Time to drop some dead weight off the ship...

[FinfanInBuffalo]

welker will be tough to cut due to his returning ability alone.

My guess in the following depth chart:

Chris Chambers
Marty Booker
David Boston
Bryan Gilmore
Derrius Thompson
Wes Welker (only used as a kick returner)

 

[byroan]

PS - I don't see the dropped passes stat in your link.

It's at the bottom.

 

[byroan]

I showed that he had the 2nd most TDs from the WRs last year. Welker? please....

Go tell Saban you don't want Welker playing WR. He had just as many catches Thompson did on Monday night. Saban isn't going to just use Welker on returns, it's already been said he'll get playing time as a WR.

 

[FinfanInBuffalo]

Go tell Saban you don't want Welker playing WR. He had just as many catches Thompson did on Monday night.

Well there you go, that proves it.

I'll wait to actually see him in a real game. He was the 6th or 7th WR on Monday night. Right where I placed him on the depth chart.

 

[yankeehillbilly]

Has anyone ever cut their entire secondary?

didnt Atlanta do that a couple of years ago? They either cut their secondary or benched them. Don't remember which.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

I agree with you on Lee. There are just too many other players challenging to take his spot who are bound to be more consistent. I'm still reserving judgement on Howard, although he did play poorly in the exhibition game. He'll have to really step it up. As to Thompson, yes that was a catchable ball but not a real easy catch either. He came on strong at the end of last year and I think he's the team's fourth best receiver at this point.

 

[NJFINSFAN1]

He has 43 catches in 5 years. 0 catches in the last two years.

True, but he has good hands, and we need a guy like that for the underneath routes. I'm not saying he makes the team, but I like what I saw in one game.

 

[SF Dolfan]

I agree with your sentiments here. There has to be a point where you cut your losses on players who clearly have demostrated no capacity to be part of a successful team. We know what we have in these guys and they're not going to be part of a championship caliber team. It would be better to bring in an unknown variable (vet or rook) who may have some potential. As for the guys who fit this criteria, here is my take.

Howard- Like it or not, Howard is untouchable. His cap hit is too great next year, something like 3+ million. Does anyone remeber what his original signing bonus was? He had a 6 year deal so only 1/3 has come off so far (for last season and this one.)

Lee- Might as well cut our losses. Essentially no cap consequence. If the coaches think any of the other TE's have some potential, he should go.

Thompson- Has a great camp every year, but apparantly can't play against non-dolphins. After 2+ years, I've seen enough to know he shouldn't be out there. Cap hit is reasonable. Boston and GIlmore are superior. Bye!

Whitley- Absolutely worthless. Negligible cap impact. Should have been cut his rookie season. Needs to go asap!

McKinney- Cheap contract and ability to play C or G keep him around for 1 more year. I'd only keep 9 lineman so he probably stays, for now.

Edwards- Mario was awful in Dallas. Painfully bad. I was shocked we signed him, but we did so I think he'll be here, for better or worse. I would definitely rather have Mickens. He actually was a contributor on a good D, even if he isn't a long term answer. Possibly Taylor too. Not sure what's left in the tank though.

 

[SF Dolfan]

My guess in the following depth chart:

Chris Chambers
Marty Booker
David Boston
Bryan Gilmore
Derrius Thompson
Wes Welker (only used as a kick returner)

I agree. But if it were up to me, I'd only carry 5 WR's and Thompson would be gone. I'd keep Mann or another young guy on the practice squad in case of emergency.

 

[NaboCane]

I agree with your sentiments here. There has to be a point where you cut your losses on players who clearly have demostrated no capacity to be part of a successful team. We know what we have in these guys and they're not going to be part of a championship caliber team. It would be better to bring in an unknown variable (vet or rook) who may have some potential. As for the guys who fit this criteria, here is my take.

Howard- Like it or not, Howard is untouchable. His cap hit is too great next year, something like 3+ million. Does anyone remeber what his original signing bonus was? He had a 6 year deal so only 1/3 has come off so far (for last season and this one.)

