Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Roth Math Comes Up Zero (updated)

This just in from Pro Football Talk:

"Roth's odyssey ends on the waiver wire

Dolphins linebacker Matt Roth's odd journey this season with the Dolphins has concluded in a surprising place: the waiver wire.

Adam Schefter reports the Dolphins waived Roth Tuesday and signed former Lions defensive end Ikaika Alama-Francis.  The Dolphins also picked up defensive back Evan Oglesby.

Roth, a former second-round pick, was a starter for Miami's playoff team last season and generally considered a key part of their defense.  But a mysterious injury and some friction with the organization about a possible new contract soured Roth's '09 campaign before it started.

Expect plenty of teams to put in a waiver claim for Roth, especially team that run a 3-4 defense.  The 1-9 Browns make for a sensible destination."



And from Adam Shefter:

"Waiver claim order for today on former Dolphins LB Matt Roth is Browns, Bucs, Rams, Lions. So if Browns want Roth, Browns have Roth."

So it doesn't look like the AFC East will be Roth's next destination.

30 comments:

  1. WTF is right. There's gotta be more to his injury or ?

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  2. I like the term in Jeff Darlington's twitter : "The Dolphins have waived
    Matt Roth, according to a source. It was "strictly a football decision," the
    source said. Unexpected end for Roth."
    This actually makes no sense as a football decision UNLESS the Dolphins need
    to sign 2 offensive linemen. Which would mean the Jake Grove injury is
    serious as is Joe Berger's. Yes, we could spare an outside linebacker, but
    surely Walden would be the next to go.
    Personally, I don't think this is a football decision at all. I think he
    did something to end up in the doghouse. Matt Roth has trade value, there
    is no reason to release him - even if he sat on the bench for the rest of
    the year they could've gotten a pick for him.

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  3. i agree tin. It wasn't like his production was terrible considering he only played a handful of plays... this one kinda bums me out...

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  4. If this was a 'football decision' then it was a horrible one. The Dolphins
    are on a little streak heading into their final two divisional games. They
    have lost some key veteran players - Will Allen, Chad Pennington, Jason
    Ferguson. The last thing you want to do is to upset the balance of the
    locker room, and create grumblings that weren't there before by axing one of
    your proven vets, and not even for compensation. That will cause some
    dissonance and heartache you don't need in the locker room.
    Like I said in the pre-season, if Roth wasn't going to play, they should cut
    him, but you don't wait this long. What value comes from the timing of this
    transaction? I guarantee he'll be a New England Patriot, Buffalo Bill or
    New York Jet TOMORROW!

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  5. The Knight who says Ni!November 24, 2009 at 4:02 PM

    Well Nate Ness was released so Oglesby takes his spot and Francis takes Fergy's spot. So now there is another open spot with the release of Roth.

    The reports I've read say Roth was not producing and the organization viewed him as a serviceable player and nothing more. Meaning the trifecta wasn't overly impressed with him or his upside at OLB and they weren't going to re-sign him.

    Maybe there was something fishy about his injury in camp. If there is anything to that, about faking an injury because he wanted a new contract, he went about it the wrong way. His body of work does not equal a big contract so what the hell is going on?

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  6. The Knight who says Ni!November 24, 2009 at 4:03 PM

    What 'term' is that? LOL

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  7. The Knight who says Ni!November 24, 2009 at 4:09 PM

    Maybe the locker room knows more about it and this was a good thing for the team. Maybe the feeling in the locker room is Matt let them down and wasn't honest, and that's not sitting well with the team.

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  8. The Knight who says Ni!November 24, 2009 at 4:22 PM

    Maybe KC who is still trying to build a 3-4 defense.

    Let's talk about this Francis guy. He was a 2008 2nd round pick selected in the 50s. He had a pectoral muscle injury that hampered him. The Lions organization was impressed with his work ethic and positive attitude. He was released at the beginning of the season this year. He has NFL bloodlines with his father and brothers and the trifecta likes that quality. So he has the good stock. He's 6-5 290 and fits the mold for 3-4 DE. He must have talent to be selected that high. What's going on here?

