Ok, so Senior Bowl week is over and several guys have made gains and some have made losses, either way until Free Agency hits and we know the status of our guys, we are in the dark about the draft and our roster for next season. So here we go until after Free Agency/Combines.
Miami Dolphins UFA's
Vernon Carey - resigns
Andre Goodman - not resigned
Yeremiah Bell - franchised
Channing Crowder - not resigned
Renaldo Hill - not resigned
We keep consistency on our OLine by resigning a solid RT who also can play a little LT as well. We get him at a hometown discount and the fact that it is a strictly RT based contract. Goodman was our best man corner this year but we think he is too injury prone and old to sign to a long term deal. We decided Bell was an important piece but not one we wanted to invest big dollars and years on because of his history. We keep him for one year under the franchise tag option while we groom his replacement in Culver and in the draft. Crowder was tuff, but we pick up a big name guy in Free Agency to replace him. Would love to keep Hill for depth, but being that he make 2 million already a season, and Drew R. is his agent . . . he probably wants over 3 . . . and that is too much for a guy who I view as depth IMO.
Big Name CUTS
Vonnie Holiday - Man I really like Holiday . . . but in the end, I think he fits better in the 4-3. We have depth on the line and we can still add through the draft
Big Free Agent Pickups
1. Cameron Wake - OLB
2. Jason Brown - C
3. Karlos Dansby - ILB
Well the Dolphins pick up a CFL MVP to rush the passer, he is a man among boys in the CFL, let's hope that can translate to the NFL and he can become Porters replacement in a year or 2. What a STEAL to get Jason Brown to become the future Center. Not only he makes us bigger, stronger and more dominate in the middle, he allows Satele to slide over to Guard and bolster our interior as well. It's really a win/win situation IMO. Finally Dansby is the big name stud we got, we end up paying big dollars for him, but we needed a guy who is versatile in the 3-4, and Dansby can play ILB or OLB and is solid just about all over in his game. Makes losing Crowder not so big.
So after Free Agency, its clear to what we need. Secondary help . . . we have no FS, a SS on a one year deal and 2 starting CB's over 30. Now it doesn't sound Parcellsish to go heavy secondary but I am going to address it.
Mock Draft
1. Alphonso Smith - CB - I have battled with this for a while, and he just impressed too much in Senior Bowl week to pass him up. He is 5'9 . . . one inch shorter than Will Allen, but his coverage skills are remarkable, we can't pass up this kind of talent at CB, because he isn't IDEAL height. He probably is the best CB in this draft, and if he were 3 inches taller, he would be a top 5 pick. We need players.
2a. Lou Delmas - FS - Boy are the Dolphins happy to see this kid on the board. Ideal FS, plays the run well and can cover. Great Senior Bowl week. Chanced losing him by not selecting in round 1, but they had Rashad Johnson as a backup, the guy they really want is here and they snatch him up.
2b. Ron Brace - NT - We need this IDEAL 3-4 NT prospect for this defense, Fergie is on his last year and who knows with Soliai, we can't depend on him. Brace and Raji dominated in the 4-3, Brace in the 3-4 will shine . . . no he is not Raji, but he will be great for us.
3. Jasper Brinkley - ILB - With Dansby added through FA, we still need ILB help besides him . . . Akin won't be here too much longer, and Brinkley has incredible height and can stop the run with the best of them. He becomes Channing's replacement as Dansby replaces Ayodele (tho at first we could see Ayodele as Channing's replacement).
4. Jarron Gilbert - DE - Hold on, we have Langford, Merling and Starks . . . what gives? Man people need to realize once again this is Bill Parcells and he falls in love with this small school kid despite him being injured in the Shrine game and for Senior Bowl week. Versatile DE, who can get in the backfield and stop the run. This also allows us to be versatile with Merling at SOLB, I think Merling and Roth BOTH show up quicker, lighter and faster this season and bolster the SOLB depth.
