SB Nation User Blog: LeftCoastFinFan

Brandon London - The next... Zoolander??

LeftCoastFinFan — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:27:58 -0000

"I'm pretty sure there's a lot more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking. And I plan on finding out what that is." -Derek Zoolander

I wrote a post back at the beginning of March about Brandon London appearing on "Rip the Runway", a modeling/reality show. I was kidding about London dabbling in a modeling career like J.T. was doing years ago, before the whole "DWS" thing.

Brandon London - The next J.T.?

"Yep, Mr. London himself, strolling down the runway on "Rip the Runway". And it got me thinking, I remember another Dolphin that started out doing some modeling... calendars wasn't it?"

When I wrote that, Brandon London was still the best shot on our roster to develop as a "run after the catch", "red zone threat", real primary type of WR for the Fins. Wilford was pretty much deemed a bust; Ginn was showing an amazing ability to fade in and out of view; and Camarillo (injured at the time) and Bess were established as solid posession/slot guys. London was the guy we were all pinning our hopes on, but I think most of us were also slightly curious as to why he was coming along so slowly.

Now here we are 3 months later, NFL draft complete, mini camps are over, and training camp is around the corner.

And Where's Brandon?

As I mentioned, it was not a good sign when he wasn't able to get on the field more at the end of last season, when we clearly needed help at reciever. I am not knocking Bess or Ginn, but right from the beginning Wilford was a non-factor and we needed a big guy to fill that red zone threat role. When Hagan was released, that left Brandon as the only guy on the roster who could step in and fill that role. And later after Camarillo got injured, you would expect that we might get to see more of Mr. London during the games, but he was still primarily relegated to a Special Teams role.

So you would expect that, after a year on the team, he would come out and shine in the OTAs, right? Well, out of the WR bunch, there were five names that stood out for various reasons:

Ginn because of the look of improved route running over last year

Wilford because of his apparent conversion to T.E.

Armstrong because of his speed and abiility to get open deep.

Camarillo, just because he was actually back on the field and looks pretty good after his injury.

AND..... (insert drum roll here)

The 6'5", 223 lb ROOKIE - Patrick Turner, who reportedly looked great and caught everything thrown his way.

These guys were all mentioned in a positive way for their mini camp performances by Coach Sparano. And London? He was also mentioned:

"One of the challenges for any of the receivers, Brandon included, is that it is a position right now where some hard decisions are going to have to be made," Sparano said. "I think that reps and opportunities are really the biggest challenge, meaning the opportunities that you have, you have to make plays, you need to really make these plays. Not every ball goes to you every time you are out there. That’s just the way it works. Especially at that position. The number of opportunities that he gets when his number is called…He needs to make those plays."

Wow! After all of the high hopes we fans had for Brandon last year, it suddenly becomes a real possibility that he might not even make the team this year.

It's a good thing he has been working on his backup career! Modeling!

Apparently, Brandon London is the Next Big Thing! According to this article from the Sun Sentinel, London has had more than the little success J.T had with calendar photo shoots:

The past two winters London has wowed industry insiders with his performance at BET's Rip the Runway.

There have been talks with a Hollywood production company about two different movie projects, including an acting role in a LeBron James vehicle and another involving actor/writer/director Tyler Perry.

When Miami Fashion Week hits town July 16-22, London has been invited to take a turn on a different type of stage.

"Brandon right now is one of our top male models," says Yami Johnson, president and CEO of New York-based Morena Entertainment. "I think he has a face that could sell anything. He's going to be a huge star. I really believe that."

Now, to be fair, Brandon claims, "I don't see myself modeling." But other people, like Johnson, apparently do.

According to Johnson, she sees great potential for London in the modeling world:

"He's really made a lot of progress," she says. "I think in a year or two he's going to be a known face. People are definitely going to identify with who he is."

But... why?

"He has the look. He definitely has it."

Dolphins signed S Tyrone Culver to a two-year extension through 2011. It's essentially a new...

