Off-season Evaluation

[Rich]

Additions - Offense: OG Justin Smiley, OG Steve McKinney, WR Ernest Wilford, QB Josh McCown, TE Anthony Fasano

Losses - Offense: QB Trent Green, QB Cleo Lemon, WR Chris Chambers, WR Marty Booker, RB Jesse Chatman, OG Rex Hadnot, OG Chris Liwienski, OT L.J. Shelton, OG Drew Mormino, OT Cory Lekkerkerker, OT Anthony Alabi, RB Lorenzo Booker, OT Mike Rosenthal, OG Gene Mruczkowski, OT Joe Toledo, RB Samkon Gado
*****
Additions - Defense: DT Jason Ferguson, DT Randy Starks, LB Reggie Torbor, LB Charlie Anderson, LB Akin Ayodele, S Chris Crocker

Losses - Defense: DE Jason Taylor, LB Zach Thomas, DT Keith Traylor, S Travares Tillman, LB Derrick Pope, LB Donnie Spragan, S Cameron Worrell, S Lance Schulters, LB Abraham Wright, DT Steve Fifita
*****
Drafted: LT Jake Long, DE Merling, QB Henne, DT Langford, OT Murphy, OT Donald Thomas, FB Lex Hilliard, RB Jalen Parmele

**********
My Comments:
We don't know if any of these draft picks are any good yet.... on the veteran side of things it looks like we've lost more talent than we've added.

On Defense, Jason Ferguson was a starter until getting injured last year. He is 35... should be a good upgrade over Traylor. The other additions were backups. If I had a choice of DE Randy Starks and LB Akin Ayodele or DE Jason Taylor and LB Zach Thomas... anyways our veterans have been downgraded.

On Offense, Smiley and McKinney replace Hadnot and Liewinski. Upgrade. McCown replaces Cleo Lemon. Push. Backup Wilford replaces Chris Chambers and Marty Booker. Push?

These draft picks better work out this year (unlike the last couple of years).... as these veteran additions don't offer much hope to a lowly 1-15 team.

 

[Butterfrog 2.0]

You say that adding Wilford makes up for the losses of both Chambers and Booker. Well IMO Chambers is better than Wilford by himself but since Chambers wasn't an offseason loss(He was traded week 5 or 6 last season) we really just lost booker and added Wilford which I would say is a plus for us.
When I break it down the valuable players we lost were...... Zach, JT, Lo Book, and maybe Jesse Chatman. The valuable players we added are Wilford, Smiley, & Jake Long. Chatman and Booker were backup RB's who could make plays and our backfield is loaded now so that didn't hurt at all. I think the OL got a very big upgrade with those two guys and Wilford has the ability to make plays that Booker just couldn't. All in all I think our offense will be much better provided they stay healthy but the defense worries me, they will need quite a few players to step up and step up fast. Players like Jason Allen, Phillip Merling, Rodrique Wright, Langford, Ayodele, and Bell need to step it up and stay healthy or our offense is going to need to score 30+ points every week for us to have a shot at watching a victory.

 

[ChambersWI]

as a team we are better overall. Not only because of the new attitude, but we now have players for a set system to run. I'll use the 3-4 as the main examble. We all felt that we were eventually gonna become a 3-4 team since Saban got here, but we never really drafted players for that scheme. Not only do Ferguson,Porter, Ayodele, and Anderson all have experience in the 3-4, but Moses has shown no difficulties switching to OLB, Langford is the perfect DE for the 3-4, and Merling can probably play either DE or OLB in the 3-4 (depending on where they want his weight, he's strong enough to be a DE but is also quick enough to be an OLB)

Yeah our WR corp is unproven. I'm not gonna say we're bad since Wilford has been a solid number 2/red zone guy, Ginn really never got a good chance a WR due to our pathetic passing game last year, and Hagan (while he has had some drops in his 2 year career) has spent those 2 years as the 4th WR (even with the drops, he has shown flashes as well). Then you have guys that have shown flashes in camp (Bess), have had some success elsewhere (Kirkus, though not much), and guys who helped us win (Camarillo). But on paper, we look bad (though I think our game plan will be A.Ronnie B.Ricky C.dump off to Fasano)

 

[Elliott 1]

The Dolphins are significantly better in every aspect of a an NFL team except QB.

