Which current starters are expendable

[JTech194]

In your opinions, which starters on either side of the ball are expendable or would you like to see upgraded. (outside of the offensive line) he's my list

Defense --- I'll keep this unit totally in tact if possible. I would like to see better LB play but overall this entire unit has been solid.

Offensively.

1. RB. I like L. Miller but I think he's more of a change of pace backup RB in his career right now. I'd be willing to replace him with Ben Tate and relegate him to backup duties. I'd be ok with getting rid of D. Thomas and M. Gilisslee could be 3rd string.

2. WR. i'm good with M. Wallace, wouldnt' want to get rid of him, I'd be ok with getting rid of Hartline and replacing him with lets say a Josh Gordon. Or better yet, i'd keep hartline and move him to the slot in 3-4 receiver sets. the 4 WR set would be Wallace, Gordon, Harline, Gibson with Matthews subbing in in certain packages.

3. TE - I like the combination of Clay and Keller, too bad we didnt' get a chance to see them both play this year, I'd be willing to bring Keller back for another shot. Don't think we could upgrade that position too much this off season.

4. QB - I'd like to see some REAL competition for Tannehill next year. Draft a guy in the earlier rounds. I like Tanny and he has potential but he's done nothing to suggest to me that he's untouchable

Oh, and going back to the oline. My Strategy would be this. it seems to me that in the last couple of weeks this unit has played much better than earlier in the year. With concept of olinemen needing time to gel and not wanting to fix whats not broken... if this unit continues to play well for the next 4 games. I'll keep this unit in tact and being in competition both in the Draft and Free Agency. No one is guaranteed anything. The returning starters are starters by default and they play their way out of that starting position. Your thoughts !

 

[Ruckus45]

So you are not taking contracts into consideration?

 

[Adam First]

Randy Starks is expendable on defense just because of all of the young talent around him

I'd rather have Soliai back than Starks

 

[phishxhead]

Nobody on this team is untouchable IMO, as in we have no elite talent.

 

[Kdawg954]

this oline need an infusion of talent. It's makeshift to the point to give Tannehill the most time in the pocket but being a dominant Zone team is about running the football and you can't do that with this group. You probably have to get 2 tackles and 2 guards in the draft, to mix with the Yeatmans, Thomases and Brenners of the team in competition. I'd probably try to keep Jerry and McKinnie around as insurance, but for cheap.

 

[jc4005]

One of our new lb's in favor of a true run stuffing mlb. How is it possible for a middle linebacker to finish a game with one tackle? Nice int though.

 

[Ruckus45]

Nobody on this team is untouchable IMO, as in we have no elite talent.

Excuse me?

 

[phishxhead]

Excuse me?

You're excused. He's the closest we have and yes, I really like him, but he's not untouchable and hasn't had a great year. He isn't somebody I'm going to build a defense around anymore.

 

[Kdawg954]

Excuse me?

He's my favorite player on this team, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about him. I said it in VIP chat earlier . . . the homer in me wants to believe he's still hurting from injury but part of me is wondering if we've seen the best of Cam Wake and he's going to start going down from the injuries and the age. He clearly isn't his old self and he seems to be attempting to save himself during games. He's getting blown up in the run game and take away the 2 games against the teams from Ohio, he's been somewhat of a nonfactor at time. Elite players make their presence felt more often than he has in games. He's almost invisible. Like I said, it may not be his fault, I very much want to believe he's being the warrior he is and is playing through injury . . . but this is not the same Cam Wake we have seen improve over the last 3 seasons.

 

[Ruckus45]

Lets break it down

QB - Nobody leaving except maybe Devlin.
RB - Miller is staying, Thomas might go, Gillislee and Thigpen who knows
TE - Clay stays, Egnew has one more year, Sims stays at least one more
OT - Yep, need em
OG - Yep, need em
C - Pouncey is good
WR - Wallace, Harline, and Gibson just signed big contracts. They stay.

