Dolphins have some serious roster holes?

[mbhcu98]

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sport...hins-ot-jake-long-wont-talk-cameron-wake.html

So yeah, about that.

Anyways, i didnt see anything wrong with the quote in the original post. We do still have questions. The interior of the offensive line has needed help for a few seasons now, Incognito isnt well suited for the zone blocking scheme we run and Jerry has proven he cant be relied upon. The secondary wasnt thrilling last season. We certainly improved with Grimes, but we have question marks at the other corner position. Not to mention we need alot better play for our free safety.

Id add that we need another receiving threat. For what we want to do on offense, 3 or 4 receivers that can line up all over the field. Instead, the only weapon we have is Wallace and perhaps Keller. Hartline is somewhat consistent but is adverse to finding the endzone and there is a reason why teams avoided signing Gibson.

We have some pieces to this franchise that will allow us to make noise in the future. But this roster still has some holes. We didnt do much to correct them, instead focused on replacing positions Ireland screwed up seasons earlier(tackle, receiver, linebacker). I get people are drinking the kool aid after this offseason, but if this roster was phenomenal and only needed a few upgrades we wouldnt have lost 9 games last year.

That quote means nothing. Do you expect any GM to draft a position that we have a "star" already at and say we drafted him to replace the "star"? This is one area every GM lies about. Incognito has adjusted to our scheme just fine. He was a pro bowler last year. This will be the year Jerry makes it or doesn't but, his problem has more to do with his weight than anything else. He hasn't proven anything either way yet. I would like some back up LBS and a back up safety but, there are no "holes" there. I'm good with seeing what our WRs can do before saying we have a hole there. We do need that 6' 4" red zone threat that will go up for the ball and snag it but, I wouldn't say we have a "hole" there.

 

[dolpns13]

I don't believe that for a second. No one expected us to just let Long walk last year. Everyone expected Long to be a part of the team for years to come. Martin was drafted to play RT...not LT.

Mostly everyone expected Long to walk for more than one obvious reason. Not sure how anyone could think any differently.

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[Spesh]

That quote means nothing. Do you expect any GM to draft a position that we have a "star" already at and say we drafted him to replace the "star"? This is one area every GM lies about. Incognito has adjusted to our scheme just fine. He was a pro bowler last year. This will be the year Jerry makes it or doesn't but, his problem has more to do with his weight than anything else. He hasn't proven anything either way yet. I would like some back up LBS and a back up safety but, there are no "holes" there. I'm good with seeing what our WRs can do before saying we have a hole there. We do need that 6' 4" red zone threat that will go up for the ball and snag it but, I wouldn't say we have a "hole" there.

Of course, the old "its not true because i dont want it to be true".

And the premise your question is based on is flawed. Your presuming, without any evidence, that Martin was drafted to be a left tackle. You decided upon an answer before even typing that question.

Ireland drafted Martin to play the position he played last season, right tackle. He offered Long $9 million dollars. He tried to trade for Albert. In both actions and words, Ireland wanted Martin to be a right tackle. It was only after every other circumstance failed did we kick him over to the left side.

 

[number1fin]

Ireland drafted Martin to play the position he played last season, right tackle. He offered Long $9 million dollars. He tried to trade for Albert. In both actions and words, Ireland wanted Martin to be a right tackle. It was only after every other circumstance failed did we kick him over to the left side.

We kicked Martin over to LT before those circumstances you speak of, last year.

The evidence shows us LT is Martin's natural position.

You can't be that naive to think Jeff Ireland didn't have an insurance plan in place this whole time in case Jake Long got injured again or decided to leave in free agency.

I know he's not the best GM out there but give the guy a little credit for thinking ahead.

 

[KTDolphins]

My only concern is LT and maybe CB, but really they have done a great job so far this offseason. The cherry on top would be getting Leach to sign, to spiff up the run game.

 

[SANDBILLY]

Of course, the old "its not true because i dont want it to be true".

And the premise your question is based on is flawed. Your presuming, without any evidence, that Martin was drafted to be a left tackle. You decided upon an answer before even typing that question.

Ireland drafted Martin to play the position he played last season, right tackle. He offered Long $9 million dollars. He tried to trade for Albert. In both actions and words, Ireland wanted Martin to be a right tackle. It was only after every other circumstance failed did we kick him over to the left side.

Point being unless you can read Irelands mind. You have no idea why Ireland drafted martin. but of course your speculation trumps everyone's else speculation
because your such a dolphin homer ?

 

[Dr. Phin]

Since when do you speak for "no one", and "everyone"?

You can use generalizations like that till you're blue in the face but it still doesn't make it true.

If what you say is even remotely true, we would've never signed Tyson Clabo.

Why bring in a veteran RT instead of LT?

Why not just keep Martin at RT and by any means necessary, with all the money and picks, find a different alternative at LT?

Why not draft Lane Johnson?

Go read the reply from Spesh...then go and eat your crow.

 

[Dr. Phin]

We kicked Martin over to LT before those circumstances you speak of, last year.

The evidence shows us LT is Martin's natural position.

You can't be that naive to think Jeff Ireland didn't have an insurance plan in place this whole time in case Jake Long got injured again or decided to leave in free agency.

I know he's not the best GM out there but give the guy a little credit for thinking ahead.

You don't get to change the argument once you have been shown to be wrong. Your statement that Ireland "drafted Martin specifically to replace Long" is just bull****. Ireland himself even stated that. But now we have folks saying that, "we can't believe the GM." What a load of crap.

I guess the argument for you guys is, "Ireland doesn't even know what he drafted Martin for...we know better than Ireland himself....we know all!!!" Well thank you god for clarifying that....

---------- Post added at 07:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:18 PM ----------

Mostly everyone expected Long to walk for more than one obvious reason. Not sure how anyone could think any differently.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2

You guys and "revisionist thinking" is just precious. You're so cute...

 

[MDFINFAN]

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sport...hins-ot-jake-long-wont-talk-cameron-wake.html

So yeah, about that.

Anyways, i didnt see anything wrong with the quote in the original post. We do still have questions. The interior of the offensive line has needed help for a few seasons now, Incognito isnt well suited for the zone blocking scheme we run and Jerry has proven he cant be relied upon. The secondary wasnt thrilling last season. We certainly improved with Grimes, but we have question marks at the other corner position. Not to mention we need alot better play from our free safety.

Id add that we need another receiving threat. For what we want to do on offense, 3 or 4 receivers that can line up all over the field. Instead, the only weapon we have is Wallace and perhaps Keller. Hartline is somewhat consistent but is adverse to finding the endzone and there is a reason why teams avoided signing Gibson.

We have some pieces to this franchise that will allow us to make noise in the future. But this roster still has some holes. We didnt do much to correct them, instead focused on replacing positions Ireland screwed up seasons earlier(tackle, receiver, linebacker). I get people are drinking the kool aid after this offseason, but if this roster was phenomenal and only needed a few upgrades we wouldnt have lost 9 games last year.

Can't argue your points too much as I agree with a lot of what you say.. I say technically we lost 7 games, and 2 missed FG's lost the other 2...so the team wasn't that bad... I'm like everyone else, waiting in terms of our LT being the answer. We did bring in Lance and Dallas to help Guard wise, both started for their teams a year along, so hopefully they add competition for this year's team. Again can't say what our OL is until they play the games..can they improve from last year, of course they can. Another year together always helps, especially the interior, who's play together the whole year. Only our RT wasn't with us, and Martin did get a month in at LT with this OL from last year. So we can only hope. I agree with the writer we probably do look for Vet. help at LT if nothing else as a competent backup if Martin should falter. In terms of our DB..don't know where we stand.. Grimes seems to be back, if Jones improves that's 2/4 of our starting db's getting better, even I think Clemmons did a good job last year, since he's been back there, I've forgotten about Gilbert from a few years ago when every deep pass seem to hit it's target..I like the speed of Clemmons...isn't he instinctive as I'd like, no, but he's getting better, so I guess 3/4 of our starting db's I like. Didn't get to see enough of Marshall to make an assessment. So the perceived holes as we have without knowing if we've fix them to me are LT, 1 cb, 1 nickle back, I don't know how the new LB's will work out, and did Tannehill take another step.. but that's what this year about, isn't it.

 

[number1fin]

You don't get to change the argument once you have been shown to be wrong. Your statement that Ireland "drafted Martin specifically to replace Long" is just bull****. Ireland himself even stated that. But now we have folks saying that, "we can't believe the GM." What a load of crap.

I guess the argument for you guys is, "Ireland doesn't even know what he drafted Martin for...we know better than Ireland himself....we know all!!!" Well thank you god for clarifying that....

Allow me to clarify further...

http://www.phinnation.com/jeff-ireland-speaks-we-translate-his-pre-draft-press-conference/

Ireland: (Will Jonathan Martin move to left tackle?) “I’m going to let my coaching staff decide, at the end of this process, where Jonathan Martin plays. I think what we do have is a flexible player, a versitile player that can play left, can play right. I think his development has been good, I think he has a long way to go to play right or left, to be a really really good player that’s what we want him to be. We have all of our options open, still free agents on the street, still guys on the trade market that are available, and we have the draft that is 2 weeks away, that we could go that route as well. We’ll be active in one of those pieces and maybe more.

•No free agent LT signed
•No trade for a LT
•No LT draft pick selected

Obviously Coach Philbin was loyal to Jake Long but thought Jonathan Martin was smart enough to make the transition between positions for a season.

Furthermore...

