Who's on your bubble to make the team? | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Who's on your bubble to make the team?

datruth55

datruth55

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Let me preface this by saying to be on the bubble the player had to be on the team for most of last season so no rookies or off season free agent pickups (Garrard, Messam).

Bubble Team

WR:
Marlon Moore - Has shown very little in two seasons and doesn't do enough on special teams to earn a roster spot...he'll be fighting for his spot come training camp.
Roberto Wallace - He's done less than more on the field in two seasons. At some point potential has to show up on the field or you need to cut bait and go. He does bring some good special teams play however and that will help his cause.

TE:
Jeron Mastrud - Was used mainly as a blocker and really doesn't bring much to the table. Doesn't seem like a fit in the WCO.

OL:
John Jerry - I know everyone seems to hold out hope that this kid finally has the light come on but unless he trims down into the low 320's at least and gets a lot quicker I don't see him fitting in the ZBS. He's more of a fit in a power blocking scheme.
Mike Pouncey - I just want to see if anyone is reading what I'm writing or just skimming the names or going straight to posting without reading the preface. He's in no danger and I think he'll fit nicely.
Ray Feinga - I think Guard is a real problem on this team. We have a lot of power type guys who can't pull and Feinga is one of them. I really think Derek Dennis will displace one of the Guards on the roster and I have high hope for Josh Samuda as well.

LB:
Jason Trusnik - The signing of Gary Guyton put Trusnik squarely on the bubble. He doesn't seem like a fit in the 4-3 and didn't do much outside of getting penalized a lot on special teams.
Austin Spitler - Another guy who hasn't done much except special teams. I think the 4-3 will help him but if he doesn't show up in a defense that's more a fit for him then I think he's gone and Josh Kaddu will take his spot on special teams.
Koa Misi - I've heard the rave reviews of how he looks better in the middle of the defense. The same rave reviews have been said about other players here before they were kicked to the curb. Something is fishy when the team goes out of it's way to single out a player that hasn't met expectations.

Safety:
Chris Clemons - This guy fell of the face of the earth last year, from starter to nothing. He's not a good tackler so he's not able to play both safety spots, his coverage skills are not very good, he doesn't have a knack for making plays. I think he's in trouble.

CB:
Nolan Carroll - He was just toast for most of last season. Vincent Agnew has made the first statement by making plays in the rookie camp recently, granted that was against 1st year players and rookies but he got noticed...for the right reasons. He was on the practice squad last year and I think he's going to make a strong push for the roster. Richard Marshall being signed also doesn't help Carroll's cause.

There's 10 players that I think are on the bubble come training camp.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Well dang, I posted this in the wrong forum. Can a mod move this please...and why can't I delete my own post?
 
I would say most of those guys are definitely on the bubble.

A couple of notes:

1. I don't believe Koa Misi is really on the bubble but we'll see

2. I think Nolan Carroll is an interesting case study because he started out the year terribly against NE and HOU but then actually locked it down pretty good for the rest of the year. He showed promise as a rookie but he just looked plain unprepared for the year to begin. I wonder if he's one of those guys that came in out of shape because of the lockout.
 
Clemons is def gonna get caught unless he plays out of his mind..Our front office does not like underacheiving oft hurt players.. I can see all of those players getting caught expect for Mike of course.
 
I don't think Clemmons will get cut. He might even end up the starter at FS. I hope Jimmy Wilson proves that is his spot, but we have never seen him there before in the NFL so that is asking quite a lot. When healthy, Clemmons was a solid contributor, nothing special but no worse than Culver IMO. Wallace and Moore better step up big time though or they are going to be shown the door.
 
MiamiDolphin618 said:
I don't think Clemmons will get cut. He might even end up the starter at FS. I hope Jimmy Wilson proves that is his spot, but we have never seen him there before in the NFL so that is asking quite a lot. When healthy, Clemmons was a solid contributor, nothing special but no worse than Culver IMO. Wallace and Moore better step up big time though or they are going to be shown the door.
Click to expand...
Culver isn't great but he can play either safety spot and he's good on special teams which makes him worth the roster spot. Clemons on the other hand has 1 INT in 3 seasons...not exactly what you want from your FS.
 
I think the $3 million/year Tony McDaniel gets cut in favor of a cheaper Kheeston Randall
 
datruth55 said:
Culver isn't great but he can play either safety spot and he's good on special teams which makes him worth the roster spot. Clemons on the other hand has 1 INT in 3 seasons...not exactly what you want from your FS.
Click to expand...

The thing Culver has going against him is his salary. I believe he's making about a million bucks this year. Now that salary cap space can easily and officially be rolled forward into future years, there's going to be more pressure than ever on teams to cut expensive veterans that haven't separated themselves in training camp from cheap young players.
 
