What you want find June 1st according to Clayton

[ohall]

Originally posted by Predaphin34
I hope we keep Rodgers...I would still like to see him get tradd at least for a 5th or 6th rder...anything is better than nothing....or Id still like to see Greenwood go instead...hes a FA next yr anyway....

But Greenwood is much younger and is making less $ this year. Keeping Rodgers over a situation like that does not make sense IMO. I can see your point if you think Rodgers is more talented than Greenwood, but it's a costly opinion to have.

Oliver...

 

[PhinPhan1227]

I still think Greenwood has more potential upside that Rogers...cheaper to keep as well.

 

[DeDolfan]

Originally posted by MarinoFan


Okay, so tell me what you would do. Not get Seau OR Knight, get offensive line to back up. Ultimately, a veteran LT is going to cost us MORE than both Seau and Knight. What would you do? I think our line performed just fine last year. Actually, I think they were bad asses. So if someone goes down, the next guy has to step it up. PERIOD. Every team in the league, because of salary cap and free agency has this problem somewhere along the roster.

i think it's more chronological now. At the start of FA, Seau and Knight were not in the picture yet.

 

[Coral Reefer]

Originally posted by PhinPhan1227



"Stacking" is one thing...Having ONE back-up for the entire O-line is another. Right now behind the starters you've got what, 3 games worth of NFL playing experience? And at LT, if we lose Dixon, you've got a 3rd round rookie stepping in his place. Is that how you want to get Griese into the game? Or maybe Sage? LT is the hardest position on the O-line, and we don't have a single back-up for that spot that was even PROJECTED to start in 2003. I'm perfectly fine with our starting O-line, but any Phin fan that isn't scared witless at our lack of ANY depth there is deluding himself.

Absolutely right PhinPhan.....

One injury and this line is in need of dire help.
Nails is still a big mystery as well.
Will he come back with the same level of play?

OL is the biggest question mark on the team IMO.
Guard is a weak spot already bsed on the Nails question mark and having to keep Dixon at LT.

You can't seriously expect any of these rooks to step in and assume a decent level of competetiveness when playoff time rolls around.

Mckinney you say?? Yeah, he's a great prospect that the Fins think we'll be good but if you saw him last year.... although he played well at times he also got thrown around like a rag doll others.... especially in the Minny game.

Hope Mckinney hit the weights hard this offseason, if he did I expect him to raise it up a notch.... well hope he does. We'll just have to wait and see.
LT.... Oh boy.... If Dix goes down.... OYE.
There's nobody.

This could be our achiles heel.
One good thing is that you have Ricky to make up for some potential bad blocks up front.

 

[Coral Reefer]

and please jump all over my arse for being a negative fan for the above post..... so sick of that!

Just agreeing with Phinphan that while I also think the Fins did great with what they had to work with in FA, (and I'm ecstatic with the Seau/Knight pick ups) the OL depth problem is in fact still a problem as of this moment.

If one of the unknowns step up and prove they can play consistently than problem solved..... that's a big if though.
I agree that if they can get a journeyman Lineman in here for minimum and playing time bonuses it would be advised. If none are available then we have no choice but to go with what we've got.

 

[NYRicky34]

See, I dont agree with that

I specifically remember Wannstedt and Spielman say shortly after the selection that Wade Smith was as "NFL Ready" as any tackle in the draft. I'm very familiar with the prospect, and I happen to agree with that. A lot of you might say, yea, he has a lot of upside, but he's only been playing tackle for 2 years now. Well, the thing is, a big part of the selection process with this kid was that he's already technically sound (plays with good leverage, and has good awareness out there), is a very quick study, and an intelligent person, and football player. This isn't Brandon Winey; with all the talent and none of the commitment.

Now, obviously Mark Dixon is the starter, and I think we all have to feel good about him at that position. But if its midseason, and Smith has had a full training camp, and a half a season to learn the ropes, I would feel pretty good about him putting his talent out there, and seeing what happens. He's got great feet, he'll be around 6-4 305 by that point, and he's a very aware football player. Now if its early in the year, I would be a little skeptical, but who knows? He could show a hell of a lot right off the bat. I like having him right behind Mark as a quality replacement should something happen, even if it is this year.

 

[PhinPhan1227]

Re: See, I dont agree with that

Originally posted by NYRicky34
I specifically remember Wannstedt and Spielman say shortly after the selection that Wade Smith was as "NFL Ready" as any tackle in the draft. I'm very familiar with the prospect, and I happen to agree with that. A lot of you might say, yea, he has a lot of upside, but he's only been playing tackle for 2 years now. Well, the thing is, a big part of the selection process with this kid was that he's already technically sound (plays with good leverage, and has good awareness out there), is a very quick study, and an intelligent person, and football player. This isn't Brandon Winey; with all the talent and none of the commitment.

Now, obviously Mark Dixon is the starter, and I think we all have to feel good about him at that position. But if its midseason, and Smith has had a full training camp, and a half a season to learn the ropes, I would feel pretty good about him putting his talent out there, and seeing what happens. He's got great feet, he'll be around 6-4 305 by that point, and he's a very aware football player. Now if its early in the year, I would be a little skeptical, but who knows? He could show a hell of a lot right off the bat. I like having him right behind Mark as a quality replacement should something happen, even if it is this year.

Um...if Wade Smith is as NFL ready as any tackle in the draft, why were we willing to trade Rogers and a bunch of high draft picks to move up into the middle of the first to pick a different lineman? Face it, if Wade was missing his left leg, Wanny would have said that he was as good a potential starter as any tackle in the draft. He HAS to say that. Bottom line is that Smith might be ready to step in TODAY....it's just not very likely. And as such, any Dolphins fan who is completely comfortable with our O-line depth is deluding himself. Fans need to face the fact that we have NO proven depth backing up an O-line which historically stays less healthy than most. And I'll reiterate AGAIn that this isn't a dig at Wann/Speil!!! They tried to address the issue, but would have had to overpay/give away the farm in trades, in order to do so. They did the best they could with what they had.

 

[DannyNoonan]

I agree...Wannspiel has done a great job this off-season overall, however, OL depth remains a huge question mark...signing a decent journeyman OT for the minimum is possible within our salary cap structure and could provide some depth in case of early-in-the-season injuries.