How Does Miami Rank Position-by-Position with the Rest of the NFL? | Page 7 | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

How Does Miami Rank Position-by-Position with the Rest of the NFL?

Now that the draft is over, free agency is about bargain hunting, and the schedule has been released, how do the Miami Dolphins match-up with the rest of the NFL.? I realize this is a projection post. Nobody really knows what the rookies will add. I've read stories where Phillips is projected to be in the running for DROY. That would be nice. I can't remember the last time Miami had a defensive rookie in the running for that honor.

Anyway, here is my grading scale. I'm trying to be realistic and hold back from being overly optimistic.

Bottom Five in the League F
Bottom Third in the League D
League Average C
Top Third in the League B
Top Five in the League A


I may have a few + and - grades.

Quarterback C+
The additions across the offense are bound to help Tua develop. I always viewed his ceiling as a top 10 quarterback in the NFL. Not sure he reaches that year two, but I do think he'll be top half of the league. Brissett has starting experience and was a good add to back up Tua.

Offensive Line C+
The Dolphins offensive line struggled at the end of the season as some of the rookies hit that wall. But looking at this group, it could be a top 10 unit if everything comes together. I love the addition of Eichenberg and look forward to a center battle between Skura and Deiter. Jackson is the player I'm really expecting to take a significant leap. It's a young unit, but the talent is there.

Wide Receiver/Tight End B
This is where Grier really upgraded. When he signed Fuller as a free agent, I wasn't sure Miami would go wide receiver with their first pick. Fuller and Waddle are the types of players defenses have to game plan for. The Dolphins haven't had that in a long time. I like the addition of Long in the tight end room. And I expect Parker to have perhaps his best year with less attention going his way. I might have had a higher grade here, but Parker, Fuller and Williams have all been injury prone. Gesicki and Long in double tight end formations could be difficult for defenses as well. There should be a great battle for that 6th wide receiver spot among Grant, Wilson, Foster, Perry and Hurns. I think Bowden will nail down the 5th spot.

Running Back F
I know this sounds harsh, but I'm not finding many teams with a less talented running back group. Now, I could be wrong if Doaks is better than expected. It's hard to get much from his 4-minute highlight reel, other than the fact that he looks athletic catching the ball. Gaskin might prove to be better than expected. He does everything pretty well, and is good out of the backfield. I really like the addition of Brown and expect him to help in short-yardage. It's a serviceable group that hopefully will surprise us.

Defensive Line B-
The Dolphins don't have an elite player here, although maybe Phillips can become that. Ogbah had a breakout year and should benefit with the addition of Phillips. Wilkins has improved each year and is solid. Davis was on the all-rookie team and was very productive, mostly as nose tackle. The depth on the DL is good with Seiler, Butler and maybe Strowbridge.

Linebackers C
This grade certainly could be higher. I'm cautiously optimistic about McKinney, but want to see how Flores uses him. Baker emerged last year with 7 sacks, which I believe led all linebackers. Van Ginkel should see more playing time now that Van Noy is in NE. Van Noy was one of those clutch players, though. I was glad the Dolphins brought back Roberts.

Secondary A
If everyone in the secondary stays healthy and a few young players emerge, this could be the #1 unit in the NFL. Certainly arguments could be made that X. Howard is the best corner. While Byron Jones had ups and downs, the defense took off once he got into the lineup. Rowe was very solid and impressive covering tight ends. Brandon Jones played well as a rookie. Iggy is the player here that I expect to take a huge jump, possibly winning the "starting" job in the slot. I love the Holland pickup and he'll see a lot of action.

Special Teams B
It's always hard to grade the special teams because it probably has the highest variance from one season to the next. Sanders was possibly the best kicker in the NFL last year, having IMO the best kicking season in Miami history. Will Waddle, Grant or Holland return kicks? Grant certainly figures to be a bubble player. The coverage teams were at least league average last year.

Wait until week 4. You can't rank a team based on premonitions, or how well they drafted. We know the coaching staff has the players to reach the playoffs, but do they have the right staff?
 
Certainly an F at RB.

Mark Walton is still the most talented and well rounded back we have had in the Flo era.

I am all about devoting the minimal required resource at the position but damn man, we have done nothing in three seasons to infuse talent.

Breida being our biggest investment by dealing a 5th for him.

We are not done, they are going to scramble AGAIN and grab a JAG.

And then next year in the 2nd round we will get squeezed again just like Dobbins and Williams.

We did get some pass catchers, but not doing Tua any favors in the running game.
 
Wait until week 4. You can't rank a team based on premonitions, or how well they drafted. We know the coaching staff has the players to reach the playoffs, but do they have the right staff?
Fair question. I assume you are referring, primarily, to the OCs, and O-line coach?

I think it's pretty safe to say between Flo and Boyer, the D is covered.
 
What about our play calling philosophy?
I don't have as big of a problem with it as many do.

As I've said before, the HC sets the general philosophy, so I doubt you are ever going to see us slinging it around with a double digit lead, particularly against average teams.

If you are talking about the specific in game, situational calls (I don't consider that "philosophy", but in any case), Chan isnt here any more. It was fairly obvious he wasn't comfortable opening up the O with Tua. There may have been valid, as well as invalid reasons for that.

Unlike many who don't like the "co OC" setup, I can see advantages in such an arrangement, so long as ego are not an issue.

I also don't get caught up in bitching about a specific play call here or there. That comes down to execution as much as anything.

I don't know how much latitude to audible Tua was given last year, but with a year of study, he should be in a much better position to get them out of a bad situation with pre snap reads.