5. Chip Vaughn - SS - We grabbed his Wake Forest teammate, and now we get another alumn. Vaughn is a big time hitter and will compete with Culver to become Bell's replacement.
7a. - BPA (OT depth/WR sleeper/OLB sleeper/OG depth/CB/etc.)
7b. - BPA (OT depth/WR sleeper/OLB sleeper/OG depth/CB/etc.)
7c. - BPA (OT depth/WR sleeper/OLB sleeper/OG depth/CB/etc.)
Defense heavy draft . . . but that is where I feel we need to go in this draft.
2009 Project Roster
QB - Pennington/Henne/Beck
RB - Brown/Williams/Cobbs
FB - Polite
TE - Fasano/Martin/Haynos
WR - Ginn/Camarillo/Bess/London
LT - Long/rookie
LG - Satele/Murphy
C - Brown
RG - Smiley/Thomas
RT - Carey/Ndukwe
DE - Langford/Gilbert
NT - Ferguson/Soliai/Brace
DE - Starks/Wright/Dotson
WOLB - Porter/Wake/Anderson
ILB - Dansby/Torbor
ILB - Ayodele/Brinkley
SOLB - Merling/Roth/Walden
CB - Will Allen/Jason Allen/Smith/Jones/rookie
SS - Bell/Vaughn
FS - Delmas/Culver
PK - Carpenter
P - Fields
LS - Denney
With this roster, I am going to predict that Merling becomes the starter at SOLB . . . Basically another DE who can cover. Also I am assuming HUGE strides from our WR's this season, and that we only keep 4, with us having 3 great receiving backs and 3 pass catching TE's. I am also assuming that Jason Allen demonstares great outside man coverage skills, just like Goodman in camp and WINS the job opposite of Will Allen and Smith as the nickel back at first, he takes over next year with Will Allen contract up.
I know the offense looks the same, but I think a year in the offense improves it dramatically and if the OLine stays healthy we will put up points.
Relax people, it is only a projection lol, don't kill me.
Will update after Free Agency.
Thanks,
Miami Dolphins UFA's
Vernon Carey - resigns
Andre Goodman - not resigned
Yeremiah Bell - franchised
Channing Crowder - not resigned
Renaldo Hill - not resigned
We keep consistency on our OLine by resigning a solid RT who also can play a little LT as well. We get him at a hometown discount and the fact that it is a strictly RT based contract. Goodman was our best man corner this year but we think he is too injury prone and old to sign to a long term deal. We decided Bell was an important piece but not one we wanted to invest big dollars and years on because of his history. We keep him for one year under the franchise tag option while we groom his replacement in Culver and in the draft. Crowder was tuff, but we pick up a big name guy in Free Agency to replace him. Would love to keep Hill for depth, but being that he make 2 million already a season, and Drew R. is his agent . . . he probably wants over 3 . . . and that is too much for a guy who I view as depth IMO.
Big Name CUTS
Vonnie Holiday - Man I really like Holiday . . . but in the end, I think he fits better in the 4-3. We have depth on the line and we can still add through the draft
Big Free Agent Pickups
1. Cameron Wake - OLB
2. Jason Brown - C
3. Karlos Dansby - ILB
Well the Dolphins pick up a CFL MVP to rush the passer, he is a man among boys in the CFL, let's hope that can translate to the NFL and he can become Porters replacement in a year or 2. What a STEAL to get Jason Brown to become the future Center. Not only he makes us bigger, stronger and more dominate in the middle, he allows Satele to slide over to Guard and bolster our interior as well. It's really a win/win situation IMO. Finally Dansby is the big name stud we got, we end up paying big dollars for him, but we needed a guy who is versatile in the 3-4, and Dansby can play ILB or OLB and is solid just about all over in his game. Makes losing Crowder not so big.
