Howabout Addressing the Offensive Line?

[Fischfan13]

Someone tell me that I blinked and missed part of the draft...please.

Sorry to be a pessimist but what was accomplished after the Ronnie Brown pick?

Eight ranked defense overall last season and Saban is drafting MORE defense.

An offensive line that is the absolute worst that I have ever seen on the Fins and Saban waits until the 5th round to draft ONE offensive lineman?!?!?!

I was extremely happy to see Saban sign as HC...

I have been a Saban "rah-rah" guy for the past several months, but...

After Ronnie Brown was drafted it was like Saban was playing fantasy league football and ONLY guys that he played against or who played for him were allowed to be part of his team.

It seems as if the current team will change and restructure the way it plays defense before it even goes after the problem of five clueless guys on the offensive line.

Paint me as a pessimist, but I guess next years top ten draft pick may finally get us some help on the offensive line that has been so dearly needed.

 

[FemaleFinFan]

I feel the exact same way. He really hasn't done much to address our Swiss Cheese. I hope my husband is right when he tries to convince me that coaching will do it...

 

[Dol-Fan Dupree]

was he supposed to draft more young linemen?

 

[Jaj]

Do you realize that we've been picking young lineman for a while now...

You have to teach your youth and that's what we're going to do. We had almost none on D before this draft.

 

[texasPHINSfan]

we brought in two guys from FA and one guy in the draft.

thats 3 attempts at fixing the O-line. As far as draft picks - there weren't any OL at our 2nd pick that were of any value. we COULD have taken one, but it wouldn't be a value pick. the only one that was a value at our pick was in the 5th, and we got him.

 

[KB21]

Blah, blah, blah.

Let's see. Over the past three years, we've drafted Wade Smith, Taylor Whitley, Vernon Carey, Rex Hadnot, Anthony Alabi, and Tony Pape while signing Damion McIntosh, Jeno James, John St. Claire, Damion Cook, and Stockar McDougle. Somehow, that doesn't constitute addressing the offensive line?

 

[Ryan1973]

There weren't that many offensive lineman worth taking. Plus, he needed to draft defense because its not exactly a young defense anymore. He needed to get some youth on that side of the ball.

 

[HysterikiLL]

He drafted Alabi. Houck is here and we have talent in younger developmental players. Stockar McDougle will fill a gap and a half on the right side and Hadnot, St Clair, McKinney, possibly Wilkerson (optimist) will be competing for center. St. Clair will still have a chance to play even if he doesn't start at C....I think we're on the way up with the line.

I do agree we should have drafted stronger in this department though. Brandon Browner is available so I wouldn't have picked Travis Daniels and I would have gone with Elton Brown in the 4th.

 

[Steve S]

Blah, blah, blah.

Let's see. Over the past three years, we've drafted Wade Smith, Taylor Whitley, Vernon Carey, Rex Hadnot, Anthony Alabi, and Tony Pape while signing Damion McIntosh, Jeno James, John St. Claire, Damion Cook, and Stockar McDougle. Somehow, that doesn't constitute addressing the offensive line?

Amen, great points. How many draft picks and cap room can we put into the O-line?

We've addressed our biggest need on the O-line the best way we could- by firing Tony Wise and hiring Hudson Houck.

 

[KB21]

He drafted Alabi. Houck is here and we have talent in younger developmental players. Stockar McDougle will fill a gap and a half on the right side and Hadnot, St Clair, McKinney, possibly Wilkerson (optimist) will be competing for center. St. Clair will still have a chance to play even if he doesn't start at C....I think we're on the way up with the line.

I do agree we should have drafted stronger in this department though. Brandon Browner is available so I wouldn't have picked Travis Daniels and I would have gone with Elton Brown in the 4th.

You would have passed on a guy who will play in the nickle package as a rookie to sign a guy who can't play cornerback or safety? At the same time, you would rather draft a linemen that the coaches will have to stay on 24/7 just to get him to do the right things?

Look. Nick called Al Groh and talked to him about every player Virginia had that was draft eligible. He obviously didn't like what Groh told him about Elton Brown, who let himself go to the tank during the entire draft process. At the same time, he had a guy he was very familiar with that played the cornerback position he wanted to address. A guy who the coaching staff won't have to kick in the butt to get him to play.

You know, there is a reason guys like Elton Brown and Anttaj Hawthorne dropped as low as they did. They are lazy asses with checkered pasts. This is a new era of Miami Dolphins football. An era where lazy asses and people with no work ethic will not be tolerated.

 

[KB21]

Amen, great points. How many draft picks and cap room can we put into the O-line?

We've addressed our biggest need on the O-line the best way we could- by firing Tony Wise and hiring Hudson Houck.

Obviously, we need 43 offensive linemen on our 53 man roster.

 

[CanadianPhinFan]

Blah, blah, blah.

Let's see. Over the past three years, we've drafted Wade Smith, Taylor Whitley, Vernon Carey, Rex Hadnot, Anthony Alabi, and Tony Pape while signing Damion McIntosh, Jeno James, John St. Claire, Damion Cook, and Stockar McDougle. Somehow, that doesn't constitute addressing the offensive line?

Thank you.

He drafted defense, because if you haven't noticed, the defense is getting OLD. The same squad was in the top 5 in years before last, and easily one of the best, but they are going downhill and we NEEDED to draft defense.

 

[Fischfan13]

Let's see. Over the past three years, we've drafted Wade Smith, Taylor Whitley, Vernon Carey, Rex Hadnot, Anthony Alabi, and Tony Pape while signing Damion McIntosh, Jeno James, John St. Claire, Damion Cook, and Stockar McDougle. Somehow, that doesn't constitute addressing the offensive line?

Geez, I didn't know that Coach Saban picked ALL of those scrubs for this team!

Saban did not address the teams biggest weakness...the Offensive Line.

Carey is not going to be the future of this line...and no one else that you mentioned moved anyone around last season.
There were quality offensive lineman taken before the fifth round....but Saban wanted guys for his "new" defense instead.
Saban wanted guys who he has seen play against him...Roth and Crowder.

If you or anyone else thinks that the offensive line is fine the way that it is then you haven't been WATCHING the whole team play.

 

[C-Money84]

Can we please see what Houck will do with the guys we have? Please? Is that ok with everyone?

 

[dolfan22]

What irks me , and yes it actually does , is that some people ,not all , and maybe the vocal minority at times , think this is a quick fix.

Or where everything has to be addressed right now. That can not happen and of course did not.

I am glad that Saban has taken this approach. Take value , long term value .... take players that fit what you want this team to become. Don't worry over positions right now.... before this draft we desperately need to get younger and better across the board.

Most don't understand how far behind Miami has fallen in that area compared to most teams. We paid the price for a lack of clear direction and questionable decisions and poor drafting the last several years.

No quick fix.

No magic pill.

Next year should be very very good for Left Tackles. With depth as well , if we still need one next April , the talent pool will be signifigantly better than it was this April.

We may need a center....we may not.... We have more than enough young lineman to see how a better system with a legitimate big time back and an elite OLine coach will show.

We have to see how they progress and develop . If they don't , fine that will addressed next draft.

QB is also a wait and see . We could use a vertical threat at WR , people get over the thought we were a couple players away.

This is a GREAT start. We added great talent , feistiness and upside here. All picks I would say stick. Maybe a couple on the practise squad for a year , but all can and will make contributions. Some will be big time bonafide difference makers.... this is the best draft in YEARS..... and it bears well....I believe it is an indication of using your picks very well and I think when Miami gets to start to have extra picks , we will get even more value......