Far away from the angry crowds: Optimism read about our dolphins | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Far away from the angry crowds: Optimism read about our dolphins

fisi

fisi

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Despite the bad news, there are some decent reasons for optimism! I'm serious!

As a result of this scandal, the Miami Dolphins potentially upgraded their offensive line coach.
One of the few unanimously praised moves by the Dolphins this offseason so far has been the hiring of John Benton as an assistant offensive line coach. Assuming he gets promoted and loses the "assistant" label, the Dolphins will have an extremely well qualified coach for the team's zone blocking scheme. The hiring of Benton doesn't guarantee he'll get the same results as he did with the Houston Texans. However, he has the credibility of a guy who has gotten the job done at the NFL level with far from the most talented linemen to work with. The offensive line he helped turn into arguably the NFL's most dominant zone blocking line had just one first round pick (Duane Brown), plus two third round picks (Wade Smith and Eric Winston), one sixth round pick (Chris Myers), and an undrafted free agent (Mike Briesel).


The offensive line free agent market is fairly deep this year, especially at OT, and the Dolphins have a solid amount of cap space.
Pro Football Focus has a list of available free agent offensive guards and offensive tackles, along with their 2013 grades. There will be more coverage of potential free targets in the future, but suffice to say that the Dolphins have decent free agency options at both offensive tackle and offensive guard. Usually, teams don't allow good offensive tackles to leave unless they have serious injury concerns (like Jake Long last year), but this year, several teams like the New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, and Carolina Panthers are dealing with salary cap issues. That's why good tackles like Eugene Monroe and Zach Strief are considered likely to hit free agency. In particular, Monroe told NFL Network that he's not interested in given the Ravens a discount, which is good news for teams hoping to pry him away.


NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock believes that teams can get good offensive tackles in this year's draft as late as the third round.
Hooray for the Dolphins because the draft this year is reasonably deep at offensive tackle. The Dolphins are unlikely to get an elite offensive tackle prospect after the first round, but Mayock believes that teams could get a guy who perhaps could hold his own as a rookie starter as late as rounds 2 and 3. That's great news for a team like the Dolphins that almost certainly would love some young, cheap talent at offensive tackle. This also indirectly helps keep free agent offensive tackle salaries low because teams are less likely to give free agent tackles large deals if they feel they can get a substitute in the second round of the draft at 1/4 of the salary.









http://www.thephinsider.com/2014/2/...istic-about-the-miami-dolphins-offensive-line
 
If we can just fix the O line in free agency and the draft that is reason for optimism.

Still plenty of problems but that's a good starting point.
 
If its one thing that I do well its to move on....look for the next opportunity and try to take advantage of it.

Miami like ALL other teams are gearing up for the 2014 season and Miami does have some positives like an owner who is not afraid to spend money and an improving prospect at QB. This thing has bottomed out and should be on the way up...I'm trying to ride that wave. (Blinders are on).
 
New OC, new OL coach, new GM....I'm feeling optimistic.
 
More optimism, Philbin is scheduled to go on vacation in August and return around mid February, jus kiddin'..

Optimism builds going into free agency, the draft, then the season. It's cyclical. I like Lazor, or what his potential is, a new o-line coach, and I think the GM will want to use all of his experience to assemble a kick-butt draft. This is the opportunity he's been waiting for, so here's to hoping he blows it out of the water.

I do wonder if free agent OL's will want to venture into Miami after all the hubbub, bub.
 
The reason FAs didn't want to come to Miami was because Jeff Ireland was a major ahole. The reason FAs come to a team is 90% financial. We're in good cap shape and our owner is not afraid to pull the trigger to bring in players that will help his team win games. I see 2 or 3 o-linemen coming to us via FA. A couple more in the draft and along with the new o-line coach we should be in much better shape. I thought Garner did a good job at center when Pouncey was hurt. I wouldn't mind Garner at center with Pouncey moving to Guard. Collins, Monroe or Albert at LT along with Martin from ND @ #19 and we plug him in at RG and all that's left to solve is RT and there's plenty of options. No doubt we'd be better with Garner for depth and someone more talented starting but that would be one way to go. Maybe we keep Clabo or McKinnie or even Jerry for additional depth along with Brenner and things aren't so bad anymore. The new coach will make a big difference and Hickey will find us the right players. I also think it's VERY important to bring in a big, fast powerful RB who falls forward after contact to replace D. Thomas who is clearly an Ireland bust. Next priority is a Zach Thomas type Linebacker to stop teams from running on us the way they did last season. Run the ball, stop the run and give Tannehill some time to throw the ball. Then we're a team that's tough to beat! Get er done!!!!!!!
 
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