LeftCoastFinFan — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:07:09 -0000

Dolphins signed S Tyrone Culver to a two-year extension through 2011.
It's essentially a new three-year, $3.225M deal. Culver, 26, has never started a game in three pro seasons, but contributes on special teams and in dime packages. Culver makes up for a lack of standout physical skills with instincts and intelligence. He'd step in if anything happened to FS Gibril Wilson.

Rotoworld - Tyrone Culver

White was wild high most of the practice. On one throw, he hit the golf cart carry Dolphins...

LeftCoastFinFan — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 18:57:08 -0000

White was wild high most of the practice. On one throw, he hit the golf cart carry Dolphins football czar Bill Parcells. The cart was parked five yards behind the end zone. Parcells realized he was in the line of fire and moved the cart.

Armando's Saturday morning mini-camp notes

Channing Crowder said Bill Parcells light-heartedly told him to ''mind your own business'' when...

LeftCoastFinFan — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:10:39 -0000

Channing Crowder said Bill Parcells light-heartedly told him to ''mind your own business'' when Crowder publicly urged the Dolphins to sign Jason Taylor. 'I was working out and he said, `Are you the GM?' I was like, 'No, outside linebacker.' Then he said, 'So you're not a GM, right?' I said no. But Parcells wasn't mad.''

Channing Crowder getting spanked by Parcells

David Lee breaks down the base Wildcat plays. With all this talk about the Wildcat, why not hear...

LeftCoastFinFan — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:00:36 -0000

David Lee Whiteboards Wildcat

David Lee breaks down the base Wildcat plays. With all this talk about the Wildcat, why not hear it right from the horse...errr..wildcat's mouth?

WR Options: Matt Jones anyone?

LeftCoastFinFan — Wed, 27 May 2009 00:36:42 -0000

The player rep for free agent Matt Jones says the NFL has notified him that Jones will not be suspended for violating a court-mandated drug program in March.
The agent says Jones only has to pay a $50,000 fine. If so, Jones should find work quickly. He's easily the best young receiver on the market. "He caught 65 passes in 12 games last year for the Jaguars and he was their No. 1 receiver," agent Dave Butz pointed out. "If he wasn't hurt one game and didn't have the three-game suspension, he may have caught 80 to 90 balls."

Well, what about it? I know we have all this great, young, "potential", but Jones is a QB that transitioned to WR, and as a WR, this is only his 5th year. He is huge and fast, measuring 6-6 and about 220lbs. At his Combine, he weighed in at 242 pounds and made scouts take notice by ripping off a blistering 4.41 in the 40, the fastest ever by a quarterback at the combine. He also showed off a nice 39.5" vertical during his workout. I'd be curious to know what he can run it in now, since he is about 20+ pounds lighter.

Could he be another one of those "acorns" Ireland keeps looking for? Or is he just another nut?

A closer look at the Dolphins WR options

LeftCoastFinFan — Tue, 05 May 2009 23:49:36 -0000

Question: Do you think that Bess and Camarillo will be the starting WRs on the first day of the 2009 season? Ginn and Camarillo? Ginn and Bess? Or maybe "none of the above"?

I keep reading bits and pieces in different threads (some fact, *lots of opinions*) about our current 11 WRs... vets and prospects. Quite a few people seem to think that there are some roster spots already locked up at the receiver position, and while that may be true, I tend to think that there are very few "locks" at this point in time.

After all, if there is anything that I learned about our beloved "Triad" last season, it is that on the Miami Dolphins: 1) Competition is not just a buzzword, and 2) the best players play, regardless of the cost.

It's all part of *The Code*.

So I thought it might be time to take a little more of an organized look at who we currently have on the roster, and where each player fits as a receiving option.

First, let's see what we have to work with. This is the roster info from the team web site, with 40 yard dash times added:

Dolphins Wide Receiver Roster by Name

Let me state two disclaimers right off the bat...

