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From Barry Jackson:
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/spor...onofrio-criticism-dolphins-heat-um-notes.html
The deficiency that might be trickiest for the Dolphins to solve this offseason is the one that perhaps most disappointed and surprised them: their failure to consistently stop the run.
The Dolphins, third against the run in 2011 and 13th in 2012, plunged to 24th this season; allowed 203 and 154 yards rushing against the Bills and Jets to close the season; and relinquished at least 133 yards rushing in 11 games.
The primary culprit was easy enough to diagnosis: Dreadful play against the run from two of the starting linebackers. Dannell Ellerbe ranked 53rd of 55 inside linebackers against the run, according to Pro Football Focus, andPhilip Wheeler ranked 35th of 35 outside linebackers. The men they replaced, Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett, ranked 14th and second, respectively. At least Koa Misi was 11th against the run.
What’s more, none of the Dolphins’ defensive ends ranked in the top 15 against the run, with backup Derrick Shelby the best (20th of 52 in a 4-3 defense) and Cameron Wake the worst (34th).
Among the challenges with fixing the run defense:
### Though none of Miami’s defensive ends are extraordinary against the run, it’s unrealistic to expect any major addition to a group including Wake, much-improved Vernon, Shelby and Jordan (31st against the run). So the Dolphins must hope that Vernon and Jordan simply improve against the run.
### If the Dolphins released Wheeler, they would take a $6.4 million cap hit for 2014 if he’s cut with a post-June 1 salary cap designation, $10.4 million without one. His cap number is $6.4 million if he’s on the team.
Cutting Ellerbe appears far less likely; if the Dolphins surprisingly did, they would take a 2014 cap hit of $7.4 million, $11.6 million or $14.6 million depending on when they cut him. His cap number is $7.4 million if he's on the team.
The Dolphins are comfortable with Jelani Jenkins playing in third-down passing situations. So if they cut Wheeler, they could add a linebacker to play either outside linebacker on first and second down or a middle linebacker to play early downs, with Ellerbe shifting to an outside linebacker position.
In that scenario, free agents who graded out well against the run this season and would be worth considering include two former UM middle linebackers ---Jon Beason (19th of 55 against the run, and he played pretty well after an October trade from the Panthers to the Giants) and Houston’s Darryl Sharpton (ranked No. 2 against the run), as well as others: Cincinnati’sVincent Rey, Buffalo’s Arthur Moats and Kansas City’s Akeem Jordan.
Pittsburgh outside linebacker Jason Worilds (15th against the run and eight sacks) would be more expensive. Washington outside linebacker Brian Orakpo (11 sacks and third against the run) would be even more expensive. And Dallas’ Anthony Spencer, who had 11 sacks and was No. 1 against the run among outside linebackers in 2012, played in just one game in 2013 because of knee surgery.
Releasing Wheeler and adding a skilled run-stopping linebacker seems the best solution. In retrospect, how regrettable was the Dolphins’ decision to swap out Dansby and Burnett for Ellerbe and Wheeler? Besides performing better against the run, Arizona’s Dansby and Oakland’s Burnett combined for more sacks than Ellerbe/Wheeler (9 to 1.5), more forced fumbles (4 to 0), more interceptions (5 to 2), more tackles for loss (23 to 8) and fewer missed tackles (28 to 32).
Not everyone was surprised. One Dolphins player said early last August that it was clear the new linebackers were no upgrade over the former ones; and a former NFL Executive of the Year told us in August he was flabbergasted Jeff Ireland made those moves, especially Wheeler.
By the way, Wheeler wasn't any better against the pass, allowing 47 of the 65 passes in his coverage area to be completed for 483 yards, which amounted to a 108.7 passer rating against.
i say cut Wheeler , move Ellerbe outside and find a new inside LB in the draft.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/spor...onofrio-criticism-dolphins-heat-um-notes.html
The deficiency that might be trickiest for the Dolphins to solve this offseason is the one that perhaps most disappointed and surprised them: their failure to consistently stop the run.
The Dolphins, third against the run in 2011 and 13th in 2012, plunged to 24th this season; allowed 203 and 154 yards rushing against the Bills and Jets to close the season; and relinquished at least 133 yards rushing in 11 games.
The primary culprit was easy enough to diagnosis: Dreadful play against the run from two of the starting linebackers. Dannell Ellerbe ranked 53rd of 55 inside linebackers against the run, according to Pro Football Focus, andPhilip Wheeler ranked 35th of 35 outside linebackers. The men they replaced, Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett, ranked 14th and second, respectively. At least Koa Misi was 11th against the run.
What’s more, none of the Dolphins’ defensive ends ranked in the top 15 against the run, with backup Derrick Shelby the best (20th of 52 in a 4-3 defense) and Cameron Wake the worst (34th).
Among the challenges with fixing the run defense:
### Though none of Miami’s defensive ends are extraordinary against the run, it’s unrealistic to expect any major addition to a group including Wake, much-improved Vernon, Shelby and Jordan (31st against the run). So the Dolphins must hope that Vernon and Jordan simply improve against the run.
### If the Dolphins released Wheeler, they would take a $6.4 million cap hit for 2014 if he’s cut with a post-June 1 salary cap designation, $10.4 million without one. His cap number is $6.4 million if he’s on the team.
Cutting Ellerbe appears far less likely; if the Dolphins surprisingly did, they would take a 2014 cap hit of $7.4 million, $11.6 million or $14.6 million depending on when they cut him. His cap number is $7.4 million if he's on the team.
The Dolphins are comfortable with Jelani Jenkins playing in third-down passing situations. So if they cut Wheeler, they could add a linebacker to play either outside linebacker on first and second down or a middle linebacker to play early downs, with Ellerbe shifting to an outside linebacker position.
In that scenario, free agents who graded out well against the run this season and would be worth considering include two former UM middle linebackers ---Jon Beason (19th of 55 against the run, and he played pretty well after an October trade from the Panthers to the Giants) and Houston’s Darryl Sharpton (ranked No. 2 against the run), as well as others: Cincinnati’sVincent Rey, Buffalo’s Arthur Moats and Kansas City’s Akeem Jordan.
Pittsburgh outside linebacker Jason Worilds (15th against the run and eight sacks) would be more expensive. Washington outside linebacker Brian Orakpo (11 sacks and third against the run) would be even more expensive. And Dallas’ Anthony Spencer, who had 11 sacks and was No. 1 against the run among outside linebackers in 2012, played in just one game in 2013 because of knee surgery.
Releasing Wheeler and adding a skilled run-stopping linebacker seems the best solution. In retrospect, how regrettable was the Dolphins’ decision to swap out Dansby and Burnett for Ellerbe and Wheeler? Besides performing better against the run, Arizona’s Dansby and Oakland’s Burnett combined for more sacks than Ellerbe/Wheeler (9 to 1.5), more forced fumbles (4 to 0), more interceptions (5 to 2), more tackles for loss (23 to 8) and fewer missed tackles (28 to 32).
Not everyone was surprised. One Dolphins player said early last August that it was clear the new linebackers were no upgrade over the former ones; and a former NFL Executive of the Year told us in August he was flabbergasted Jeff Ireland made those moves, especially Wheeler.
By the way, Wheeler wasn't any better against the pass, allowing 47 of the 65 passes in his coverage area to be completed for 483 yards, which amounted to a 108.7 passer rating against.
i say cut Wheeler , move Ellerbe outside and find a new inside LB in the draft.
