Does anybody else get the feeling that this will be the last year for...

[late again]

The salary cap is what will keep the Dolphins from getting rid of Zach or Jason before 2007 at the earliest and more than likely 2008. Both are signed through 2009.

I do think you will see Saban transition from the smaller guys like Derrick Pope, Eddie Moore, and Brendan Ayanbadejo to bigger guys. That's why it is possible that players like Lionel Turner, George Lewis, and perhaps Derek Curry may have a shot at making the team.

Yeah, that's the approach that makes the most sense. I read alot of posts where people are getting stuck on "Saban's type of player". Apparently, Saban has had success with bigger players. He comes to Miami where we have a skinny DE who's led the league in sacks, and an undersized LB who every year has 100+ tackles. Now these guys might not be a prototypical Saban player, but it's hard to argue with success.

 

[jlfin]

It is inevitable. I like ZT, JT and SM, but quite frankly they have let us down before. Especially in big games.
The 27-0 playoff loss to the Raiders
62-7 embarrassment to the Jags (defense just quit)
The wild Monday night heartbreaker against the Jets 4 years ago. I think Vinny and the Jets are still moving the chains.
How about the back to back road losses against the Vikings and Pats to end the 2002 season. Yes, the offense was partly to blame, but the defense could not come up with a critical stop on third down in the 4th quarter.
How about Ray Lucas picking them apart 4-5 years ago when he was playing in place on an injured Vinny. It goes on and on

 

[occamz_razr]

our undersized LB's like Moore, Pope, and ZT. In fact, I could see Pope and Moore either getting cut or waived during TC.

This wont happen until next year or two when Saban can fill out the LB core with the kind of players he wants in there. But we're too short handed that we're going to need them.

 

[LarryFinFan]

our undersized LB's like Moore, Pope, and ZT. In fact, I could see Pope and Moore either getting cut or waived during TC not because they can't play, but because they don't fit the mold of a Saban LB. Zach won't get cut this year because of all he's meant to this franchise but I don't think he'll be back next year.

Zach won't get cut this year because of all he'd cost the Fins, not what he has meant. I don't want to see him go or get cut. I enjoy watching him play, but he'll have to adjust his game for Saban's D...that may mean fewer tackles this year because the onus is on the downlineman and OLB in Saban's D to make the tackles, whereas JJs D had the play funneled into the middle where ZT could make the tackles.

My original point is that ZT or JT are not immune to getting cut or traded, when their cap hits allow it. If this were the last year of ZTs contract, like Surtain, he would have been gone too...

 

[PhinsTD]

The salary cap is what will keep the Dolphins from getting rid of Zach or Jason before 2007 at the earliest and more than likely 2008. Both are signed through 2009.

I do think you will see Saban transition from the smaller guys like Derrick Pope, Eddie Moore, and Brendan Ayanbadejo to bigger guys. That's why it is possible that players like Lionel Turner, George Lewis, and perhaps Derek Curry may have a shot at making the team.

This is somewhat mis-leading, they are signed to big deal yes. They are also, however, signed to high base salaries as well. So cutting them or trading them will hurt the cap that year, it won't be as bad dude to their salaries also being off the books. If they wanted to cut them after June 1, we could spread that cap hit over another year as well.

I personally think Taylor will be traded and not cut to get more picks. Saban obviously likes bigger D-lineman anyway, but with all the depth we have we can him fresher with a rotation that he plays less plays per game.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Nick13]

ya'll are on crack. seriously. you dont CUT a player like Zach Thomas or Jason Taylor, they are the heart and soul of the franchise, some people cite that they dont show up in big games, well, its hard to show up when your offense puts you into a 14-0 hole as i remember happened in that jacksonville game. If Saban is so egotistical that he cant handle having 'leftover' players from the last regime, and cant suck it up that they arent 'Saban' guys, then i dont want him coaching. I notice that the best coaches are those coaches who dont have a 'type' of player, i never remember anyone saying "oh, he's a Shula type guy", you guys are all jumping on the Saban bandwagon a little prematurely, all he's done is draft some players. at this point he has done SQUAT, NADA, ZIP. Steve Spurrier was a very succesful college coach who flopped in the NFL because he was so set on his 'system' and thought he could make it work with 'his kind of guys', i dont want to be a doubter, but until i see results, i wont praise Saban.