SB Nation User Blog: Little Nicky 21

NeedTracker: What the Dolphins are missing, and where they can find it, Part 3 of 3

Little Nicky 21 — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:43:47 -0000

In the final installment of my NeedTracker Series, we'll take a look at the Dolphins defense. The D definitely needs more work than the offense, with upgrades needed in 3 of the 4 position groups, and quite a few aging pieces that don't have much longer to contribute. And, although these guys stepped it up in the last game, I still believe that changes need to be made on this side of the ball. So let's not waste any more time up here, Make the Jump.

The Defense

Football is won in the trenches, and I'll once again start there.

Defensive Line

Starters - DE Kendall Langford, NT Jason Ferguson, DE Randy Starks
Reserves - NT Paul Soliai, DE Phillip Merling, DE Tony McDaniel, DE Lionel Dotson, DE Ryan Baker, DE Ikaika Alama-Francis

The DE position is talented, deep, and young. With 2nd year players Langford and Merling (both a product of Parcells' first draft), and Randy Starks (age 26) and Tony McDaniel (24) as the 4 rotational players. Dotson was also drafted that first year, and has stuck on the roster despite not seeing much action. There is no need at the DE position. But many people feel like we have a hole in the middle with Ferguson injured, not to mention a soon-to-be free agent. He has expressed interest in coming back, and Soliai has done a nice job filling in, so I wouldn't classify it as a huge need, assuming Ferguson is able to come back strong. If not, we would need to find a running mate for Soliai (or convert one of the tackles, possibly 6'7 305lb Tony McDaniel.. hmm).

Inside Linebackers

Starters - Channing Crowder, Akin Ayodele
Reserves - Reggie Torbor

We are pretty thin here, and when Channing Crowder is the best LB on your team, you need to reevaluate the position. Nothing against Channing, who certainly can play the run, but we need more talent inside, specifically, an upgrade of Akin Ayodele with somebody who is able to cover TE's and RB's. Torbor provides solid veteran depth and does well when asked to fill in. I think the biggest issue in the middle here is the severe lack of playmaking ability. The highest single-season total for INT's from any one of these players is 2 (Ayodele), and Crowder just logged his first career INT two weeks ago. Bottom line, we need a stud to pair with Channing.

Outside Linebackers

Starters - Rush LB Joey Porter, Strongside Jason Taylor
Reserves - Rush LB Cameron Wake, Strongside Charlie Anderson, Strongside Quentin Moses, Erik Walden

Porter and Taylor are both nursing home candidates by NFL standards, and they both have looked their age at points this year. But they also have both been terrific against the run, and Porter has quietly amassed 8 sacks on the season, good for 6th in the AFC. And I think we all realize now that Cam Wake is the best pass rusher on this squad, and looks like he'll be able to step in for Porter any time now. Anderson has been effective, but doesn't bring a lot to the table, and Moses is still an unknown at this point, although some people do have high hopes for the kid. Walden is a Trifecta favorite because of his raw athleticism and special teams prowess. I do believe that we need to go after a strongside backer, somebody that can rush the passer, play the run, and beat up TE's just as well as he can cover them. Taylor won't be able to play forever, so a replacement is needed sooner rather than later.

Secondary

Starters - CB Vontae Davis, CB Sean Smith, SS Yeremiah Bell, FS Gibril Wilson
Reserves - CB Nate Jones, CB Will Allen, CB Jason Allen, FS Chris Clemons, SS Tyrone Culver

Righ off the bat, Wilson needs to be replaced. He's been the biggest disappointment this side of Ted Ginn, and he provides very little help to our rookie tandem at CB. Davis and Smith have both been better than expected, showing signs of being one of the top duo's in the league very soon. Bell has been solid, but the safety position as a whole has been dragged down by Wilson's subpar play. Depth-wise, we are fine, with Jones holding down the nickel CB spot and Will Allen hopefully recovering from his injury to come back strong. Clemons and Culver could be the future starters at the two safety spots. Jason Allen is Jason Allen, but as the 5th corner, he is a damn good special teamer.

Looking at the defense, we are still missing some pieces, but the DE and CB positions are set, and they will be the anchors of our D. But we do need to find a NT, a playmaker at ILB, a beast for the Strongside OLB spot, and a new FS.

Rotational NT

Free Agency/Trades - Obviously the big prize would be Vince Wilfork, but I can't possibly see him hitting the market unless NE lowballs him bigtime. Other potential options are Abreyu Franklin from SF, Casey Hampton from PIT, and my personal favorite of the group, Ryan Pickett from GB, who could very well hit the market, considering GB just drafted 2009's top NT prospect, BJ Raji. If Pickett is available, I would love to snag him.
Draft - Everybody has an opinion on Terrence Cody, and mine is that he stinks. If not for Carlos Dunlap, Cody would be the laziest player in the country, and I can't imagine him making it through training camp, nevermind dominating the middle of an NFL offensive line. Dan Williams is an under-the-radar favorite of many, but I think we would need to take him in round 1, and I'm not too keen on taking a NT first, especially with Soliai improving and Ferguson possibly coming back. A few late round prospects I'd be willing to take are Boo Robinson from Wake Forest, Jay Ross from ECU, and Torrell Troup, from Central Florida.

Playmaking ILB

Free Agency/Trades - There's a whole boatload of quality guys slated to hit free agency this year, and a few of the guys that I think Miami should take a look at are Karlos Dansby, Larry Foote, Barrett Ruud, and DeMeco Ryans. Not all of them will hit the market, but if any of them do, we should jump all over them.
Draft - Rolando McClain is the favorite of just about everyone here, but his stock may rise to the point where we can't get him. Brandon Spikes is probably the 2nd rated LB in this class, and Micah Johnson should be a good complement to Crowder inside. Daryl Sharpton (from? The U!) is the fastest ILB in the class, and could probably be picked up in the 3rd-4th round.

Strongside OLB

Free Agency/Trades - Well... Julius Peppers is slated to be a FA again, and anyone who was here last year knows how I felt about him (those of you that weren't, I want him to be a Dolphin). Outside of him, I don't see any strongside backers worth picking up.
Draft - This is where we should find our guy. Jerry Hughes from TCU, Von Miller from TexA&M, and Sergio Kindle from Texas should all be there when we pick in round 1, and I wouldn't be disappointed with any of them. With one of these guys opposite Cam Wake, we would be scary good rushing the passer and stopping the run. Ricky Sapp (Clemson) would be a good player to pick up in round 2.

A FS That Doesn't Suck

Free Agency/Trades - Instead of looking into FA or trade options, I thought I'd make a case for bumping Chris Clemons into the starting lineup. He definitely has the speed to cover the entire field, and he's proven to be a fearless hitter and solid tackler on special teams. During the preseason, he flashed signs of being a serious playmaker in the secondary, so I'd love to give him a shot as a starter before we go signing another FA.
Draft - Saying all that about Clemons, if Eric Berry is somehow, someway available when we pick in the first round, we absolutely have to take him no questions asked. Other than that extremely unlikely scenario (Berry is projected as a top 5 pick by every single person on planet earth), I would be looking for a guy to compete with Clemons, someone like Major Wright from UF, or Earl Thomas from Texas, both of whom could be available in the 2nd round. I would completely avoid Taylor Mays, because he looks like a workout warrior destined to fail for the Raiders.

The Defense is still a work in progress, but seeing as how the Trifecta picked up 2 stud DE's in one draft, and 2 (possibly 3, pending Clemons development) studs in the secondary in the next, I have faith that they'll fix the issues we currently on the defensive side of the ball. I have high hopes for the future of this D, with the deep DL, Wake becoming a monster off the edge, and our shut down tandem at CB leading the way.

Just so you know, I have a lot more on tap for the new year, including the 2009 Matty's, The Phinsider Draft Summit (more on that as we get closer to it), and numerous offseason posts including Mock Drafts and Prospect Profiles. Keep your eyes peeled, I'm back.