First, there are always a number of discrepancies that come up when people start throwing out 40 times. Was it hand timed or electronically timed? Was it on grass or turf? Was it an official Combine time, or an individual's Pro Day? Where there was an official Combine time, I used that number. Where there wasn't, I used the next best thing... Pro Day, Scout.com, CBS Draft tracker, etc. Where there were multiple times, I used the best average. The one exception was for Brennan Marion. Prior to his ACL tear his time was a 4.3, but three months after his surgery his time was a 4.52. Since the Fins obviously did not bring him in for his size, let's assume he is a speed guy for now, and is now closer to the 4.3 mark than the 4.52.

Second, I know 40 times are only one indicator of ability, and there are other metrics that are important at the WR position. The Short Shuttle, or 20 Yd Shuttle, for instance, is a good indicator of whether the WR is going to be able to come out of his breaks quick enough to create separation from the DB. Wes Welker runs the 40 in the mid 4.6s, but his short shuttle was a blazing 4.01 seconds. As a comparison, the quickest WR short shuttle time from this year's Combine** was 4.08 by a kid named Kevin Ogletree.

**Not all prospects ran, but of the ones that did, Heyward-Bey (the 1st WR drafted) was the 6th quickest with a time of 4.18, and our own Brian Hartline was 4th, with a time of 4.12 seconds. Not bad huh? Hartline was also the 2nd quickest of the WRs that ran the 3-Cone drill, with a time of 6.65. Wes Welker? He ran the Cone Drill in 7.09.

What does this all mean? And if there are other metrics, why am I only using the 40 Yd times for comparisons? Well, I'm glad you asked.

It doesn't mean a whole lot at this point. There are so many other factors that will determine whether a WR will be successful that it is practically impossible to rely on timed drills to predict future NFL performance. While both the Shuttle and Cone drills are good indicators of a WR being able to get separation from DBs, other factors like a quick first step, good route running, and being able to sell a DB on a good shoulder fake - all these play in to the total effectiveness of a receiver.

But aside from the fact that a 40 time is available for all our players and some of the other metrics are not, the 40 is a good indicator of overall straight line speed, and we can at least use it to compare that aspect of our players' games. Of all positions, the 40 yd time is probably most applicable to the WR position, since he is the most likely to actually run 40 yds in a straight line during a game.

We can use this metric to try and answer the question, "Who can outrun the DBs and who, most likely, can't?" In other words, a WR with a slower 40 time better be able to run over DBs and break tackles, or he will end up as a slot/possession type guy, and he isn't generally a home run hitter.

But what is "fast"?

In today's NFL, most DBs are running in the sub-4.55 range. So can a WR who runs a 4.58 going against a CB who can run a 4.54 still beat him on a deep route? Sure, since there are so many other factors to consider.

For one thing, 40 times are not run in pads, so when you get everyone geared up for a game, generally the stronger guys will carry the extra weight better and suffer less of a hit to their speed. A 6'4"-210lb WR who runs a 4.58 without pads may still run a 4.6 with pads, whereas the 5'10" 185lb CB running about a 4.54 may end up being even slower than the WR with the pads on.

Another advantage for the WR is the fact that he knows where he is going, while the DB has to react. This means a slower WR with an explosive release, along with good agility and footwork, can create separation almost every time.

Jerry Rice ran an average time of 4.6 in the 40, but he was also known as the NFL's greatest route runner. It's said that every route he ran looked exactly the same for the first 5-7 yards. A DB could not tell where he was going until his break.

However, most often when a WR's overall top end speed is slow, he will usually get tackled immediately after making the catch. A receiver who is good at creating separation, but not fast enough to run away from a DB is most often referred to as a "possession receiver". And a possession receiver who is not big enough, or strong enough, to out muscle or out jump a DB, is often relegated to playing in the slot.

In today's NFL, an acceptable 40 time for a WR is generally below 4.6 seconds, with elite receivers clocking in at under 4.42. But if you are a WR running up around the 4.6 mark, you sure better bring some other assets to the table, like size, vertical leap, or extremely good route running.

Flanker vs. Split End

There are two primary positions for a WR; the Split End (SE), who must line up on the line of scrimmage (LoS); and the Flanker (FL) who can line up a few feet behind the LoS.

