Bryant Westbrook and Tom Knight to come in for a visit... | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Bryant Westbrook and Tom Knight to come in for a visit...

ckparrothead

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According to I think the Herald. They are both coming to visit. Any contract either signs would be for something close to the veterans minimum.

Westbrook was a Pro Bowler in Detroit (I believe) before falling out of favor and heading to Dallas where he lost his starting job more and more gradually as he was getting inexplicably beat by scrubs.

Tom Knight signed a very decent sized contract with the Patriots this year (over a million) but was an injury-riddled disappointment throughout camps and preseason to the point where his trade/release was likewise speculated by rumor sites and denied by coaching staff until they actually DID release him.

Either guy could definitely play as our 4th (or rather our 3rd until Surtain is back) but you can't pencil either of these dudes as any better than Jamar Fletcher IMO.

By the way does anyone notice a trend in Jim Bates disturbing lack of willingness to shift out of his base defense to cover for weaknesses? I'm really getting tired of it. I mean, first its we're not gonna blitz even though we're not getting enough pressure (see Rams). Then its, we're not gonna play a Safety closer to the line of scrimmage even though our front seven is beat up to all sin and we're allowing teams to PASTE us in the running game (see entire second half of 2001). Now its, we're not gonna simply switch Sam Madison from the left side of the field to the right side of the field, even though Marvin Harrison is completely abusing our 2nd year CB for catches, more catches, and a touchdown. It took WANNSTEDT literally yelling at Bates at the end of 2001 and FORCING him to play the safety up closer to the line, in order for it to happen...and now it took Sam Madison basically TELLING Bates that he doesn't give a rats @ss he's following Marvin all over the field, before he allowed that to happen. Jeez, a little versatility please...it might got a long way (see Patriots)
 
Westbrooks tore his ACL last year and still hasn't got his confidence back.
 
Westbrook suffered a horrible Achilles injury -- not an ACL -- he fell out of favor in Dallas due to two PI calls vs. the Texans -- the released him as a scapegoat -- of course they benched him after the 2nd PI call (a VERY ticky tacky call), and the next play went for a TD vs. his replacement -- LOL.

I think the Achilles injury may be too much to ever completely come back from (for a CB) but if we can add BW as a nickel -- and get a look at him as a FS/SS -- I'm all for it. (Many teams looked at him as a CB that would move to Safety (a la Woodson) late in his career -- due to his uncanny ability to make the big hit. I wouldn't mind adding a former Pro Bowler -- who may well be able to become a force at the Safety position, and help now as a nickel.

Oh -- thought I'd add a link to two clips of BW in college ...

Clip-y ????? OUCH

or how about playing the option ????

BAM ...
 
nice post coach

totally agree..good call on westbrook and thanks for film...its option time or NOT!
 
If Surtain is not hurt I'd pass on both these clowns. What's the point of bringing in a 4th or 5th string CB because they were average players 3 years ago.

Look for Omar Lowe to see plenty of reps this week now that his ankle injury looks to be healed. He just might be the answer as the dime CB.
 
Actually looking at the Herald article it says:

With Surtain banged up, the Dolphins are considering bringing in former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Bryant Westbrook and ex-New England Patriots cornerback Tommy Knight for workouts this week.


There is a big difference between bringing in and considering bringing in.
 
Originally posted by ckparrothead
By the way does anyone notice a trend in Jim Bates disturbing lack of willingness to shift out of his base defense to cover for weaknesses? I'm really getting tired of it. I mean, first its we're not gonna blitz even though we're not getting enough pressure (see Rams). Then its, we're not gonna play a Safety closer to the line of scrimmage even though our front seven is beat up to all sin and we're allowing teams to PASTE us in the running game (see entire second half of 2001). Now its, we're not gonna simply switch Sam Madison from the left side of the field to the right side of the field, even though Marvin Harrison is completely abusing our 2nd year CB for catches, more catches, and a touchdown. It took WANNSTEDT literally yelling at Bates at the end of 2001 and FORCING him to play the safety up closer to the line, in order for it to happen...and now it took Sam Madison basically TELLING Bates that he doesn't give a rats @ss he's following Marvin all over the field, before he allowed that to happen. Jeez, a little versatility please...it might got a long way (see Patriots)

I"m all over this CK. In fact I was complaining about this last week. Detroit scoring 21 points was not an abberation. It was part of a trend. I don't understand Bates stubborn-ness the same way I didn't understand Olividotti. They both played the D as not-to-lose which it then almost always does. It seems like Bates continues to play base with the idea that he still has the superior talent in the front seven that he had two or three years ago. While these current guys are not terrible, with a couple of exceptions, they are not great. The average abilities of (especially the DT's) the front 4 is exposing weakness' in the LB's, SS, and the nickel/dime backfield. Good teams, and now not so good teams, are taking complete advantage of this and Bates continues blindy on in what looks like a hoping-for-the-best scenario. "Jeez, a little versatility please...it might go a long way (see Patriots)" is completly on target. We have more than a few Vet's who could actually handle game play situation assignments PLUS we now have an offense that can score, covering any possible breakdowns from being too aggressive. Please Mr. Bates, you have players, stop being AFRAID to use them.
 
bates sucks...he continues to NOT make adjustments during the game...sam madison should have been on harrison as soon as surtain left the game...PERIOD...our best cb on their best wr...what a concept...i think fletch will be fine but he cant cover harrison yet...he should have been on q. ismail...
 
I don't see how people continue to talk up Omar Lowe as the guy that can help us at the nickel, or dime position. The guy is a rookie. He has not played since early in the preseason.

We have all seen, bitched, and moaned about the learning curve of a NFL rookie DB (See Fletcher). Do we really think that by putting in a rookie CB to learn on the fly in the regular season, that this will be the answer? I don't.

Don't get me wrong, I like Lowe, and think he does have some potential. But now is not the time to stick him into the fire, to learn. The preseason is that time, and he missed his time. Let him play special teams this year, and give him his chance next year.

I say, bring in Westbrook.
 
DW confirmed that we are bringing in a couple of guys for tryouts at CB, nothing really different from previous weeks. Didn't name names. Westbrook would be a nice pickup at the expense of Ray Green. While he may not be the player he was his physicalness and skill could be an upgrade over Green and a blessing down the road.
 
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