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  9. Just very surprised by the move. I really thought they viewed Matt Roth as a young talent. I was really happy when he came back for the 2nd Jets game, I thought he would really help the run defense. Heading in to training camp, I thought the Roth/Taylor combo at strong outside linebacker was a solid position. Now LB becomes even more of a priority next offseason.

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  10. If he was a 2nd round pick in the 2007 draft (he was drafted in 2007, not 2008), and the Dolphins are picking him up now, I think it is an interesting move. To me that means that Jeff Ireland really liked him in that draft and just didnt have a chance to pick him up. Now he can pick him up w/o spending a draft pick.

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  11. The Knight who says Ni!November 24, 2009 at 4:33 PM

    There is no question we will target LBs in the draft both inside and outside. With all the talk about NT, WR and TE, teams all want pass rushers and we haven't targeted that position in the draft yet. The way passing rules are today and DBs not being able to breathe on receivers, the pass rush becomes more important than ever.

    I heard an interview with Tony Dungy and he said if he was a GM he'd target pass rushers and not so much DBs perceived as shutdown guys. He feels that position has been diminished in this era. He's a former CB so it's not like he's biased against them or anything.

    Wake is a keeper and he'll be a starter next year. They like Anderson's versatility and speed. Maybe they still see something in Moses. What do they do with Porter and JT next year? Either way those two guys are getting up there in age and now is the time to draft pass rushers and develop them so they're ready when needed.

    I think we'll look to free agency for a NT. It might be a guy who nobody really knows, he's not a big playmaker but on film the guy can hold up in the middle. We'll still probably draft one at some point but young D-linemen usually need some time to develop, especially NTs.

    We should target WR and TE in free agency as well. I'd rather bring in guys who already know how to play so we can give Henne reliable receivers in his 3rd year. We can still look to the draft for them without having to hope for the stud or we bust in that area again.

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  12. The Knight who says Ni!November 24, 2009 at 4:52 PM

    My bad, I read it wrong. Agreed about Ireland liking Francis in the 07 draft. That's who the trifecta targets. Guys they've had their eyes on to make their team reflect their style of football.

    That's why I've always felt that 2010 would be the year we make the jump and have a 12-4 season. Maybe not win it all or even make it to the big game, but take that next step. That starts with having players you believe can get you there. We're watching it being built right now and having fun along the way. Good stuff!

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  13. This Roth thing was a mess for the start of the season. I think he is a good player no doubt, But he or agent handle it worng from the start. I agree with Knigth on the locker room thing. No one player is above the team. Time to cut lost and move on. ( Oh knight saw picture you posted on SS, I was down in Key west 2 weeks ago I think I saw him walking around down there.)

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  14. The Knight who says Ni!November 24, 2009 at 5:10 PM

    LOL@Hawk

    This could be a message to the team that you either go to battle with us or we'll find someone who will. Look at the benching of Porter a week ago. The trifecta means business. It's football first than everything else. LOL

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  15. I am just afraid he is going to go to the Pats---right before we play them. I agree why not wait? It is not like they even picked up a NT or OL person who are the ones that seem to be hurting. Confusing...well at least to this mind.

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  16. dayum, shoulda read all the replies before posting mine. I see you think the same thing about him going to the competiion.

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  17. Armando sums it up pretty good in his blog from the Herald. Pffftt and what do I know, I just sit my ass on the couch on Sundays and yell really loud. ;)
    Oh well, in the Trifecta we must trust.

    http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2009/11/miami-dolphins-cut-matt-roth-for-lack-of-production.html

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  18. The Knight who says Ni!November 24, 2009 at 5:39 PM

    What's Roth going to do to us if he goes to the Pats? He's not having a good year in any way and he's not a big time pass rusher. What's he going to do, tell them our schemes? They already know what we do. It's not a secret. He can't tell them what we'll call when. No one knows that yet.

