Dolphins Feel This Linebacker Can Make An Impact As He Did For The Saints As A Rookie

[DKphin]

Miami Dolphins linebacker Stephone Anthony (44) prepares to collide with center Mike Matthews (63) during training camp at the Miami Dolphins training facility in Davie, Florida, August 1, 2018. CHARLES TRAINOR JR ctrainor@miamiherald.com

Anthony (6-3, 245 pounds) enters his fourth NFL season in the thick of a battle for the Dolphins’ starting outside linebacker spot.
Although he’s the frontrunner — once again getting most of the first-team reps during Friday’s practice — Anthony knows he still has to prove his worth both in the short and long term.
In the short term, Anthony is battling second-year player Chase Allen and rookie Jerome Baker to solidify that starting spot.
Allen figures to be the stiffest competition so far earning some first team reps on Thursday as the Dolphins continue to closely evaluate both.

https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins/article215970995.html

 

[Mach2]

I hope it works out. He has the physical tools to be a good player. I know he, initially, had success at NO. I never really found a clear explanation of what happened there.

 

[The Ghost]

Again, another guy who if relegated to a back up role provides great depth and athleticism on special teams.

If he's good enough to hold off a guy like Jerome Baker and start on this team, he's certainly going to be an improvement on the slop we've trotted out there for the past decade.

Anthony is an example of where being a first round pick might've been a bad thing. He could've gotten more time to develop as a 3rd or 4th round pick. Although I am sure his bank account isn't complaining.

Not much negative written about him during TC. Along with a few other guys I regularly mention, if he can come out of nowhere and be a contributor along with a guy like Jesse Davis or Tory McTyer, we can make teams fear playing us. We need some more meat and potatoes guys that don't cost us premium draft picks.

 

[Rick Cartman]

I hope it works out. He has the physical tools to be a good player. I know he, initially, had success at NO. I never really found a clear explanation of what happened there.

World class athlete, but couldn't get the scheme and his assignments down in New Orleans

 

[finmann]

World class athlete, but couldn't get the scheme and his assignments down in New Orleans

Really? I did not know that?

 

[GUH-sick-EE]

I hope it works out. He has the physical tools to be a good player. I know he, initially, had success at NO. I never really found a clear explanation of what happened there.

Describing his time in NO:

"Anthony started the summer playing weakside linebacker, then moved back to the middle, and he appeared to be dropping down the depth chart as the summer wore on before suffering a high ankle sprain during the preseason opener. He just started practicing again last week.

All the shuffling came after he logged 112 tackles playing middle linebacker as a rookie. The high tackle figure helped build a narrative that he was a young player on the rise, but his film shows several assignment errors, particularly in coverage, that should have foretold the struggles he’d endure during his second season.

After getting some snaps early last year at strongside linebacker, Anthony went to the bench and stayed there until a game late in the year against Tampa Bay. The linebacker suffered an injury in that game and went on injured reserve.

Payton explained last season that Anthony was struggling with assignment errors and could not differentiate between run and pass reads.

"Some of the things that are hurting this player: He's explosive, he's disruptive and yet his key in diagnose and his instincts at times are off," Payton said. "You know, it's run, and he's dropping back in a pass mode, or it's pass and he's at the line of scrimmage. So, his ability to see and diagnose some very simple reads, for instance, are the keys for him to getting better, and I think he was able to do a little bit more of that the other night.” "

https://www.theadvocate.com/new_orl...cle_3f83b390-9d8b-11e7-a73d-0344ed0a0ede.html

 

[royalshank]

He’s got wheels for a big man.

 

[DKphin]

It would be nice if things come together in Miami, but I am not holding my breath.

 

[pacresjt]

From what limited time I saw him on the field last year he looked good. He covered swing passes well, diagnosed them and stopped the ball carrier behind or at the line of scrimmage.

I wondered why we didn’t see more of him in the rotation but lack of time in the defense was probably the reason. I guess the coaches liked his tape too since he has been getting the nod with the 1’s. With 112 tackles at MLB as a rookie in a then weak defense why would you start trying to move the kid around. He was a 1sr rounder and delivered but they went out and got someone else for that spot? Peyton has been reaching at defense since the head hunting scandal and he probably should have kept him in the middle.

Look what happened to Kilo when we moved him last year after a very good 1st year with us. I think he’s going to have a Revival with us.

 

[Mach2]

From what limited time I saw him on the field last year he looked good. He covered swing passes well, diagnosed them and stopped the ball carrier behind or at the line of scrimmage.

I wondered why we didn’t see more of him in the rotation but lack of time in the defense was probably the reason. I guess the coaches liked his tape too since he has been getting the nod with the 1’s. With 112 tackles at MLB as a rookie in a then weak defense why would you start trying to move the kid around. He was a 1sr rounder and delivered but they went out and got someone else for that spot? Peyton has been reaching at defense since the head hunting scandal and he probably should have kept him in the middle.

Look what happened to Kilo when we moved him last year after a very good 1st year with us. I think he’s going to have a Revival with us.

The kid has so much athletic ability, I think its worth giving him a chance. Our only real alternative, at this point, is Allen. Not that Chase is horrible.

 

[BobDole]

Describing his time in NO:

"Anthony started the summer playing weakside linebacker, then moved back to the middle, and he appeared to be dropping down the depth chart as the summer wore on before suffering a high ankle sprain during the preseason opener. He just started practicing again last week.

All the shuffling came after he logged 112 tackles playing middle linebacker as a rookie. The high tackle figure helped build a narrative that he was a young player on the rise, but his film shows several assignment errors, particularly in coverage, that should have foretold the struggles he’d endure during his second season.

After getting some snaps early last year at strongside linebacker, Anthony went to the bench and stayed there until a game late in the year against Tampa Bay. The linebacker suffered an injury in that game and went on injured reserve.

Payton explained last season that Anthony was struggling with assignment errors and could not differentiate between run and pass reads.

"Some of the things that are hurting this player: He's explosive, he's disruptive and yet his key in diagnose and his instincts at times are off," Payton said. "You know, it's run, and he's dropping back in a pass mode, or it's pass and he's at the line of scrimmage. So, his ability to see and diagnose some very simple reads, for instance, are the keys for him to getting better, and I think he was able to do a little bit more of that the other night.” "

https://www.theadvocate.com/new_orl...cle_3f83b390-9d8b-11e7-a73d-0344ed0a0ede.html

Kiss of death imo. Have to at least get the run or pass thing down ... and that's just the tip of the iceberg. A player developing instincts in the NFL happens about as much as the fins winning playoff games.

Where do you put him where he doesn't have to think? Good luck with an off-LB.

 

[Jssanto]

World class athlete, but couldn't get the scheme and his assignments down in New Orleans

Did he play under Ryan? I heard Ryan’s defense was so complicated many could not get it.

 

[NBP81]

Kiss of death imo. Have to at least get the run or pass thing down ... and that's just the tip of the iceberg. A player developing instincts in the NFL happens about as much as the fins winning playoff games.

Where do you put him where he doesn't have to think? Good luck with an off-LB.

Good backup to have and use sparingly as a run blitzer and edge setting guy... That about it...