Come over to the dark side! I know you weren't in love with the selection. But it seems like it could workout
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Dolphins’ first-rounder impressing
- Thread starter DKphin
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If Harris plays the run better than Branch, he's a lock to start. 5.5 sacks is peanuts.
That 8M though...
Was there any other team in the NFL that would have paid him that much? I don't see him being worth any more than 4M. A lot less than that if he loses his starting job, An $8M backup. William Hayes makes 4.75M
Would have been nice to pay that to a DT.
No one in the league would have paid Branch that much...that was just another dumb, irresponsible move by Tannenbaum who likes to overpay for players. Regardless, Gase benched Maxwell in favor of Lippett and Maxwell makes roughly $8 million more per season. Gase just wants to win, he doesn't care about your salary.
I don't know how long Branch was signed for but he may not be here long at that salary.
Always Next Year
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While I have high hopes for Harris, I think we need to pump the brakes on everyone trashing Branch,
5.5 sacks isn't any great number, but when you remember he didn't start the first 5 games of the season that number looks a bit better. Last year's pace would have had him at 8 or 9 sacks, which is nice for your second best pass rusher. Branch was also decent against the run, and had great energy when he was on the field, one of those guys that gets the other players pumped up.
Ultimately, I would love to see Harris take the starting job away from Branch, but that would mean that Harris would be playing at a very high level, not that Branch is a bum.
5.5 sacks isn't any great number, but when you remember he didn't start the first 5 games of the season that number looks a bit better. Last year's pace would have had him at 8 or 9 sacks, which is nice for your second best pass rusher. Branch was also decent against the run, and had great energy when he was on the field, one of those guys that gets the other players pumped up.
Ultimately, I would love to see Harris take the starting job away from Branch, but that would mean that Harris would be playing at a very high level, not that Branch is a bum.
Gase drove home the fact that he does not care how much you are making, the best player plays. That's why Ajayi and Maxwell has to make the way out of his doghouse
I get it that they want to reward a player that works hard, does what they want and sets a good example of being a pro. From all accounts, that's what Branch has done. He may not have started the beginning of the season but he played 67% of the defensive snaps compared to 51% by Cam Wake. He played about 50% of the snaps over the first 5 weeks. Cam Wake played only about 31%.
He's pretty much guaranteed to be here for the next 2 years with a $2M dead hit in 2019.
I too will eat crow if Harris pans out. I wanted TJ Watt, Njkou, and Lamp in that order. Lamp woulda been the safest best bet. But if Harris turns out to be a stud then that was the correct pick. The higher the risk the higher the reward.
Gotta say, I love his attitude. He met Jason Taylor and within 20 seconds he had already asked to work out with him. JT said he was the first Dolphin DE to ever even ask. They now have plans to get together.
Now we just gotta get Zach and Raekwon together.
Now we just gotta get Zach and Raekwon together.
Locke
They looked like strong hands.
If anyone remembers, we didn't hear anything like this coming from Dion Jordan. I'm excited.
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They had to sign Branch as an insurance policy for one of the most important positions in football. There were no guarantees that they would have found someone better. If they had let him walk, and if a quality DE had not dropped to us in the draft, we would have all been cursing Tannenbaum's name for going into the season with only one, aging DE.
You say he got 4M than he should have. I say the Dolphins took out a 4M insurance policy. Bitch about it in hindsight if you want to, but I promise you that you would have bitched even louder had the draft not turned out the way it did.
People don't realize that even guys like Branch are hard to come by in the NFL at a reasonable rate. Wake and Branch are 14th and 15th in terms of average contract for a DE right now. Jabaal Sheard, Everson Griffen and Carlos Dunlap are the closest in average per year.
I felt prior to the draft that Charles Harris was the drafts' enigma, because, I thought he was a little bit undersized for the traditional 4-3 defense end, in comparison to, JT, Charles Haley and Chris Dolman. Harris also had a reputation of being weak against the run. But as draft day approached, and rumors started to circulate the Harris was one of Miami's targets, I started to do my homework on him and was pleasantly surprised at what I found on him regarding his overall play, work ethic, determination and his slip in play from a coaching and scheme change over his last 2 college seasons. I have to be honest I was on the fence about Charles Harris, but the more I hear about him and his similarities to Dwight Freeney in terms of his first step and spin move, it was hard not to begin to see the possibilities, Charles Harris can bring to the table as a full-time defensive end. Harris seems to be coming out of left field someplace, taking the bull by the horn's and running with his ability to learn the system and his determination to succeed as an NFL player. IMHO, it's Harris' devotion and grit to learn all the nuances of the position that's going to separate him and make him great. I have my fingers crossed that this is the best Dolphins draft pick in the last decade. Even with Tunsil on board.
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gregorygrant83
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I wouldn't be surprised if Branch and Harris start, saving Wake for passing downs and the 4th quarter. Actually Wake, Harris, Branch or Hayes could win a starting job in training camp. Hayes and Wake are both 30+ years old, but they make for a good run defender/ pass rush combo.