Lee- Might as well cut our losses. Essentially no cap consequence. If the coaches think any of the other TE's have some potential, he should go.

Thompson- Has a great camp every year, but apparantly can't play against non-dolphins. After 2+ years, I've seen enough to know he shouldn't be out there. Cap hit is reasonable. Boston and GIlmore are superior. Bye!

Whitley- Absolutely worthless. Negligible cap impact. Should have been cut his rookie season. Needs to go asap!

McKinney- Cheap contract and ability to play C or G keep him around for 1 more year. I'd only keep 9 lineman so he probably stays, for now.

Edwards- Mario was awful in Dallas. Painfully bad. I was shocked we signed him, but we did so I think he'll be here, for better or worse. I would definitely rather have Mickens. He actually was a contributor on a good D, even if he isn't a long term answer. Possibly Taylor too. Not sure what's left in the tank though.

Solid post, thanks.

 

[gravyfries]

I agree with you on Lee. There are just too many other players challenging to take his spot who are bound to be more consistent. I'm still reserving judgement on Howard, although he did play poorly in the exhibition game. He'll have to really step it up. As to Thompson, yes that was a catchable ball but not a real easy catch either. He came on strong at the end of last year and I think he's the team's fourth best receiver at this point.

i feel like there is some real talent there with lee. i think we should keep him around, and maybe saban gives him the discipline that he needs/lacks.

 

[Schleprock]

i feel like there is some real talent there with lee. i think we should keep him around, and maybe saban gives him the discipline that he needs/lacks.

Discipline doesn't change catching ability.

 

[gravyfries]

that's a good point. i just thought that he looked pretty fast and fluid for his size on monday.

 

[raving]

I cannot stand a wide-receiver who drops passes. Thompson MUST go! I cannot stand this guy - he is so unreliable.

Donald Lee is worse - not only does he drop passes in crucial situations but he fumbles - would Saban PLEASE get that clown out of here.

Howard - for me the jury still out - cornerbacks make mistakes. I have seen him play well - maybe not for Miami - but I have seen him play well so for me I would give him more opportunities this preseason.

 

[Phinfanatic84]

What does two photos of the Patriots committing pass interference prove?

The funny thing is that those two photos are of the SAME play but taken from two different angles. I'm shocked the poster didn't mention this but of course he wanted to paint the picture of DT dropping a lot passes so showing the same play from two different angles gives you the impression that you're seeing him drop not ONE but TWO different passes.

How ironic is it that everybody wants to cut Reggie Howard because he got beat on that studder step and then that double move but nobody is talking about how poorly our safeties played. The guys that were all but giving Tebucky Jones a message board h@n# job haven't said one word on how bad he looked out there. Granted, Tillman, Bua, Bell, and Schulters all were horrible Monday night. I was at the game on the 15 yard line so both of those long passes on Howard were pretty much directly in front of me. Do you know where the safeties were on those plays? I can tell you.... both were in the middle of the field watching for crossing patterns while neither one even looked to the outside until the ball was in the air. The ENTIRE secondary was pathetic.

But let's be honest... our D-line didn't get any pressure on Grossman and really, only Matt Walters generated a consistent "push" but he seems to only have 2 pass rush moves. Matt Roth had a chance for a sack but the guy just seemed to have a hard time shedding blocks. Our LB's were pretty much the only bright spot on Defense but it was the first preseason game in which we didn't show anything to the Bears other then a couple zones and some man coverage. Extremely vanilla defensive looks and for the guys worried about our running game....you have to take into account that Chicago was in a lot of 8 man fronts and were constantly blitzing. With this being our first pre-season game, I'm not too worried about it since we didn't game plan for it and our coaches adjusted to it and started calling more passing plays (2nd and 3rd quarter showed that they will make adjustments) which was refreshing when you've become accustomed to Wanny sticking to the 3 yards and a cloud of dust mentality.