Areas of vast improvement are: Coaching, Special Teams and OL.

The Defense is also vastly improved but mostly due to players recovering from injury and being 100 percent.
Such as: Andre Goodman,Vonnie Holiday, Yeremiah Bell and Joey Porter.

Every position is better and deeper than last year including JT's spot. He was horrible against the run last year.

Look for the Dolphins to have a better season than the Redskins and if, by some miracle Favre lands in Miami, the Dolphins WILL go to the playoffs without the ____
Jason Taylor.

 

[Butterfrog 2.0]

But on paper, we look bad (though I think our game plan will be A.Ronnie B.Ricky C.dump off to Fasano)

LoL, I think will be....... A. Run with Ronnie, B. Run with Ricky, C. Dump off to Fasano, Ronnie or Ricky, and D. Repeat A through C

 

[Butterfrog 2.0]

The Dolphins are significantly better in every aspect of a an NFL team except QB.

Areas of vast improvement are: Coaching, Special Teams and OL.

The Defense is also vastly improved but mostly due to players recovering from injury and being 100 percent.
Such as: Andre Goodman,Vonnie Holiday, Yeremiah Bell and Joey Porter.

Every position is better and deeper than last year including JT's spot. He was horrible against the run last year.

Look for the Dolphins to have a better season than the Redskins and if, by some miracle Favre lands in Miami, the Dolphins WILL go to the playoffs without the ____
Jason Taylor.

IDK how but I keep forgetting about Vonnie Holiday who is a very solid player. I agree 100% that they will be better just due to their injured players coming back, but I wouldn't go so far as to say whoever is replacing JT is better than JT, that's stretching it quite a bit.

 

[DolphinsFan23]

My big worry this year is once again ... the QB position. Man, I hope one of these 3 guys is going to become a top 10 QB some day ... hopefully THIS year. I'm tired of worrying about the QB position. One of these days, "the next Marino" will arrive.

No need to worry about our running backs this year. Ronnie and Ricky ought to have a hell of a good year because of our new "hogs" on the Oline. Ronnie and Ricky ought to be happy campers about our new Oline.

Let's also hope that somebody can fill the shoes of Jason Taylor. They'll be some VERY BIG shoes to fill. We need some sackmasters to fill the vacuum left by JT leaving us. One thing we could have gotten from Jason this year is a LOT of good mentoring for the new defensive ends we just got. JT had some very good techniques he could have shown them. JT is a very smart player. The football IQ of the defense will be down this year with JT and Zach gone. The new guys better be learning what they need to learn in training camp. Us Dolphins fans are used to having a pretty good defense.

 

[Canadianfishfan]

How can we evaluate this offseason until they put pads on and play for real? We've brought in the sexy names, the vets, nobodies.. they all have failed.

I'd rather not have expectations.. that way i wont be disappointed.. and just maybe, pleasantly surprised by someone.

 

[ckparrothead]

I like the compact analysis. Good job, Rich.

If I were to do it, I would be tempted to go depth chart position by position.

QB1: John Beck vs. Trent Green - Downgrade
QB2: Josh McCown vs. Cleo Lemon - Push
QB3: Chad Henne vs. John Beck - Upgrade

FB1: Boomer Grigsby vs. Reagan Mauia - Push
RB1: Ronnie Brown vs. Ronnie Brown - Downgrade (injury)
RB2: Ricky Williams vs. Jesse Chatman - Upgrade (massive)
RB3: Jalen Parmele vs. Samkon Gado - Push
RB4: Lex Hilliard vs. Patrick Cobbs - Downgrade

