Gil Brant compares this crop of Edge Rushers to current NFL players...

[SF Dolphin Fan]

Oweh played an abbreviated schedule on a really bad team... in a conference that was just destroyed by Covid. The Big 10 never should have played a game.

His physical attributes are off the charts, and he is supposedly a sharp kid and hard worker.

There is a lot to like there.

I could see Flores loving this guy. He's supposedly a strong work ethic guy so coaches will be more ready to take him early.

I could see Oweh at #18 and doubling up with a Basham type at #36.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

Speed and athleticism galore to work with! Time will tell how good he ends up being!

I think a team will need to be patient. I wouldn't necessarily expect a lot year one. But he could pay off big.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

I read on nfl.com they rank edge as the fourth best position group behind:

1. WR
2. Offensive Tackle
3. Interior O-Line
4. Edge Rusher

With such talent at offensive tackle and interior o-line..why take one so early (#6) when a good one can be had at #18 or even later at #36 or likely #50?

2021 NFL Draft: Ranking each position group in this year's class

Lance Zierlein ranks the position groups in the 2021 NFL Draft -- including a star-packed receiver group led by Ja'Marr Chase and DeVonta Smith.

www.nfl.com

That probably should be Miami's draft order. Something like...

1 Smith WR
1 Jenkins OT
2 Dickerson C
2 Tryon DE

 

[j-off-her-doll]

This is how I'd rank the Edge class for Miami:

Top 40

1. Turner
2. Oweh
3. Paye
4. Smith

41-75

5. Basham
6. Ossai
7. Ojulari

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

This is how I'd rank the Edge class for Miami:

Top 40

1. Turner
2. Oweh
3. Paye
4. Smith

41-75

5. Basham
6. Ossai
7. Ojulari

A little off topic, but what do you think of Jamin Davis? Could he play the Van Noy role or do you think he'd be an eventually replacement for McKinney?

His explosion numbers might have been better than Parsons.

 

[Kebo]

A little off topic, but what do you think of Jamin Davis? Could he play the Van Noy role or do you think he'd be an eventually replacement for McKinney?

His explosion numbers might have been better than Parsons.

I really like Davis. I see him as a versatile linebacker, guy can do it all. He could play in the middle and be a tackling machine, or you could put him outside and let him rush the passer. I think he could play any role we need at linebacker.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

I really like Davis. I see him as a versatile linebacker, guy can do it all. He could play in the middle and be a tackling machine, or you could put him outside and let him rush the passer. I think he could play any role we need at linebacker.

His tape is really impressive, but all I've seen is highlights.

Do you think he makes it to pick #36, or did his pro day cement 1st round?

 

[Kebo]

I think he is there at #36. Linebackers are not usually taken early. I think he goes in the second round though.

 

[j-off-her-doll]

A little off topic, but what do you think of Jamin Davis? Could he play the Van Noy role or do you think he'd be an eventually replacement for McKinney?

His explosion numbers might have been better than Parsons.

I like him, and at a certain point, I'd take him for Miami, but I think he has more value in other systems. He's light to play the Van Noy role, but he has great length and athleticism and covers. The coverage part is almost a nice bonus in this system, and the lack of bulk easily outweighs it. I think he goes Top 40. There's been some Top 20 talk. Imo the higher he goes, the better. He could go before Zaven Collins. He's probably a fit for more teams, and he's the superior athlete. Collins is better for Miami, though. I'd take all the players on that Edge list over Davis for Miami - not to mention the WR's and OL it'd push down.

 

[Danny]

I like him, and at a certain point, I'd take him for Miami, but I think he has more value in other systems. He's light to play the Van Noy role, but he has great length and athleticism and covers. The coverage part is almost a nice bonus in this system, and the lack of bulk easily outweighs it. I think he goes Top 40. There's been some Top 20 talk. Imo the higher he goes, the better. He could go before Zaven Collins. He's probably a fit for more teams, and he's the superior athlete. Collins is better for Miami, though. I'd take all the players on that Edge list over Davis for Miami - not to mention the WR's and OL it'd push down.

Fit means so much. I agree, let some players go higher than they should as it'd push a player we can really use down to us

 

[Feverdream]

So much of our Linebacker choice comes down to ONE thing-- do we intend to keep Baker?

Are we willing to pay an above average, but not great WSLB 12M/year or more, because that's what it would cost to keep him. He'll be coming into free agency in a year where the salary cap will be up 40-50M over the previous year and almost everyone will have lots of money to spend.

If we're sure that we will keep him, either by tag or because we are already speaking with his agent, then we are not looking at coverage linebackers... period.

If we already know that we will be letting him walk, then selecting his replacement this year makes a bit of sense. We could even trade him and let Duke Riley try to hold off the rookie.

