Is Front 7 the Next Reconstruction Zone?

[Kyndig]

Its early. Just one game in the books
But the play of the front seven was easily the biggest disappointment in the opener.

Wilkins and Baker looked good, but that was about it. Maybe those two are the building blocks.

Again its early. I liked the Lawson addition and think he is emerging. Davis is a rookie I'm higher on than most. Ogbah looked good in KC. Godchaux probably fits in the average at best category. Van Noy was a really good player in New England.

Should the front seven be the next rebuilding focus?

I think more film, a larger sample is needed before such a conclusion is jumped to. Pandemic, little training camp, lots of new players.Many seemed to be playing out of position (Raekwon Davis playing Defensive End, Kyle Van Noy not being in on downs he should have, etc.).

Let’s see after week 6, then we can have a better assessment?

Cam Newton not an easy assignment btw. Coaching may also have been an issue early on in our first game (adjustments not made well at halftime). Before we blow up our Front 7 or wax poetic about it, maybe we should give these guys more time to play together and the coaches time to understand how to use their personnel better?

Just a thought....

 

[ChitownPhins28]

Defense wins championships is the old saying, and it is still valid, though not as much as 15-20 years ago.

The thing is, if you have to rely exclusively on the D, its a hard road through the playoffs.

Having a great D is awesome, but as others have pointed out, eventually you will be in a position that you need to move the ball, and put up 30+.

There have been several "shut down" defenses through the years that win a championship here and there, but it isn't sustainable game in and game out, season after season against top playoff teams.

This is from a guy who loves great D in any of the major sports.

49'ers were a Defense-first team and KC was the opposite. How'd that work out?

 

[Etuoo33]

49'ers were a Defense-first team and KC was the opposite. How'd that work out?

It was the KC defense that held SF scoreless at the end of the game.

 

[AL R]

With the 4 picks in the first 2 rounds I foresee a WR, RB and edge rusher being 3 of the 4. Unless those get addressed in FA.

Maybe LB, hopefully.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

I think more film, a larger sample is needed before such a conclusion is jumped to. Pandemic, little training camp, lots of new players.Many seemed to be playing out of position (Raekwon Davis playing Defensive End, Kyle Van Noy not being in on downs he should have, etc.).

Let’s see after week 6, then we can have a better assessment?

Cam Newton not an easy assignment btw. Coaching may also have been an issue early on in our first game (adjustments not made well at halftime). Before we blow up our Front 7 or wax poetic about it, maybe we should give these guys more time to play together and the coaches time to understand how to use their personnel better?

Just a thought....

I think you're correct here that a larger sample size is needed. However, Davis has always played the end/tackle combo position. He's always lined up at strongside DE in an odd front and had two gap responsibility. He'll just kick inside to a 1 or a 3 when the JACK rotates down to put his hand on the ground and align to make a 4 man front.

The latter is how he was able to rack up some semblance of production early in his career. It's why that position is never worth a 2nd round pick. But I've beat that horse to death at this point.

 

[CANDolphan]

It can’t be understated how much of a JAG Lawson was.

Ogbah ate up a few plays but man.. outside of Wilkins i didn’t see anyone capable of championship caliber d line play tbh.

 

[hoops]

I think you're correct here that a larger sample size is needed. However, Davis has always played the end/tackle combo position. He's always lined up at strongside DE in an odd front and had two gap responsibility. He'll just kick inside to a 1 or a 3 when the JACK rotates down to put his hand on the ground and align to make a 4 man front.

The latter is how he was able to rack up some semblance of production early in his career. It's why that position is never worth a 2nd round pick. But I've beat that horse to death at this point.

you have but it’s still valid. I don’t see him doing much as a 3 maybe as a 1 we can get something. I don’t know. He has no lateral range so the less ask for that the better

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

I think more film, a larger sample is needed before such a conclusion is jumped to. Pandemic, little training camp, lots of new players.Many seemed to be playing out of position (Raekwon Davis playing Defensive End, Kyle Van Noy not being in on downs he should have, etc.).

Let’s see after week 6, then we can have a better assessment?

Cam Newton not an easy assignment btw. Coaching may also have been an issue early on in our first game (adjustments not made well at halftime). Before we blow up our Front 7 or wax poetic about it, maybe we should give these guys more time to play together and the coaches time to understand how to use their personnel better?

Just a thought....

No doubt. It's a small sample size right now. Definitely something to keep an eye on, especially if you are a believer in winning in the trenches.

 

[39wildman]

Maybe LB, hopefully.

I dont see us needing rb.. we need other wr and pass rusher DE, maybe Lb.. maybe qb???

 

[dolfan91]

ffs we just spent 1st and 2nd round picks on DTs in the last two drafts and here we are talking about needing a NT. **** chris grier.

Until they get a True NT to play in Flores defense. They are going to continue to get steam rolled in the run game. Like it or not. Miami Still Needs a Run Stopper. Shelvin provides that.

 

[Kingdom Come]

Chris Jones in free agency, ILB Micah Parsons and a speed edge rusher in the draft and things could be very,very different next year.

Maybe someone thinks Joey Bosa gets out of California.

 

[CANDolphan]

Why was Flores so in love with Raekwon Davis? Why is anyone? I just don’t see it. His senior year at bama and his debut were not good.

 

[dolfan91]

Chris Jones in free agency, ILB Micah Parsons and a speed edge rusher in the draft and things could be very,very different next year.

Maybe someone thinks Joey Bosa gets out of California.

Jones and Bosa both signed huge extensions with their teams earlier this years. They ain't coming to Miami.

 

[dolfan91]

Why was Flores so in love with Raekwon Davis? Why is anyone? I just don’t see it. His senior year at bama and his debut were not good.

Flores was acting like he knew something about Davis no one else did. Shame on him, because Davis Stinks.

 

[PSU Cane]

If you want to stop the run, score points. If you want to get valuable production from your #1 and #2 top paid CBs in the league, score points. At some point, Fins are going to get it, when you score points, everything is easier for everyone... You're wasting your money trying to build a good D when you cant score points, complete waste.

When we went Tua #5, i truly expected the draft would be about getting him some linemen and weapons......build the team in a way to maximize returns on your future franchise QB who loves to spread the ball around to guys in space.
- OTs, WRs, RBs.

- Jackson, if no other OT fell, seemed like a forgone conclusion.
- In the 2nd though with who was still on the board, i was thinking Shenault, Dobbins, Taylor, Mims.
- On Day 3, Gabe Davis and Donovan Peoples-Jones were still out there and thought they had to be in play. But in the end, we punted on skill position this draft outside of Perry.....and since he came after a long-snapper, i didn't put much value into it other than curiosity of what he could offer a roster.

I did expect a safety (and if one came R2 i wouldn't have been shocked) and more OL but with the value on the board i expect that a little later. All 3 centers were still available, no guards had been drafted yet and the next tier of developmental tackles were all still undrafted.