More "Needs" Offense or Defense?

[SF Dolphin Fan]

The defense is going to be hamstrung at the beginning of the year IMO. A new DC and scheme along with key players coming off injuries will take a bit to gel and be effective. So, looking ahead it may be mid-season before we start to see consistency. I don't believe a rookie on D will impact the team early.

The offense has shown the ability to produce but with Tua only having 2.5 seconds to let the play unfold before he is scrambling for his life the help needed is obvious. Dolphins fans will not see what Tua is capable of if the FO neglects to give him protection. We know his athletic limitations and so does Coach McD. He is a pocket passer and therefore needs a pocket to live up to expectations.

Looking forward ... the 'fins will struggle with scoring if this doesn't happen. The team may lose a few due to the defense needing to come together and that will be expected. Ignoring the OL and focusing on D would be a step backward in my opinion. Continue to build the offense for now ... it is our biggest weapon and with limited resources they can't do both effectively.

I saw a recent mock that had Miami taking offensive linemen with its first two picks. That would make a lot of sense.

If Miami can fix just one thing, offensive line could solve a lot of problems. Like you said, Tua needs more than 2.5 seconds.

Maybe the Dolphins can add a bigger, physical receiver in free agency. I was pretty excited about the Claypool addition, but doubt Miami keeps him based on his lack of production here.

 

[GatorFin73]

Is claypool signed? Maybe with an offseason in this offense he could develop as a third wheel. Long shot I know but if under contract worth trying to develop.

 

[TheMageGandalf]

Is claypool signed? Maybe with an offseason in this offense he could develop as a third wheel. Long shot I know but if under contract worth trying to develop.

I don't think he is so we will see what happens at wr because other than Hill and Waddle ...we don't have much there right now

 

[EJay]

With free agency and the draft right around the corner, what side of the ball needs the most help?

Obviously, Miami has a challenge in front of them with so many potential free agents. What happens with Wilkins certainly will impact the offseason, draft etc.

The post by Stoobz on cap compliance is a great thread to read. My take is Miami could free up about $45 million. Not a lot if Wilkins eats up $20 million of that, with six million for draft picks. The team can structure contacts in a way to keep most of the major players together, though. Also referred to as credit card spending.

Anyway, there are obviously needs on both sides of the ball. Towards the end of the season, I thought the defense outplayed the offense. The O did get off to an incredible start.

Let's discuss needs.

For me, I'd say defense needs more help. The reason is obvious IMO. The Dolphins offense, despite it's shortcomings and flaws, is ranked top 2 or 3 in many or most of the important categories. The defense isn't ranked nearly as high, although they did perform quite well once Jalen Ramsey returned from injury and before Phillips, Holland, and Chubb all went out of the lineup.

Having said that, I'd still rate OL as the biggest area of need, with LB and TE being next in line.

But also having acknowledged that, I'd still opt to add a potentially "elite" level talent in Brock Bowers over addressing the OL or LB positions in the 1st round. I don't see the same potentially transcendent talent at OL or LB that might be available for the Dolphins to jump up a few spots to draft. I also believe it's easier to find a lineman in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th rounds that can be developed into an upper-tier player at the position than it is to find a truly elite, dual threat TE.

So for those reasons, I'm firmly on the "get Brock Bowers if a reasonable trade up scenario becomes a possibility" train. Next up, I'm on the "get a capable Center" train, possibly Sedrick Van Pran. Beyond that, find me an athletic, speedy, sure tackling LB that isn't a liability in coverage.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

For me, I'd say defense needs more help. The reason is obvious IMO. The Dolphins offense, despite it's shortcomings and flaws, is ranked top 2 or 3 in many or most of the important categories. The defense isn't ranked nearly as high, although they did perform quite well once Jalen Ramsey returned from injury and before Phillips, Holland, and Chubb all went out of the lineup.

Having said that, I'd still rate OL as the biggest area of need, with LB and TE being next in line.

But also having acknowledged that, I'd still opt to add a potentially "elite" level talent in Brock Bowers over addressing the OL or LB positions in the 1st round. I don't see the same potentially transcendent talent at OL or LB that might be available for the Dolphins to jump up a few spots to draft. I also believe it's easier to find a lineman in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th rounds that can be developed into an upper-tier player at the position than it is to find a truly elite, dual threat TE.

So for those reasons, I'm firmly on the "get Brock Bowers if a reasonable trade up scenario becomes a possibility" train. Next up, I'm on the "get a capable Center" train, possibly Sedrick Van Pran. Beyond that, find me an athletic, speedy, sure tackling LB that isn't a liability in coverage.

I'm with you on Bowers, if he gets close enough. I would think maybe get ahead of Cincinnati, which is often the mock projection for him.

