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Is Chase Allen a starter for the Dolphins in 2018?

Is Chase Allen a starter for the Dolphins in 2018?

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If he is, we ****ed up again, which is a likely outcome.
 
I think he could be our slb if we don't address it in the draft
 
I want tj to go to backer like the rams moved barron and the cardinals moved Buchannan. which would limit chase
 
Well lets hope he is a diamond in the rough as we don't have any diamond linebackers on the team. If he is going to make the grade it will probably be year 3. That being said a true coverage linebacker is in dire need on this team and should be a priority this year. The kid from Vandy taken in the 2nd round after McMillan would have been that guy.
 
I am a huge fan of Chase Allen.

He is not a full time starter in this league. Package LB? Absolutely.
 
ckparrothead said:
This is not any attempt to sound smug so I hope you don't take it the wrong way, but I'm not advocating for anything. It's a simple fact that in the NFL the average number of defensive backs/rovers on the field any given snap has now reach 5.0. Not 4.4, not 4.6, but 5.0.

There are as many snaps where you have 6 or more defensive backs on the field (dime) as there are snaps where there are 4 defensive backs on the field (base).

Which means that your 3rd true linebacker is as much of a role player as your DIME back. Not your nickel back, your dime back.

Now I will grant that Miami is a bit behind the average when it comes to defensive back usage. They don't use dime at all. Or at least they haven't; Matt Burke tried to claim something about them not having enough safeties but I don't believe his explanation. They're in nickel I believe more than 70% of the time, though.

So again this isn't about advocacy, it just is what it is.
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Good to see you posting again CK. :)

This is why I think a lot of fans are going to be disappointed in the offseason when we do not spend a high pick or money for a big time FA at LB. We believe in McMillan, and we've invested in Kiko. Those are our two starters. With X. Howard, Tankersley and Lippett manning the boundaries, McCain and Verner manning the slot, we have enough coverage at CB to remove that from a "need" position as well. While you can never have enough good CB's, we are more likely to draft a CB that is BPA rather than reach for one. Given the investments in Reshad Jones and TJ McDonald, I doubt safety is viewed as a need either. The "need" on defense will probably be viewed as all across the DL.
 
Digital said:
Good to see you posting again CK. :)

This is why I think a lot of fans are going to be disappointed in the offseason when we do not spend a high pick or money for a big time FA at LB. We believe in McMillan, and we've invested in Kiko. Those are our two starters. With X. Howard, Tankersley and Lippett manning the boundaries, McCain and Verner manning the slot, we have enough coverage at CB to remove that from a "need" position as well. While you can never have enough good CB's, we are more likely to draft a CB that is BPA rather than reach for one. Given the investments in Reshad Jones and TJ McDonald, I doubt safety is viewed as a need either. The "need" on defense will probably be viewed as all across the DL.
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Solid post digital,

I agree with a lot you have to say but one thing I do disagree with is the fact that I believe Miami will absolutely look to add another safety. I remember seeing an article where Burke said he had to scrap most of his plans when nate Allen went down
 
Given this staff, I can definitely see him as a starter. As for me I see him as a backup, who may eventually, become a starter.
 
Anything is possible as far as him becoming a starter, he just needs time to improve his game........a lot.
 
Digital said:
Good to see you posting again CK. :)

This is why I think a lot of fans are going to be disappointed in the offseason when we do not spend a high pick or money for a big time FA at LB. We believe in McMillan, and we've invested in Kiko. Those are our two starters. With X. Howard, Tankersley and Lippett manning the boundaries, McCain and Verner manning the slot, we have enough coverage at CB to remove that from a "need" position as well. While you can never have enough good CB's, we are more likely to draft a CB that is BPA rather than reach for one. Given the investments in Reshad Jones and TJ McDonald, I doubt safety is viewed as a need either. The "need" on defense will probably be viewed as all across the DL.
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The thing to keep in mind here is it's not just the LB being devalued. It's everyone in the front seve- err...front six. Because that's what the NFL features now, a front six.

The very term "front seven" is a dinosaur. It applies to a specialty defense the NFL uses about 26% of the time, depending on whether you count "rover" hybrids as real linebackers or not (I do not).

Whether you give up a DL for that extra DB, or you give up a LB for that extra DB, teams are doing both things.

I think Miami needs to invest in another safety, or at the very least a "rover" hybrid. It is a NEED, in my opinion. If it's true that Burke's plans had to be scrapped when Nate Allen went down (and again, I have my doubts) then this is all the more true. Even if it's not true, Burke's recent explanations that pointed that direction show where their mindset is.

Teams use dime (six defensive backs, counting rovers as defensive backs) about 22% of the time now.

Hell, the New England Patriots use SEVEN defensive backs about 1 out of 6 snaps!!! They've always been on the cutting edge, and they've done it again. Their 7-DB packages are absolutely KILLING offenses because they're smart about when they put them on the field (run plays only happened 9% of the time the Patriots put the 7-DB package on the field) and it's been hellish effective against the passing attack (4.7 yards per pass attempt, allowing a 1st down only 19% of the time).

If Miami is going after a linebacker, it's got to be because they know they need to RE-MAKE that unit into something more acceptable in today's pass-oriented league. It's not going to be addition. It's going to be addition and subtraction. They need a rover hybrid (e.g. Shaq Thompson, Darron Lee, Telvin Smith, Mark Barron, Deone Buccanon), or they need a hellish fast type like a Bobby Wagner, Anthony Barr, or Deion Jones.

