The Dolphins WR Room Will Be What? Who Stays, Who Goes? The Smurfs Of The 2020's?

[fansinceGWilson]

I think it comes down to, if any of the Washington kids can be a factor in the return game. If so, I think it's highly likely Berrios goes.

As for EZ and Cracraft. I think it'll be Cracrafts job to lose. If EZ doesn't show he's reliable enough, after injury, he's likely in jeopardy of getting released.

At RB - I think Wilson and Ahmed are goners.

I suspect Berrios stays until a replacement returner is found

 

[Ray R]

Some tough camp battles ahead. Injuries may factor large in who makes the final roster. I like all these but not sure what OBJ brings at this stage of his career. Seems like a low volume guy which might be enough.

It should be if we use him effectively, along with good play calling and good game planning.

 

[VAFinsfan72]

If it were me :

Hill, Waddle, OBJ, M. Washington, T. Washington are locks. EZ is on the bubble. Cracraft to PS (As much as I love the team attitude, I don't see a team reaching to poach a limited 29 year old WR with 25 career receptions). Berrios is gone.

The Washingtons would be the primary KR/PRs. If EZ is really healthy and can take some carries, I could see him costing Wilson Jr. his roster spot (maybe a trade?). Ahmed is the perfect PS RB, knows the system and ok for a game or two, but not good enough to attract a real roster spot from another team. Mostert, Achane, and Wright would be the 3 RBs, with EZ (and maybe M. Washington) getting a carry or two. Ahmed and Brooks are PS candidates.

I agree with that. Hopefully EZ takes a step forward and earns one of the final WR roster spots available. I think T Washington has more upside than Berrios and so he gets released. Cracraft can go to the PS. Like you said I dont see him being poached.

I would just keep the top 4 RB's we have especially knowing how frequently they all get injured, Mostert, Achane, Wright and Wilson. Ahmed can go to the PS since I dont think aybody would poach him. Keeping 6 WR's and 4 RB's seems right.

 

[fansinceGWilson]

I agree with that. Hopefully EZ takes a step forward and earns one of the final WR roster spots available. I think T Washington has more upside than Berrios and so he gets released. Cracraft can go to the PS. Like you said I dont see him being poached.

I would just keep the top 4 RB's we have especially knowing how frequently they all get injured, Mostert, Achane, Wright and Wilson. Ahmed can go to the PS since I dont think aybody would poach him. Keeping 6 WR's and 4 RB's seems right.

I'm not obsessed by EZ, but, as a 6'3" receiver, I have a prejudice for tall receivers. Miami has no one to regularly fight for jump balls, grab fades, or run across the back of the EZ. I wasn't happy with Parker or Gesicki, but they played their role.

 

[VAFinsfan72]

I'm not obsessed by EZ, but, as a 6'3" receiver, I have a prejudice for tall receivers. Miami has no one to regularly fight for jump balls, grab fades, or run across the back of the EZ. I wasn't happy with Parker or Gesicki, but they played their role.

We could have drafted Brenden Rice who is 6'2 instead of the safety Patrick McMorris. I think it would have made more sense to draft a slot WR like M. Washington and a bigger WR like Rice instead of doubling up on slot WR's.

 

[Jssanto]

Most teams keep 6.

Stay-

Locks: Tyreek, Waddle
Highly Probable: OBJ, Malik Washington (#6 pick), Berrios
Probable: Tahj Washington (#7 pick)

Gone / Practice Squad:

Cracraft, Eazy E

But guesswork, probably T Washington, Cracraft, Eazy E all compete for that last spot. It may be Cracraft wins out because of his contract, and they think it is easier to get T Washington and E through to the practice squad?

I could call OBJ a lock, but the guaranteed portion of his contract is small enough that it is theoretically possible for them to let him go if he doesn't look good. Berrios is at some risk too, I guess he could move into the probable bucket.

Late edit. Assuming EZ does not make the team, we will not have any receivers of size, and our TE's are not particularly tall either. We had some size last year. Ced Wilson, and then they added Claypool as well. Gesicki (TE) the prior year. Their thinking may have been some variety is good, and the height also helps in the red zone. This year, our entire receiver room looks like it will end up being of the small and quick variety. OBJ and the two draft picks also fit that mold. My guess is they have come to the determination that these types of receivers match up best with Tua's skill set, and they are willing to give up on the taller receivers and what they bring to the table in the red zone?

