Posts belonging to Category Dolphins

There’s been a lot of early focus on the St. Louis Rams potentially parting with the No. 2 overall pick, but perhaps the rumors should be focused on the Minnesota Vikings.

For starters, the Rams and Vikings are likely interested in the same players (Matt Kalil, Morris Claiborne, Justin Blackmon) and if the Rams trade down to No. 4 or No. 6, there’s no guarantee they’ll get the guy they covet. The Rams most glaring hole is at left tackle, and Kalil is the only true franchise left tackle available in this draft class. If the Rams were to drop to No. 4, and especially if they fell to No. 6, Kalil would likely be off the board.

On the flip side, there’s also no guarantee that the guy the Vikings want at No. 3 will be there if the Rams stay put. If the Rams select Kalil second overall, the Vikings may feel No. 3 is too early for a cornerback or receiver, and would be willing to trade down.

The Vikings also have more holes to fill overall than the Rams, who are just one year removed from nearly making the playoffs. One could argue that the Vikings simply need the extra picks more than the Rams.

Here are some potential trade scenarios:

Browns get: No. 3 pick
Vikings get: No. 4 pick, Browns 2nd-round pick

Redskins get: No. 3 pick
Vikings get: No. 6, Redskins 1st-round pick in 2013

Dolphins get: No. 3 pick
Vikings get: No. 9 pick, Dolphins 2nd-round pick, Dolphins 1st-round pick in 2013, Dolphins 3rd-round pick in 2013

The Miami Dolphins announced today that they will be switching from the 3-4 defense which Bill Parcells’ staff instituted, back to a 4-3 system.

It’s a surprising move considering GM Jeff Ireland has spent a significant portion of his career working under Parcells, and has been with a team running a 3-4 base defense since he and Parcells first teamed up in Dallas in 2003.

The switch indicates that the Dolphins are prepared to enter into full rebuilding mode, a process which could take up to three years. Transitioning from one defensive scheme to another is a difficult process, and it takes time to acquire the right personnel.

The one asset the Dolphins do have is depth in the front seven. They’ll need to reshuffle the lineup, but should be able to piece together a decent defensive line. The issue will be at linebacker. Karlos Dansby will return (at inside linebacker most likely), and Kevin Burnett may land in the starting lineup again by default (probably strong-side linebacker). However, the Dolphins will need to add another starter, preferably someone who is strong in coverage.

Depending on their confidence in Cameron Wake and Koa Misi’s ability to transition to defensive end, the Dolphins could target a pass rusher with their 1st-round pick. Nick Perry and Quinton Coples would be the most likely targets.

There is also an outside shot that the Dolphins could target Luke Kuechly with the 9th pick. The move would necessitate moving Dansby to outside linebacker, where he played early in his career with the Cardinals.

Ultimately it’s too early to tell which direction the Dolphins will go, but this shift in schemes could definitely shake up the draft. It will be worth keeping an eye on their transactions in the coming months to get a better idea of who has a future with the team, and who is being phased out.

The Dolphins were in a difficult position in this year’s draft. They desperately needed a quarterback, were stuck in no mans land in the 1st round and didn’t own a 2nd round pick. And their strongest positions on the roster – defensive end and linebacker – were the two deepest positions in the draft. As a result, they were forced to reach to fill needs early in the draft.

The first reach was for Mike Pouncey. I am confident that without his last name, Mike Pouncey would have not have been a 1st round pick. There simply isn’t a significant difference between and him and other interior linemen in this class such as Ben Ijalana and Will Rackley. That said, I do think Pouncey is a good fit in Miami. He’ll start immediately, but don’t expect him to live up to the expectations set by his brother in Pittsburgh.

In the 2nd round the Dolphins traded up to land Daniel Thomas. This was another pick that filled a need, but was definitely a reach. Thomas has potential, but there are clear flaws in his game which will limit his ability to be an instant-impact player. Thomas is tall for a running back and, as  a result, has runs very high. He isn’t an elusive runner and frequently takes a pounding over the course of a game. As a powerful north/south runner he fits what the Dolphins are looking for, but hopefully they aren’t going to rely on him for 20+ carries per game as a rookie.

