I almost wonder if we will use both Murphy and Thomas. Can you imagine if both work out well and they get to rest here and there and wammo! 4th qtr Thomas starts blowin peoples doors in?
Imagine how much better we would have looked against Baltimore with a healthy Smiley, Grove and Thomas inside, instead of some of the scrubs we had there who sucked.
I almost wonder if we will use both Murphy and Thomas. Can you imagine if both work out well and they get to rest here and there and wammo! 4th qtr Thomas starts blowin peoples doors in?
Believe me when I tell you Donald Thomas was eating up defensive linemen on Tuesday. And I'm not just talking about the second and third teamers. Imagine he's Pac Man and the defensive linemen were those little white dots Pac Man eats. That's exactly how he looked during Tuesday's one practice session, but he thought he played horrible when I talked to him afterwards.
"I'm playing football, but I'm not playing football well. It's a lot of stuff I need to work on," Thomas said. "I had a couple of missed assignments and just have to clean them up. ... I make three good plays then have one horrible one. That's the type of stuff that leads to sacks and holding calls. I can't have that."
I suspect the Dolphins might hold him out of the first exhibition game, or two. But I think he's the opening day starter. Looking at him and comparing him to the other right guard prospects was like watching Chad Pennington's legendary first practice with the team and comparing him to what I'd seen from the other camp QBs before his arrival. There's a drastic difference. The Dolphins just need him to stay healthy.
Well still does not mean Murphy cannot be good and become a player. Henne was one of those guys last year and he seems like he will be fine. I think its important that Murphy develop because Berger has definately never shown he can do much beside be inactive in Dallas.
Well still does not mean Murphy cannot be good and become a player. Henne was one of those guys last year and he seems like he will be fine. I think its important that Murphy develop because Berger has definately never shown he can do much beside be inactive in Dallas.
I wasn't implying that Murphy wouldn't get the chance to developed, I was thinking more that if Thomas gets fully healthy, and regains his form, that he would be playing the most, and murphy probaly be a breather subsitution..I think that 4th invested in Murphy will keep him around..but if Thomas is that much ahead, you have to think he's being developed just as much or more..
Well they obviously think much higher of Thomas at this point. I just dont want us to have to rely on a scrub like Berger much at all this year.
In terms of pure abilities, don't you think highly of him compared to the rest of our guards.. we've just been disappointed by the injuries, other than that, the kid as shown a lot of potential in his limited time...plus he earn the starting guard position last off season...
would you prefer Berger or Alleman? i'm not quite sure. i think i'd go with Berger. Alleman was awful at times last season.
off topic, i hope Mark Lewis will have a similar development as Murphy. i don't think Lewis would hold up physically just yet, but give him a year in our strength and conditioning system and he could make a serious push for the roster next year IMO.
Honestly, I really wasn't all that surprised that Donald Thomas won the starting RG job last year as a rookie....
Despite his inexperience....I had him as my #7 rated Guard prospect in the 2008 draft.....ahead of more notable guards like Mike McGlynn....Barry Richardson....and Roy Schuening....
Thomas had a 4th round grade for me.....I figured it would've been just the opposite with Thomas selected in the 4th round and Murphy in the 6th....
He was an up and down performer at UCONN.....but the ability was apparent.....and his incredible post season work outs are what sealed his grade for me....
The guy just needs more experience and more reps to eliminate his inconsistency......but he obviously has to stay healthy to get either one....
Thomas was, and is, still very raw at football. Since he walked on at UCONN after never really playing football, and was a TE/Wedge buster his first couple of years. So growth for him is still probable