Thoughts?

I would put OBJ and Berrios as locks. OBJ I think has plenty left to be a WR 3, especially when 1 or 2 are going to be receiving double teams. Berrios stays due to the new kick off rules.
If EE cannot make the roster, due to his neck or ability, I think he is in danger of being cut. Ithink Cracraft stays due to special teams skills and ST skill is what will determine the Washington fates.

 

[DrMultimedia]

I would put OBJ and Berrios as locks. OBJ I think has plenty left to be a WR 3, especially when 1 or 2 are going to be receiving double teams. Berrios stays due to the new kick off rules.
If EE cannot make the roster, due to his neck or ability, I think he is in danger of being cut. Ithink Cracraft stays due to special teams skills and ST skill is what will determine the Washington fates.

It will certainly be interesting to see how the new kickoff rules change what teams do, so I'm not yet sure how that will affect the Berrios decision. He certainly does well catching kicks. I still live with the fear I felt for so many years with others.

 

[PCmor]

I suspect Berrios stays until a replacement returner is found

Tahj Washington probably is who they're looking at as that replacement.

At least he'll get every opportunity. The Dolphins didn't spend a draft pick on another WR in a limited draft if they didn't think he was going to make the team.

I suspect both Washingtons make it, barring either or both coming in and looking terrible. Malik looks like Cracraft with more tools. Tahj looks like Berrios with more tools.

To me, the question is how many receivers the Dolphins keep and if EE can show anything to justify keeping him instead of either Berrios or Cracraft or someone else they can pull off the waiver wire. I'm hoping he does, because he's the one guy in the WR room right now that isn't redundant.

 

[Jssanto]

It will certainly be interesting to see how the new kickoff rules change what teams do, so I'm not yet sure how that will affect the Berrios decision. He certainly does well catching kicks. I still live with the fear I felt for so many years with others.

I think the NFL feels the kickoff problem is the speed developed by the tacklers. Giving them a shorter runway should (they hope) help reduce injuries and add excitement.

 

[gofins60]

it is interesting, if EZ does not make the roster, which seems to be the case now, we will have nobody of size. lots of small and quick/fast. they wanted size last year,which is why they added claypool. my guess is they thought it especially may help in the red zone, or just a little variety of options and types is good. now they seem to have gone in the opposite direction. obj not big, nor are the two draft picks, nor is anyone besides EZ. they may have just come to the conclusion small and quick is what works best for tua

I'm not obsessed by EZ, but, as a 6'3" receiver, I have a prejudice for tall receivers. Miami has no one to regularly fight for jump balls, grab fades, or run across the back of the EZ. I wasn't happy with Parker or Gesicki, but they played their role.

Thinking about this logically, it seems to me that the issue is McDaniel. First, when hired, he was described as a run game guru. However, far too often he went away from the run game when it was working, and too many times he threw the ball on 3rd or 4th and short when he should have run it. It seems that when he saw the big plays made by Tua throwing to Hill and Waddle, he decided that was going to be the basis for his offense. And, there were many times that Hill was covered, but Tua threw the ball to him anyway, even if other guys were open. IOW, McDaniel's playcalling was based on what he wanted to do, and not on what would be the logical thing to do depending on the defense.

I don't think that McDaniel is focusing on small speedy WRs for the sake of Tua, I think he's doing it because he is so enamored with the idea of the big play that he neglects other "regular" aspects of an effective offense. IMO this is why they do well against bad teams and rack up the stats but lose to the good teams who can easily neuter this style of offense. And, before McDaniel, Tua was spreading the ball around more, and not just focusing on one or two WRs. Taller guys like Parker and Gesicki made a lot of big plays and nice catches when targeted by Tua. Even though they were far from being elite, the offense took advantage of their strengths and made them look like Pro Bowlers.

Enter McDaniel, and he rarely used Gesicki as a receiving weapon, but instead wanted him to block the majority of the time he was on the field. Why would you not take advantage of what Gesicki could do well? This is why IMO McDaniel needs to let someone else call the plays; he does what he likes and not what is best for the offense. Calling a fade in the back corner of the End Zone to a tiny WR, or a pass behind the LOS on 3rd or 4th and short to a receiver who has defenders about to crush him, are not logical playcalls. And, why is it that McDaniel won't use a hurry-up offense? A hurry-up with speedy WRs, but he won't do it... DUH!

 

[gofins60]

Generally, when a position is declared a strength, it turns into an unforeseen weakness due to a rash of injuries, or due to prematurely over-estimating the depth of talent for that position.

Which is exactly what happened with the o-line last season. I read that Grier and McDaniel were of the opinion that the fans were more concerned about the state of the o-line than they were. And, due to signing injury-prone FAs, injuries to both starters and back-ups, a lack of quality depth, and no actual Center on the roster to replace Williams, it seems that the fans were right, and Grier and McDaniel were wrong.

So, I wouldn't be surprised if the WR corps becomes an issue this year. We saw last year how ineffective McDaniel's offense could be when defenses took away Hill and/or Waddle, or when they were injured.

 

[fansinceGWilson]

Thinking about this logically, it seems to me that the issue is McDaniel. First, when hired, he was described as a run game guru. However, far too often he went away from the run game when it was working, and too many times he threw the ball on 3rd or 4th and short when he should have run it. It seems that when he saw the big plays made by Tua throwing to Hill and Waddle, he decided that was going to be the basis for his offense. And, there were many times that Hill was covered, but Tua threw the ball to him anyway, even if other guys were open. IOW, McDaniel's playcalling was based on what he wanted to do, and not on what would be the logical thing to do depending on the defense.

I don't think that McDaniel is focusing on small speedy WRs for the sake of Tua, I think he's doing it because he is so enamored with the idea of the big play that he neglects other "regular" aspects of an effective offense. IMO this is why they do well against bad teams and rack up the stats but lose to the good teams who can easily neuter this style of offense. And, before McDaniel, Tua was spreading the ball around more, and not just focusing on one or two WRs. Taller guys like Parker and Gesicki made a lot of big plays and nice catches when targeted by Tua. Even though they were far from being elite, the offense took advantage of their strengths and made them look like Pro Bowlers.

Enter McDaniel, and he rarely used Gesicki as a receiving weapon, but instead wanted him to block the majority of the time he was on the field. Why would you not take advantage of what Gesicki could do well? This is why IMO McDaniel needs to let someone else call the plays; he does what he likes and not what is best for the offense. Calling a fade in the back corner of the End Zone to a tiny WR, or a pass behind the LOS on 3rd or 4th and short to a receiver who has defenders about to crush him, are not logical playcalls.

I'll cut TT some slack. If he didn't have time (and often didn't) to find the #3, he HAD to throw to the 1st/2nd read. One of my annoyances with Mcd is, we all know he has multiple guys in the booth feeding him - 'that LCB is 3rd string,' or 'the secondary is letting Berrios run free.' Either Mcd ignores them or needs to fire them and find competence.
But I'll get back to topic. I'd like a minimum of one taller good-hands receiver. EZ is about it. TBF, there are quite a few big TEs on the roster, but they weren't targeted in the RZ/EZ. I expect those bottom 1-2 receivers to make it on blocking/ST. I'll not pretend to know who he/they will be. The good news is at some positions, Miami has enough talent they will be cutting good players.

 

[royalshank]

Honestly I would swap Cracraft and Berrios. Cracraft blocks well, has really good hands, and knows the playbook.

It’s tempting but Berrios is so sure handed on PR and gets his 9-10 yards of FP almost every time. Plus, he’s a sneaky good slot. He could be better this year than last year. But I get the value Craycraft brings. EZ is a total wildcard.

 

[phinsforlife]

the fascination with EZ reminds me of the fascination people have with backup QBs. folks always tend to love the unknown. EZ really has done bubkus since he has been here. between the injuries and not being able to figure out what to do, it seems tough to make a bet on him, regardless of his theoretical physical attributes.

 

[BROGS]

the fascination with EZ reminds me of the fascination people have with backup QBs. folks always tend to love the unknown. EZ really has done bubkus since he has been here. between the injuries and not being able to figure out what to do, it seems tough to make a bet on him, regardless of his theoretical physical attributes.

I'm rooting for EZ but he has to prove he is healthy and brings something more to offense this year.