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Dolphins draft picks, developmental players in jeopardy as cut-downs loom

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AL R

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One of the toughest decisions for an NFL team is determining when to give up on draft picks and undrafted developmental success stories. The Dolphins have a bunch of them who stand at risk with roster cut-downs looming, to 75 on Tuesday and 53 on Sept. 3.

Among them, and updating battles at their positions:

• Chris McCain and Terrence Fede; defensive line. If Miami keeps nine linemen, which coordinator Vance Joseph hinted was likely, then Chris Jones, Terrence Fede, Chris McCain and emerging underdog Julius Warmsley are battling for two jobs. All except McCain can play defensive tackle.

Jones logged Miami’s second-most snaps on defense against Dallas (behind cornerback Tony Lippett) and two strong games should earn him a roster spot. He has drawn praise from coaches throughout camp but needs to close preseason well.

McCain – a skilled pass rusher -- played a lot on special teams against Dallas but had only 12 defensive snaps (compared to 30 for Fede) and Joseph said “he's got to play the run better as far as setting the edge.” McCain said he needed the special teams work (more than usual) to show he can handle it.

McCain said this week he feels very good about his chances of making the team. "I haven't had any bad feedback."

Fede has value because he can play both end and tackle, but he hasn't flashed as much as a pass-rusher during this camp/preseason as he did last August.

The Dolphins don’t need to create a spot on the 53 for Dion Jordan until he is activated from NFI, potentially in September.

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/spor...rdy-as-cut-downs-loom-marlins-heat-notes.html
 
Dion Jordan is going on NFI and will be lucky if he comes off it any time this year.

I think the coaches like Chris McCain more than the media knows.
 
ckparrothead said:
Dion Jordan is going on NFI and will be lucky if he comes off it any time this year.

I think the coaches like Chris McCain more than the media knows.
Click to expand...

Ok so who is released in your mind? Fede? and then Jones or Warmsley?

I am not sure if it would totally shock me to see McCain get released.
 
I really hope we don't part ways with McCain or Fede. McCain is immature and touch and go sometimes but is still young and could be a late-bloomer. Fede flashes sometimes but I know we have a lot of bodies at DE
 
With a six week reprieve for Jordan it's an opportunity for him to slim down and come back as an OLB. Even with the wide 9 being a better fit for him at DE it's the same old story- we're packed at DE and there's very little at SOLB beyond Misi, who is solid but not exactly a play making machine.
 
I think Vance Joseph said something along the lines of he'd expect 5 DEs to be kept and 4 DTs...and so as a result, people keep trying to fit everything together off that. But what if he was just saying something casual that doesn't end up being the case? Could easily keep 10 DLs if they think they have assets they can't lose.

DE: Wake, Williams, Jones, McCain, Branch, Fede
DT: Suh, Mitchell, Phillips, Warmsley

I know it seems like they really like Chris Jones, but let's not forget he got here mid-April off waivers. He's pretty good but Julius Warmsley has looked better. Jones got destroyed on a couple of those big runs that Dallas had and that's ultimately why NE got rid of him too. I like Jones, I have since college, but Warmsley has shown more.

Now that I think on it, Andre Branch or Jason Jones could be more in jeopardy than we'd normally think. Jones more than Branch because of the stupid amount of guarantees they gave Branch.
 
I could see chris jones getting cut for warmsleys potential...he's jag and a liability in the run game...fede being able to play inside in the sub im sure helps but god that guy will never sniff the qb on the edge

branches guarantees of $3 mil moronic...and means he sticks regardless...chris mccains the 3rd most interesting edge rusher on the team and given you have to get off the field in the sub I think you have to keep him as wake insurance
 
McCain might be the 2nd most interesting edge rusher based on what I saw of Mario in the Cowboys game. Hopefully Mario was half-assing it because it was a preseason game. Which would be totally in character for him. But I'm starting to fear what happens when he tries to turn up the dial during the regular season and finds that it doesn't go up.

Do not be surprised if in Week 1 what you're seeing on pass rush downs is Chris McCain at the Wide-9 right defensive end position with Mario Williams inside and Cameron Wake at left defensive end a little bit tighter to the tackle.
 
What about Laing? We gave him a 3yr deal so I would have to imagine he sticks right?
 
No he's going to be cut. I'm certain of it. The 3 year deal involved zero guaranteed money and was the standard sort of contract you offer a UDFA. He came from the CFL so he's not a standard UDFA but they treated him like one.
 
ckparrothead said:
McCain might be the 2nd most interesting edge rusher based on what I saw of Mario in the Cowboys game. Hopefully Mario was half-assing it because it was a preseason game. Which would be totally in character for him. But I'm starting to fear what happens when he tries to turn up the dial during the regular season and finds that it doesn't go up.

Do not be surprised if in Week 1 what you're seeing on pass rush downs is Chris McCain at the Wide-9 right defensive end position with Mario Williams inside and Cameron Wake at left defensive end a little bit tighter to the tackle.
Click to expand...


This is totally what I think they are planning as well. Makes too much sense to get all the actually pass rushers on the field.
 
I'd pick the better of Branch and Jason Jones and release the other. If it were me, I'd dump J Jones, probably. But, I am in my office and not at practice. This would be so I could keep both Fede and McCain. And I'd keep 10 D-linemen to make it work. Let's keep our best assets. It may not give roster balance in a couple of spots but so be it.
 
NoblePhin said:
What about Laing? We gave him a 3yr deal so I would have to imagine he sticks right?
Click to expand...

id cut that tomorrow

mccains 2nd most interesting if Mario doesn't look much better than he did vs dallas...which was beached whale worthy...they better do something cause fede, jones, and branch aren't gonna sniff the qb in the sub...I do like the Mario kicked inside with mccain in the wide 9 provided its obvious pass downs...cause even in the wide 9 mccains gonna get hulk smashed in the run game

of course we got to stop the run to get into the sub package period

Mario if he doesn't turn it up is gonna be the worst $9 mil or whatever it is spent in the league...unfortunately I have seen that blocked by a single tight end due to lax effort stuff more times than I can count with him thru the years...that's all about effort
 
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