LT: Jake Long vs. Vernon Carey - Downgrade
LG: Steve McKinney vs. Chris Liwiensky - Push
OC: Samson Satele vs. Samson Satele - Upgrade (2nd Yr)
RG: Justin Smiley vs. Rex Hadnot - Push
RT: Vernon Carey vs. L.J. Shelton - Upgrade (massive)
BK1: Trey Darilek vs. Cory Lekkerkerker - Push
BK2: Unnamed vs. Anthony Alabi - Unknown (I'm guessing Pat McQuistan)
BK3: Shawn Murphy vs. Gene Mruczkowski = Upgrade
BK4: Donald Thomas vs. Julius Wilson = Upgrade

TE1: David Martin vs. David Martin - Push
TE2: Anthony Fasano vs. Justin Peelle - Upgrade
TE3: Sean Ryan vs. Aaron Halterman - Upgrade

WR1: Ted Ginn Jr. vs. Chris Chambers - Downgrade
WR2: Ernest Wilford vs. Marty Booker - Upgrade
WR3: Derek Hagan vs. Ted Ginn Jr. - Downgrade
WR4: David Kircus vs. Derek Hagan - Push
WR5: Davone Bess vs. Greg Camarillo - Push

PR: Ted Ginn Jr. vs. Ted Ginn Jr. - Upgrade (2nd Yr)
KR: Ted Ginn Jr. vs. Ted Ginn Jr. - Upgrade (2nd Yr)
LS: John Denney vs. John Denney - Push
K: Jay Feely vs. Jay Feely - Push
P: Brandon Fields vs. Brandon Fields - Upgrade (2nd Yr)

Notes (Offense): Obviously this is just a projected depth chart. I usually give a 2nd year player an automatic upgrade over his 1st year self unless I have specific reason to doubt he'll get better. You end up right a whole lot more than wrong when you think of it like that. I don't give upgrades for any other years but 1st/2nd, although I'd consider it for a 2nd/3rd year QB. There are definitely spots on this depth chart subject to waiver wire theatrics. Particularly, I believe OL Backup #2 will end up a waiver wire claim...and right now I'm thinking it's Pat McQuistan of the Cowboys. I though long and hard about sticking Trey Darilek into the starting lineup, as the coaches seem to like him a lot and veterans have noted that the OL seemed to have its most cohesion thus far when he was in. Plus, McKinney is coming off injury and that dings his chances. But, I think they ultimately picked up McKinney to start so we'll see. Keeping 9 OLs seems about right when you consider the attitude they're trying to instill in the locker room. I'm projecting David Kircus as the #4 WR, Davone Bess as #5. That could change as quickly as the wind blows and both could easily get blown up by a waiver claim. I'm pretty solid on Sean Ryan claiming the #3 TE spot, as he's a Parcells favorite. Before everyone gets uppity about my keeping David Martin at #1 TE...keep in mind I believe the Dolphins will use both TEs equally, as they'll favor 2-TE formations. But, David Martin will have slight priority over Fasano in the passing game, or at least that is my belief.

LDE: Matt Roth vs. Matt Roth - Push
NT: Jason Ferguson vs. Keith Traylor - Upgrade
RDE: Vonnie Holliday vs. Vonnie Holliday - Push
BK1: Phil Merling vs. Rodrique Wright - Push
BK2: Randy Starks vs. Steven Fifita - Upgrade (massive)
BK3: Paul Soliai vs. Paul Soliai - Upgrade (2nd Yr)
BK4: Kendall Langford vs. Derrek Robinson - Upgrade
BK5: Rodrique Wright vs. Anthony Bryant - Upgrade (2nd Yr)

LOLB: Joey Porter vs. Joey Porter - Push
LILB: Channing Crowder vs. Zach Thomas - Downgrade (massive)
RILB: Reggie Torbor vs. Channing Crowder - Push
ROLB: Charlie Anderson vs. Jason Taylor - Downgrade (massive)
BK1: Akin Ayodele vs. Donnie Spragan - Push
BK2: Quentin Moses vs. Quentin Moses - Upgrade (2nd Yr)
BK3: Ed Miles vs. Ed Miles - Upgrade (2nd Yr)
BK4: Junior Glymph vs. Rob Ninkovich - Push