DT - Solai or Starks are gone. Id prefer Starks since Odrick can beef up 10 and fill that role well. Want to see Solai stay
DE - Wake, Vernon, and Jordan all pretty obviously stay. Why not, they are good. Not sure about Shelby
LB - Misi, Ellerbee, and Wheeler just signed big contracts. They stay. Jenkins prob stays one more year. Trusnik is good on ST. Doubt much happens here for 2 years.
CB - God please resign Grimes. FA another CB and work the rookies in next year. Carroll has played better this year but is still a liability. Patterson is awesome, if he plays and will prob go.
S - Jones resigned, no going anywhere. Clemmons was a 1 year contract and could be gone. Playing decent though. Draft pick or FA could come in here.

Denney and Fields had better stay. Sturgis might get one more year, but he is hard to watch now.

IMHO

 

[Ruckus45]

You're excused. He's the closest we have and yes, I really like him, but he's not untouchable and hasn't had a great year. He isn't somebody I'm going to build a defense around anymore.

Then you are nuts...sorry, had to. He is playing less because we are rotating more on DL. Its working in the pass rush too as we are doing well in both picks and sacks. Even with missing games and rotating he has 6.5 sacks. You keep guys like Cam who play huge when needed (Cincy) and develop their replacement beneath them (Vernon and Jordan) so when they retire they don't miss a step.

---------- Post added at 04:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:18 PM ----------

He's my favorite player on this team, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about him. I said it in VIP chat earlier . . . the homer in me wants to believe he's still hurting from injury but part of me is wondering if we've seen the best of Cam Wake and he's going to start going down from the injuries and the age. He clearly isn't his old self and he seems to be attempting to save himself during games. He's getting blown up in the run game and take away the 2 games against the teams from Ohio, he's been somewhat of a nonfactor at time. Elite players make their presence felt more often than he has in games. He's almost invisible. Like I said, it may not be his fault, I very much want to believe he's being the warrior he is and is playing through injury . . . but this is not the same Cam Wake we have seen improve over the last 3 seasons.

His hurt is still a top 15 DE. You just cant lose guys like that

 

[phishxhead]

Lets break it down

QB - Nobody leaving except maybe Devlin.
RB - Miller is staying, Thomas might go, Gillislee and Thigpen who knows
TE - Clay stays, Egnew has one more year, Sims stays at least one more
OT - Yep, need em
OG - Yep, need em
C - Pouncey is good
WR - Wallace, Harline, and Gibson just signed big contracts. They stay.

DT - Solai or Starks are gone. Id prefer Starks since Odrick can beef up 10 and fill that role well. Want to see Solai stay
DE - Wake, Vernon, and Jordan all pretty obviously stay. Why not, they are good. Not sure about Shelby
LB - Misi, Ellerbee, and Wheeler just signed big contracts. They stay. Jenkins prob stays one more year. Trusnik is good on ST. Doubt much happens here for 2 years.
CB - God please resign Grimes. FA another CB and work the rookies in next year. Carroll has played better this year but is still a liability. Patterson is awesome, if he plays and will prob go.
S - Jones resigned, no going anywhere. Clemmons was a 1 year contract and could be gone. Playing decent though. Draft pick or FA could come in here.

Denney and Fields had better stay. Sturgis might get one more year, but he is hard to watch now.

IMHO

I agree. We need to upgrade our LBs and OL. It looks like the team is going to be pretty much the same next year, which means another mediocre season.

 

[Penthos]

I think with the drafting of Dion Jordan and the emergence of Olivier Vernon, Cam Wake may get traded. Plus the fact that Vernon can play inside all but assures Solia or Starks will be gone.

 

[Ruckus45]

I agree. We need to upgrade our LBs and OL. It looks like the team is going to be pretty much the same next year, which means another mediocre season.

No need to be so mushy moo about it. We have a lot to be happy about as a team. You know we are in a playoff hunt right that if we get in we prob play a team we already beat. That's a good thing. A very good OL could do wonders for this team. A solid CB on the other side of Grimes too. Look at the holes going into next year and the holes that we had going into 2012. Im much happier now.

 

[BG12DM13CP10]

Expendable: Tannehill, Moore, Rbs, OL except Pouncy, Caroll, Sturgis, and most everyone else. The question ought to be who is not expendable: Wake, Hartline, Grimes, Wallace, Pouncy, Starks, Soliai.