While the media is strapped by convention and ethics, I am not.
While they get paid for printing the news, rumours, and editorials, I do not.
While they get paid for printing the news, rumours, and editorials, I do not.
While certain media stories surrounding the Dolphins have been pulled this week due to lack of the elusive "second source", I would only pull a blog entry off of here if we actually draft Brian Cushing and I want to attend a game.
So while it's not huge news in Fins-Land, I have secured a second source, as in 'insider' here at Tin's Fins. Straight from the [S]orse's mouth:
"Sparano was high on him. But we’ve recently learned [Al Johnson] had two major surgeries on his knee. When I asked that same agent where he sees Johnson down the line, he said, “Unemployed.”"
So, Mr Bungle, time to adjust your O-line analysis.
I think it's fair to say that Miami will be going after a big name Center in free agency and probably a competitor in the Draft.
So you're probably thinking, hmm, the Trifecta seems to be targeting Center, Guard, and Linebacker thus far. What about the secondary? What about the DL? What about a RT since the media believes Carey is gone?
Well, personally I believe the 3 free agents in the secondary will be re-signed. I believe Vonnie Holliday will be retained on a re-worked contract. He really has no choice. No one is going to pursue him at this point in his career. He is stuck with us, so he will re-work his cap-worth. I believe guys like Cohen and Soliai will be given exactly ONE more shot through pre-season. If they do not cut it, I believe they will be offloaded and replaced by either a big trade or guys off of waivers. I do not think the Trifecta will buy more than two big name free agents (Center being one) and I don't think DL will be addressed during that period.
I think it's fair to say that Miami will be going after a big name Center in free agency and probably a competitor in the Draft.
So you're probably thinking, hmm, the Trifecta seems to be targeting Center, Guard, and Linebacker thus far. What about the secondary? What about the DL? What about a RT since the media believes Carey is gone?
Well, personally I believe the 3 free agents in the secondary will be re-signed. I believe Vonnie Holliday will be retained on a re-worked contract. He really has no choice. No one is going to pursue him at this point in his career. He is stuck with us, so he will re-work his cap-worth. I believe guys like Cohen and Soliai will be given exactly ONE more shot through pre-season. If they do not cut it, I believe they will be offloaded and replaced by either a big trade or guys off of waivers. I do not think the Trifecta will buy more than two big name free agents (Center being one) and I don't think DL will be addressed during that period.
Tin, I agree with what you're saying. Jason Brown looks more likely and remember when Parcells was building the Jets, in his 2nd season he went out and signed one of the best young centers in Kevin Mawae. Brown's in that class at the same point in their careers. Brown is a bigger version though.
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The Ravens may re-sign Brown but I think we'll probably be the main competition for his services.
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What we do in free agency will effect what we do in the draft. I'm not sure which players we get from where, but it will be C, OT, WR, possibly a FB or TE/H-back type guy, NT, OLB, ILB and DBs.
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The battle between Cohen and Soliai will be interesting to watch. They're both former 2007 4th round picks. Both have had slow progress for different reasons. This is their 3rd year. This is when a player has to produce.
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I think Holliday will take a paycut. Why would he want to go to another team, unless that team gives him money he can't turn down. But like you said I doubt he'll get those types of offers. He can always go for a performance deal. His workload will lessen now anyway but his preparation and leadership is still very valuable to younger players.
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Holliday is one of those intangibles that doesn't show up on the stat sheet. You need guys like that on your team.
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I also agree that we'll only sign two or three major free agents who will start and be impact players. That's a significant upgrade right there. I can see us re-signing two of our three free agent DBs and maybe adding a guy like Bodden.
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We shall see!
One more thing, i don't think it's out of the question that we trade Soliai on draft day to a 4-3 team looking for a big DT who has some athletic ability and upside. I'm not sure he has the makeup to be a NT. I think Cohen does have a NT mentality. The question is can he play NT at the NFL level?