Zounds said:
I think the $3 million/year Tony McDaniel gets cut in favor of a cheaper Kheeston Randall
Click to expand...

That's a possibility. It fits right in with what I'm saying about expensive older players needing to separate themselves considerably from cheaper young players in training camp, because now General Managers know they don't have to jump through any hoops to roll cap space forward into next year.
 
I like your list although I am not sure about Carroll. I am actually a bit concerned about our dime corners since Wilson is moving to FS and Will Allen is gone. I hope you are right about the kid Agnew, but after Davis, Smith, and Marshall at corner, it's slim pickens. Maybe you round out with Carroll and Agnew, I am not sure. Carroll has good size/speed and has 2 years experience. I hope the kid takes a step forward.

I agree with you on John Jerry. I can't believe Sparano had a legacy like Evan Mathis in our mitts and we let him go while we worked with Jerry. If Jerry sticks, I think it would be as an OT behind Long, Murtha, and Martin. I can't see him having the movement skills Philbin will want at guard.

As for McDaniel, I think both he and Randle stick. We're not as deep on the DL as we were in the 3-4. By definition, we need more DL than previously. I see Wake, Odrick, Vernon, and Westerman at end, with Soliai, Starks, McDaniel, and Randle at tackle, with Baker competing in there somewhere. Guys like Odrick, Starks, and McDaniel could probably play some strong side end.

Safety is interesting. Normally we carry 4. Wilson, Tyrelle Johnson, Culver, Reshad Jones, Clemons, and Kelcie McCray in the mix. I could see us keeping 5 corners and 5 safeties since Jimmy Wilson can play corner in a pinch. McCray looks like a kid to work with on the practice squad.
 
How does Tony McDaniel still have a roster spot making $3 mil a year? Insane to me.
 
datruth55 said:
Culver isn't great but he can play either safety spot and he's good on special teams which makes him worth the roster spot. Clemons on the other hand has 1 INT in 3 seasons...not exactly what you want from your FS.
Click to expand...

Clemons' rookie year, Gibril Wilson started most games. His second season, our defense was pretty solid. His coverage and range back there helped us tremendously. His third season, Reshad Jones started most of... I think our defense wouldve been better last year had we started him over Jones in the begininng of the season. He helped line up the secondary and idk why you think he's an awful tackler. Not the greatest, sure, but he isn't the worst.

- Carroll showed improvement throughout the season like ck said.

- Wallace probably has the best chance of any receiver not named Bess, Hartline, or Gates

- Messam most definitely is on the bubble now that he'll have another surgery

- Jerry played decent when filling in last season...

- Pouncey, your little trick there was quite stupid. In case youre reading this :up:

- Also, I doubt Misi gets cut




Zounds said:
I think the $3 million/year Tony McDaniel gets cut in favor of a cheaper Kheeston Randall
Click to expand...

Could be a good move if Randall really is a force to be reckoned with
 
ha, pouncey joke.

I think all the WRs are in danger unless they're a rookie. If wallace and Moore don't do something special in preseason/camp then it's bye bye because you've got to belive that philbin hand picked the late round WRs and I couldn't see them dumping gates so soon after an injury plauged season where he barely saw the field.
 
I don't think Mcdaniel is in a fight with Randall, I pretty much expect Randall to make the team. I think Mcdaniel battles with Ryan Baker and Aaitui with Mcdaniel being the superior player of the 3 but with a much higher cap hit. The thing that helps Mcdaniel is the fact that he's only signed through this year so we can ride him all year and just let him go next spring.

Trusnik is obviously almost toast IMO with Guyton and Kaddu coming. I don't see the Dolphins keeping much more than 7 LBs now with the 4-3 D. Burnett, Dansby, Misi, Guyton, Kaddu and Westerman are way in front of him so he'll be in a battle with Spitler and the other UFAs for this last LB spot.


The Oline battle will be the most interesting one, we just really don't know how the new coaching staff view guys like Jerry, Garner, Murtha, Feinga, Barker, Cook and even Incognito. We know that Long, Pouncey and Martin will be fixtures for a long time but the rest is just really interesting. 1 thing I know is that a guy like Hicks will certainly play a more important role than most people here are thinking. He was immediately targeted by the FO as soon as the free agency period began so they know that this guy can play in this type of offense. The undrafted kids Dennis and Samuda are also legitimate candidates to make the team, much more than those at other positions because of the fact that they were targeted for this offense in the draft process.

Finally there's the WR battle, the other interesting one. Again, there are some much scenarios that could happen. Hartline and Bess are in and I give an edge to Gates and Naanee for spots 3 and 4. After this we got to give Cunningham and Matthews the edge for the final 2 spots but it will be a Battle Royal for the 6 guys. Moore, Pruitt, Wallace and Hogan are previous coaching staff finds so they could start trailing the others but who knows?

I can't wait for the camp!
 
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