Dolphins vs Pats on NFL Replay

Little Nicky 21 — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:48:45 -0000

Dolphins vs Pats on NFL Replay

Tonight
9:30 pm EST

NeedTracker: What the Dolphins are missing, and where they can find it, Part 2 of 3

Little Nicky 21 — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:34:14 -0000

You can all stop holding your breath, I'm back with Part 2 of the NeedTracker Series. In this installment, we'll take a look at the offensive side of the ball. Thank god we won't be attempting to find a QB, but there are places that could use an upgrade on offense (cough-WR-cough). Enough of me yapping, let's get to the breakdown. Make the jump.

The Offense

I'll change it up a little and start with the most important unit on the field, the Offensive Line.

Offensive Line

Starters - LT Jake Long, LG Justin Smiley, C Jake Grove, RG Donald Thomas, RT Vernon Carey.
Reserves - C/G Joe Berger, G/T Nate Garner, T Andrew Gardner, T Lydon Murtha.

Across the board, we are expensive and we are big. These guys have done a tremendous job, and even with injuries, we've been able to continue putting drives together and scoring points by plugging in guys like Berger and Garner. I'm concerned about the interior, because Smiley, Grove, and Thomas all have a history of injuries, so I think we could use more depth at the Guard and Center spots.

Quarterback

Starter - Chad Henne
Reserves - Pat White, Tyler Thigpen, Chad Pennington

I feel pretty good about this position. Henne is the real deal, and White, while not real popular, gives us another weapon on offense to play with. The WildCard in this group is Pennington. He said recently that he's a loyal guy and he believes in this organization, which would lead you to believe he'd be willing to re-sign as a backup, but he also has said he would like to start and would have some thinking to do if there are opportunities elsewhere. I think the simple solution is to keep Pennington over Thigpen, and if Pennington leaves, you keep Thigpen. Either way, I don't see a need to look elsewhere for a QB.

Running Back / Fullback

Starters - RB Ronnie Brown, FB Lousaka Polite
Reserves - RB Ricky Williams, RB Patrick Cobbs, RB Lex Hilliard

This position is set right now, with one of the best FB's in the league, and a legit 4-deep at running back, but the future is really up in the air. Ricky has said he will retire after next season. Ronnie will be a Restricted FA this year, and an Unrestricted FA the following year, and it's unclear whether we'll be willing to pay him enough to keep around. My thoughts on Ronnie are that we need to look to trade him this offseason. I'm sure I'll get killed for that in the comments section, but hear me out. He's going to be 28, has 2 season-ending injuries in his career, and is going to be expensive to re-sign. If we re-sign him, I feel that in a couple years, we'll be trying to replace him without getting anything for him. Furthermore, if we look to trade him this offseason, we can really upgrade one of the other positions, and can wait on finding another back because the Ricky/Cobbs/Lex trio can carry the load for a season.

Tight End

Starters - Anthony Fasano, Joey Haynos
Reserves - Kory Sperry

I'm actually pretty happy with the two guys we have starting, and Sperry had a nice couple of games as well. Fasano went through a rough stretch at the beginning of the year, dropping passes, fumbled, and generally playing like a scrub, but he's really come on lately, playing like the guy we all thought he was last year (he is who we thought he was!). Haynos is raw, but he's HUGE and has good hands, so in my opinion, we're good at this spot.

Wide Receiver

Ted Ginn Jr. Greg Camarillo, Davone Bess, Brian Hartline, Patrick Turner

Surprise, Surprise, we need a receiver. We have 3 guys that will be very good #2's, in Camarillo, Hartline, and Bess, and as much as everyone's tired of Ginn, I'm willing to bet that he'll at least be useful across from a star. The WildCard in this group is Patrick Turner. He hasn't been able to get on the field, or even dressed on gamedays, even though our WR corps is the worst in the league, so it's hard to be hopeful about the guy. The positive thing about the WR's, though, is that when you add in a bigtime playmaker, suddenly it looks like a pretty good group.