I could talk this stuff all day....lol, but bottom line is guys just have to execute at a high level, and the rest will take care of itself.
 
Wait until week 4. You can't rank a team based on premonitions, or how well they drafted. We know the coaching staff has the players to reach the playoffs, but do they have the right staff?
There are certainly questions about the new offensive coordinators. They need to get the most out of the added talent.

You're right. We should be able to have a pretty good idea 4-5 weeks in.
 
Well given your criteria, this could get ugly fast. Bottom third of the league encompasses a lot of our units honestly, and nobody is going to let a D grade slide without a looooooooooooooot of squawking. So, I'm going to hedge my grades and give one grade for where we rank NOW, and then in parentheses another grade where I think we will become by the end of the year. I'm still gonna get a lot of vitriolic spew-back though. Cringe. Here goes.

Bottom Five in the League F
Bottom Third in the League D
League Average C
Top Third in the League B
Top Five in the League A


I may have a few + and - grades.

Quarterback F (D+)
Let's face it, Tua averaged 182 yards per game, and that's terrible by starting QB standards. His QBR was one of the very lowest in the league and definitely in the bottom five of the league amongst starting QB's. His YPA was very bad. Last year he was carried by our defense and was ... well ... a typical rookie who took his lumps. BUT, he did have some games where he flashed, such as the Arizona game. And he had a rough circumstance from which to emerge given his serious hip injury rehab and the pandemic. He showed toughness and grit, as well as good citizenship and the always important good decision-making. Yes, he was a Checkdown Charlie, and he will need to be more bold and more prepared this year, but I expect his velocity to improve to an NFL level this season and him to jump from #35 of the starting QB's on last year's list to something around 23'ish on this list. Yep ... incoming vitriol in ... 3 .... 2 .... 1 ..... BRACE FOR IMPACT!

Offensive Line C- (C+)
We were average last year ... not good, not bad, jut average. Early in the season when Austin Jackson was healthy and Jesse Davis was playing regularly, we were actually pretty good! But when Jackson got injured early in the season the offensive line never really was the same. A silver lining is that we managed to blood all 3 rookie OL, and all 3 had their moments. But at the end of the day, those first 4 or so games were the highlight of the season. We've swapped Karras out and replaced him with Skura ... and we'll see how that works out, but IMHO, we didn't really appreciate Ted Karras enough last year. He helped make those rookies look better than they played with solid line calls. Here's hoping we get the old Skura and he can return to his pre-injury form. While Ereck Flowers didn't live up to his salary, and was a cap casualty, he wasn't a bad LG ... he was average. Not sure we have anyone on our OL who fits that spot quite as well as he manned it last year, so that's a tough position to fill. But, with Mr. Einchredible (Liam Eichenberg), I think we've found our upgrade at RT. He's a great technician and one of the most sound OL in the draft. He's a natural, despite not having elite athletic talent. Instant upgrade over Davis and Hunt at RT, and he allows Davis to fill in all across the OL. We're deeper in talent this year because those 3 rookies are now sophomores and our new rookie is NFL ready. IMHO, things are going to trend up.

Wide Receiver/Tight End C+ (B+)
Tough unit to assess at the moment. Sooooo many unknowns. Assuming Parker stays healthy (yes, it is a big if), we have a legit WR#1 to be our workhorse and complete some deeper jump ball throws. It's always tough to project a WR from one offense to another, but my guess is that Will Fuller will be very productive like he was last year at Houston. But, let's be honest, Watson is a better QB than Tua, it's just that simple. Fuller's numbers will not match that of last season, IMHO. I like Waddle as a prospect, and with Fuller pushing the safety high and Waddle working underneath, we should see a BIG rookie year from Waddle. I suspect almost all the CB's will give him a tremendous cushion, allowing Tua to really make some serious yardage with short underneath throws to a wide open Jalen Waddle. In open spaces, Waddle can generate chunk yardage. Our TE room (assuming we re-sign Mike Gesicki or at least have him for the entire year) is the strongest unit on this team, which brings this unit grade up. IMHO, Gesicki is poised to have a break-out year, but with Fuller stretching the safety deep and Waddle being the primary target underneath ... Gesicki may be starved for targets. If we also try to work in Hunter Long, we may end up not seeing that production from the TE position this year. Hopefully Godsey knows better and let's this offense take what the defense gives us, and we see lots of chunk yardage and clutch 3rd down/red zone conversions from the TE position, because it is the jewel in our crown of weapons right now, IMHO.

Running Back F (D)
The run game is not cut and dried. We have serviceable scat backs, but we lack a grinder to pound it in near the goal line, and more importantly, grind out wins when we have a late lead. Ultimately, the position will be defined by the success of the OL, not the RB. If we put give any of these guys 2+ yards before contact, our RB production numbers will look very good. But if they're hit at or behind the LoS half the time, it will be a strait F. We have no Barry Sanders on this roster, so it's nothing more than fast/quick guys running untouched through holes blown open by our OL. No special talent. No exceeding expectations. Just simple execution along the OL and opportunistic play calling by the OC .... or in our case, OCs. Fingers crossed.