I think he's a move the needle type and, because he blocks well, you get that as an added bonus.

Coming back for Van Pran works for me as well. So we are definitely on the same page here.

I would guess Miami could give up a 2nd rounder next year to move up six or seven spots?

 

[Ray R]

It's just hard to see us take a step forward next year.

I know its not something anyone wants to hear so I'm sorry in advance if your reading this and think everything is gonna be okay next year.

But damn guys, alot of key starters are leaving, we don't have much cap space and we don't have much draft capitol. Bills will still be the Bills, the Jets might be better with Rodgers, I doubt they will be much better but they will be better. Prob 8-9 kind of team. The Pats are reverting back to the Patriots of the 70s, awful and hopelessly going nowhere fast.

I kinda look at next year and see our high water mark as making the playoffs and losing again in the WC round. And the floor.... I dont even wanna think about the floor for next year, it's a dark place full of flames and stuff exploding.

From where we are today, trying to envision a roster capable of winning next year's Superbowl is no easy task.

We're thin at almost every position. A large chunk of next year's roster will be made up of UDFAs or FAs taking close to if not at league minimum.

We will need previous draft picks like Tindall and Smith to take huge steps and become serious players if we have any hope for next seasons. Especially Smith, we invested so much in DBs that have failed in the draft we need Smith to hit in a huge way.

We have to use the little cap space we do have very wisely. I'd put it all in Oline help, we are awful at drafting Oline and having them contribute right away.... well they contribute to us losing games right away but that's about it.

I know this isn't Madden but I want a Madden type of Draft with just a ridiculous number of trade downs. I'd try to trade out of the 1st for a 2nd and a 2025 1st. Then with one of the two 2nd rounders trade back and get a 3rd and 5th or something like that. Then sprinkle in more trade downs until we double the number of picks we have in this draft. Just load up on 5th 6th and 7th rounders and hope some of them hit. Grier has done well with picks late in the draft, I have hope we could end up with 4 to 5 starters with this draft approach. They may not be TJ Watt type talents bur we need starters and depth more than about any team in the NFL.

For the love of God fix the kicking game, A new Punter is an absolute must, our Punter this year was cat turds. Sanders is awful, I hate him but I think we're stuck w him bc of his contract so whatever.

Fix the damn running game, draft another back or get a cheap FA who's undervalued and get us some depth on the oline and make the running game a huge saftey net for this offense. I want a TE but I think this part is more important. This system/scheme is currently great at making it to superbowls and losing them, looking at you 49ers. They didn't run the ball enough against KC, they prob woulda lost anyway bc Mahomes is an alien but you see my point. We need a more constant running attack.

Get a TE. Use one of my 10 draft picks I just acquired by trading down 7 times and find a Diamond in the rough TE prospect. *This plan is a total and complete pipe dream but it's my plan and for my plan to work we need to find this guy.

The defense is currently in the ICU. Our dline is a total disaster, Phillips and Chubb both most likley won't be ready for the start of the season. We might lose AVG to FA. We are losing Wilkins to FA. That bust of a DT is leaving, I can't think of his name but Flores drafted him I'm sure... Davis that's his name, that disappointing motha *******. This is the part of my plan that starts getting hard to see a good outcome. We need to find cheap Vets, prob coming off an injury and maybe a draft pick or two to hopefully bandaid this unit going into next year.


The LBs all stink becides Long and AVG, hopefully Tindall develops and we draft another one who's a future HOF talent. *pipe dream


The secondary...... F*** the secondary, they get nothing, we have invested so much into this unit, the guys we have on the PS and riding the bench have to develop for this plan to work. We simply don't have resources to give this unit anything else this offseaon. They take up 40% of our cap already, multiple draft picks, it's just gross. What we have spent on this unit we should have the #1 passing defense and it shouldn't be close. We finally have to address other areas than the secondary. For fun go look at how much the Chiefs spent on their secondary to win this year's superbowl, it will make you sick.

OK, now tell me what we are doing well - I dare you. - LOL

 

[EJay]

I'm with you on Bowers, if he gets close enough. I would think maybe get ahead of Cincinnati, which is often the mock projection for him.

I think he's a move the needle type and, because he blocks well, you get that as an added bonus.

Coming back for Van Pran works for me as well. So we are definitely on the same page here.

I would guess Miami could give up a 2nd rounder next year to move up six or seven spots?

I know you and I already talked about Bowers and Van Pran in another thread, but it was worth repeating.

IDK what it would cost to move up. As long as it’s not crazy prohibitive, and the Dolphins get to keep their 2nd rounder this season (which I’d like to see used on a center or LB), then I’m in.

 

[Super Duper Clayton]

Give me Tee Higgins in FA