I love their selection of Edmond Gates in the 4th round. He is the missing piece of the Dolphins receiving corps. They already had the No. 1 guy (Marshall) and two solid slot/possession receivers (Harline and Bess). Now Gates gives them the vertical threat they were missing. He has the potential to be a Mike Wallace/DeSean Jackson type receiver in Miami.

It will be interesting to see how they use Charles Clay. He’s sort of a fullback/tight end ‘tweener that doesn’t have a true position. The Dolphins may have to get creative to incorporate him into the offensive scheme.

Frank Kearse was drafted for his size, and his size alone. The Dolphins were looking to add competition for Chris Baker for the backup nose tackle job and Kearse will be given the opportunity to win that battle. He’s a low risk/potentially high reward option in the 7th round.

Jimmy Wilson‘s story was well documented during the draft. His football career was sidetracked by a murder trial, but after being acquitted (after spending two years in jail) he got back on the field and had solid year for Montana. He has limited playing experience, but has spent time at both corner and safety and may have some upside. There were better players on the board, but there’s little risk involved in the 7th round.

Overall I’m not too excited about this draft class for the Dolphins. They reached to fill some needs and seemed to approach the draft from the mindset of a team needing just a couple of pieces to compete for a Super Bowl title. In reality, the Dolphins are far from being competitors - especially with the Patriots and Jets clearly ahead of them in their own division. They got a few nice contributors here, but this isn’t the type of draft that turns around a franchise.

5. A trade occurs within the first five picks
The Panthers would love to trade down. The Broncos probably feel the same way. With two quarterbacks possibly coming off the board within the first five picks, someone is going to trade up to ensure they get their guy. My money’s on the Cardinals moving up for Gabbert, possibly to No. 1.

4. The Patriots actually use both 1st-round picks
No one loves trading picks more than Bill Belichick, but this year the Patriots actually need their picks. There is enough talent at positions of need (defensive line, offensive line) that the Patriots will stay put and fill some holes. In the 2nd round is where we’ll see the Pats start making moves. 

The best player in the draft isn't falling as far as you may think

3. Patrick Peterson is off the board within the first six picks
Nearly every mock draft has Peterson falling to the 49ers.  Sorry to ruin your fun 49ers fans, but the best player in the draft isn’t getting past six different teams. If he falls to No. 6 the Browns will gladly end his fall, even if he doesn’t fill a glaring hole.

2. A.J. Green falls to the Washington Redskins
There are multiple scenarios in which this could happen, and I truly believe one of them will come true. In my most recent mock draft I have the Bengals selecting Julio Jones, which allows Green to fall to No. 10.

1. At least three quarterbacks will go in the 1st round
Newton and Gabbert are 1st-round locks. After that, it’s anyone’s guess as to who many come off the board next. However, I am confident that someone will reach for another quarterback in the 1st round. Maybe the Dolphins reach for Mallett or Locker. Maybe the Seahawks do the same. Maybe someone falls in love with Dalton or Ponder. Whatever happens, one of those guys is going in the 1st round, and possibly more.

With both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams set to be come free agents, it’s no surprise that the Miami Dolphins are doing their homework on the running backs in this year’s draft class.

According to various reports, the Dolphins are meeting with (or already have met with) Mario Fanin, Mark Ingram, Mikel Leshoure, Bilal Powell and Ryan Williams.

Ingram has been a popular pick for the Dolphins in mock drafts through the offseason (including my own) but LeShoure could be an option in the 1st round as well.

Personally, I like Leshoure more than Ingram. Leshoure is a better all-around athlete and I think he’s better suited to carry the load in the NFL. Ingram can be successful but he’ll be better off in a two-back system, which the Dolphins may not have in 2011.

The other three running backs getting a look from the Dolphins – Williams, Fanin and Powell – will likely be considered in the later rounds.

The Dolphins don’t own a 2nd-round pick, which means they’ll probably need to trade up to land Williams, who is likely to come off the board within the first 50 picks.

Fanin and Powell, however, should fall to the 3rd round or beyond and could be late-round options. It’s possible that the Dolphins would draft Ingram or Leshoure in the 1st round and still select a player like Fanin or Powell later in the draft.

Rackley is one of the top small-school prospects

According to Josh Buchanan of JBScouting.com Lehigh offensive lineman Will Rackley is lining up a number of visits and private workouts.