RCB: Andre Goodman vs. Michael Lehan - Upgrade (injury)
FS: Jason Allen vs. Jason Allen - Push
SS: Yeremiah Bell vs. Cameron Worrell - Upgrade (massive)
LCB: Will Allen vs. Will Allen - Push
NB: Michael Lehan vs. Andre Goodman - Upgrade (injury)
BK1: Keith Davis vs. Travares Tillman - Push
BK2: Nate Jones vs. Travis Daniels - Push
BK3: Renaldo Hill vs. Renaldo Hill - Downgrade (injury)
BK4: Chris Crocker vs. Courtney Bryan - Upgrade

Notes (Defense): All just opinion. I know the defensive side of things will get blown up by injuries and waiver claims just as it did a year ago. Obviously we rotated things so much a year ago it's tough to settle on which player to compare with whom. Again, just like with the OL, I think they'll want to keep a full boat of true DLs because of the temper they want to set in the locker room. They want this team to be full of a bunch of big, strong, mean guys. I think Renaldo Hill makes the team because of his versatility between safety and corner. I'm not high on Joey Thomas making this team. I do think Goodman regains his starting spot over Lehan (as he already had in camps even before Lehan got banged up) and I think when Sparano keeps alluding to film study and being surprised at the depth of the corner position, he was primarily talking about Goodman. They should have their 1-2-3 setup as Allen-Goodman-Lehan. Nate Jones seems to be a favored son but he could be displaced by a waiver claim, as could Renaldo Hill. Keith Davis probably here to stay and I get the feeling Chris Crocker as well.

Impact Downgrades: 6 (2 massive, 1 injury)
Total Downgrades: 8 (2 massive, 2 injury)
Impact Upgrades: 9 (3 massive, 2 injury, 1 2nd Yr)
Total Upgrades: 23 (4 massive, 2 injury, 8 2nd Yr)

If you're not buying that a 2nd year player automatically is better than his 1st year self, then go ahead and take out the 8 2nd year upgrades. I still see 15 overall upgrades versus 8 downgrades. Injuries go both ways. If a guy was significantly hurt a year ago and is now healthy he should get an injury upgrade, if a guy was healthy when he played a year ago and is coming off a major surgery, he's downgraded from his healthy self. I see the secondary being aided in two ways by Goodman's getting healthy. It's very logical. Michael Lehan was better than an injured Goodman in 2007, which is why Lehan started over him. However, now that he's healthy, Goodman has supplanted Lehan as starter. Logically, both the starting and nickel positions have been upgraded...unless you believe Lehan showed up to camp significantly worse than he was a year ago, for unknown reasons.

 

[ckparrothead]

How can we evaluate this offseason until they put pads on and play for real?

We can't. This is all just talk. But, we can make educated guesses based on past records and observations of these guys' performances...as long as you're sufficiently conservative about what is actually an upgrade and what is just a push (until you see more).

 

[SCLSU Mud Dogs]

The Dolphins are significantly better in every aspect of a an NFL team except QB.

Areas of vast improvement are: Coaching, Special Teams and OL.

The Defense is also vastly improved but mostly due to players recovering from injury and being 100 percent.
Such as: Andre Goodman,Vonnie Holiday, Yeremiah Bell and Joey Porter.

Every position is better and deeper than last year including JT's spot. He was horrible against the run last year.

Look for the Dolphins to have a better season than the Redskins and if, by some miracle Favre lands in Miami, the Dolphins WILL go to the playoffs without the ____
Jason Taylor.

how can you say we aren't better at QB?
drafted another guy in the second round, and beck has more experience and has been working his *** off all offseason. We did improve at quarterback.

 

[Rich]

"how can you say we aren't better at QB?
drafted another guy in the second round, and beck has more experience and has been working his *** off all offseason. We did improve at quarterback."
-- This is just a transaction-based glimpse of the job of the GM.

McCown has done nothing in this league, is he better than Cleo Lemon? Maybe? Is he better than Former Pro-bowler Trent Green? Probably not. If McCown turns into Rich Gannon, then Ireland is a genious. I wouldn't bet money on it though, based on what he's done in the past.

As for Beck, we had him last year.... so there is no transaction. If he is coached better, and plays better, terrific. Perhaps we should not anticipate a third-string guy to turn into Dan Marino overnight, though.

