Miami Dolphins Scheme Changes Will Be Challenging Says Grier

[hoops]

I do think he has the athleticism to play DE in odd fronts, and he's a smart/good player, who Miami could end up liking a lot. I feel like he's unlikely to develop into a star DT, but he has an excellent chance of being very good for a long time, and he's the type of person (to go along with the player) that I could see the new staff prioritizing. At 13, I'd feel about him like I felt about Fitzpatrick. There's probably someone better on the board, but I get it, and it's a solid pick.

that's my feelings also on wilkins. id call it rather safe

 

[j-off-her-doll]

I don't even know who half those lb guys are but I'm gonna find out. have either of those top 2 guys listed rushed on the edge vs tackles and had any success even with a power rush? cause van noy and hightower did in college and koa misi if he was still here I could even see as a potential fit. i dont like McMillan for the ask. just dont think he gives you much of anything rush wise off the edge on the los. in terms of gary I think they may see him as having more versatility than other options at that size and frame etc but I get where you are coming from. I just don't think it can be ruled out.

and sweat yeah I think that comes down to length relative to carry weight. 5th year guy at 245 with that length how come he doesn't pack more lbs on that frame already question that has to be answered.

but whatever we do I want heavy handed guys who chew glass and live football. be nice also if they had the hips to flatten to the qb but you are likely gonna have to give on that some with jumbos

Alaka has some experience rushing off the edge, but he's a better blitzer. Don't see a Hightower in this class, but I'd say Gustin is probably closest in that edge role - looking at his size, athleticism, and the way he wins on the edge. The inside stuff would be a lot of projection, though. Both Pratt and Alaka are more like Van Noy, though, and I really like Pratt. As Slimm has noted, he's a very loose athlete for his size.

Of the edge guys with the best LB traits, I'd say Hollins and Carney look promising. They were very instinctive in what they were asked to do, so maybe you could project that to kick inside, as well. Combine pending, I'll probably have both in my Top 100, but I'd guess that they'll go later than that (just a feeling). So, even if those instincts don't translate the way you'd hope/they might, you wouldn't feel too bad about having a guy who is stuck in a more specialized role.

 

[Hargitt01]

Didn't the reported addition of Dom Capers to the coaching staff send off rockets of optimism that we were switching to a 3-4? Once I saw Dom was reportedly coming in, I knew is role as a 3-4 specialist would be to help teach and ease/alleviate the transition into a base 3-4.

 

[Travis34]

So i know we’re discussing draft LB’s / DL, but I don’t know if it’s totally out of the realm of possibility that we try to bring flowers down here. Probably will be too costly but would at least fill a need with a good player for awhile and maybe somewhat free up the draft

I like the idea of Anthony Barr here too

 

[j-off-her-doll]

Get your nose tackle in the later rounds - two guys that I've always liked are Anthony Rush and Olive Sagapolu.

I like Armon Watts as a 5T if they're moving to an odd front. You don't see many guys his size that can bend and sack the quarterback like he can.

However, the point about 5-7 DB's is the real one to pay attention to here. Teams can say they're a 4-3 or a 3-4, but you're rarely ever going to be in either one. You're going to be in some variation of nickel or dime defense the majority of the time. 4-3 or 3-4 is really just more of a philosophy (1 gapping, 2 gapping, etc.) than a base defense. Your base defense is usually going to be a 5 or 6 DB package.

We're rarely ever in a true 3-4 defense anymore under Saban. We're usually either in a 4-2, 2-4, or 3-3 look. What Miami will be looking for in my opinion is versatility with the DB's. That's what makes you able to be versatile on defense in terms of your front. Installing a defense - your front is always based off the coverages you're going to run.

Somehow missed this when you first posted it. Couldn't agree more. Guys like Thornhill and Mike Edwards make a lot of sense to me - Gardner-Johnson, Savage Jr, and Adderly, as well. Think Miami needs to come away with one of them.

 

[hoops]

So i know we’re discussing draft LB’s / DL, but I don’t know if it’s totally out of the realm of possibility that we try to bring flowers down here. Probably will be too costly but would at least fill a need with a good player for awhile and maybe somewhat free up the draft

I like the idea of Anthony Barr here too

I think they are both at least $15 mil per as free agents. well I know flowers would be. I'd probably say more like $18 mil per with him. barrs value is harder to project as a on/off the los add lb

I don't see Miami adding this kind of money.