OK, so after reviewing the roster, it looks like we need a WR, a RB for the future, and depth on the Interior OL. I'm sure there's people that don't think we need any RB's, but Ricky is gone after next season, and I already laid out my feelings for Ronnie, although I can't say I'd be disappointed if we kept him. There are a lot of options to pursue at WR, both in free agency/trades and in the Draft. So let's take a quick look at who we could get to fill these needs.

OL Depth

Free Agency/Trades - There's some quality backup-type players and wiley old veterans available in the upcoming offseason. Guys like Stephen Neal, Kevin Mawae, and Chester Pitts are all 30+ years old and could provide veteran depth on our OL. Young up-and-comers like Deuce Lutui, Richie Incognito (great name), and Chris Kuper could also hit free agency and give us some competition and depth.
Draft - Notre Dame's Eric Olsen is a versatile interior OL prospect currently projected in the middle rounds, as well as Alabama's Mike Johnson who started at both guard and tackle this season. I'm sure that our Front Office has some off-the-radar guys in their pockets for the later rounds, similar to the way they found Donald Thomas, so I think the draft is the way to go to complete the OL.

RB of the Future

Free Agency/Trades - The only name that jumps out at me is Leon Washington, as he would bring that "score from anywhere" aspect to our running game long-term. If we want to look to free agency for a starting back, we should just re-sign Brown.
Draft - There's lots of options in the draft for running backs this year, depending on the direction we would want to go. If we're looking for that explosive Reggie Bush-style back, there's guys like CJ Spiller, Noel Devine(the next Darren Sproles), and Joe McKnight. If we want a bruising inside runner, there's Anthony Dixon, Toby Gerhart, or Jonathan Dwyer. Many different ways we can go here, and all these guys would be able to contribute immediately if needed.

Number 1 WR

Free Agency/Trades - This is where I really think we need to make a splash, and there's no shortage of star-quality WR's available if we're willing to go get them. Vincent Jackson, Brandon Marshall, and Miles Austin are all slated to become FA's, and all of them are go-to-guy caliber players. But I don't think those guys will hit the market. The real jackpot is to be had by ponying up some draft picks and making a blockbuster trade. Andre Johnson, of course, would be the dream of any fan, and he could be frustrated enough with the Texans futility to look for a way out after this season (article/interview in ESPN the Mag all but openly states it). But 2 other guys in particular are worthy of taking a look at: Anquan Boldin and Dwayne Bowe. Bowe was reportedly on the trading block during this season, and Boldin has been unhappy with the Arizona front office for years now. Any of the guys on this list would solidify the WR position for us.
Draft - If we decide the price is too rich to sign one of the star FA's or trade for one of the unhappy studs, we can look to the draft and the top 3 WR's in my mind, Dez Bryant, Damian Williams, and Arrelious Benn. A lot of people like Golden Tate, but I'm not one of them. I think he can be good, but not #1 quality, and we need somebody with #1 quality. Anyway, Bryant and Williams will probably need to be taken in round 1, while Benn may (key word) drop into the 2nd for us.

So, not many needs on Offense, and a boatload of options to fill them, we should be looking at a very good offensive unit next season that can build upon the success of Henne and the snowplow of an OL. As usual, thoughts, comments, rants, insults, praise, or nonsensical rambling below. Defensive breakdown to come next week.

NeedTracker: What the Dolphins are Missing, and where they can find it, Part 1 of 3

Little Nicky 21 — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:40:14 -0000

So I just realized I haven't written a post in a long-ass time, and I have some free time at the moment. For anyone who knows me, you know I'm a Positive Outlook, Big Picture kinda guy, and this post will focus on our entire roster, along with multiple players from around the league, and the upcoming draft. Basically, I'm gonna take a snapshot of our team right now, at 5-6, and try to figure out exactly what we need, where we can find it, and how we can get it here.

First up, we'll take a look at the so-called "Generals" of our Phins-Army..

