Look at MIA Secondary

[BillsFanInPeace]

Checked to see if it was posted already did not see it.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/...008/05/25/draw_up_your_dolphins_defensiv.html

The Dolphins’ most competitive battle this summer probably will be among their defensive backs.

Cornerback Will Allen was the only member of the secondary to start all 16 games last year. The safeties were cursed by injuries.
Since the season ended, Miami’s new front office whacked five defensive backs, four of whom (Jereme Perry, Lance Schulters, Travares Tillman, Cameron Worrell) started at least one game. The Dolphins have brought in six free agents.

So who will comprise the Dolphins secondary in 2008? Here are thumbnail reminders of what they did last year.

HOLDOVERS

Jason Allen, CB/S: Entering his third NFL season, this 16th overall draft pick needs to assert himself as an impact performer. He didn’t make his first NFL start until Week 8 of last year, at it came at safety because of injuries and not at his intended cornerback spot.

Will Allen, CB: The team’s best returning defender if Jason Taylor moves on. Allen finished third in tackles with 62. He had one interception, a team-high 14 passes defensed and a pair of sacks.

Yeremiah Bell, S: He went down for the year with an Achilles’ tendon injury in the season opener. He started 11 games at strong safety the year before.

Courtney Bryan, S: Played in 14 games with zero starts. He made 10 tackles but didn’t record any other meaningful defensive stat (no interceptions, passes defensed, sacks, forced fumbles or fumble recoveries). He had one special teams tackle.

Travis Daniels, S: He began the season as a starting cornerback but lost the job once Andre Goodman came back from a shoulder injury in Week 3. He was moved to safety and made one start there. He finished with 27 tackles and an interception.

Andre Goodman, CB: He missed all of training camp and first two games with a shoulder injury. He played 13 games with two starts. Goodman had 20 tackles and two interceptions.

Renaldo Hill, S: He played well before going down with a knee injury while unsuccessfully trying to defend Randy Moss in Week 8. He made 32 tackles and one interception.

Michael Lehan, CB: The Dolphins didn’t waste time in re-signing Lehan to a three-year deal. He started 14 games. He finished fifth in tackles with 56, was second to Will Allen in passes defensed and snagged his first career interception.

NEW BLOOD

Scorpio Babers, CB: The undrafted rookie from Sam Houston State was signed after a minicamp tryout invitation. He has world-class speed but might not be ready for the NFL yet. Babers could land on the practice squad.

Will Billingsley, CB: The North Carolina A&T product was undrafted rookie last year and didn’t even get a workout. He has blazing speed but appears to be a long shot to make the final roster. He could develop on the practice squad.

Chris Crocker, S: The former Falcon and Brown has started every one of his 46 games the past three seasons. Crocker had three interceptions and 11 passes defensed last year for Atlanta after missing the first two games with a knee injury.

Keith Davis, S: He hasn’t been a regular starter since 2005, but he was the Cowboys’ special-teams captain. He has 69 coverage tackles over the past four years.

Nate Jones, CB: He has made only one career start and has zero career interceptions. But, like Davis, he was a Cowboys special-teams horse Dolphins secondary coach Todd Bowles wants to work with.

Joey Thomas, CB: He hasn’t played since 2005, when he split time between the Packers and Saints. In 25 career games he has no interceptions and four passes defensed.

 

[CitizenSnips]

while that is certainly not an exciting group, it's not awful either. Im a big fan of Will Allen, man simply does not get enough credit for how solid of a corner he is.

Jason Allen really showed some ball skills last season and I'm excited for him. I'll never forget the play he made Brady look silly once. Tried to look him off and Allen just didn't bite and Brady still tried to throw it. Picked off.

I'm glad Yeremiahs still around. I dont expect much but hopefully he can still play alright.

as for the last spot, its the scrap-between-crap for that spot IMO.

 

[BobDole]

i think the starters should be:

CB: w allen and goodman
FS: allen
SS: bell

and we need more cornerbacks in a big way.

 

[clownfish]

i think the starters should be:

CB: w allen and goodman
FS: allen
SS: bell

and we need more cornerbacks in a big way.

That's what I initially thought would be the starting lineup. But with the re-signing of Lehan to a decent multiyear contract, I'm assuming he"ll have a shot at the #2 CB spot over Goodman.

 

[BobDole]

That's what I initially thought would be the starting lineup. But with the re-signing of Lehan to a decent multiyear contract, I'm assuming he"ll have a shot at the #2 CB spot over Goodman.

that spot will be a fight for sure. when healthy, goodman is far better. lehan, while making serious progress last year, is weak and gets pushed around like crazy on the field. but he got far better in coverage last year.

 

[Kdawg954]

There will be 6 guys in the main rotation at DB.

CB - Will Allen, Michael Lehan, Andre Goodman
S - Jason Allen, Yeremiah Bell, Chris Crocker

U can expect Nathan Jones and Keith Davis to stick for Special Teams and depth.

That gives us 4 safeties and 4 CB's.

I'm gonna say we keep 9 to 10 guys . . . maybe 10 because of the 2 above guys who will be more key on special teams than anything else.

U gotta think Renaldo Hill is the front runner of the rest if he is healthy . . . he is versatile and was pretty decent when starting . . . good guy to have on the team as depth.

Travis Daniels needs to have a spectacular camp . . . I never thought he was good enough to be a starter in this league . . . even after his stellar rookie season in 2005 where he started like every game. He was pretty awful at times last year . . . and his spot on this team is definitely not secured. In the end . . . Daniels usually has pretty good camps . . . and I think he will stick.

Definitely wanna see 1 or 2 of the youngster on the PS squad . . . Billingsly and Babers have tremendous speed . . . and if the staff feel they are worth it . . . stick them on the PS . . . we still have very little youth at DB.

 

[Dolfan1000]

Bell being healthy would be the ultimate boost to this position. He is SO very important. Loved that re-signing. If he has a year like he did under Saban, in my opinion, his return could be the equivalent of a big ticket UFA signing for the secondary. He was THAT good.

I think Allen is one of the more underrated CBs in the league, but he has got to start making some plays. He is excellent in coverage, but a turnover here and there can be the difference between a win and a loss. I think Lehan/Goodman will be a good battle for the #2 spot, and the winner will be a below average starter, while the loser will be a very solid nickel guy. Just based on the move to resign Lehan immediately, I would say he has the upper hand. The new regime must see something in him. I happen to think he is a pretty decent player. Goody is a little too fragile for my tastes. Seems to always be hurt, and I can see why, he has an extremely slight build.

Travis Daniels is a real interesting case. Not sure I agree with putting him at safety from a numbers perspective, because in that case, I dont see him making this team. Bell is a lock. Allen is a lock. Davis is a lock. Crocker is probably pretty close to a lock. IMO there are your 4 safeties, right there. Hill IMO will be stashed on either the PUP, or even IR, because when he is healthy, he is an important player back there. But back to TD, I think playing CB would give him a better chance to make this team, but then again, I cant argue that he has looked real bad there since his rookie year, and really seems better suited to play safety. The speed (or lack thereof) has been a glaring issue the past two seasons, and yet, for some reason, it didnt seem to pose a problem when he posted a really good rookie campaign. That is why I wonder whether he has not been 100% healthy. I know he had the ankle a couple of years ago, so that season was a wash, but last year he was supposedly in good shape, but he got beat quite a bit. In particular, I remember him getting schooled by Randle El in the Washington game. I like Travis; I like his swagger and he seems to be a good team guy. With that said, I also think we need to find another CB, assuming we keep five, to give us: Allen, Lehan, Goody, ____, and Nate Jones. To me, that spot should be Travis' to lose. I'm hoping he comes through and has a good camp, because we desperately need him and Jason Allen to turn it around and become, at the very least, solid starters, or else Saban's drafts are going to start to look mighty discouraging. I do like Jason's chances, just based on what I saw last year, but I'm hoping Coach Bowles can work with Daniels and get him to be, at the least, a serviceable nickel back.

 

[PhinFan0202]

Will Allen is a solid corner for this year but i think he would be amazing as a #2 corner. I'm hoping that we sign a guy like Asomougha next year in FA and move W.Allen to #2. Lehan could than play the slot with Travis Daniels being the 4th. Jason Allen was drafted high so i'm hoping he's finally going to contribute some and at the very worst be a solid FS. Yeremiah Bell is a good SS but is seen by some as a liability in coverage. I don' think he is as he always seems to be around the ball.

 

[haoleboy]

I hope to god Lehan does not see the field much. It just seemed he was always in on the big plays on our D last year.