Defensive Line C (B)
This is a tough unit to predict. First of all we have a solid but not great player in Christian Wilkins. Then we have a role player in whomever else plays DT, such as Raekwon Davis. Emmanuel Ogbah is exceptional, and he's an A- or B+ talent at the all-important rush end. But he needs help. How do we classify Jaelan Phillips, the DE/OLB? We classified Kyle Van Noy as a LB, and our roster lists Phillips as a LB, so assuming Phillips is an LB, I'd say this DL might be a D+ or C- unit. But, I"m giving it a C because I'm calling Phillips a partial DE. We don't know how he'll perform as a rookie, and expecting him to duplicate Kyle Van Noy's production might be a big ask ... but I have a lot of faith in the rookie, and think he will become a star sooner rather than later. By the end of the year I'm expecting him and Ogbah to make this a B unit, and next year maybe even an A unit.

Linebackers C (C+)
Look, We can replace Shaq Lawson ... but we didn't add his replacement, we simply are relying on Andrew Van Ginkel more than last year. If he gets hurt ... we have a real hole in this defense. Assuming Jaelan Phillips (DE/OLB) is able to adapt and impress ... I still see him having an inconsistent rookie season replacing Kyle Van Noy. Either quick production and then hit the rookie wall, or maybe an adjustment period followed by him really catching fire. Either way, he's the key to this unit improving. Bernardrick McKinney will be a double-edged sword. Yes, he's dominatingly better in run defense, so teams trying to kill off a game will be unable to do that. But, targeting him in the passing game will remind us of Raekwon McMillan ... so we'll be picked apart in a death-by-a-thousand-cuts philosophy. Guys like Mac Jones will have a field day against McKinney. And we're really married to our edge guys, so we cannot survive an injury to either Phillips or Van Ginkel. Vince Beigel has his uses, but he isn't the guy to replace either of those two. This is a transition year, but next year we should be improved.

Secondary A (A-)
This is the only unit I'm trending down, but not because I have less faith in them, but rather because we were incredibly fortunate on the injury front last year. That is unlikely to continue. I'm expecting to lose a starting CB for 6 games this season cumulatively between X and Jones. Holland should be a significant upgrade, but he will make rookie mistakes. I loved Bobby McCain, but it's on X's shoulders now to lead the unit and assist in passing the torch to Holland.

Special Teams B (B+)
Our special teams coach is brilliant, and we routinely ask too much of him to find new stars and churn scrubs into gems. But, giving him Waddle, Holland and Fuller allows him to utilize talent and depth. Re-signing our kicker allows him to finally have the resources he wants. This unit could be special, but I'm stopping at B+ because I don't want to be too overly-optimistic.

So that's 6 of the 7 non-special teams units that have an average grade in there somewhere. That's 2 units with a below average grade in there somewhere (QB, RB). Only 3 of the 7 have an above average grade in there somewhere (Secondary, WR, DL). Ultimately, I'm predicting us at 10-7, but more because we over-achieved last year than any regressing this year. We're like a bird molting his feathers, but good things are on the way. As last year's rookies take leadership roles and this year's rookies fit in, we'll grow as a team. I'm looking forward to seeing the team we can become by our week 14 bye this year. Historically, we feasted off the Miami heat/humidity early in the season and chilled late in the season at cold venues. But this year we don't play those cold away games, and our young team just might surprise people and finish strong.

Fins Up!
 
Well given your criteria, this could get ugly fast. Bottom third of the league encompasses a lot of our units honestly, and nobody is going to let a D grade slide without a looooooooooooooot of squawking. So, I'm going to hedge my grades and give one grade for where we rank NOW, and then in parentheses another grade where I think we will become by the end of the year. I'm still gonna get a lot of vitriolic spew-back though. Cringe. Here goes.

Bottom Five in the League F
Bottom Third in the League D
League Average C
Top Third in the League B
Top Five in the League A


I may have a few + and - grades.

Quarterback F (D+)
Let's face it, Tua averaged 182 yards per game, and that's terrible by starting QB standards. His QBR was one of the very lowest in the league and definitely in the bottom five of the league amongst starting QB's. His YPA was very bad. Last year he was carried by our defense and was ... well ... a typical rookie who took his lumps. BUT, he did have some games where he flashed, such as the Arizona game. And he had a rough circumstance from which to emerge given his serious hip injury rehab and the pandemic. He showed toughness and grit, as well as good citizenship and the always important good decision-making. Yes, he was a Checkdown Charlie, and he will need to be more bold and more prepared this year, but I expect his velocity to improve to an NFL level this season and him to jump from #35 of the starting QB's on last year's list to something around 23'ish on this list. Yep ... incoming vitriol in ... 3 .... 2 .... 1 ..... BRACE FOR IMPACT!

Offensive Line C- (C+)
We were average last year ... not good, not bad, jut average. Early in the season when Austin Jackson was healthy and Jesse Davis was playing regularly, we were actually pretty good! But when Jackson got injured early in the season the offensive line never really was the same. A silver lining is that we managed to blood all 3 rookie OL, and all 3 had their moments. But at the end of the day, those first 4 or so games were the highlight of the season. We've swapped Karras out and replaced him with Skura ... and we'll see how that works out, but IMHO, we didn't really appreciate Ted Karras enough last year. He helped make those rookies look better than they played with solid line calls. Here's hoping we get the old Skura and he can return to his pre-injury form. While Ereck Flowers didn't live up to his salary, and was a cap casualty, he wasn't a bad LG ... he was average. Not sure we have anyone on our OL who fits that spot quite as well as he manned it last year, so that's a tough position to fill. But, with Mr. Einchredible (Liam Eichenberg), I think we've found our upgrade at RT. He's a great technician and one of the most sound OL in the draft. He's a natural, despite not having elite athletic talent. Instant upgrade over Davis and Hunt at RT, and he allows Davis to fill in all across the OL. We're deeper in talent this year because those 3 rookies are now sophomores and our new rookie is NFL ready. IMHO, things are going to trend up.

