Miami Dolphins’ Dallas Thomas establishing himself at right guard

[dolpns13]

You don't crown a guy a FA bust after one preseason game...that's extremely stupid. For all we know he'd be a starting guard if he hadn't been played at center for a decent chunk of training camp. The center experiment I'm sure pushed him back a bit, and he actually graded out best among the OL in the first game.

Kindly re-read my post and explain when I crowned him a free agent bust? I stated, IF HES NOT ONE OF THE BEST THEN HE SHOULDNT HAVE BEEN SIGNED AND WOULD BE CONSIDERED A FA BUST. Never did I state he WAS a FA bust... Conversely, if he's not one of the best then he still could have been signed but for far less money.

 

[Sirspud]

I don't think Brenner will make it to practice squad. He's a proven utility interior OL and would snatched up immediately by a needy team if cut.

So, I see it as we either keep him or lose him. PS is not an option. Technically, yes it is. Realistically, no.

Proven? What has he proven? That he was around when the team with the worst offensive line in football needed another body?

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

Thomas and other have actually helped me become a bit less worried about the o-line. Now I've moved on to a panic about the LB corps.

Linebacker definitely looks like a weakness and one that could keep the team out of the postseason. Saying that, I want to see more of Jenkins and Tripp to see if one of them can move Wheeler to the bench.

As to the offensive line, I think Philibin finally has the athletic players to run his scheme. I don't think pass blocking will be the issue, but I'm concerned to see how the running game progresses.

 

[FearTheBeard]

Kindly re-read my post and explain when I crowned him a free agent bust? I stated, IF HES NOT ONE OF THE BEST THEN HE SHOULDNT HAVE BEEN SIGNED AND WOULD BE CONSIDERED A FA BUST. Never did I state he WAS a FA bust... Conversely, if he's not one of the best then he still could have been signed but for far less money.

My point is it's silly to draw a conclusion from one preseason game and calling the guy a potential FA bust is pointless and shouldn't be on the table yet. Graded out very well in game 1...and the fact that he's the highest paid player shouldn't matter considering we've got 3 guys on rookie deals and a guy on the vet min, we wouldn't have been getting him if we offered him the same salary as the guys we've drafted or picked up off the scrap heap as other teams were after him. It's incorrect he could've been had for less in retrospect.

We signed him to a contract that according to positional averages makes him a fringe starter, for what he makes even if he's depth it's better value with the question marks on the o-line if we keep him for depth over saving a little bit of cash. He's going to be a little behind after the center switch...a little soon to be calling the guy a potential bust is all I'm saying and you've insinuated it. Just because he's paid the most relative to guys on rookie deals doesn't make him a bust...he's valued at $2m, which is hardly a starters chunk by any stretch.

 

[dlockz]

Proven? What has he proven? That he was around when the team with the worst offensive line in football needed another body?

That's the same issue I have with Thomas . The line was crap last year and neither guy rose to the occasion although Brenner did more than Thomas

 

[Sirspud]

That's the same issue I have with Thomas . The line was crap last year and neither guy rose to the occasion although Brenner did more than Thomas

Brenner was deemed more game ready last year but that doesn't mean he has the physical ability to hold down a starting job. I know lots of people thought that Thomas had a ton of potential when drafted last year, and it wasn't just people on this board, so if he has gotten his confidence back I see no reason to think he can't excel.

 

[dolpns13]

Ooooooo, lets keep playing the thumbs down game. :hump:

I didnt draw a conclusion from 1 preseason game. I drew the conclusion from all of camp of which Thomas has taken the VAST majority of reps. Stop insinuating and look at the facts.

My point is it's silly to draw a conclusion from one preseason game and calling the guy a potential FA bust is pointless and shouldn't be on the table yet. Graded out very well in game 1...and the fact that he's the highest paid player shouldn't matter considering we've got 3 guys on rookie deals and a guy on the vet min, we wouldn't have been getting him if we offered him the same salary as the guys we've drafted or picked up off the scrap heap as other teams were after him. It's incorrect he could've been had for less in retrospect.

We signed him to a contract that according to positional averages makes him a fringe starter, for what he makes even if he's depth it's better value with the question marks on the o-line if we keep him for depth over saving a little bit of cash. He's going to be a little behind after the center switch...a little soon to be calling the guy a potential bust is all I'm saying and you've insinuated it. Just because he's paid the most relative to guys on rookie deals doesn't make him a bust...he's valued at $2m, which is hardly a starters chunk by any stretch.

Fringe starter or whatever you want to call it. He's the highest paid guard on the team by a longshot

 

[FearTheBeard]

Ooooooo, lets keep playing the thumbs down game. :hump:

I didnt draw a conclusion from 1 preseason game. I drew the conclusion from all of camp of which Thomas has taken the VAST majority of reps. Stop insinuating and look at the facts.

Fringe starter or whatever you want to call it. He's the highest paid guard on the team by a longshot

I'll play the thumbs down game until we're even haha...3 a piece seems fair. Sure he's the highest paid guard and Thomas has held the job, my point is there's plenty of reasons that don't point towards the guy's talent level. Thomas returns to the same system that he's learnt for a year, Smith enters a new system and gets experimented at center for a number of weeks. The salary simply isn't a big sticking point and even if he totally falls flat on his face I wouldn't really call it much of a bust considering he got hardly any guaranteed. Just seemed like a jump.

 

[Digital]

Brenner is a bright kid and has the foot speed and agility to play in this scheme.

But I don't consider him an option because he is too easily moved. He has no sand in his pants and no pop in his hands. Unless/until he gains raw power, he is nothing but a peripheral player.

OL lift weights constantly to build power and are always striving to get stronger. If they aren't there by this age either they aren't serious enough (e.g. John Jerry) or not heavy enough, or its just not going to happen. I think Brenner is serious enough, so I'm not really expecting him to gain a bunch of power. I hope he proves me wrong.