The Coaching Staff

I'll focus on the Head Coach and Coordinators for this, because I don't have the inside knowledge to decide whether individual position coaches should leave or stay, and I think as a whole our position coaches do a nice job, because we see improvement from players week to week (outside of a few "lost causes").

Head Coach - Tony Sparano

I don't think this one needs much discussing, Sparano seems to be going through some coach growing pains this season after rarely pushing wrong buttons last year. But I love his energy, his fire, and his attitude. He's definitely a keeper in my opinion.

Offensive Coordinator - Dan Henning

Many, many people want him out, especially after some confusing (and game-altering) calls this past week. I don't think he has a good read on this team, and sometimes tries to do too much when the situation calls for something simple (wildcat pass, Pat White randomness, etc etc). I think his time is up, and I think a change needs to made here. I don't expect too much argument on this one.

Defensive Coordinator - Paul Pasqualoni

I'm none too happy with the vanilla defense we've played this year, but I chalk it up to having 3 new pieces in the secondary, including two rookies, and not being able to mix and match coverages as well as he'd like. I would LOVE to see more blitzing, especially some of the exotic zone schemes we see around the league (blitz a DB, drop a LB/DL etc). I do believe that the reason we don't see them is because of limitations in personnel (rookie CB's, LB's that suck in coverage, Safeties that struggle with RB's and TE's), not so much crappy play calling. I would give him another year.

Special Teams Coordinator - John Bonamego

I always hear irate radio show callers cursing his name, and I tend to agree with them, even though our coverage teams have been better this year. My beef is with the return teams. There never seems to be any lanes open on punts or kickoffs, and even though we don't have a good return man for either, we should be able to get decent field position just with design and blocking alone. I don't know any other special teams coordinators, but there's got to be plenty of guys better at this job, and I think we need to go get one of them.

So, in my personal opinion, we are looking for 2 new coordinators for next season, offensive and special teams. However, I don't believe we need to go far to find a new guy for either position. A lot of people are gonna swoon over the thought of the recently fired Charlie Weis calling plays, or trying to snatch Mark Whipple and his traditional-yet-creative offense from the Hurricanes, but I would like to see a promotion from within, which I think makes the transition for players much easier, seeing as how the overall scheme and terminology will remain the same..

New Offensive Coordinator - David Lee

The brain behind the Wildcat offense, and the architect of the explosive Arkansas offense that featured Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, should be our next offensive coordinator. He brings creative schemes along with the experience of knowing how and when to use them. He would also find ways to use Pat White that would justify drafting him over other, seemingly more pressing needs.

Also, something that can't be overlooked, is the familiarity he has with Henne, and vice versa. Nothing is worse for the development of a young QB than switching coaches and schemes, and by promoting David Lee, we would be getting our new OC, while keeping the continuity between coach and QB intact.

New Special Teams Coordinator - Darren Rizzi

Rizzi is currently our Assistant Special Teams Coordinator, which will scare some people away thinking he's a carbon-copy of Coach Bonamego, but he coached under Tony Sparano at the University of New Haven, and I hope that he would take on that attitude and attention to detail as a coordinator. And, since I really don't know of any "hot names" in the Special Teams Coordinator hat, or obscure college coaches looking to upgrade into the position, I suggest sticking with an in-house guy who is familiar with the Head Coach and has worked under him before. Once again, continuity wins in my book.

With the Coaching Staff now complete, and some young blood infused into the offense and special teams, I think we're ready to move on to the "Phins-Army" itself, the players. Later this week, we'll have the offense and defense, with a few surprises for you guys to ponder/blast/shake your head at :-)

You know the drill, questions, comments, rants, all that good stuff goes below, and don't be shy, opinions (and the people that shout them) make this site fun. Let it rip, Phinsiders

Live Monday Night Thread

Little Nicky 21 — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:40:28 -0000

Undefeated Saints vs AFC East-leading Patriots. A Saints victory marches them one week closer to immortality, but also keeps us 2 games back of New England in the division race, setting up a HUGE game with us next week. A Patriots victory ends the Saints run at Perfection, but also adds distance in the division and effectively ends our hopes at a successful Division Title defense.