As for Henne, he has no NFL record, so he's hard to evaluate, like our other draft picks. If Henne is the starter, great. I hope he goes to the pro-bowl. Time will tell.

 

[Rich]

CK,
I liked your position evaluation... This year vs. last year. 1 more month and we'll see what all these new guys can do.

 

[dolphinsbshaw72]

i like all our new guys.. i hope beck gets the start.. like his work ethic and attitude.. but i will back who ever the front offices decides.. can't wait to see if porter still can bring it like he did in pit...

 

[ZILLA]

I like the compact analysis. Good job, Rich.

If I were to do it, I would be tempted to go depth chart position by position.

QB1: John Beck vs. Trent Green - Downgrade
QB2: Josh McCown vs. Cleo Lemon - Push
QB3: Chad Henne vs. John Beck - Upgrade

FB1: Boomer Grigsby vs. Reagan Mauia - Push
RB1: Ronnie Brown vs. Ronnie Brown - Downgrade (injury)
RB2: Ricky Williams vs. Jesse Chatman - Upgrade (massive)
RB3: Jalen Parmele vs. Samkon Gado - Push
RB4: Lex Hilliard vs. Patrick Cobbs - Downgrade

LT: Jake Long vs. Vernon Carey - Downgrade
LG: Steve McKinney vs. Chris Liwiensky - Push
OC: Samson Satele vs. Samson Satele - Upgrade (2nd Yr)
RG: Justin Smiley vs. Rex Hadnot - Push
RT: Vernon Carey vs. L.J. Shelton - Upgrade (massive)
BK1: Trey Darilek vs. Cory Lekkerkerker - Push
BK2: Unnamed vs. Anthony Alabi - Unknown (I'm guessing Pat McQuistan)
BK3: Shawn Murphy vs. Gene Mruczkowski = Upgrade
BK4: Donald Thomas vs. Julius Wilson = Upgrade

TE1: David Martin vs. David Martin - Push
TE2: Anthony Fasano vs. Justin Peelle - Upgrade
TE3: Sean Ryan vs. Aaron Halterman - Upgrade

WR1: Ted Ginn Jr. vs. Chris Chambers - Downgrade
WR2: Ernest Wilford vs. Marty Booker - Upgrade
WR3: Derek Hagan vs. Ted Ginn Jr. - Downgrade
WR4: David Kircus vs. Derek Hagan - Push
WR5: Davone Bess vs. Greg Camarillo - Push

PR: Ted Ginn Jr. vs. Ted Ginn Jr. - Upgrade (2nd Yr)
KR: Ted Ginn Jr. vs. Ted Ginn Jr. - Upgrade (2nd Yr)
LS: John Denney vs. John Denney - Push
K: Jay Feely vs. Jay Feely - Push
P: Brandon Fields vs. Brandon Fields - Upgrade (2nd Yr)

Notes (Offense): Obviously this is just a projected depth chart. I usually give a 2nd year player an automatic upgrade over his 1st year self unless I have specific reason to doubt he'll get better. You end up right a whole lot more than wrong when you think of it like that. I don't give upgrades for any other years but 1st/2nd, although I'd consider it for a 2nd/3rd year QB. There are definitely spots on this depth chart subject to waiver wire theatrics. Particularly, I believe OL Backup #2 will end up a waiver wire claim...and right now I'm thinking it's Pat McQuistan of the Cowboys. I though long and hard about sticking Trey Darilek into the starting lineup, as the coaches seem to like him a lot and veterans have noted that the OL seemed to have its most cohesion thus far when he was in. Plus, McKinney is coming off injury and that dings his chances. But, I think they ultimately picked up McKinney to start so we'll see. Keeping 9 OLs seems about right when you consider the attitude they're trying to instill in the locker room. I'm projecting David Kircus as the #4 WR, Davone Bess as #5. That could change as quickly as the wind blows and both could easily get blown up by a waiver claim. I'm pretty solid on Sean Ryan claiming the #3 TE spot, as he's a Parcells favorite. Before everyone gets uppity about my keeping David Martin at #1 TE...keep in mind I believe the Dolphins will use both TEs equally, as they'll favor 2-TE formations. But, David Martin will have slight priority over Fasano in the passing game, or at least that is my belief.