Wide Receiver/Tight End C+ (B+)
Tough unit to assess at the moment. Sooooo many unknowns. Assuming Parker stays healthy (yes, it is a big if), we have a legit WR#1 to be our workhorse and complete some deeper jump ball throws. It's always tough to project a WR from one offense to another, but my guess is that Will Fuller will be very productive like he was last year at Houston. But, let's be honest, Watson is a better QB than Tua, it's just that simple. Fuller's numbers will not match that of last season, IMHO. I like Waddle as a prospect, and with Fuller pushing the safety high and Waddle working underneath, we should see a BIG rookie year from Waddle. I suspect almost all the CB's will give him a tremendous cushion, allowing Tua to really make some serious yardage with short underneath throws to a wide open Jalen Waddle. In open spaces, Waddle can generate chunk yardage. Our TE room (assuming we re-sign Mike Gesicki or at least have him for the entire year) is the strongest unit on this team, which brings this unit grade up. IMHO, Gesicki is poised to have a break-out year, but with Fuller stretching the safety deep and Waddle being the primary target underneath ... Gesicki may be starved for targets. If we also try to work in Hunter Long, we may end up not seeing that production from the TE position this year. Hopefully Godsey knows better and let's this offense take what the defense gives us, and we see lots of chunk yardage and clutch 3rd down/red zone conversions from the TE position, because it is the jewel in our crown of weapons right now, IMHO.

Running Back F (D)
The run game is not cut and dried. We have serviceable scat backs, but we lack a grinder to pound it in near the goal line, and more importantly, grind out wins when we have a late lead. Ultimately, the position will be defined by the success of the OL, not the RB. If we put give any of these guys 2+ yards before contact, our RB production numbers will look very good. But if they're hit at or behind the LoS half the time, it will be a strait F. We have no Barry Sanders on this roster, so it's nothing more than fast/quick guys running untouched through holes blown open by our OL. No special talent. No exceeding expectations. Just simple execution along the OL and opportunistic play calling by the OC .... or in our case, OCs. Fingers crossed.

Defensive Line C (B)
This is a tough unit to predict. First of all we have a solid but not great player in Christian Wilkins. Then we have a role player in whomever else plays DT, such as Raekwon Davis. Emmanuel Ogbah is exceptional, and he's an A- or B+ talent at the all-important rush end. But he needs help. How do we classify Jaelan Phillips, the DE/OLB? We classified Kyle Van Noy as a LB, and our roster lists Phillips as a LB, so assuming Phillips is an LB, I'd say this DL might be a D+ or C- unit. But, I"m giving it a C because I'm calling Phillips a partial DE. We don't know how he'll perform as a rookie, and expecting him to duplicate Kyle Van Noy's production might be a big ask ... but I have a lot of faith in the rookie, and think he will become a star sooner rather than later. By the end of the year I'm expecting him and Ogbah to make this a B unit, and next year maybe even an A unit.

Linebackers C (C+)
Look, We can replace Shaq Lawson ... but we didn't add his replacement, we simply are relying on Andrew Van Ginkel more than last year. If he gets hurt ... we have a real hole in this defense. Assuming Jaelan Phillips (DE/OLB) is able to adapt and impress ... I still see him having an inconsistent rookie season replacing Kyle Van Noy. Either quick production and then hit the rookie wall, or maybe an adjustment period followed by him really catching fire. Either way, he's the key to this unit improving. Bernardrick McKinney will be a double-edged sword. Yes, he's dominatingly better in run defense, so teams trying to kill off a game will be unable to do that. But, targeting him in the passing game will remind us of Raekwon McMillan ... so we'll be picked apart in a death-by-a-thousand-cuts philosophy. Guys like Mac Jones will have a field day against McKinney. And we're really married to our edge guys, so we cannot survive an injury to either Phillips or Van Ginkel. Vince Beigel has his uses, but he isn't the guy to replace either of those two. This is a transition year, but next year we should be improved.

Secondary A (A-)
This is the only unit I'm trending down, but not because I have less faith in them, but rather because we were incredibly fortunate on the injury front last year. That is unlikely to continue. I'm expecting to lose a starting CB for 6 games this season cumulatively between X and Jones. Holland should be a significant upgrade, but he will make rookie mistakes. I loved Bobby McCain, but it's on X's shoulders now to lead the unit and assist in passing the torch to Holland.

Special Teams B (B+)
Our special teams coach is brilliant, and we routinely ask too much of him to find new stars and churn scrubs into gems. But, giving him Waddle, Holland and Fuller allows him to utilize talent and depth. Re-signing our kicker allows him to finally have the resources he wants. This unit could be special, but I'm stopping at B+ because I don't want to be too overly-optimistic.

So that's 6 of the 7 non-special teams units that have an average grade in there somewhere. That's 2 units with a below average grade in there somewhere (QB, RB). Only 3 of the 7 have an above average grade in there somewhere (Secondary, WR, DL). Ultimately, I'm predicting us at 10-7, but more because we over-achieved last year than any regressing this year. We're like a bird molting his feathers, but good things are on the way. As last year's rookies take leadership roles and this year's rookies fit in, we'll grow as a team. I'm looking forward to seeing the team we can become by our week 14 bye this year. Historically, we feasted off the Miami heat/humidity early in the season and chilled late in the season at cold venues. But this year we don't play those cold away games, and our young team just might surprise people and finish strong.