I'm more interested in staying in the division race than ending the Saints perfect season at 10 games, so I'm on the Drew Brees Bandwagon tonight. Chat it up people.

Sunday Night Overflow Thread

Little Nicky 21 — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:24:20 -0000

Talk football, Heat, other stuff, etc etc etc

basically, this is a ckc/live thread, and I'm just talking to use up all my words, so the post nazi won't yell at me.

also, damn you Josh Koscheck.

a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a aa aa a a a a a a aa a a a a a a a aaa a aa a a a aa a a aa a aa a a a a a

NFL Invited 9 to the Draft Green Room

Little Nicky 21 — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:05:56 -0000

NFL Invited 9 to the Draft Green Room

This is a PFT story about Monroe attending last year's draft, but it also lists the 9 players that will attend the Draft in NYC.

Those 9 players are: Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree, Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry, USC LB Brian Cushing, Kansas St. QB Josh Freeman, UVA OT Eugene Monroe, Texas DE Brian Orakpo, Ole Miss OT Michael Oher, Baylor OT Jason Smith, and Georgia QB Matt Stafford.

Who will be the last one left? And is there a Aaron Rodgers-esque freefall in the making?

Oddball Offseason Ideas

Little Nicky 21 — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 04:04:03 -0000

With 2 weeks left till the draft, I feel like we've pretty much beaten the probable scenarios into the ground. Should we draft a Cornerback first, or a Linebacker? Perhaps a Receiver? How many Corners do we actually need? When should we take a Nose Tackle? What about the O-Line? Jason Taylor anyone? However, I think there's still quite a few not-so-probable ideas that, either nobody's thinking of them, or nobody's willing to bring them up. Some of them have been brought up, and then shot down, or never really considered. Some of them have been debated on and off throughout the offseason, but have never really gained steam as a viable option.

Now, most of these have no information behind them, and there's absolutely no indication they've even been considered by the team, but we as fans have a duty to talk about anything and everything involving our team, from the supposedly certain (we'll draft a corner) to the completely ridiculous (trade Yeremiah Bell?). I'm anxious to see how many of you are completely attached to our players, which of you have open minds about improving the team, and which of you think I'm a complete idiot (don't all raise your hands at once..).

Oddball Scenario #1

Trade Chad Pennington for Draft Picks: This one has been debated by a few people, but most don't even want to think about a Dolphins team without CP10. The biggest sticking point in these arguments are where the future lies. Many people believe that, since Henne has been anointed the QB of the Future for 2010, that Pennington's been used up, and we might as well get Henne a full year of experience before putting him in charge of a playoff team. Others feel that Pennington brought us to the playoffs last year, and with an improved defense and healthy weapons on offense, can get us a Super Bowl within the next two years.

But, if by trading Pennington, you can get the necessary draft picks to improve that defense and add some weapons, and you can accelerate Henne's development by giving him 16 games of experience, wouldn't that be the best of worlds? By bringing in even more talent, plus having an experienced QB with all the tools in the shed going into the 2010 season, I believe we would be in a prime situation to make a run for a title, not only that season, but for multiple seasons beyond.

However, even if you do get some quality draft picks, there's no guarantee the team is prepared for a rookie QB to take his lumps, and there's the chance that Henne could be ruined by thrusting him into action too early. Pennington is a good QB, and he helped the development of many of our guys last season with his steady hand and leadership, and the team may still need that steady hand in it's second year of the rebuild.

Are you For or Against dealing Pennington?

Oddball Scenario #2

Trade Joey Porter for Draft Picks: This was brought up in the weeks following the playoff loss, and pretty much lost all steam as the offseason progressed. I think it's something that can be an option, because his value most likely won't ever be this high again. Coming off a 17.5 sack season, and with more and more teams switching to a 3-4 scheme, Porter could fetch a decent haul in a trade, especially for a team that is staring at a defense with NO pass-rushing options and various other needs (KC, Cleveland).