LDE: Matt Roth vs. Matt Roth - Push
NT: Jason Ferguson vs. Keith Traylor - Upgrade
RDE: Vonnie Holliday vs. Vonnie Holliday - Push
BK1: Phil Merling vs. Rodrique Wright - Push
BK2: Randy Starks vs. Steven Fifita - Upgrade (massive)
BK3: Paul Soliai vs. Paul Soliai - Upgrade (2nd Yr)
BK4: Kendall Langford vs. Derrek Robinson - Upgrade
BK5: Rodrique Wright vs. Anthony Bryant - Upgrade (2nd Yr)

LOLB: Joey Porter vs. Joey Porter - Push
LILB: Channing Crowder vs. Zach Thomas - Downgrade (massive)
RILB: Reggie Torbor vs. Channing Crowder - Push
ROLB: Charlie Anderson vs. Jason Taylor - Downgrade (massive)
BK1: Akin Ayodele vs. Donnie Spragan - Push
BK2: Quentin Moses vs. Quentin Moses - Upgrade (2nd Yr)
BK3: Ed Miles vs. Ed Miles - Upgrade (2nd Yr)
BK4: Junior Glymph vs. Rob Ninkovich - Push

RCB: Andre Goodman vs. Michael Lehan - Upgrade (injury)
FS: Jason Allen vs. Jason Allen - Push
SS: Yeremiah Bell vs. Cameron Worrell - Upgrade (massive)
LCB: Will Allen vs. Will Allen - Push
NB: Michael Lehan vs. Andre Goodman - Upgrade (injury)
BK1: Keith Davis vs. Travares Tillman - Push
BK2: Nate Jones vs. Travis Daniels - Push
BK3: Renaldo Hill vs. Renaldo Hill - Downgrade (injury)
BK4: Chris Crocker vs. Courtney Bryan - Upgrade

Notes (Defense): All just opinion. I know the defensive side of things will get blown up by injuries and waiver claims just as it did a year ago. Obviously we rotated things so much a year ago it's tough to settle on which player to compare with whom. Again, just like with the OL, I think they'll want to keep a full boat of true DLs because of the temper they want to set in the locker room. They want this team to be full of a bunch of big, strong, mean guys. I think Renaldo Hill makes the team because of his versatility between safety and corner. I'm not high on Joey Thomas making this team. I do think Goodman regains his starting spot over Lehan (as he already had in camps even before Lehan got banged up) and I think when Sparano keeps alluding to film study and being surprised at the depth of the corner position, he was primarily talking about Goodman. They should have their 1-2-3 setup as Allen-Goodman-Lehan. Nate Jones seems to be a favored son but he could be displaced by a waiver claim, as could Renaldo Hill. Keith Davis probably here to stay and I get the feeling Chris Crocker as well.

Impact Downgrades: 6 (2 massive, 1 injury)
Total Downgrades: 8 (2 massive, 2 injury)
Impact Upgrades: 9 (3 massive, 2 injury, 1 2nd Yr)
Total Upgrades: 23 (4 massive, 2 injury, 8 2nd Yr)

If you're not buying that a 2nd year player automatically is better than his 1st year self, then go ahead and take out the 8 2nd year upgrades. I still see 15 overall upgrades versus 8 downgrades. Injuries go both ways. If a guy was significantly hurt a year ago and is now healthy he should get an injury upgrade, if a guy was healthy when he played a year ago and is coming off a major surgery, he's downgraded from his healthy self. I see the secondary being aided in two ways by Goodman's getting healthy. It's very logical. Michael Lehan was better than an injured Goodman in 2007, which is why Lehan started over him. However, now that he's healthy, Goodman has supplanted Lehan as starter. Logically, both the starting and nickel positions have been upgraded...unless you believe Lehan showed up to camp significantly worse than he was a year ago, for unknown reasons.

:hi5:

your awesome