Fins Up!
No vitriol, but given the fact that we won ten games, you must then believe Flo is one of the best coaches that has ever led an NFL team.

I just don't know how plausible those grades are, considering the record.
 
Well given your criteria, this could get ugly fast. Bottom third of the league encompasses a lot of our units honestly, and nobody is going to let a D grade slide without a looooooooooooooot of squawking. So, I'm going to hedge my grades and give one grade for where we rank NOW, and then in parentheses another grade where I think we will become by the end of the year. I'm still gonna get a lot of vitriolic spew-back though. Cringe. Here goes.

Bottom Five in the League F
Bottom Third in the League D
League Average C
Top Third in the League B
Top Five in the League A


I may have a few + and - grades.

Quarterback F (D+)
Let's face it, Tua averaged 182 yards per game, and that's terrible by starting QB standards. His QBR was one of the very lowest in the league and definitely in the bottom five of the league amongst starting QB's. His YPA was very bad. Last year he was carried by our defense and was ... well ... a typical rookie who took his lumps. BUT, he did have some games where he flashed, such as the Arizona game. And he had a rough circumstance from which to emerge given his serious hip injury rehab and the pandemic. He showed toughness and grit, as well as good citizenship and the always important good decision-making. Yes, he was a Checkdown Charlie, and he will need to be more bold and more prepared this year, but I expect his velocity to improve to an NFL level this season and him to jump from #35 of the starting QB's on last year's list to something around 23'ish on this list. Yep ... incoming vitriol in ... 3 .... 2 .... 1 ..... BRACE FOR IMPACT!

Offensive Line C- (C+)
We were average last year ... not good, not bad, jut average. Early in the season when Austin Jackson was healthy and Jesse Davis was playing regularly, we were actually pretty good! But when Jackson got injured early in the season the offensive line never really was the same. A silver lining is that we managed to blood all 3 rookie OL, and all 3 had their moments. But at the end of the day, those first 4 or so games were the highlight of the season. We've swapped Karras out and replaced him with Skura ... and we'll see how that works out, but IMHO, we didn't really appreciate Ted Karras enough last year. He helped make those rookies look better than they played with solid line calls. Here's hoping we get the old Skura and he can return to his pre-injury form. While Ereck Flowers didn't live up to his salary, and was a cap casualty, he wasn't a bad LG ... he was average. Not sure we have anyone on our OL who fits that spot quite as well as he manned it last year, so that's a tough position to fill. But, with Mr. Einchredible (Liam Eichenberg), I think we've found our upgrade at RT. He's a great technician and one of the most sound OL in the draft. He's a natural, despite not having elite athletic talent. Instant upgrade over Davis and Hunt at RT, and he allows Davis to fill in all across the OL. We're deeper in talent this year because those 3 rookies are now sophomores and our new rookie is NFL ready. IMHO, things are going to trend up.

Wide Receiver/Tight End C+ (B+)
Tough unit to assess at the moment. Sooooo many unknowns. Assuming Parker stays healthy (yes, it is a big if), we have a legit WR#1 to be our workhorse and complete some deeper jump ball throws. It's always tough to project a WR from one offense to another, but my guess is that Will Fuller will be very productive like he was last year at Houston. But, let's be honest, Watson is a better QB than Tua, it's just that simple. Fuller's numbers will not match that of last season, IMHO. I like Waddle as a prospect, and with Fuller pushing the safety high and Waddle working underneath, we should see a BIG rookie year from Waddle. I suspect almost all the CB's will give him a tremendous cushion, allowing Tua to really make some serious yardage with short underneath throws to a wide open Jalen Waddle. In open spaces, Waddle can generate chunk yardage. Our TE room (assuming we re-sign Mike Gesicki or at least have him for the entire year) is the strongest unit on this team, which brings this unit grade up. IMHO, Gesicki is poised to have a break-out year, but with Fuller stretching the safety deep and Waddle being the primary target underneath ... Gesicki may be starved for targets. If we also try to work in Hunter Long, we may end up not seeing that production from the TE position this year. Hopefully Godsey knows better and let's this offense take what the defense gives us, and we see lots of chunk yardage and clutch 3rd down/red zone conversions from the TE position, because it is the jewel in our crown of weapons right now, IMHO.

Running Back F (D)
The run game is not cut and dried. We have serviceable scat backs, but we lack a grinder to pound it in near the goal line, and more importantly, grind out wins when we have a late lead. Ultimately, the position will be defined by the success of the OL, not the RB. If we put give any of these guys 2+ yards before contact, our RB production numbers will look very good. But if they're hit at or behind the LoS half the time, it will be a strait F. We have no Barry Sanders on this roster, so it's nothing more than fast/quick guys running untouched through holes blown open by our OL. No special talent. No exceeding expectations. Just simple execution along the OL and opportunistic play calling by the OC .... or in our case, OCs. Fingers crossed.

Defensive Line C (B)
This is a tough unit to predict. First of all we have a solid but not great player in Christian Wilkins. Then we have a role player in whomever else plays DT, such as Raekwon Davis. Emmanuel Ogbah is exceptional, and he's an A- or B+ talent at the all-important rush end. But he needs help. How do we classify Jaelan Phillips, the DE/OLB? We classified Kyle Van Noy as a LB, and our roster lists Phillips as a LB, so assuming Phillips is an LB, I'd say this DL might be a D+ or C- unit. But, I"m giving it a C because I'm calling Phillips a partial DE. We don't know how he'll perform as a rookie, and expecting him to duplicate Kyle Van Noy's production might be a big ask ... but I have a lot of faith in the rookie, and think he will become a star sooner rather than later. By the end of the year I'm expecting him and Ogbah to make this a B unit, and next year maybe even an A unit.

