bro. Unless he really wants to stay in Miami and take a little cheaper contract, then he is probably gone. I hope we can resign Goody too. I know he is getting older, but he came on huge towards the end of the year. He has the right mentality of a winning player, and every time I saw him on the NFL Network he carried himself extremely well. Bring him back and let him compete.
My thinking is if we can give Porter some consistent pass rush help, and plug the middle better, then the current starting defensive backfield has a very good chance to be a standout group. Add some young talent to integrate slowly and we should be fine there. Everything I read about Goodman indicated he really liked being here this year, so I hope, like you, something can be worked out.
Brian Dawkins and Oshiomogho Atogwe, But I think they are better becuase they are better play makers. They both play FS not SS like Bell. However the start of the thread mentioned he was the best safety on the market. I hope we make Atogwe a big offer becuase that guy can make plays. Dawkins probably won't play for anyone other than Philly and is a very short term player
Atogwe is better, he is a ball hawk and Bell isnt. If we can keep Bell and sign OJ I'll be a happy man.
Neither do I. He's a good player, but the #1 Safety available? No way. Could be Top 3, but not #1. Brian Dawkins? Jim Leonhard? Sean Jones? Darren Sharper?
The Rams have said that they are going to franchise him if they don't reach an agreement on a new deal. Just a heads up.
1. I don't understand the fervor over Jim Leonhard.....?..because he plays next to Ed Reed?..I don't get it. 2. I think with players like the others mentioned in the thread a lot of attention is being given to the INT stats. Which is valid. On the other hand Bell has significantly more tackles than any of them. Which is also valid. Yeah, I know some say that judging a player according to tackles is overrated. But, still football begins with blocking and tackling.
I agree man. Goodman was really turning up the dial the last month of the season. He and Allen are a nice pair of starters, but I wouldn't be too shocked if we targeted a Keenan Lewis type in the 3rd or 4th round and start preparing him to start sometime down the road.
While I love Bell and hope to see him back in Miami next year I can't agree that he's the best safety on the board simply due to his durability issues. Last season was the first full season he's played in the past 3, maybe 4 seasons if I'm remembering correctly. I would love to have him back but not at #1 safety in free agency money because while he is a baller, his history indicates that we may be paying him a huge salary and he may be taking up a large cap number to be on IR. *hopes he's wrong*