I think that by trading Porter, we would have the opportunity to add more talent the roster with the picks we acquire, as well as allow us to justify taking a Rush LB in the first round, where there should be quite a few good options. It would also open the door for Cam Wake to play his way into the position and gain some playing experience if he's gonna be "the guy" at that position. Like I said before, Porter's value will never be higher, so it's a classic "sell high" scenario. I'm a firm believer that it's better to trade a guy a year too early than a year too late, and it may be too late to get anything of value for Porter after this year.

However, the defense really lacks any sort of pass rush outside of JP, and trading him away doesn't mean we'll automatically fill in the position with another quality player. Wake is still an unknown, and will take some time to learn the position, and it's tough to count on a rookie to be the playmaking force in a defense right away. Porter is the emotional leader of the team, and we should squeeze every bit of intensity and leadership out of him before replacing him.

So, would you be open to the idea of trading Porter?

Oddball Scenario #3

Trade Yeremiah Bell for Draft Picks: Settle down people, it's for discussion, not an endorsment. But this is something I haven't seen brought up at all, and the pros and cons have been flying around my head for a couple days. Obviously, he's a fan favorite here, and he was an integral part of our playoff run last year, making big tackles and deflections to save some wins, and being a stabilizing force in very mediocre secondary. But Bell is also 31 years old, and has a history of injuries.

The case for trading him is a simple one. We signed Gibril Wilson to play FS, but I believe, and I'm not the only one, that his best position is SS. He's as good an option as any to step into Bell's spot and perform up to par, and we would then be able to go out and get a true playmaker at the FS spot. Bell is another guy who's value will probably never be higher, because he's coming off a full season, and he's over 30. He would've been a hot commodity in Free Agency had we not re-signed him, so it shouldn't be difficult to envision getting a good haul in a trade.

However, the defense is much, much better with him on the field, and pairing him with Wilson gives us one of the more terrifying safety duo's in the league. If he can stay healthy, he's one of the better SS's in the NFL, and it'd be foolish to create another hole in the secondary when there's already 1 1/2 (Will Allen needs to be replaced soon) there now. Bell has some years left, and we'll be able to draft a replacement late in the draft and groom him for a couple years to take over.

Is trading YBell open for consideration?

My Take: I think that trading Pennington is an intriguing idea, but I'm on the fence. I like the idea of getting extra picks, especially if we can land a first day selection, because that just helps us add more talent, but there's always the "what-if?" factor behind Henne, and I'd like to be insured for that.

I'm open to trading Porter, because he definitely hit a wall last year, and I think that signalled a down turn to his career. I believe we can replace him with Wake and/or a high draft pick at that position, and I think this is the last year we would be able to get anything of value for him.

I don't want to trade Bell at this point. I think next year, if we have the ability to get a Taylor Mays or Eric Berry or Major Wright in the draft, then dealing Bell for extra picks and moving GWilson back to SS would be a good option. But that all depends on how Wilson/Bell play this year. If our safety duo is awesome, then just leave it alone and draft some future replacements to groom.

There's a bunch of other ideas floating around that have gotten very little play, so I may do a Part 2 of this post if it's well-received. I mean, I didn't even bring up trading Ronnie, Vernon Carey, trading up in the draft, or moving Ginn to defense :-)

Discuss away..

UM CB Bruce Johnson to Work Out for the Dolphins

Little Nicky 21 — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 01:26:13 -0000

UM CB Bruce Johnson to Work Out for the Dolphins

eh. I'd love to have more Hurricanes on the roster, but Johnson just never impressed me during his time at The U. 7th round, no problem. UDFA, even better. Wouldn't want to use a 4th/5th on him though, I don't think he's worth that pick.

OLB: Are we really in need?

