How To Solve Our Lb Issue ? | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

How To Solve Our Lb Issue ?

fastball83

fastball83

Seasoned Veteran
Joined
May 18, 2004
Messages
1,553
Reaction score
574
Age
55
Location
france (ST ETIENNE)
I think we have a big need at LB.

How do you think we will solve this problem.....with the signing of a veteran FA ( bowman, Johnson, Hali or other) or in the Draft ?

IMO we will go LB in the first or second round (all depend if Mayfield will be here at 11)

I don't see NCAA football here in France, so can you tell me who is your favorite Smith or Edmunds and why ? and who is the better fit for our defensive scheme ?

I read very good article on Darius Leonard too, could you see him like a target in the second round or if we trade down ?

thanks
 
For me it’s Edmunds all the way, he’s just so young, big, fast and a great tackler. Line him up almost anywhere and he changes our defense. Smith I’m sure will have a nice career but he is much smaller the Edmunds and I fear he will not give us flexibility at LB. The player you mentioned, Leanord, is even smaller and have read that he probably can’t carry much more weight.

I am intrigued by Leighton Vander Esch if available in the second. Another big, strong, fast guy although the more I watch of him the more flaws I find such as taking on blocks. Rumor is he is going in the late first anyway. Rashaan Evans out of Alabama is also very interesting.

It may not matter though because how intererept Gase’s comments the last few weeks I think the plan is to move McDonald to a hybrid LB/S role. We just need Minkah Fitzpatrick to fall to #11!
 
Specifically for Miami, these are the LB's I'd target/where I'd feel the value is good or at least appropriate:

1st - R. Smith, T. Edmunds, L. Vander Esch
2nd - M. Jefferson
3rd - J. Iyiegbuniwe, M. Kiser
4th - G. Avery, M. Thomas
5th-7th - O. Burks, J. Baker, R. Evans, D. O'Daniel, F. Warner, Q. Poling, D. Leonard

I also like Christian Sam, Frank Ginda, and Josey Jewell to varying extents, but they don't add the speed that Miami desperately needs at the 2nd level.

I'm seeing Iyiegbuniwe projected in the 7th, so we'll see if that holds, but after the top 4, he provides the best combination of speed, tackling in the open field, coverage, and instincts. Outside of Evans, who didn't run, Leonard ran the slowest 40 in this group at 4.70, so all these guys can run.
 
Edmunds or James and Im a happy camper...
 
A ball-hawk safety would help our entire defense. I agree in bringing in McDonald closer to the LOS and help plug up the short passes and run defense. It would reduce the big play over the middle where our LB's are getting beat by the TEs. It think we could go with safety in the 1st and a LB in the lower rounds.
 
j-off-her-doll said:
Specifically for Miami, these are the LB's I'd target/where I'd feel the value is good or at least appropriate:

1st - R. Smith, T. Edmunds, L. Vander Esch
2nd - M. Jefferson
3rd - J. Iyiegbuniwe, M. Kiser
4th - G. Avery, M. Thomas
5th-7th - O. Burks, J. Baker, R. Evans, D. O'Daniel, F. Warner, Q. Poling, D. Leonard

I also like Christian Sam, Frank Ginda, and Josey Jewell to varying extents, but they don't add the speed that Miami desperately needs at the 2nd level.

I'm seeing Iyiegbuniwe projected in the 7th, so we'll see if that holds, but after the top 4, he provides the best combination of speed, tackling in the open field, coverage, and instincts. Outside of Evans, who didn't run, Leonard ran the slowest 40 in this group at 4.70, so all these guys can run.
Click to expand...

Whoa! Curious, why are you so down on Evans?

I also think Leonard is going to go in the 3-4 round.
 
We play with 3 LB's only around 40% of the defensive snaps. Few of the guys everyone seems to want are true run stuffers. So really, most of these LB threads are about 1 of the core 2 LB spots.

I may be in the minority, but I believe we get a new starter at Mike when Raekwon McMillan returns. IMHO, that starting Mike position is not being staffed in the 1st round. It's McMillan's for sure.

If my belief is correct, that means all of these high pick LB's would be drafted specifically to replace Kiko Alonso. With all of the salary cap purging we just did, Kiko stayed (so far). That suggests to me they are not looking to replace him. I don't know how they feel about these draft prospects, and maybe they will see one as Best Player Available (BPA), but it seems a bit unlikely to me in the early rounds.

So what is the plan?

Well they habe said that the plan is Raekwon McMillan and Kiko Alonso at the two full time LB's. They have said that they may use TJ McDonald as a hybrid SS/LB. So far, it looks like those messages may not be a smokescreen. But this time of year, we don't really know what to believe.
 
Draft Edmunds to pair with Raekwon, dump Kiko after this season and draft another LB next year....problem solved.
 
finmann said:
Draft Edmunds to pair with Raekwon, dump Kiko after this season and draft another LB next year....problem solved.
Click to expand...

I like the idea of drafting Edmunds/Smith to pair with McMillan, but fans will have to accept rookie mistakes an NFL reality. For emphasis (as an example), a LB core including Edmunds and McMillan, a OL that hasn't gelled, and a QB who missed last season, doesn't sound like the first 4-5 games can be taken as any indication of the final product.
 
I hope Tremain Edmunds with that size and speed is still on the board. But I think he will be off the board by then. I just found out who his dad was so I'm really hoping we can get him.
 
Kiko needs to man up, he runs away from contact and tries to arm tackle, I thought he was guessing where the play was going but he takes himself out of plays.
 
Krush said:
Kiko needs to man up, he runs away from contact and tries to arm tackle, I thought he was guessing where the play was going but he takes himself out of plays.
Click to expand...

He overran a LOT of plays
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom