Phinsfan210
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Ok we are a week away from the pre-season and things are heating up. So here is my full preview of our 2008 Dolphins.
MVP-Ronnie Brown
Offensive MVP-Ronnie Brown
Defensive MVP-Joey Porter
Breakout Player-Ted Ginn Jr.
Rookie of The Year-Jake Long
Most Improved Player-Derek Hagan
2008 Record-7-9 (3rd place finish in AFC East)
Its a new era here in Miami. Say goodbye to the horrable front office decsisions that have plagued this team for years now and say hello to the new front office. The new front office is lead by the one and only, "The Tuna". Bill Parcells, Jeff Ireland, and Tony Sparano together have overhauled the roster, and have brought in new young players along with what is the Dolphins best draft class in many years. The Dolphins are greatly improved in almost every area and wont look the same as their previous 1-15 team, however expecting dramatic changes in the record is just plain unrealistic.
Coaching B+
Bill Parcells fired almost every single coach except for 2 and raided the cowboys coaching staff. Now that is some serious turnover. Gone is Cam Cameron, who flopped in his one year as head coach. Gone is Dom Capers and Keith Armstrong who both have been greatly criticized for part of last years disaster. Enter Tony Sparano who along with Offensive coordinator Dan Henning intends on bringing smash mouth football to Miami. Were talking power running where lineman pave the way. Bring in Paul Pasqualoni to lead a very young and rejuvenated defense. Overall the coaching has gotten much better.
Offense
Quarterbacks C-
Its going to be a three way race all the way through training camp and pre-season for who will be the starting quarterback for the Dolphins. Option 1 is John Beck. John Beck was the second overall pick by the dolphins in last years draft. Beck had limited oppurtunites last season and didnt show much positives, instead many negatives. He look flustered in the pocket, and usually didnt know where to go with the ball hence causing many mistakes. John Beck has worked hard in the off-season and should be much better prepared this year. Option 2 is Journeyman Quarterback Josh McCown. Josh McCown comes from the Raiders and has a ridicoulous athletic body for a quarterback but hes a gambler. He can throw the ball down the field and make great passes, but at the same time he throws many mistakes and that is why he has proved to be nothing more then a backup his whole career. Option 3 is Chad Henne. Chad was drafted in the 2nd round as the 57th pick overall, and seems to be the quarterback of the future for Bill Parcells and CO. He has the strongest arm of the trio and if he doesnt win the starting job, expect to see him in the game at some point this season.
Its going to be a three way race all the way through training camp and pre-season for who will be the starting quarterback for the Dolphins. Option 1 is John Beck. John Beck was the second overall pick by the dolphins in last years draft. Beck had limited oppurtunites last season and didnt show much positives, instead many negatives. He look flustered in the pocket, and usually didnt know where to go with the ball hence causing many mistakes. John Beck has worked hard in the off-season and should be much better prepared this year. Option 2 is Journeyman Quarterback Josh McCown. Josh McCown comes from the Raiders and has a ridicoulous athletic body for a quarterback but hes a gambler. He can throw the ball down the field and make great passes, but at the same time he throws many mistakes and that is why he has proved to be nothing more then a backup his whole career. Option 3 is Chad Henne. Chad was drafted in the 2nd round as the 57th pick overall, and seems to be the quarterback of the future for Bill Parcells and CO. He has the strongest arm of the trio and if he doesnt win the starting job, expect to see him in the game at some point this season.
Running Backs A-
After 6 weeks in 2007, despite no wins, Ronnie Brown was looking not only like an all star, but an MVP. Ronnie was leading the NFL in yeards from scrimmage and was finally learning to stop dancing around the line and start using power running. However, Ronnie got injured in week 7 by tearing a ligament in his knee. He along with the Dolphins are hopeful that a full return is in order, however if that not be the case, the Miami Dolphins have runningback Ricky Williams. Williams has been a risk these past couple of years, but he is a risk the dolphins are willing to take. So far in training camp, Williams has proved that he has his old speed back and could be on the path back to greatness. Jalen Parmele and Lex Hilliard were both drafted this past year and both are power runners. As for the Fullbacks, Reagan Mauia aka the Juggernaut had a good rookie season but he must fend off Boomer Grisby to win the starting job.
Wide Receivers D
This might be the weakest part of the team. After trading away Chris Chambers last year and letting Marty Booker go in the off-season, the receiving core is young and inexperianced. Looking to take the number 1 Receiver role is last years first round pick, Ted Ginn Jr. In his rookie year, Ginn showed lightning fast speed and good hands. Now its time for him to get his route running down and put it all together to be a good receiver. Ernest Wilford, previously a Jaguars receiver, was brought in because of his tremendous size and great red zone ability. This is the make or break season for Derek Hagan. If he doesnt have a good season, and prove he should be on this roster, hes gone at the end of the season. Hes fast and has good route running abilty, but makes some bonehead drops. Other receievers include last years savior, Greg Camarillo, Tab Perry, and David Kircus. Two longshots to make the team are Devone Bess and Jayson Foster.
Tight Ends B-
David Martin failed to prove anything other then hes old and heavy-footed. However, hes still on the team but could lose his starting job to newcomer Anthony Fasano. Fasano has been in the shadows of All-Star Jason Witten for the past couple of years. Fasano has shown he has good hands and is a fundamentally good player. Other Tight ends include Sean Ryan and Justin Peele.
Offensive Line A-
The offensive line was one of the few bright spots last year for the Dolphins. Rookie Samson Satele proved that he is the Center of the future for the Dolphins and Vernon Carey proved himself as well and is now truly earning that first round money he got when drafted. The Dolphins signed Justin Smiley from the 49ers and hope that he continues to pull smoothly despite bad shoulders. With the first pick in the 2008 NFL draft, the miami Dolphins select Offensive Lineman Jake Long. Jake long hopefully will prove to be a great OLT and an anchor this offensive line that hopefully will pave the way for a power running game. Also in the mix for starting positions are rookies Donald Thomas and Shawn Murphey, along with Darilek.
Overall Offense B-
The offense is going to run a power running game combined with a lot of play-action passing. It may not be the most exciting offense, but it will score points. O coordinator Dan Henning has proven to be successful wherever he has gone and this will be no different. The Dolphins hope the next Dan Marino is somewhere in the trio fighting for the starting QB job. Overall, this offense has shored up its offensive line and should be able to put enough points on the board each game to give this team a chance to win.
Defense After 6 weeks in 2007, despite no wins, Ronnie Brown was looking not only like an all star, but an MVP. Ronnie was leading the NFL in yeards from scrimmage and was finally learning to stop dancing around the line and start using power running. However, Ronnie got injured in week 7 by tearing a ligament in his knee. He along with the Dolphins are hopeful that a full return is in order, however if that not be the case, the Miami Dolphins have runningback Ricky Williams. Williams has been a risk these past couple of years, but he is a risk the dolphins are willing to take. So far in training camp, Williams has proved that he has his old speed back and could be on the path back to greatness. Jalen Parmele and Lex Hilliard were both drafted this past year and both are power runners. As for the Fullbacks, Reagan Mauia aka the Juggernaut had a good rookie season but he must fend off Boomer Grisby to win the starting job.
Wide Receivers D
This might be the weakest part of the team. After trading away Chris Chambers last year and letting Marty Booker go in the off-season, the receiving core is young and inexperianced. Looking to take the number 1 Receiver role is last years first round pick, Ted Ginn Jr. In his rookie year, Ginn showed lightning fast speed and good hands. Now its time for him to get his route running down and put it all together to be a good receiver. Ernest Wilford, previously a Jaguars receiver, was brought in because of his tremendous size and great red zone ability. This is the make or break season for Derek Hagan. If he doesnt have a good season, and prove he should be on this roster, hes gone at the end of the season. Hes fast and has good route running abilty, but makes some bonehead drops. Other receievers include last years savior, Greg Camarillo, Tab Perry, and David Kircus. Two longshots to make the team are Devone Bess and Jayson Foster.
Tight Ends B-
David Martin failed to prove anything other then hes old and heavy-footed. However, hes still on the team but could lose his starting job to newcomer Anthony Fasano. Fasano has been in the shadows of All-Star Jason Witten for the past couple of years. Fasano has shown he has good hands and is a fundamentally good player. Other Tight ends include Sean Ryan and Justin Peele.
Offensive Line A-
The offensive line was one of the few bright spots last year for the Dolphins. Rookie Samson Satele proved that he is the Center of the future for the Dolphins and Vernon Carey proved himself as well and is now truly earning that first round money he got when drafted. The Dolphins signed Justin Smiley from the 49ers and hope that he continues to pull smoothly despite bad shoulders. With the first pick in the 2008 NFL draft, the miami Dolphins select Offensive Lineman Jake Long. Jake long hopefully will prove to be a great OLT and an anchor this offensive line that hopefully will pave the way for a power running game. Also in the mix for starting positions are rookies Donald Thomas and Shawn Murphey, along with Darilek.
Overall Offense B-
The offense is going to run a power running game combined with a lot of play-action passing. It may not be the most exciting offense, but it will score points. O coordinator Dan Henning has proven to be successful wherever he has gone and this will be no different. The Dolphins hope the next Dan Marino is somewhere in the trio fighting for the starting QB job. Overall, this offense has shored up its offensive line and should be able to put enough points on the board each game to give this team a chance to win.
Defensive Lineman C+
Last year, The Dolphins ran a 4-3, but now Parcells and CO. have switchted to a 3-4. Therefore there are 3 down lineman and 4 linebackers. During Free agency, parcells went out and got his man Jason Ferguson to become the starting NT. He also went out and got DT Randy Starks. Ferguson has followed Parcells around everywhere and he will be splitting reps with Starks. Paul Soliai was drafted last year by Randy Mueller and did very poorly in his rookie season. However, Tony Sparano likes what he sees in Soliai who lost 30 lbs during the off-season. As of right now, the most talented D-lineman is Veteran Vonnie Holliday who will play an end spot in this 3-4 defense. Holliday struggles with consistency and injuries have continuely set him back, but he has proven that at times he can be one of the most dangerous lineman in the game. Matt Roth has a make or break year coming up, as he has to prove he is not a bust and make some plays. Parcells drafted Philip Merling in the second round and Kendall Langford in the 3rd round. Both have the prototypical size for the 3-4 defense and are the future of this defensive line. Lionel Dotson was also drafted as a D-lineman in the 7th round.
Linebackers B-
The Dolphins lost one of their best players in franchise history, MLB Zach Thomas, as he was released and went to the cowboys. The Dolphins also lost another one of their best players in franchise history, OLB Jason Taylor, he was traded to the Washington Redskins. Besides being all stars for many years, another thing these two had in common is that they are both OLD! So now the linebacking core is made up mainly of Joey Porter, Channing Crowder, Akin Ayodele, Reggie Torbor, Quentin Moses, and Charlie Anderson. Porter was a mismatch in the defensive system ran last year and he is expected to have a monster year in his old system. Channing Crowder and Reggie Torbor are both good players. Crowder needs to prove he can fill Thomas's shoes even with durability concerns. Torber can rush the passer well, however he will be an ILB in this 3-4 system. Akin Ayodele was brought over from the cowboys, and he is certain to see many minutes on the field. Charlie Anderson has surprised coaches and fans alike in training camp and people are starting to believe he can come on in and take on a role previoously lead by Jason Taylor. Quentin Moses had flashes last year at D end, but has been moved to Linebacker.
Secondary B+
This is by far one of the most under-rated units in the NFL. Cornerback Will Allen proved last year that he is tough and scrappy and is worthy of guarding the opposing teams number 1 receiver. He doesnt let his man have seperation but bigger receivers can out muscle him. The other CB job is a fight between Michael Lehan, Andre Goodman and Nathan Jones. In training camp, Jones impressed many on the first couple of days. The safety positions will be lead by Jason Allen who started to prove last year that he is indeed not a bus. Travis Daniels will see significant playing time while Yeremiah Bell comes back off a torn Achilles injury. Bell has proven that he could be an allstar when healthy. Renaldo Hill and Keith Davis will be fighting for a starting job as well.
Overall Defense C +
Last year the Dolphins had the worst run stopping defense in the league. It was an aging defense that teams were able to run over in the second half of games. However things have changed. Paul Pasqualoni brings a 3-4 system, and Parcells has brought the players that fit in it. THe 2008 offseason was the first part to rebuilding this defense, as the draft brought young studs like Philip Merling and Kendall Langford, while free agency brought guys like Charlie Anderson, Randy Starks, Reggie Torbor and Akin Ayodele. The thing that all these players have in common is that their best days are all ahead of him. We shall see how this new, energized, young defense will hold up in 2008.
Special TeamsLast year, The Dolphins ran a 4-3, but now Parcells and CO. have switchted to a 3-4. Therefore there are 3 down lineman and 4 linebackers. During Free agency, parcells went out and got his man Jason Ferguson to become the starting NT. He also went out and got DT Randy Starks. Ferguson has followed Parcells around everywhere and he will be splitting reps with Starks. Paul Soliai was drafted last year by Randy Mueller and did very poorly in his rookie season. However, Tony Sparano likes what he sees in Soliai who lost 30 lbs during the off-season. As of right now, the most talented D-lineman is Veteran Vonnie Holliday who will play an end spot in this 3-4 defense. Holliday struggles with consistency and injuries have continuely set him back, but he has proven that at times he can be one of the most dangerous lineman in the game. Matt Roth has a make or break year coming up, as he has to prove he is not a bust and make some plays. Parcells drafted Philip Merling in the second round and Kendall Langford in the 3rd round. Both have the prototypical size for the 3-4 defense and are the future of this defensive line. Lionel Dotson was also drafted as a D-lineman in the 7th round.