Because the SE is right up on the line, it is easier for the CB to get his hands on him as he releases. For this reason, the SE has to be able to consistently beat the jam. This means that the SE is usually a bigger, stronger guy, who can engage the CB without being thrown off his route. While speed is always important, strength and size are almost a requirement to play SE.

This quote by Dolphins WR Anthony Armstrong (a small, fast guy) about practicing against new Dolphins CB Vontae Davis says it all:

"Vontae, when he gets his hands on you he can control you," Armstrong said, making a throat slashing motion in an effort to say it's over. "He's real strong."

(I think this may be part of Ginn's problems when they line him up at SE. I don't think he can effectively negate a jam and stay on his route.)

Because the FL receiver lines up behind the LoS, the DB can't play press coverage as easily. The receiver can get a nice little running start, and if he is fast enough, can probably just run around the DB. While any one of our WRs could technically man the FL position, you probably want a fast guy there because of the need to stretch the field at the outside receiver spots.

The Slot Receiver

Any receiver can play in the slot, as long as they have two qualities... they must be able to create separation in a short area, and they must have reliable hands. They can be practically any size or speed, but usually have a quick first step, very good balance, and good agility.

SO, for the sake of our WR discussion, let's assume "Fast is Good", but not an absolute.

Let's also stipulate, for the sake of this discussion, that "Bigger is Better". If all other things are equal (speed, hands, routes, etc.) between two WRs, the bigger guy will generally win out.

Now, let's take a look at the roster again, but this time let's do it by speed. This should give us an idea of who might stand out as more of a down field threat:

Dolphins Wide Receiver Roster by Speed

A couple of things stand right out here: There is an obvious delineation between the speedsters and the mid-tier guys (for lack of a better term... what should I call them, "the slow guys"?). And there is a correlation between overall size and speed. The bigger guys are noticeably slower. We jump from a 4.38 time from Teddy, to a 4.52 from Mr. Brandwagon himself. What we are missing is a clear "elite" class receiver, who has London's size but runs closer to a 4.4 in the 40 (I'll talk about Todd Lowber in a second). But maybe this isn't really a problem! Larry Fitzgerald is 6'3" 220lbs, and ran a 4.63 at his combine. However, in additional to good size and outstanding strength, he runs nice routes and has great body control (think Turner....?).

The two exceptions related to the general size/speed curve are Bess and Lowber. Bess, one of the smaller guys, is also the slowest; and Lowber, one of the bigger guys, is also the FLAT OUT FASTEST. One of his times reported from Vikings camp two years ago had him timed at 4.1 (yes, that is not a mistake) in the 40 yd dash.

Now, it should be said that Bess had several 40 times that average out to closer towards 4.67 than the official 4.7 time (the fastest time I found was 4.6 flat at his Pro Day), his short shuttle was 4.28, and his Cone Drill was 7.15. Not great numbers, but it certainly can't be said that Bess isn't productive. He was very productive all through college, and was productive for the Fins last year. As for Lowber, he looks great on paper, but the knock on him is lack of experience. Lowber was a track star, and never, EVER, played organized football until two years ago at the Vikings rookie minicamp. So it is not all about the stats.

Let's just go ahead and say that these "small, fast group of guys" are all capable of being the deep threat "take it to the house" type of WRs, regardless of size (a la Steve Smith). These receivers will probably play outside at the Flanker position (FL) to help avoid the DBs attempts to jam them at the line. If they are also quick and crisp in their route running, they could potentially move inside to the slot.

London and Hartline could also possibly be a deep threat, and could certainly be outside receivers, although London's size makes him a better prospect at the Split End (SE) position, and Hartline's quickness makes him a better slot prospect. Todd Lowber is pretty interesting, because if you could put 5 or 6 pounds on him, and teach him to run good routes and beat the jam, he is the one guy that would be the perfect WR to play at the SE position. He is almost the exact same size as T.O. or Randy Moss, and is actually faster!