Linebackers C (C+)
Look, We can replace Shaq Lawson ... but we didn't add his replacement, we simply are relying on Andrew Van Ginkel more than last year. If he gets hurt ... we have a real hole in this defense. Assuming Jaelan Phillips (DE/OLB) is able to adapt and impress ... I still see him having an inconsistent rookie season replacing Kyle Van Noy. Either quick production and then hit the rookie wall, or maybe an adjustment period followed by him really catching fire. Either way, he's the key to this unit improving. Bernardrick McKinney will be a double-edged sword. Yes, he's dominatingly better in run defense, so teams trying to kill off a game will be unable to do that. But, targeting him in the passing game will remind us of Raekwon McMillan ... so we'll be picked apart in a death-by-a-thousand-cuts philosophy. Guys like Mac Jones will have a field day against McKinney. And we're really married to our edge guys, so we cannot survive an injury to either Phillips or Van Ginkel. Vince Beigel has his uses, but he isn't the guy to replace either of those two. This is a transition year, but next year we should be improved.

Secondary A (A-)
This is the only unit I'm trending down, but not because I have less faith in them, but rather because we were incredibly fortunate on the injury front last year. That is unlikely to continue. I'm expecting to lose a starting CB for 6 games this season cumulatively between X and Jones. Holland should be a significant upgrade, but he will make rookie mistakes. I loved Bobby McCain, but it's on X's shoulders now to lead the unit and assist in passing the torch to Holland.

Special Teams B (B+)
Our special teams coach is brilliant, and we routinely ask too much of him to find new stars and churn scrubs into gems. But, giving him Waddle, Holland and Fuller allows him to utilize talent and depth. Re-signing our kicker allows him to finally have the resources he wants. This unit could be special, but I'm stopping at B+ because I don't want to be too overly-optimistic.

So that's 6 of the 7 non-special teams units that have an average grade in there somewhere. That's 2 units with a below average grade in there somewhere (QB, RB). Only 3 of the 7 have an above average grade in there somewhere (Secondary, WR, DL). Ultimately, I'm predicting us at 10-7, but more because we over-achieved last year than any regressing this year. We're like a bird molting his feathers, but good things are on the way. As last year's rookies take leadership roles and this year's rookies fit in, we'll grow as a team. I'm looking forward to seeing the team we can become by our week 14 bye this year. Historically, we feasted off the Miami heat/humidity early in the season and chilled late in the season at cold venues. But this year we don't play those cold away games, and our young team just might surprise people and finish strong.

Fins Up!

we are in close agreement. One conclusion I don't quite follow . . . you (justifiably) give TT a low grade last year due to yds/game and QBR, yet, think the WR group will get more YAC, chunk yard, and be more open, all of which raise yds/game and QBR. I'm keeping my grade as 'unknown.' I can see C- to A-, depending on OL/receivers and his progression as a 2nd yr QB. I can see either.

Other than that, preach on.
 
Fair question. I assume you are referring, primarily, to the OCs, and O-line coach?

I think it's pretty safe to say between Flo and Boyer, the D is covered.

Why would you think the Offence isn't covered.

We have promoted two co-OC coaches from within, so they are all known quantities. This streamlines the "chain of command" where the ST coach assists the HC with a DC and two OC's. I presume one will focus on the line & QB while the other will focus on the receivers and backs once the play is ready to be sent in.

This is a sensible division of labor that should let the offense get the right players on the field with the play faster then an OC contacting a larger group of position coaches to do the same thing. I expect other teams to pick it up and use it during the next 3 years, assuming they have the coaches in place that can co-ordinate.
 
I don't have as big of a problem with it as many do.

As I've said before, the HC sets the general philosophy, so I doubt you are ever going to see us slinging it around with a double digit lead, particularly against average teams.

If you are talking about the specific in game, situational calls (I don't consider that "philosophy", but in any case), Chan isnt here any more. It was fairly obvious he wasn't comfortable opening up the O with Tua. There may have been valid, as well as invalid reasons for that.

Unlike many who don't like the "co OC" setup, I can see advantages in such an arrangement, so long as ego are not an issue.

I also don't get caught up in bitching about a specific play call here or there. That comes down to execution as much as anything.

I don't know how much latitude to audible Tua was given last year, but with a year of study, he should be in a much better position to get them out of a bad situation with pre snap reads.

I could talk this stuff all day....lol, but bottom line is guys just have to execute at a high level, and the rest will take care of itself.

I guess to sum things up, when the game starts, and ends is all on the coach?
 
Well given your criteria, this could get ugly fast. Bottom third of the league encompasses a lot of our units honestly, and nobody is going to let a D grade slide without a looooooooooooooot of squawking. So, I'm going to hedge my grades and give one grade for where we rank NOW, and then in parentheses another grade where I think we will become by the end of the year. I'm still gonna get a lot of vitriolic spew-back though. Cringe. Here goes.

Bottom Five in the League F
Bottom Third in the League D
League Average C
Top Third in the League B
Top Five in the League A


I may have a few + and - grades.