ReplyDeleteKeep your eye on Larry English. A college DE and pass rusher who is built more for a 3-4 OLB than a 4-3 DE in the NFL. He's had some injury concerns but he's got the tools to be our future WOLB, the Porter role. He's 6-3 255 and has good speed. He needs some work on his technique but he's got everything else. He might be one of those guys who's in that 2nd round range and we have two picks.
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He's not considered a stout and lateral run defender but he's good off the edge. He attacks the play, he doesn't react.
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The deal with all these pass rushers is, the ones who show up at the combine and on film will move up and others will fall. English could go 1st round. We might take him at #25.
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There are probably 10 legitimate pass rushing 3-4 OLBs in this draft. We have to get one of them. You have to groom these guys and get them ready. Not wait until you need one.
The draft order through the first 3 rounds has the Dolphins picking #25, #44 (from WAS), #56 and #87. It's nice to have 4 picks in the top 100. We don't know the rest of the order yet because compensatory picks have not been handed out yet so that will effect the order of the 4th round on.
ReplyDeleteAngelo Crowell could be a LB we target in free agency to play ILB in our 3-4 defense. He's played WOLB in the Bills 4-3 which is similar to playing ILB in a 3-4. Crowder played the same position when we played a 4-3.
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Crowell is 6-1 250 and though he doesn't have the typical height the trifecta looks for you can't deny his production. He makes a lot of tackles, two seasons over 100 including 126 this past season, and he also has 4 FF, 7 sacks and 5 INTs in his 5 year career. All in his last three seasons.
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What do you guys think?
Holy Smokes!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of Crowel Bungle, some people just seem like they're spitting out the biggest name LB on the market.
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The other thing with the people who do really well in the combine is their athletic ability sometimes doesn't translate to NFL talent ala Gholston. I do have confidence in our personnel dept. due to their success last year, so I'm not as worried about that as I was the past couple years
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Hopefully this year our bottom of the roster won't be as bad so we don't have such a shuffle at the bottom, and more of a developmental group
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I think our D-line is fine, we just need a FA and a draft pick at NT (unless Bungle can let us borrow one from his tree). Other than that LB, Guard, and Secondary. I'm so tired of waiting for FA and the market value to get set
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Carey is staying. That guy is never moving out of Miami
His agent seems to think differently.s Question is, if the Dolphins want to move himt to guard, he would probably go screw you guys, i'm going.
ReplyDeletePhinatic, Crowell is a player hitting his peak. He's been very good his last 3 seasons. I liked him the draft a few years back for us when we played a 4-3 defense. He's just a good LB who finds the ball and attacks. Sometimes height and weight is overrated. I'm not directing this at you, but if he was 6-2 does that make him a perfect fit for the trifecta? Seems kind of silly. The guy can play and I think if we let Crowder walk which it sounds like will happen, I like Crowell and Ayodele at ILB better than Ayodele and Torbor.
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That being said, maybe Torbor is now ready to play 3-4 ILB coming from a 4-3 Giants team where he played SOLB most of the time.
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As for Carey, I think it depends on what the market for him is. If Carey is getting offers above what the trifecta thinks he's worth, they'll let him go. It doesn't look like we'll franchise him which I thought we might do.
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What would be the franchise price on Bell, what is the average salary of the top 5 strong safeties? Would it be worth franchising him for a year to keep some continuity in the secondary? It's gives us another year to see if he can stay healthy and be productive. These days a lot of players can be productive up to 35 years old. Bell will be 31 in March.
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I can see us being very interested in Julius Peppers. He would be awesome off the edge in our defense. We wouldn't draft an OLB early if we landed him. In fact, it might force us to release Porter who will be 32 in March and Peppers just turned 29. At 6-7 280 this guy is quick as a cat and will make big plays.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/stats?playerId=3530
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Look at the sacks, forced fumbles, passes defended and picks. All impact plays. He consistently makes these types of plays.
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Here's where Peppers stands at the moment.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3907659