Linebackers B-
The Dolphins lost one of their best players in franchise history, MLB Zach Thomas, as he was released and went to the cowboys. The Dolphins also lost another one of their best players in franchise history, OLB Jason Taylor, he was traded to the Washington Redskins. Besides being all stars for many years, another thing these two had in common is that they are both OLD! So now the linebacking core is made up mainly of Joey Porter, Channing Crowder, Akin Ayodele, Reggie Torbor, Quentin Moses, and Charlie Anderson. Porter was a mismatch in the defensive system ran last year and he is expected to have a monster year in his old system. Channing Crowder and Reggie Torbor are both good players. Crowder needs to prove he can fill Thomas's shoes even with durability concerns. Torber can rush the passer well, however he will be an ILB in this 3-4 system. Akin Ayodele was brought over from the cowboys, and he is certain to see many minutes on the field. Charlie Anderson has surprised coaches and fans alike in training camp and people are starting to believe he can come on in and take on a role previoously lead by Jason Taylor. Quentin Moses had flashes last year at D end, but has been moved to Linebacker.
Secondary B+
This is by far one of the most under-rated units in the NFL. Cornerback Will Allen proved last year that he is tough and scrappy and is worthy of guarding the opposing teams number 1 receiver. He doesnt let his man have seperation but bigger receivers can out muscle him. The other CB job is a fight between Michael Lehan, Andre Goodman and Nathan Jones. In training camp, Jones impressed many on the first couple of days. The safety positions will be lead by Jason Allen who started to prove last year that he is indeed not a bus. Travis Daniels will see significant playing time while Yeremiah Bell comes back off a torn Achilles injury. Bell has proven that he could be an allstar when healthy. Renaldo Hill and Keith Davis will be fighting for a starting job as well.
Overall Defense C +
Last year the Dolphins had the worst run stopping defense in the league. It was an aging defense that teams were able to run over in the second half of games. However things have changed. Paul Pasqualoni brings a 3-4 system, and Parcells has brought the players that fit in it. THe 2008 offseason was the first part to rebuilding this defense, as the draft brought young studs like Philip Merling and Kendall Langford, while free agency brought guys like Charlie Anderson, Randy Starks, Reggie Torbor and Akin Ayodele. The thing that all these players have in common is that their best days are all ahead of him. We shall see how this new, energized, young defense will hold up in 2008.
Kicking B+
Jay Feely was one of the few bright spots last year, as he erased the memory of 29 yard field goals being missed by Olindo Mare. He is a very accurate kicker but lacks strength to hit the big kick. Dave Rayner was signed in the off-season and most likely will take kickoff duties.
Punting B+
Brandon Fields was a rookie last season and was a pleasant surprise as he showed the ability to put good hangtime on his punts.
Kickoff and Punt Returns A+
I know what your thinking. How in the world could this unit after what it showed last year get an A +. Well most of the players that made up that unit last year are gone. Bill Parcells signed alot of players in the off-season that specialize on the blocking unit of Special Teams. With Ted Ginn Jr.'s blazing speed and homerun ability, expect this unit to be the most improved unit of any on the Dolphins.
Overall Special Teams A-
Last year, the blocking and covering units were abysmal. That is why a host of new faces will be in there this year. Ted Ginn has the ability to change a game with returns. Expect about the same from the kicking and punting units which isnt neccessarly a bad thing. But Expect dramatic changes everywhere else with this unit.
OverallJay Feely was one of the few bright spots last year, as he erased the memory of 29 yard field goals being missed by Olindo Mare. He is a very accurate kicker but lacks strength to hit the big kick. Dave Rayner was signed in the off-season and most likely will take kickoff duties.
Punting B+
Brandon Fields was a rookie last season and was a pleasant surprise as he showed the ability to put good hangtime on his punts.
Kickoff and Punt Returns A+
I know what your thinking. How in the world could this unit after what it showed last year get an A +. Well most of the players that made up that unit last year are gone. Bill Parcells signed alot of players in the off-season that specialize on the blocking unit of Special Teams. With Ted Ginn Jr.'s blazing speed and homerun ability, expect this unit to be the most improved unit of any on the Dolphins.
Overall Special Teams A-
Last year, the blocking and covering units were abysmal. That is why a host of new faces will be in there this year. Ted Ginn has the ability to change a game with returns. Expect about the same from the kicking and punting units which isnt neccessarly a bad thing. But Expect dramatic changes everywhere else with this unit.
After a 1-15 disaster, there's nowhere to go but up for the Dolphins. While theres far to much uncertainty on both sides of the ball to think this team can contend for a playoff spot, they will be much more competitive and can even pull off an 8-8 record if most things go according to plan. The Miami Dolphins are a long-term reclamation project, and 2008 is just the first step in the process.
2008 Dolphins Predictions
MVP-Ronnie Brown
Offensive MVP-Ronnie Brown
Defensive MVP-Joey Porter
Breakout Player-Ted Ginn Jr.
Rookie of The Year-Jake Long
Most Improved Player-Derek Hagan
2008 Record-7-9 (3rd place finish in AFC East)