Quarterback F (D+)
Let's face it, Tua averaged 182 yards per game, and that's terrible by starting QB standards. His QBR was one of the very lowest in the league and definitely in the bottom five of the league amongst starting QB's. His YPA was very bad. Last year he was carried by our defense and was ... well ... a typical rookie who took his lumps. BUT, he did have some games where he flashed, such as the Arizona game. And he had a rough circumstance from which to emerge given his serious hip injury rehab and the pandemic. He showed toughness and grit, as well as good citizenship and the always important good decision-making. Yes, he was a Checkdown Charlie, and he will need to be more bold and more prepared this year, but I expect his velocity to improve to an NFL level this season and him to jump from #35 of the starting QB's on last year's list to something around 23'ish on this list. Yep ... incoming vitriol in ... 3 .... 2 .... 1 ..... BRACE FOR IMPACT!

Offensive Line C- (C+)
We were average last year ... not good, not bad, jut average. Early in the season when Austin Jackson was healthy and Jesse Davis was playing regularly, we were actually pretty good! But when Jackson got injured early in the season the offensive line never really was the same. A silver lining is that we managed to blood all 3 rookie OL, and all 3 had their moments. But at the end of the day, those first 4 or so games were the highlight of the season. We've swapped Karras out and replaced him with Skura ... and we'll see how that works out, but IMHO, we didn't really appreciate Ted Karras enough last year. He helped make those rookies look better than they played with solid line calls. Here's hoping we get the old Skura and he can return to his pre-injury form. While Ereck Flowers didn't live up to his salary, and was a cap casualty, he wasn't a bad LG ... he was average. Not sure we have anyone on our OL who fits that spot quite as well as he manned it last year, so that's a tough position to fill. But, with Mr. Einchredible (Liam Eichenberg), I think we've found our upgrade at RT. He's a great technician and one of the most sound OL in the draft. He's a natural, despite not having elite athletic talent. Instant upgrade over Davis and Hunt at RT, and he allows Davis to fill in all across the OL. We're deeper in talent this year because those 3 rookies are now sophomores and our new rookie is NFL ready. IMHO, things are going to trend up.

Wide Receiver/Tight End C+ (B+)
Tough unit to assess at the moment. Sooooo many unknowns. Assuming Parker stays healthy (yes, it is a big if), we have a legit WR#1 to be our workhorse and complete some deeper jump ball throws. It's always tough to project a WR from one offense to another, but my guess is that Will Fuller will be very productive like he was last year at Houston. But, let's be honest, Watson is a better QB than Tua, it's just that simple. Fuller's numbers will not match that of last season, IMHO. I like Waddle as a prospect, and with Fuller pushing the safety high and Waddle working underneath, we should see a BIG rookie year from Waddle. I suspect almost all the CB's will give him a tremendous cushion, allowing Tua to really make some serious yardage with short underneath throws to a wide open Jalen Waddle. In open spaces, Waddle can generate chunk yardage. Our TE room (assuming we re-sign Mike Gesicki or at least have him for the entire year) is the strongest unit on this team, which brings this unit grade up. IMHO, Gesicki is poised to have a break-out year, but with Fuller stretching the safety deep and Waddle being the primary target underneath ... Gesicki may be starved for targets. If we also try to work in Hunter Long, we may end up not seeing that production from the TE position this year. Hopefully Godsey knows better and let's this offense take what the defense gives us, and we see lots of chunk yardage and clutch 3rd down/red zone conversions from the TE position, because it is the jewel in our crown of weapons right now, IMHO.

Running Back F (D)
The run game is not cut and dried. We have serviceable scat backs, but we lack a grinder to pound it in near the goal line, and more importantly, grind out wins when we have a late lead. Ultimately, the position will be defined by the success of the OL, not the RB. If we put give any of these guys 2+ yards before contact, our RB production numbers will look very good. But if they're hit at or behind the LoS half the time, it will be a strait F. We have no Barry Sanders on this roster, so it's nothing more than fast/quick guys running untouched through holes blown open by our OL. No special talent. No exceeding expectations. Just simple execution along the OL and opportunistic play calling by the OC .... or in our case, OCs. Fingers crossed.

Defensive Line C (B)
This is a tough unit to predict. First of all we have a solid but not great player in Christian Wilkins. Then we have a role player in whomever else plays DT, such as Raekwon Davis. Emmanuel Ogbah is exceptional, and he's an A- or B+ talent at the all-important rush end. But he needs help. How do we classify Jaelan Phillips, the DE/OLB? We classified Kyle Van Noy as a LB, and our roster lists Phillips as a LB, so assuming Phillips is an LB, I'd say this DL might be a D+ or C- unit. But, I"m giving it a C because I'm calling Phillips a partial DE. We don't know how he'll perform as a rookie, and expecting him to duplicate Kyle Van Noy's production might be a big ask ... but I have a lot of faith in the rookie, and think he will become a star sooner rather than later. By the end of the year I'm expecting him and Ogbah to make this a B unit, and next year maybe even an A unit.

Linebackers C (C+)
Look, We can replace Shaq Lawson ... but we didn't add his replacement, we simply are relying on Andrew Van Ginkel more than last year. If he gets hurt ... we have a real hole in this defense. Assuming Jaelan Phillips (DE/OLB) is able to adapt and impress ... I still see him having an inconsistent rookie season replacing Kyle Van Noy. Either quick production and then hit the rookie wall, or maybe an adjustment period followed by him really catching fire. Either way, he's the key to this unit improving. Bernardrick McKinney will be a double-edged sword. Yes, he's dominatingly better in run defense, so teams trying to kill off a game will be unable to do that. But, targeting him in the passing game will remind us of Raekwon McMillan ... so we'll be picked apart in a death-by-a-thousand-cuts philosophy. Guys like Mac Jones will have a field day against McKinney. And we're really married to our edge guys, so we cannot survive an injury to either Phillips or Van Ginkel. Vince Beigel has his uses, but he isn't the guy to replace either of those two. This is a transition year, but next year we should be improved.