 

[mrbunglez]

Thing I want to see in 2019 is better trench play on both sides of the ball. Want to see more attacking linebackers as well.

 

[j-off-her-doll]

I think they are both at least $15 mil per as free agents. well I know flowers would be. I'd probably say more like $18 mil per with him. barrs value is harder to project as a on/off the los add lb

I don't see Miami adding this kind of money.

Barr struggled in Minutes last year, so his value is probably at an all-time low. How low is the question, and if you could get him on a muti-year contract for a reduced price, because of his struggles, I think that's worth considering. Agree that Flowers will be too expensive.

But, I think your general point is right, and if Barr's value is low, he's more likely to bet on himself and go to a team that would use him as a pass rusher on a 1-year, prove-it deal.

 

[Ferretsquig]

I do hope someone is clever enough to figure out how to utilize Baker within whatever scheme they come up with. There's no doubt hes got talent and I'd hate to see him get sidelined because he doesn't fit some measurable restriction.

 

[j-off-her-doll]

I do hope someone is clever enough to figure out how to utilize Baker within whatever scheme they come up with. There's no doubt hes got talent and I'd hate to see him get sidelined because he doesn't fit some measurable restriction.

He's most similar to Elandon Roberts, whose playing time varied, depending on the matchup, but he played less in 2018 under Flores than 2017 under Patricia.

 

[datruth55]

So from the sounds of it, we are indeed moving away from the 43?

Hmm

Not entirely true. We will play multiple fronts depending on the opponent. Some weeks we may come out in a base 3-4, some weeks we may be base 4-3...we'll switch it up in game as well. The defensive front 7 on this team is going to need a major overhaul to find the scheme diverse players Flores wants. We're especially light at 3-4 OLB and 4-3 DE.

 

[dolfan91]

Zach Allen after watching him struggle during Senior Bowl practices, I think will slide into a late 2nd early 3rd round area. He looked over matched and very lumbering. Not sure he's more than a 2 down player in the NFL. He'll stop the run but won't offer much else.

 

[Digital]

I think this defensive change will be a major one, and I think it will be a very good one. This is one of my biggest points of excitement for Coach Flores' impact on the Dolphins.

Becoming a multiple front team has a tremendous upside. It really helps us against the good OC's out there because we're a lot harder to scheme against and gives us the best shot in playoff games, IMHO. It is very demanding … but in all the right places. It requires DL who can play both fronts, edge rushers who can play with their hands in the dirt as 43 DE's and standing up and occasionally covering as 34 OLB's. Although, teams don't really play 7 man fronts nearly as much anymore, so we're probably better off just calling it a 4 man line or a 3 man line. Nickel is the new base, and Dime is becoming more and more common.

That's why I think our 1st round targets are primarily edge rushers who can play both a 4 man front (hand in the dirt as a DE) and a 3 man front (standing up as an OLB). Guys like Jachai Polite and Brian Burns look like good fits for us. Burns needs a year to gain muscle, but those guys can move around and are flexible enough to be a pass rushing threat from a number of spots, making them great for the multiple fronts.

As @39wildman said, you can get a NT later in the draft, or in free agency. If we're playing multiple fronts, we're probably also going to cross-train the now big Davon Godchaux to fill the void as well. The Patriots defense wasn't dominant by personnel, and it wasn't the best of any type of front. But, it was effective at both 3 and 4 man fronts, and could morph into whatever form it needed to for the circumstance. That is very valuable.

If we're serious about tanking, what a better way to tank on defense than running a 3 man front without a real NT or any defense without pass rushers.

 

[Digital]

Just curious, what % of snaps did NE run a 3-4?

It's probably more useful for your purposes to ask what % they ran the 3 man front vs. the 4 man front. Defenses are increasingly treating the Nickel as base these days, and Dime as a common package.

 

[dolfan91]

The 6-7 DB look New England ran is an indicator of what could happen early in the draft for Miami. 1) Xavien Howard is probably going to get an extension 2) It wouldn't surprise me if Miami selects several DB's to add to the stock pile already on the roster. This scheme change is going to take several seasons to add the versatile players needed to fully implement. Christian Wilkins is the guy I think Miami will target in round 1. He's the perfect fit for the scheme Flores will run.