So after Free Agency, its clear to what we need. Secondary help . . . we have no FS, a SS on a one year deal and 2 starting CB's over 30. Now it doesn't sound Parcellsish to go heavy secondary but I am going to address it.
Mock Draft
1. Alphonso Smith - CB - I have battled with this for a while, and he just impressed too much in Senior Bowl week to pass him up. He is 5'9 . . . one inch shorter than Will Allen, but his coverage skills are remarkable, we can't pass up this kind of talent at CB, because he isn't IDEAL height. He probably is the best CB in this draft, and if he were 3 inches taller, he would be a top 5 pick. We need players.
2a. Lou Delmas - FS - Boy are the Dolphins happy to see this kid on the board. Ideal FS, plays the run well and can cover. Great Senior Bowl week. Chanced losing him by not selecting in round 1, but they had Rashad Johnson as a backup, the guy they really want is here and they snatch him up.
2b. Ron Brace - NT - We need this IDEAL 3-4 NT prospect for this defense, Fergie is on his last year and who knows with Soliai, we can't depend on him. Brace and Raji dominated in the 4-3, Brace in the 3-4 will shine . . . no he is not Raji, but he will be great for us.
3. Jasper Brinkley - ILB - With Dansby added through FA, we still need ILB help besides him . . . Akin won't be here too much longer, and Brinkley has incredible height and can stop the run with the best of them. He becomes Channing's replacement as Dansby replaces Ayodele (tho at first we could see Ayodele as Channing's replacement).
4. Jarron Gilbert - DE - Hold on, we have Langford, Merling and Starks . . . what gives? Man people need to realize once again this is Bill Parcells and he falls in love with this small school kid despite him being injured in the Shrine game and for Senior Bowl week. Versatile DE, who can get in the backfield and stop the run. This also allows us to be versatile with Merling at SOLB, I think Merling and Roth BOTH show up quicker, lighter and faster this season and bolster the SOLB depth.
5. Chip Vaughn - SS - We grabbed his Wake Forest teammate, and now we get another alumn. Vaughn is a big time hitter and will compete with Culver to become Bell's replacement.
7a. - BPA (OT depth/WR sleeper/OLB sleeper/OG depth/CB/etc.)
7b. - BPA (OT depth/WR sleeper/OLB sleeper/OG depth/CB/etc.)
7c. - BPA (OT depth/WR sleeper/OLB sleeper/OG depth/CB/etc.)
Defense heavy draft . . . but that is where I feel we need to go in this draft.
2009 Project Roster
QB - Pennington/Henne/Beck
RB - Brown/Williams/Cobbs
FB - Polite
TE - Fasano/Martin/Haynos
WR - Ginn/Camarillo/Bess/London
LT - Long/rookie
LG - Satele/Murphy
C - Brown
RG - Smiley/Thomas
RT - Carey/Ndukwe
DE - Langford/Gilbert
NT - Ferguson/Soliai/Brace
DE - Starks/Wright/Dotson
WOLB - Porter/Wake/Anderson
ILB - Dansby/Torbor
ILB - Ayodele/Brinkley
SOLB - Merling/Roth/Walden
CB - Will Allen/Jason Allen/Smith/Jones/rookie
SS - Bell/Vaughn
FS - Delmas/Culver
PK - Carpenter
P - Fields
LS - Denney
With this roster, I am going to predict that Merling becomes the starter at SOLB . . . Basically another DE who can cover. Also I am assuming HUGE strides from our WR's this season, and that we only keep 4, with us having 3 great receiving backs and 3 pass catching TE's. I am also assuming that Jason Allen demonstares great outside man coverage skills, just like Goodman in camp and WINS the job opposite of Will Allen and Smith as the nickel back at first, he takes over next year with Will Allen contract up.
I know the offense looks the same, but I think a year in the offense improves it dramatically and if the OLine stays healthy we will put up points.
Relax people, it is only a projection lol, don't kill me.
Will update after Free Agency.
Thanks,