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000206543/article/teammate-jonathan-martin-more-fluid-at-left-tackle

"He's more fluid over there," center Mike Pouncey said this week. "You can tell when he's kick sliding that way he's more comfortable being in a left-handed stance. Obviously, he wanted to play over there last year, but he was forced to play the right side, and I think he's going to do a great job."

Now put two and two together and what do you get?

 

[rent this space]

it's funny that Ireland slammed the article in the Sun-Sentinel but things came to pass exactly the way it predicted.

 

[EvilDylan]

I guess the argument for you guys is, "Ireland doesn't even know what he drafted Martin for...we know better than Ireland himself....we know all!!!" Well thank you god for clarifying that....

---------- Post added at 07:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:18 PM ----------



You guys and "revisionist thinking" is just precious. You're so cute...

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

Isn't that exactly what you're doing?

Super cute, guy.

 

[Atila]

I'm not reading the article, but "our secondary is better than last season" is not really saying a lot - our secondary was in the bottom half of the league last year.

 

[Spesh]

We kicked Martin over to LT before those circumstances you speak of, last year.

The evidence shows us LT is Martin's natural position.

You can't be that naive to think Jeff Ireland didn't have an insurance plan in place this whole time in case Jake Long got injured again or decided to leave in free agency.

I know he's not the best GM out there but give the guy a little credit for thinking ahead.

Our coaches kicked Martin over to left tackle in an emergency. I hope to god Ireland isnt involved with our game planning, though i dont have any evidence of that one way or the other.

The evidence wasnt compelling enough for Ireland. He tried to hand Long a huge contract. He tried to trade a high draft pick for Albert. Neither of those moves says "i think Martin is a natural".

He didnt have a plan after he traded Brandon Marshall. I dont see why he would have a plan in case Long left. His drafts and free agent pick ups paint the picture of a man who addresses a problem after its occured.

If i believed he had thought ahead id give him the credit he would have deserved. I havent seen anything to suggest the words that came out of his mouth are false. If people want to praise him for drafting Tannehill or Jordan, then i have no problem with that. But this is a stretch. It reminds me of when people insisted Ireland hired Philbin, when in reality he tried to hire Mike McCoy and Ross ignored him.

---------- Post added at 03:02 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:00 AM ----------

Point being unless you can read Irelands mind. You have no idea why Ireland drafted martin. but of course your speculation trumps everyone's else speculation
because your such a dolphin homer ?

“I’d like to clear the air on an article,” Ireland said. “I don’t normally go overboard on media speculation. But last night I saw an article about Jake Long. I have plans to keep Jake Long here for a long time. So, let’s don’t get ahead of ourselves. …We drafted Jonathan Martin to be a tackle on this football team, a right tackle on this football team. Let’s don’t speculate any further than that.”

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sport...hins-ot-jake-long-wont-talk-cameron-wake.html

There you go. You must have missed that the first time i linked it.

 

[number1fin]

Our coaches kicked Martin over to left tackle in an emergency. I hope to god Ireland isnt involved with our game planning, though i dont have any evidence of that one way or the other.

The evidence wasnt compelling enough for Ireland. He tried to hand Long a huge contract. He tried to trade a high draft pick for Albert. Neither of those moves says "i think Martin is a natural".

He didnt have a plan after he traded Brandon Marshall. I dont see why he would have a plan in case Long left. His drafts and free agent pick ups paint the picture of a man who addresses a problem after its occured.

If i believed he had thought ahead id give him the credit he would have deserved. I havent seen anything to suggest the words that came out of his mouth are false. If people want to praise him for drafting Tannehill or Jordan, then i have no problem with that. But this is a stretch. It reminds me of when people insisted Ireland hired Philbin, when in reality he tried to hire Mike McCoy and Ross ignored him.

This has morphed into a defend Ireland's track record discussion, which is something I'm not really trying to do.

I will say that you'd have to be either blind to the facts or just straight up uninformed when presented with information that tells you GM's across the board have multiple contingency plans that are ever changing in case something anticipated or unforeseen takes place. Successors are often put in place without it sometimes being announced and made crystal clear in the moment. Cap management is studied and prepared years in advance with contract lengths determined to expire in a calculated fashion. Somes moves are set in motion at the last minute which can backfire and cause panic to set in, which in some cases forces ones hand to make hasty decisions that are not thought out properly. Changes in philosophy dictates change in management assertion. In some cases it's necessary to take two steps back tactically in order to move four steps further at a unspecified date. At times, personalities can clash and you're stuck between a rock and a hard place, while other times opportunity can fall right into your lap seemingly out of no where.

I say all those things to get the point across that the job of a GM is never so black and white. You will hit and miss on many transactions. But it's clear to anyone who really pays attention that these guys think on the fly a lot, but they also have a multitude of preparation skills that enable them to carry out many tasks that your average fan is simply not privy to.