But when you look at the bottom three guys on the speed chart, clearly Wilford, Camarillo, and Bess are never going to be the deep men. Camarillo and Bess make up for their lack of speed and size with great football saavy and reliability, but they aren't big bodies, and will never be anything more than slot type receivers. This does not mean they won't play at the SE or FL spots. It just means they will probably be limited to quick short routes (slants, outs, comebacks, etc.) and will have trouble running deep routes. And all Wilford has is size, which would make him a red zone target or outside possession guy - IF he could ever get on the field.

So what happens when a guy like Hartline comes in, who is bigger, and quicker, and faster than either Camarillo or Bess? If he can show the same saavy and reliability, wouldn't he be an upgrade in the slot?

And when you look at the WRs by size, London, Wilford, and Turner are the obvious three guys who could play the SE position inside the red zone and muscle past the DBs to make the catch:

Dolphins Wide Receiver Roster by Size

But of the three, London has the best speed and Turner has the best size and body control, based on what we know so far (also, please see Dave.Phuller's excellent write up on Turner). . I would say that this leaves Wilford as the odd man out, because seriously, how many of these kind of WRs do you need?

Something else that is interesting to me, is that while Ted Ginn is clearly the front runner of the "fast guys" due to his experience, he is no longer the fastest guy. As a matter of fact, if you kept the four fastest guys, Ginn wouldn't even make the cut! Ginn also does not possess the strength to play the SE spot effectively, and does not appear to have the ability to create separation required to play in the slot. Ginn looks like he is more of a FL receiver only.

So, as much as I like Camarillo and Bess for their heart, and as much as I have hoped to see Ginn realize his potential as a true deep threat, it looks to me as if they will some serious competition for their jobs, and a realistic chance of losing them. And Wilford? With the addition of Turner and the development of London, I honestly think he will not make it through the first roster cut down.

Where do you see each of these players fitting into the scheme of thing?

As you can see, we actually have quite a bit to work with! Personally, I am very excited by our prospects!

2009 Expectations for the Dolphins? File this one under the "We don't get no respect" category.

LeftCoastFinFan — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:33:22 -0000

Well, here we go again. The Miami Dolphins are once again being labeled "posers" as AFC East Champs from 2008. Citing "soft schedule last year", "no Tom Brady", and "being able to sneak up on teams", SportingNews sports analyst (and I use that term loosely!) Mike Florio is picking the team and the #1 playoff team from last year to disappoint their fans this season.

According to his "expert analysis":

This season, chances are the Dolphins will be dealing with many more major and minor sprains and strains and snaps and cracks. And a harder schedule. And an improved Patriots team. And a bigger target on their backs.

And you know what? He's right! We were very fortunate in the injury department last year, and a tougher schedule likely comes with more injuries. Yes, we caught the Patriots at the right time last year, and yes, teams are not going to overlook us this year.

But the one thing that he is not giving them credit for is that they played hard and found a way to win last year, and (I believe) have already made significant improvements to the pass rush, pass defense, and offensive run and pass game. So we have the same solid coaching, PLUS 1 year of experience. The same rookies from last year (Merling, Langford, Bess, Long) PLUS 1 year of experience in the system. And an entire team that was basically starting from scratch in developing chemistry and learning *how* to win, now acting and thinking like a real football team.

So bring on the tougher schedule! I hope Tom Brady comes back at 100%! Let's see how much it helps for teams to see us coming! After what they accomplished last season, this is a team that believes in their coaches, their teammates, and themselves. Last season, the Dolphins did so much, with so little, for so long, they are now qualified to do anything with nothing!

This is a team that is used to being direspected...

and that's exactly how they like it!

Ted Ginn's Birthday Brawl!

LeftCoastFinFan — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:53:26 -0000

Okay, I know I shouldn't laugh, but for some reason this just really strikes me as funny:

Bills S Donte Whitner was arrested Saturday in Cleveland after police tried to break up a "near riot" outside the House of Blues.
Whitner was charged with aggravated disorderly conduct and resisting arrest outside of Ted Ginn's birthday party. He was reportedly tasered after a brawl erupted and Whitner "broke free" from police and took a "fighting stance." Whitner, the third Bill arrested this offseason, was also arrested in 2006 for non-criminal harassment of his live-in girlfriend.

t certainly doesn't say Teddy was involved with the trouble. But the idea that of this headline makes me laugh:

Buffalo Safety Donte Whitner got burned by Ted's B-D route, and afterwards, all Whitner could say was "I was absolutely "shocked"!"