He’ll be one of the busiest prospects over the next month, as he meets with the Browns, Cowboys, Rams, Chiefs, Dolphins, Lions, Jaguars, Patriots and Jets.

Rackley played left tackle in college but is probably best suited for guard at the next level. That said, his potential versatility certainly gives his stock an extra boost.

Based on the amount of interest in Rackley he is starting to look like a pretty safe bet to go in the first three rounds. A team like the Cleveland Browns, who could use help at both right guard and right tackle would be a good fit. The St. Louis Rams, who desperately need to upgrade their interior line would also make sense.

Matt Peterson tracks the offseason needs of every team in the league. Today’s franchise, the Miami Dolphins [full archive here].

Season Recap –  Bill Parcells took over a team in 2007 that just came off a 1-15 finish. Parcells began bringing his people in and giving the Dolphins a new image. The Dolphins finished the next season ranked 11-5, made the playoffs, and the future began to look as bright as ever, but Miami didn’t live up to the expectations and finished the next two seasons ranked 7-9. Parcells is now gone, and the Dolphins are back to rebuilding. Coach Tony Sparano likely has one season remaining to prove he is capable of the job, so expect the Dolphins to be active this offseason.

Needs:
1. Quarterback – Chad Henne failed to improve much with two seasons of starting under his belt. Henne’s poor play was a big reason the Dolphins finished the season ranked 31st in points, with just over 17 points a game. Brandon Marshall needs a gunslinger that can get him the ball, and Henne might not be the option. The best option would be to sign a veteran free agent and hope Henne can develop some more under him. Another option would be to bring in a draft pick and create some competition for Henne. Ricky Stanzi, Christian Ponder, Colin Kaepernick, and Ryan Mallet are some names that could be in the Aqua and Coral next season. (more…)

Recently Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net reported that the Dolphins have been showing an interest in Cam Newton.

This confirms my belief that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross would continue to be over-involved with personnel decisions and push the team to consider Newton.

It’s really a very predictable formula. Owner gets frustrated with mediocrity, owner decides to step in, owner drafts athletic but ineffective quarterback. Just call it the Al Davis Guide to Running Your Franchise into the Ground. Or maybe it should be named after Bud Adams? Either one works.

For this very reason I’ve had Newton linked to the Dolphins in my mock draft for the past month or so.

Of course, first Newton needs to fall past the four or five other teams potentially interested in a quarterback, but I believe Newton’s character concerns will cause a number of teams to drop him down their draft board. Realistically, the Dolphins are one of only a small handful of teams that will seriously consider him.

Nearly one-third of the league could have new starting quarterbacks by September. Due to a greater demand than supply, it’s likely that not all of these teams find themselves a new signal caller, but here are the top 10 teams we’ve identified as most likely to have a new quarterback in 2011.

10. Broncos
It sounds as though Josh McDaniels was the lone Tebow support in Denver, and with him gone it seems likely that the Broncos will consider other options. John Fox has indicated that he likes Tim Tebow, but he also isn’t ready to commit to a starting quarterback. They’re unlikely to address this need in the draft, but signing a veteran is a strong possibility.

9. Raiders
Jason Campbell is still under contract but their other four quarterbacks (seriously, they have four other quarterbacks on the roster) are free agents. Keeping Campbell is a definite possibility, but you just never know what Al Davis as in mind. I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of them trading up into the 1st-round (they already traded their own 1st-round pick) in an effort to land Cam Newton or Jake Locker.

8. Seahawks
Matt Hasselbeck is a free agent and may return, but he doesn’t have much left in the tank. They would certainly love to have Hasselbeck around to groom a young quarterback, but I don’t expect the Seahawks to commit to him as the starter. If he wants a guarantee that he’ll be a starter for the next year or two, he may need to go elsewhere.

7. Dolphins
Owner Stephen Ross has stated that he wants a creative, hurry-up offense in 2011, and that won’t be happening with Chad Henne under center. The Dolphins have grown tired of his slow development and seem ready to move on. Drafting a quarterback (possibly Newton) is a possibility, but they may prefer to bring in a veteran in an effort to turn things around quickly.