Secondary A (A-)
This is the only unit I'm trending down, but not because I have less faith in them, but rather because we were incredibly fortunate on the injury front last year. That is unlikely to continue. I'm expecting to lose a starting CB for 6 games this season cumulatively between X and Jones. Holland should be a significant upgrade, but he will make rookie mistakes. I loved Bobby McCain, but it's on X's shoulders now to lead the unit and assist in passing the torch to Holland.

Special Teams B (B+)
Our special teams coach is brilliant, and we routinely ask too much of him to find new stars and churn scrubs into gems. But, giving him Waddle, Holland and Fuller allows him to utilize talent and depth. Re-signing our kicker allows him to finally have the resources he wants. This unit could be special, but I'm stopping at B+ because I don't want to be too overly-optimistic.

So that's 6 of the 7 non-special teams units that have an average grade in there somewhere. That's 2 units with a below average grade in there somewhere (QB, RB). Only 3 of the 7 have an above average grade in there somewhere (Secondary, WR, DL). Ultimately, I'm predicting us at 10-7, but more because we over-achieved last year than any regressing this year. We're like a bird molting his feathers, but good things are on the way. As last year's rookies take leadership roles and this year's rookies fit in, we'll grow as a team. I'm looking forward to seeing the team we can become by our week 14 bye this year. Historically, we feasted off the Miami heat/humidity early in the season and chilled late in the season at cold venues. But this year we don't play those cold away games, and our young team just might surprise people and finish strong.

Fins Up!
I think this is fair. I do expect Tua to take a bigger leap than you are projecting, but there are a lot of moving parts. A young offensive line, two new offensive coordinators, getting comfortable with new receivers etc.

Other than that, I think we see it very similarly.
 
No vitriol, but given the fact that we won ten games, you must then believe Flo is one of the best coaches that has ever led an NFL team.

I just don't know how plausible those grades are, considering the record.
Well, not exactly, but I do think Coach Flo and the staff have done a good job so far.

We shed some talent this offseason, no way around it. Led by Fitzmagic and Kyle Van Noy, we've lost some difference makers. Replacing TWO edge rushers (Van Noy and Lawson) is a big ask ... so even with the addition of Jaelan Phillips who I rate very highly ... it's tough to rank that LB unit all that high. And, we now have zero depth. No other way to say it, but Tua needs to make the step up to the next level. IMHO, he has it in him ... but he was a Checkdown Charlie who didn't produce enough as a rookie.

Additionally, we lost an average LG and we're taking a step back at LG most likely. The jury is still out at C as well, but my _guess_ would be that we take a step back there as well. I have my fingers crossed we get Skura from a few years back ... but it's a gamble, no doubt. Davon Godchaux wasn't a great player, but whether we upgraded or downgraded is yet to be seen, but I'm cautiously optimistic. I like Jevon Holland ... but Bobby McCain pulled it all together and led that room ... and it will take time before Holland can do that. Also, our entire defense had very few injuries last year, so we kinda skated by on that one. I don't anticipate that happening two years in a row ... and our depth is not very deep at almost any defensive position. I have not given up on Iggy, but he can't be counted on as the solution until he proves it. You can never have too many CB's .... and we do not, LOL.

On offense we added a lot of new moving parts, so it will take time for chemistry. The talent is there, both along the OL and especially at WR/TE ... but how long until Waddle/Fuller learn the playbook and get into sync with Tua? How long until our OL gains chemistry? And we had few injuries last year on offense as well. I do think we have OL depth .... finally ... but if Parker goes down, can Preston Williams play outside and pick up the slack? Not sure. We have the best slot game we've had in recent memory though with Gesicki, Waddle and Shaheen/Long and Bowden out of the backfield. I do expect Tua to make a step up ... but we have the 3rd hardest schedule in the NFL and we won a lot of close games last year, so our improvement might not be reflected in the W/L record as a straight progression.

But to directly deal with your question, yes, I do think Coach Flo did a good job. He has built a winner's mentality, a grinding mind-set, and a strong locker room. The new guys that join this team today know what is required of them, and that's a good thing. Alpha leaders everywhere and they hold one another accountable. The Takes No Talent (TNT) board and mindset is pervasive and persistent ... and I like it quite a lot. We may improve by leaps and bounds this year and have a very similar record ... and if we do, I'll be quite happy and proud of what Coach Flo and GM Grier are building here.
 
we are in close agreement. One conclusion I don't quite follow . . . you (justifiably) give TT a low grade last year due to yds/game and QBR, yet, think the WR group will get more YAC, chunk yard, and be more open, all of which raise yds/game and QBR. I'm keeping my grade as 'unknown.' I can see C- to A-, depending on OL/receivers and his progression as a 2nd yr QB. I can see either.

Other than that, preach on.
No doubt, the runway is clear for Tua to take off and soar high. The weapons and OL have been addressed with copious resources. That's more in 2 years than we did for Tannehill during his entire stay in Miami. I'm proud of what Grier is doing to build around Tua. Now ... let's see what Tua's got under the hood, because the flag's gonna drop and we want to see him become a dominating racer in a monster truck's chassis!

Depth everywhere on offense. Speed everywhere at the skill positions. Size all over the place at Receiver/TE. This year we're gonna either see great production or a volcano of excuses. Either way there's going to be a lot of discussion, LOL.
 
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