Anquan Boldin? He'd LOVE to play here!

LeftCoastFinFan — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:43:43 -0000

The offseason between the start of free agency and the draft is a time for wild speculation and rumors. Sometimes the rumors are based on nothing but optimistic guess work on the part of over zealous fans. Other times, they are actually based on valid information and common sense. And just when you think things should be winding down, T.O. gets cut, Cutler is looking for a trade, and JT is stirring the pot with comments like "it's not up to me".

But Anquan Boldin? I thought we had started out months ago with speculation, and ended up at "not realistic". However, I have lately been picking up on tidbits from the Cardinals' camp that Boldin won't be happy without a new contract, which is unlikely to happen because of cap space.

Additionally, Rosenhaus (the agent everyone loves to hate) sent out a league-wide memo in February stating that Boldin was available for trade, but that it ouwld likely take 4 draft picks or so, including a 1st, based on the Roy Williams trade to Dallas. That deal cost the Cowboys a first-, third-, and sixth-round pick in this April’s draft, and a seventh-round pick in 2010. Not terrible when you consider only one was a first day pick. Rosenhaus also stated:

"Anquan has made it very clear that he is interested in a trade," the agent said. "Anquan has stated his intentions at the Pro Bowl. Now that the season is over he has made it very clear — forget what I have to say — that he is interested in being traded. So you know, I don’t know how clear cut it can get."

But anyone following this storyline knows that this is old news and things have appeared to quiet down a bit on the Q front. Until now.

Boldin, on a Palm Beach radio show, said he would love to play for the Dolphins.

"I’m a Florida guy, always will be a Florida guy at heart," Boldin said, confirming he still wants out of Arizona. "If it happens, I’ll definitely be grateful."

Now, it still appears unlikely, mostly due to the fact that the Triad don't seem to like giving up high draft picks, and that even if they did, they would still have to give Boldin a new contract. But I can't help but wonder whether Boldin's desire to play here would get us any sort of "home town discount"? It's no question that Boldin fits the Triad's mold for a player in general, and a WR specifically... big, tough, hard working, reliable. He can block, goes across the middle, gets yards after the catch... and he is young and proven. As much as we have our own "man-crushes" on draft players, WRs specifically have a higher than average failure rate in the NFL, so there is no guarantee that even a first round pick would pan out. And as far as the cost, our first round pick is likely to cost in the neighborhood of 5 yrs, 14 mil, 9 mil guaranteed. So you have to spend that much anyway... how much more would it take to get Q? He is making about 5.5 mil / yr. right now, if you prorate the bonuses. He got 10 mil guaranteed, but is only making 2.75 mil this year and 3 mil in 2010. I'm going to guess that we might be able to work something out in the range of a 4 yr, 35 mil contract with 11 mil guaranteed and annual salary ranging from 5 - 7mil per year. This is probably a bit low for what he might be able to work out elsewhere, but I am factoring in the discount, and it is certainly more than he's making now.

And there is this to consider: The Cardinals only own him through 2010. At best, they could force him to honor his contract, have to deal with an unhappy player, and all the while his trade value would be diminishing the closer he gets to free agency. And that is beginning to look unlikely anyway, with Rosenhaus starting to stir up trouble.

So what do you think? I see all of the excitement around the WRs in this draft, but how would you feel about taking Boldin with our 1st rounder, and continuing to develop the guys like London and Armstrong that we already have on our roster? After all, it would give us stability at the position for several years, at least, and still allow us to grab some young talent in the next few drafts.

And just to remind you of his skills, take a look at this YouTube video of Boldin running through defenders. Maybe he could teach that to Ginn?