I have no clue which way they are leaning, but I will bet that they've already made up their mind.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

So much of our Linebacker choice comes down to ONE thing-- do we intend to keep Baker?

Are we willing to pay an above average, but not great WSLB 12M/year or more, because that's what it would cost to keep him. He'll be coming into free agency in a year where the salary cap will be up 40-50M over the previous year and almost everyone will have lots of money to spend.

If we're sure that we will keep him, either by tag or because we are already speaking with his agent, then we are not looking at coverage linebackers... period.

If we already know that we will be letting him walk, then selecting his replacement this year makes a bit of sense. We could even trade him and let Duke Riley try to hold off the rookie.

I have no clue which way they are leaning, but I will bet that they've already made up their mind.

That's a tough one. Baker isn't good against the run, but he made a lot of big plays for this defense. His seven sacks were particularly impressive.

I suspect Flores/Boyer could use him even more as a pass rusher, especially with Van Noy's departure.

There are a number of linebackers who could, conceivably replace him, JOk, Jamin Davis etc.

But I suspect Miami will keep Baker.

 

[Feverdream]

That's a tough one. Baker isn't good against the run, but he made a lot of big plays for this defense. His seven sacks were particularly impressive.

I suspect Flores/Boyer could use him even more as a pass rusher, especially with Van Noy's departure.

There are a number of linebackers who could, conceivably replace him, JOk, Jamin Davis etc.

But I suspect Miami will keep Baker.

I was extremely down on Baker the first couple of years, but he was much better last year. I don't know if the light has finally gone on, or if Flores has just found a way to better utilize his talents, but his performance was pretty good last year. His pass coverage is still pretty good, and that's the number one skill for a WSLB in today's game, so all I can say is... maybe.

If we could convince him to sign a slightly below-market contract, I'd be in favour of keeping him. Say... 3y/25M, but I don't see that happening. Next year is going to be the wild west and so many teams with bad GMs realize that the cap just went up 45M dollars and they rush to spend it all before they get fired.

Baker and Geiscki have timed this jusssst right. They can cash in if they want to, but honestly... not everyone is all about money. Some players are happy to take a bit less (and still be rich) and remain with their family and friends. I've no clue what kind of men that Baker or Gesicki are however... they could be dollar whores.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

I was extremely down on Baker the first couple of years, but he was much better last year. I don't know if the light has finally gone on, or if Flores has just found a way to better utilize his talents, but his performance was pretty good last year. His pass coverage is still pretty good, and that's the number one skill for a WSLB in today's game, so all I can say is... maybe.

If we could convince him to sign a slightly below-market contract, I'd be in favour of keeping him. Say... 3y/25M, but I don't see that happening. Next year is going to be the wild west and so many teams with bad GMs realize that the cap just went up 45M dollars and they rush to spend it all before they get fired.

Baker and Geiscki have timed this jusssst right. They can cash in if they want to, but honestly... not everyone is all about money. Some players are happy to take a bit less (and still be rich) and remain with their family and friends. I've no clue what kind of men that Baker or Gesicki are however... they could be dollar whores.

It's got to be a huge challenge for an organization to prepare for possible free agent departures.

If it comes down to one or the other, Gesicki or Baker, I'd keep Gesicki. I would love to keep both and maybe that's Miami's goal as well.

Agree with you on Baker. He had big flashes in his first couple of years, but he seemed to finally put it all together.

The draft might gives us some clues as to how the Dolphins view potential free agents. If Pitts is the pick at #6, then you have to think Gesicki might not be in the long-term plans.

If Miami takes Jamin Davis or Cox from LSU fairly early, then perhaps they are looking ahead and deciding not to pay Baker.

 

[j-off-her-doll]

I think Flores makes room for Baker because he's one of Miami's best talents at LB, but Baker was drafted before Flores came to Miami, and I don't think the Grier/Flores team would settle on Baker as the type of LB to target. Baker's best work came in filling in for Van Noy. Smaller than ideal to play that role, but his burst, quickness, and speed were enough to offset a lot of the negatives.

I don't think Miami will look to replace Baker, because their ideal base doesn't really include his skillset. McKinney and Van Ginkel are the two LB's who fit what Miami wants out of their Mike and SLB. They want to field more fast DB's, rather than small, fast LB's. This is why Miami favors size at every position in the Front 7 and why Baker doesn't need replaced. It's smart to put as many +coverage players on the field as possible, but you have to balance that somehow, and that somehow is having a huge, strong Front 7 - Front 6, really.

That said, I think Baker's performance in the Van Noy role, combined with the emergence of Van Ginkel did contribute to Miami cutting Van Noy. I think Baker played much better than expected there. Still, he's not the prototype of what you're looking for in a SLB in this scheme (which wants its WLB to be a DB and its Mike to be huge like Hightower and McKinney).