Phins Continue To Forget Left Tackle

[Phanatical]

Right now, this is still the Phins biggest problem, there is no legitimate starting or backup LT on the team.

Carey tried it once and failed and Alibi just had surgery and has never started a game there. Who else do they have???

This is where they did poorly in the draft. There were plenty of LT's available that have potential to start. For instance, they could have taken Beck in the first round if they graded him so high and then taken Tony Ugoh at 40 (selected at 42), or they could have stuck with the Ginn and Beck picks and then taken Allen Barbre at 108 (taken at 119), or Doug Free at 108 (taken at 122)

Apparently the Phins also missed their chance to sign couple of promising undrafted players like Gabe Hall, OT, Texas Tech (you KNOW we've had good luck with Texas Teck players) or Dane Uperesa, OT, Hawaii (hey, we might as well have taken their entire OL).

Maybe none of these guys will pan out like the two no names they just recently signed (Julius Wilson, OT, UAB and Marion Dukes, OT Clemson), but the above guys were all projected much higher and the odds are better than these recent signings.

This has been a problem that continues to wreak havoc on our seasons and will once again cause us to finish 8-8 at best.

Sorry Phin fans, the brass missed the mark on this one during the draft.

No OL = no playoffs.

 

[Trowa]

How does a team finish 8-9? However, I do agree with you. LT was a pressing need that didn't get addressed in the draft. Hopefully Carey with 2 more years under his belt and with the tutilige of Hudson Houck can move over and play the LT position successfully. If not we'll be in the same situation come next year's draft.

 

[WISfinfan13]

See the Top story when you open this thread...Or look back at through my old posts...Vernon Carey is going to be a very good LT...Money in the bank baby..

 

[NorthFLPhin]

Both Gabe Hall and Upresa have already signed, I was hoping we'd be able to get one of them as well. Oh well, guess we're gonna have to wait till next year for that franchise LT. Hopefully a servicable veteran will be cut in June to provide a stop gap

 

[DolfanISS]

I've been looking at the offensive line a bit and feel folks would be surprised with some things I noticed. The Miami Dolphins running game had the best YPC in the AFC East in 2006, even with Ronnie missing 2 games. They also gave up 41 sacks but 21 came from weeks 1 - 5 with a gimpy Culpepper and before the reshuffle. After that they gave up 20 for the rest of the season. I don't think the offensive line is where we want it to be but I don't think it's as bad as many feel it is. Best advice I can give to the staff, pick 5 guys early and stick with them. Long drawn out open competitions will only hurt the line because that will lead to it gaining continuity in weeks 1 - 4. Waste of time, please Cam pick 5 guys early and stick with them and we will be OK.

 

[FinNasty]

Carey did not fail at LT. I watched him in person during the TC that he received reps at LT... and he was impressive. This is a quote from one of my TC reports on July 25th, 2005...

Carey - I had heard that he was holding his own against JT, but its hard to believe that unless you see it yourself. Well... I didnt see him beat him once (If he did, I didnt see it) He looked pretty damn good. He really was holding his own out there.

http://www.finheaven.com/boardvb2/showthread.php?t=86920


The reason he was moved from LT was because Stockar McDougle sucked horribly at RT. We had McIntosh... and of the 2... Carey was more equiped to play RT, since McIntosh was serviceable on the left.

We moved him due to NEED... not because he failed...

He is going to be a very good LT. His strength is pass protection... and he has done a great job when facing top passrushing DEs...

 

[Phanatical]

How does a team finish 8-9? However, I do agree with you. LT was a pressing need that didn't get addressed in the draft. Hopefully Carey with 2 more years under his belt and with the tutilige of Hudson Houck can move over and play the LT position successfully. If not we'll be in the same situation come next year's draft.

8-9 was a typo, sorry, it's fixed. I hope you are right about Carey, otherwise it's going to be another long year.

 

[Phanatical]

Both Gabe Hall and Upresa have already signed, I was hoping we'd be able to get one of them as well. Oh well, guess we're gonna have to wait till next year for that franchise LT. Hopefully a servicable veteran will be cut in June to provide a stop gap

Gosh darn it, that would have been a huge help, who signed them?

 

[Phanatical]

See the Top story when you open this thread...Or look back at through my old posts...Vernon Carey is going to be a very good LT...Money in the bank baby..

Even assuming that's true, that leaves us without our RT and without a backup at LT or RT. So, we've got 1 out of 4 spots filled.

NOT a good position to be in.

 

[FinNasty]

Even assuming that's true, that leaves us without our RT and without a backup at LT or RT. So, we've got 1 out of 4 spots filled.

NOT a good position to be in.

I disagree with you there...

I think we already have our RT. Shelton. I think we had our Tackles... and were filling our interior line. He can definatly play RT. IMO, that is the postion that would ge get the most out of him. He has the size and power for a RT, and enough quickness to play RT as well (just not enough to play LT). We move Hadnot back to guard (where he was better) on the left, put Satele at C, and put Toledo at RG (who won the starting position last year before he got hurt).

So our line looks like this:

LT - Vernon Carey
LG - Rex Hadnot
C - Samson Satele
RG - Joe Toledo
RT - LJ Shelton

I am good with this line.

 

[Phanatical]

I disagree with you there...

I think we already have our RT. Shelton. I think we had our Tackles... and were filling our interior line. He can definatly play RT. IMO, that is the postion that would ge get the most out of him. He has the size and power for a RT, and enough quickness to play RT as well (just not enough to play LT). We move Hadnot back to guard (where he was better) on the left, put Satele at C, and put Toledo at RG (who won the starting position last year before he got hurt).

So our line looks like this:

LT - Vernon Carey
LG - Rex Hadnot
C - Samson Satele
RG - Joe Toledo
RT - LJ Shelton

I am good with this line.

How can you disagree? It's a fact, Shelton struggled at tackle and did well at left guard. Carey struggled at LT and did well at RT. They should have left Carey and Shelton on the right side of the line and picked up some LT's in the draft. The Phins line is still not fixed and once again, assuming you are right about Carey, where's his backup?

 

[FinNasty]

How can you disagree? It's a fact, Shelton struggled at guard and did well at center. Carey struggled at LT and did well at RT. They should have left Carey and Shelton on the right side of the line and picked up some LT's in the draft. The Phins line is still not fixed and once again, assuming you are right about Carey, where's his backup?

Go back and read post #6. Carey never struggled at LT. Did you even get a chance to see him play LT? I did... and he did damn good for basically a rookie.

Shelton was solid at guard last year... and when the hell did Shelton play Center?!???

 

[VT Dolphan]

You're preaching to the choir man, I am still in awe that we didn't draft a single tackle prospect. As for drafting John Beck in the first round...half the fan base wants Mueller's head as is, I'm pretty sure he would already be dead if we drafted Beck at nine.

 

[Phanatical]

Go back and read post #6. Carey never struggled at LT. Did you even get a chance to see him play LT? I did... and he did damn good for basically a rookie.

Shelton was solid at guard last year... and when the hell did Shelton play Center?!???

Oh come on, don't start with the "did you ever see him play" stuff. Yes, I've watched every Dolphins game since 1971. Yes, I meant left guard, not center, sorry getting late and sloppy.

Yes, Carey did OK but by his own admission is more comfortable at RT.

Again, why would you breakup the RT and RG tandem that worked well last year and where are the backups? You've not answered that yet.

 

[Trowa]

We have 3 guys who can play tackle in Carey, Alabi, and Shelton. We have 3 guys who can play center with Hadnot, Satele and Mormino. And We have 5 guys who can play guard with Hadnot, Liwienski, Satele, Toledo and Stevenson.