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  19. Slush, it does not madder where he goes. Knight has the wright thought you are with us or not. May not be smart, but this is football.

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  20. The Knight who says Ni!November 24, 2009 at 5:48 PM

    Hawk, it's football smart. That's all coaches can look for, guys who can play. Guys who can't play are of no use to them. That's football at every level, if you can't go someone else has to.

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  21. It's football smart in that you want the the guys that want to play. They may not be the best at there positions compare to the best out there. But  they show up and play.

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  22. The Knight who says Ni!November 24, 2009 at 6:11 PM

    Of course! What other way is there? A great talent who doesn't want to play isn't a great football player. Roth wasn't a great talent though. He was marginal with what I hoped was a new potential and career as a SOLB. If the trifecta felt that way why would they release him? Teams don't release good players for no reason.

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  23. Roth is not a proven talent player in years played so far, he may be but not with this team.He 's not a Zack attack in the way he plays. All out every play.

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  24. Wonder if they'd fill that spot w'one of the interior D projects we had earlier in the yr,
    or ANY NT project???

    Who the heck are the gyz gonna go to the bar with now??
    Guess we should'a realized on Thurs nght that something was up,
    when the announcers said they took a poll among DOLPHIN plyrs,
    and LPOLITE was the guy they all wanted to go to a battle with!!

    I thought(to myself),what about MROTH??

    There MUST HAVE BEEN some locker-room disapproval w'MR 09 strategy,
    cuz everybody wanted to get drunk w'him last yr!!

    NOTHING BUT PROUD OF 09 "OUR" MIAMI DOLPHINS!!!

    6 PRE-SEASON STARTERS/LEADERS/#1 GYZ @ their position's of expertise OUT,
    TOUGHEST SCHEDULE in football,and we're STILL MAKING NOISE!!

    A few plays away from an IMPRESSIVE 09(still pending) inspite of it all,
    we're GONNA BE GREAT in o10 (IFFF HEALTHY)!!!

    Pre-season I said we'd need to stay healthy for 9-7,10-6..
    IFF we get near that w'all thats taken place,it's been a very succesful season in my eyes!!

    GO SAINTS,ravens,PANTHERS,COLTS,CARDINALS,49ers,GIANTS,
    VS   pats  ,  pitt   ,  swepts   , hous  ,   tenn      , jax   ,  den   !!!!

    GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH  D   O   L   P   H   I   N   S  !!!

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  25. Tin,

    <span>Shocking to say the least, not sure I quite understand this move though. If we held onto him until free agency and then lost him, wouldn't we have gotten a compensatory draft pick?</span>

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  26. I don't think you get compensation for losing an unrestricted free agent -
    only a restricted one - but I'm not sure about that.

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  27. However, I fail to see the production issue as a valid one - he barely
    played - he was third string. The Dolphins may have felt like he wasn't
    going to be a part of the team next year, but still they could have finished
    the year with him. They could have felt that they wanted to allow
    Walden/Moses some development, but they've been inactive for most of the
    year. There just doesn't seem to be a 'football decision' behind this. It
    has to be a personal one. I thought he was playing hard, even if he wasn't
    racking up big numbers.

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  28. Has to be a sort of "Notice is served" to the rest of the team. Especially considering we just took a major hit to our front 7, now obviously Roth isn't going to replace JF, but he could have played some DE snaps and allowed Starks to play on the inside more.

    But yeah, in the Trifecta we Trust, right?

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  29. I don't think Roth could've playd any DE anymore, he looked a good twenty
    pounds or more lighter than he did two years ago. And personally, I have
    watched enough to have very little trust in the trifecta. Yes, it's their
    team, they can do what they want, but I don't have to like it...what are
    they going to do - fire me?

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