6. Bills
With the 3rd pick in the draft the Bills could have their pick of the quarterbacks, and Blaine Gabbert is a definite possibility. But the reason I don’t rank them higher is because I think they’ll strongly consider bringing Ryan Fitzpatrick back for another season. He was one of the biggest surprises of the 2010 season. The Bills may even draft Gabbert, or someone in the 2nd or 3rd round, and let them sit for a year behind Fitzpatrick.

5. Titans
Vince Young is as good as gone, and Kerry Collins is a free agent. However, I wouldn’t rule out Collins’ return. The Titans are in position to draft a quarterback (Gabbert, Newton or Mallett) and I suspect Jeff Fisher will prefer to keep Collins around to help groom their future franchise quarterback.

4. Redskins
After getting benched in favor of Rex Grossman, it’s hard to imagine Donovan McNabb returning to Washington. It’s equally difficult to image the Redskins sticking with Grossman for 2011. With the 10th pick in the draft Mike Shanahan is in position to select his quarterback of the future. Ryan Mallett and Newton are both strong possibilities.

3. Vikings
We know Favre won’t be back (and I actually believe him this time) and Tarvaris Jackson is a free agent. Joe Webb performed far better than anyone could have expected of a guy who was drafted as a wide receiver, but I can’t imagine Leslie Frazier sticking with him for 2011. The Vikings will either draft a quarterback (Newton or Mallett) or bring in a veteran (possibly Kevin Kolb).

2. Cardinals
Ken Whisenhunt wasn’t happy with the Cardinals quarterback situation entering last season and I’m guessing he’s even less pleased after seeing how it played out.  Drafting Blaine Gabbert is a possibility, but I suspect Whisenhunt would prefer to bring a veteran aboard, as he did last offseason. Either way, their opening day starter is definitely not on the current roster.

1. 49ers
Alex Smith and Troy Smith are both free agent and I would be very surprised if either returned.  I currently have them selecting Gabbert in my mock draft, but trading for Kevin Kolb is also possibility. Another option is signing a veteran, such as Matt Hasselbeck or Seneca Wallace, to keep the seat warm for whoever Jim Harbaugh choses to groom for the position.

Stop reading now Dolphins fans. You’re not going to like what I have to say.

The Dolphins are my early favorite to earn the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft, thus winning the Andrew Luck sweepstakes.

Miami finished 7-9, so I realize that I’m going out on a limb. Right now they have far more talent than the Panthers, Bills or Browns – just to name a few. But they’re quickly headed in the wrong direction.

For starters, just look how they ended the 2010 season. They went 1-4 in December and January, including losses to the Browns, Bills and Lions. With Tony Sparano’s job on the line, the team didn’t exactly step up for their coach.

As bad as the Dolphins were down the stretch, however, their owner is the real reason why I think they’re headed towards a miserable 2011 season.

Shortly after the season ended Stephen Ross interviewed Jim Harbaugh. The only problem with that was he already had a head coach. And he never told Tony Sparano or anyone else that his current head coach’s job was in jeopardy.

After butchering the coaching situation, Ross decided to get involved with the playcalling, asking for a hurry-up offense. More specifically, he wants the offense to become more “aggressive” and “creative.”

So what better way for Ross to ensure that his team’s offense becomes “aggressive” and “creative” than by hiring former Browns offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who was nothing short of an epic failure during his two years in Cleveland.

If you thought the ‘Phins offense was abysmal in 2010 – they finished 30th in the league – just wait until Daboll gets his hands on Brandon Marshall and company. Not only does Daboll have a knack for poor clock management and unimaginative playcalling, but he’ll likely be losing his most productive playmakers.

Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown are both free agents, and both are still searching for their first career playoff victory. Williams is 33 and Brown is 29 and neither has much left in the tank, as a result I would be surprised to see either back in South Beach.

And I haven’t even mentioned the quarterback situation. Chad Henne, who was benched in favor of Chad Pennington at one point this season, is still under contract but doesn’t exactly have the confidence of the coaching staff. If Ross continues down this path of over-involvement it’s only a matter of time before he pulls an Al Davis and falls in love with Cam Newton or Jake Locker.

And if the dominoes continue to fall in this order, it won’t be long before Brandon Marshall is pouting and demanding a trade.

It’s getting ugly in Miami, and I’m jumping off the bandwagon early. The only good news  for Dolphins fans is that the best quarterback prospect of the past decade may await them in next April’s draft.