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Secondary Is A Place Of Optimism

phin1984!

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I think the secondary in the new defence Brian Flores will adapt, will relay heavily on the secondary due to personnel packages and assignments. I also believe the secondary has the biggest potential to improve, to what level is a different question.

This could have been a selling point of Miami to Flores. It would be a logical opportunity for Flores given the potential of the secondary and the importance of the secondary in his scheme or a pitch by Flores at his interview. Which if I were Ross I would have been all on board as it makes too much sense to pass up on someones plan when the pieces are already potentially in place. A defensive plan, which may I add stopped the No1 and No2 offences in the biggest game and second biggest game of the season. Which the secondary played a massive part in the wins.

Starters

X - Elite or top 3 CB1
(When was last time we truly had a player who was top 3 in his position? Cam Wake in his prime or Jake Long maybe) Lyndsay think highly of him

Fitz - Slot CB Currently Elite/Potentially top 3 FS Currently Average/Potentially Elie
PFF think of him highly. Could really light it up if he can concentrate on Slot CB and maybe FS. He even said in interview he felt unprepared last year. That is signs of dreadful coaching and Matt Burke thinking too much out of the box and try tricking teams with the wide 9 or even worse he knew it was a failed system with limited success but knew no other coaching method? Not to mention not playing Fitz with any other thought of blocking holes to win now but potentially halting the development of one of out best prospects in years. One word dreadful

McCain - Potentially above average FS/Currently Good slot CB
Either play him in slot or hope he can train as a FS. In the slot he has proven to be able to play at a good standard just don't play him on the boundary. If Fitz can master FS then these two can interchangeable, good move by Flores and staff, its worth at least a try. There is no reason to believe he cant develop into an above average FS, lets keep expectations realistic. He would only have to be an above average FS with the ability of the two mentioned above the secondary is starting to take shape.

Jones - Above average SS
Jones has been injured lately put is still capable creating turnovers and playing with the best of them but is only going to be slower next year and he was a liability in certain coverages last year. If the game plan can mask these weakness then we are looking solid from a personnel stand point.

Rowe - Potentially Good CB2
The wild card of the pack. Has the potential to be a good CB2 but oftinjured. At the minimum he can be a good CB2 for a few games. Which gives us time to see what the defence looks like with a competent CB2 and if we need to upgrade next season.

Tankersley - Potentially above average CB2 - Potentially good back up
He had a promising rookie campaign but lost confidence last year. Nothing a good coaching team cant fix.

Smith -Potentially average FS
Hasn't really done much of note in the regular season and now has his best opportunity.

Wiltz - Potentially good back up CB3
The coaches must have seen something in him they liked. Another slot corner which could push McCain full time to FS. More depth

Davies - Potentially good CB4
Played better than McTyer and Armstrong. Enough to get interested over.

McTyer and Armstrong need to prove something before they prove to have better potential than the UDFA and AAF guys



UDFA - With so many players there is a higher chance that at least 1 makes a serviceable back up.
AAF - These proved to play well in the AAF against what you would guess is mainly practice squad cast offs so they are good practice players. They are in a way like extra UDFA.

That is a lot of talent in the starting 5 and a lot of potential in the rest of the secondary and not as much of a down grade to SS as you would have first thought. Due to the potential of the names listed above there is no doubt that at least one will turn into a good back up. If we can do that every off season then we'll be on the right track.

Brain Flores will concentrate on the defence while Caldwell steps in on the offence. Good move a rookie head coach sticks to what he knows. We have chosen the right mans plans and he chose the right roster, we are in a situation to win, when I don't know. I have no fears for the defence and in particular the secondary.
 
The secondary talent had to be appealing to Flores.

I’d love for at least one guy to emerge from the pack.

Disappointed in one of my favorite player this millennium, #20.

Can’t wait to see Minkah year two.
 
So, what/where do you see from McDonald this year, phin1984!? You don't have him on your list.
 
I would agree that our secondary is a place for optimism, and at this point the greatest asset/strength of the team.

The physical skills are obvious. With Flores, I would say the necessary work ethic is a given, as well.

In the OP, the word "potential" was used a bunch of times. I usually take a very skeptical view of unicorn and rainbow outlooks based largely on that word.