That's where a Roquan Smith could certainly fit in. There's a lot of talk about Tremaine Edmunds because there's belief he's big and fast like Anthony Barr (I have my doubts but we'll find out). Would not surprise me if Rashaan Evans is that fast. Jerome Baker is a speedster. Dorian O'Daniel is practically a defensive back. Shaquem Griffin is out there at the Senior Bowl playing everything from defensive end to linebacker to slot corner to single-high safety. Keishawn Bierria has something to offer this way. Some like Travin Howard or Fred Warner as a speedy linebacker type.

But the other way they could go with this is absolutely to pick up an extra safety like Derwin James, Ronnie Harrison, Siran Neal, or Damon Webb. Quite frankly I haven't done a whole lot on the safeties group so I don't have anyone at that position I like other than them, for now.
 
Technically, he has already been an NFL starter for the Miami Dolphins, as he started multiple games last year.

As far as Roquan Smith goes, he is about the same weight as TJ McDonald but doesn't have the length or the experience in coverage in the NFL.
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2013/profiles/t.j.-mcdonald?id=2539309 Seriously doubt Smith matches this length and athleticism.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe McMillan is projected to be above average in coverage, and he has the speed and length to surpass that and become great in coverage....http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/raekwon-mcmillan?id=2558070

Why would the Dolphins use the #11 pick on a LB who would play behind Kiko and Raek at LB and McDonald at rover, and not even be able to project ahead of Allen at Sam on few snaps because Allen practices there and Smith would start out behind Kiko and competing for a dime rover job on third and long.

Roquan Smith is not happening. If he had stayed in school and come out next year after they cut Kiko, might be a different story.

I would rather sign Vontae Davis to play FS on a reasonable three year deal than use the #11 on a FS. Davis can flat out tackle, and when 100% his coverage is still top tier. Just make McDonald a LB in name and performance. He is listed at 223 and probably has the frame to easily add a few pounds without affecting his quickness or speed.

Trade down in the first and draft James Washington in the mid to late 1st round and it's Jarvis who?
 
ckparrothead said:
The thing to keep in mind here is it's not just the LB being devalued. It's everyone in the front seve- err...front six. Because that's what the NFL features now, a front six.

The very term "front seven" is a dinosaur. It applies to a specialty defense the NFL uses about 26% of the time, depending on whether you count "rover" hybrids as real linebackers or not (I do not).

Whether you give up a DL for that extra DB, or you give up a LB for that extra DB, teams are doing both things.

I think Miami needs to invest in another safety, or at the very least a "rover" hybrid. It is a NEED, in my opinion. If it's true that Burke's plans had to be scrapped when Nate Allen went down (and again, I have my doubts) then this is all the more true. Even if it's not true, Burke's recent explanations that pointed that direction show where their mindset is.

Teams use dime (six defensive backs, counting rovers as defensive backs) about 22% of the time now.

Hell, the New England Patriots use SEVEN defensive backs about 1 out of 6 snaps!!! They've always been on the cutting edge, and they've done it again. Their 7-DB packages are absolutely KILLING offenses because they're smart about when they put them on the field (run plays only happened 9% of the time the Patriots put the 7-DB package on the field) and it's been hellish effective against the passing attack (4.7 yards per pass attempt, allowing a 1st down only 19% of the time).

If Miami is going after a linebacker, it's got to be because they know they need to RE-MAKE that unit into something more acceptable in today's pass-oriented league. It's not going to be addition. It's going to be addition and subtraction. They need a rover hybrid (e.g. Shaq Thompson, Darron Lee, Telvin Smith, Mark Barron, Deone Buccanon), or they need a hellish fast type like a Bobby Wagner, Anthony Barr, or Deion Jones.

That's where a Roquan Smith could certainly fit in. There's a lot of talk about Tremaine Edmunds because there's belief he's big and fast like Anthony Barr (I have my doubts but we'll find out). Would not surprise me if Rashaan Evans is that fast. Jerome Baker is a speedster. Dorian O'Daniel is practically a defensive back. Shaquem Griffin is out there at the Senior Bowl playing everything from defensive end to linebacker to slot corner to single-high safety. Keishawn Bierria has something to offer this way. Some like Travin Howard or Fred Warner as a speedy linebacker type.

But the other way they could go with this is absolutely to pick up an extra safety like Derwin James, Ronnie Harrison, Siran Neal, or Damon Webb. Quite frankly I haven't done a whole lot on the safeties group so I don't have anyone at that position I like other than them, for now.
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I've also heard that Burke wants TJ McDonald to be that extra hybrid LB. IMHO, he would do a good job of that, and it would allow him to be closer to the line while enabling Reshad Jones to keep a more complete safety role, while still filling the box.

The challenge is that we don't really have a guy who is that single high safety, and much to my chagrin, we don't seem to want one either. With that in mind, I could easily see us going after someone like Quin Blanding of UVa. He isn't a true ballhawk, but he does everything else well. Still, I don't see us reaching for any DB or LB. While we're not a great roster, we are stable enough to draft BPA. We can genuinely use talent at every position, and while there are certainly some positions that hold higher value, I don't think any are off-limits, nor do I think we have many real needs in the LB or DB groups.

On offense though, we desperately need TE and OL. Typically, those can be drafted elsewhere, so I don't expect we will need to reach for anyone there either. Not the worst draft position in which to find ourselves.
 
Blackcreekbandit said:
Solid post digital,

I agree with a lot you have to say but one thing I do disagree with is the fact that I believe Miami will absolutely look to add another safety. I remember seeing an article where Burke said he had to scrap most of his plans when nate Allen went down
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Possibly, but I think we're also OK with adding backup types such as Nate Allen. Big bodied veterans who could serve as an extra LB depending upon formation.

Personally, I'd love to get a real ballhawking center fielder type ... but I don't see that happening.
 
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