In this case, though, it is spot on, IMO. I don't know about some of the specifics. Do you really want McCain at safety, for example? One things for sure. I don't want him as a boundry corner.

If Flores/Graham can coach these guys up in this "multiples" defensive philosophy, QBs will have a hard time making pre/post snap reads, and O-lines will have to respect pressure that can come from anywhere, at any time.
 
My interpretation of the McCain situation is different. If you can teach him free, you have at any given time two slot corners or two free safety's, it puts the onus on the QB to decipher. Think Patriots and flexibility here. McCain at free is somewhat cringe-worthy though.
 
I’m really confident in three players.

X...Minkah...Jalen Davis..

I would move Reshad for a pick.

The rest are battling for a few spots..
 
It's a good start. However, I fully expect them to diminish quickly if they can't generate pressure.

Grier was criticized for not taking any secondary players. However, I think you try to fix your offensive blocking first. Because without the ability to rest your defense, it can fall apart and hurt any investment made in the secondary to begin with. You just need more seasoned players like Surtain and Madison to be able to stay with their receivers that long. Plus, you need the refs cooperation.

Also, I don't buy that this was a good crop of CB's. One chosen in the first round? Greedy taken mid second? I just don't buy that the position has been devalued that much. Based on the one chart maintaining that the most successful teams have the best passing efficiency and pass defense efficiency rankings. A good corner is second only to pass rusher.
 
It's a good start. However, I fully expect them to diminish quickly if they can't generate pressure.


This will be the issue.

They have a pretty good group in the secondary but they will suffer from a lack of pressure.

There is still a ton of work to do on this roster, OL, pass rushers, not to mention QB, which still could be the 1st round pick next year.

BEST case scenario is Rosen shows he is a franchise QB, Miami adds some OL talent in free Agency and then goes DE/OLB in Round 1.


More likely is 3-13 and hello Tua!
 
I think it's the most talent unit on the team. X. Howard and Fitzpatrick are two of Miami's top young players. Will be interesting to see how the rest shapes us and whether the Dolphins end up trading Jones.
 
I think McDonald is an average back up SS and possible big nickel LB.
 
My interpretation of the McCain situation is different. If you can teach him free, you have at any given time two slot corners or two free safety's, it puts the onus on the QB to decipher. Think Patriots and flexibility here. McCain at free is somewhat cringe-worthy though.

Agree if McCain can play FS it adds flexibility. This could also move Fits to SS and play Wilts at Slot if an injury happens.
 
Why does everyone hate the idea of McCain playing FS? It’s worth a shot and he’s a willing tackler. I haven’t seen enough from Smith to pass judgement on him. Instead of playing with a weakness at FS depth try other players, I like the dynamic thinking. Ps I’m not saying Fitz can’t play FS but the more tickets you buy the more of winning the lottery same goes for players at multiple positions.
 
Problem with the secondary and most of the other position groups is the lack of depth. That secondary needs to stay health and considering the amount of people predicted to play back for this system makes that a huge challenge.
 
X - Elite or top 3 CB1

I know I'm in the minority when I say this, but ya'll need to tap the brakes a little. X is a good ball-hawk corner, but he has a long way to go until he's elite or top 3. He gets beat way too much to be in that category. Now, my hope is that he continues to grow this season so that he can legitimately be in the elite category, but based on 2018, he's not there yet.

With that said, I do think X solidifies one side of the field. The biggest issue I see is that there's no one on the other side of the field that instills any confidence (assuming that Fitz isn't playing the other corner, which I hope he doesn't).
 
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I know I'm in the minority when I say this, but ya'll need to tap the brakes a little. X is a good ball-hawk corner, but he has a long way to go until he's elite or top 3. He gets beat way too much to be in that category. Now, my hope is that he continues to grow this season so that he can legitimately be in the elite category, but based on 2018, he's not there yet.

With that said, I do think X solidifies one side of the field. The biggest issue I see is that there's no one on the other side of the field that instills any confidence (assuming that Fitz isn't playing the other corner, which I hope he doesn't).
He does get beat, at times, and he needs safety help to be effective. Who doesn't?

No, he's not Dion Sanders, or Revis Island. There isn't anyone in the league, at this time, that is.

If you are arguing top 3, or top 5, you are splitting hairs.
 
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