Little Nicky 21 — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 22:39:30 -0000

There's been a lot of pre-draft speculation centering around Parcells desire to find "the next LT" and whether or not we should take an OLB with one of our first 2 picks. I've seen Brian Cushing, Clay Matthews, Larry English, Connor Barwin, and Clint Sintin all projected to us at either 25 or 44. I even took Cushing as my "Draft Pick Bracket" choice. But the more I think about it, the more I seem to question whether we are really in need of a 1st-round OLB. Many people on this site have recognized that CB is probably our greatest need, and a playmaking WR would do wonders for our offense, but the mock draft world still seems to want to give us LB's at the first 2 picks. So I wanted to take a closer look and see if we really do need an OLB in Round 1...

First, let's take a look at what we have. I'll start at the Weakside OLB, or Rush LB position, since that's the position everybody seems to be projecting to us in the draft.

Starter - Joey Porter

Vitals - 6'3, 255lbs, 32 years old, 10 year pro.

Contract Info - 5yr, $32mil ($12mil bonus) signed in 2007. 3 years left.

Porter had a terrific 2008 season, but really seemed to hit a wall during the stretch run. Whether that's due to age, or the back issues that he was fighting in the preseason flaring back up, the reality remains that Porter is on the backside of his career. He struggled all year against the run, but showed that he's still the dynamic pass rusher he was in Pittsburgh. He may be able to recapture some vintage Joey Porter after another offseason of Sparano-style conditioning.

Outlook - Porter will be the starter in 2009, so drafting a guy to step in immediately as a Rush Backer isn't the top priority.

Backups - Cameron Wake, Erik Walden

Vitals - Wake (6'3, 241lbs, 27 years old, 0 year pro.) Walden (6'2, 237lbs, 23 years old, 1 year pro).

Contract Info - Wake (4yr, $4.9mil, $1mil bonus. signed this year.) Walden (4yr, $1.7mil, ?? bonus. 3 years left)

Wake is a promising young player who simply dominated the CFL for the last 2 seasons. Wake tacked up 39 sacks in 2 seasons in Canada, and added a ROY award and DPOY award to his resume. He'll be a situational pass-rusher right off the bat, and he should be able to adjust nicely to the 3-4 defense. There was reports of something like 22 teams trying to sign him out of the CFL, so I feel like we may have gotten a very good young player. Imagine if he came out of college with that kind of production? Top 5 pick. I think that with his work ethic, and his incredible athletic ability, he could be the future Rush LB once Porter moves on.
Walden, a waiver-wire pickup from last season, is entering his second NFL season after being a special teams standout for the Dolphins in 2008. I'm sure everybody's heard the cool tidbit about him being drafted with the 6th rounder we gave to Dallas in exchange for Ferguson, but it's always fun to talk about it again. We know Walden is a special teams demon, and his presence instantly improved our coverage units last year. He's got good speed, and is a sure tackler; plus, Brandon London thinks he's going to have a breakout season for us in 09, and really, can you get a more glowing endorsement than that?

Outlook - We have 2 very promising players behind Porter right now, and either of them could wind up being a solid starter. There isn't a DeMarcus Ware/Shawn Merriman type on the roster right now, but many people have high hopes for Wake, and I think we should give Wake/Walden a chance before we go out and spend first round money on a Rush LB.

So, in my not-so-expert opinion, we don't need a Rush LB in the first round of this draft. We have a seasoned-vet to start this season, and two guys that are developing into the role. Whether Wake or Walden can take over the role remains to be seen, but I don't see Rush LB as our top priority, and I'm not sure we can get "the next LT" in this year's draft.

But what about the Strongside LB? It's a completely different position, requiring a completely different skill set. SSLB's are usually closer to the 4-3 DE type, and need to be stout against the run. I think the run defense is more important for a SSLB than pass rushing skills. Let's take a look at what we have here.

Starter - Matt Roth

Vitals - 6'4, 275lbs, 26 years old, 4 year pro.

Contract Info - 1 year remaining, at $550k. However, I believe he'll be a restricted FA instead of an Unrestricted FA, due to the rule about needing 6 accrued seasons instead of 4 with 2010 being an uncapped year.

Roth had a pretty solid season last year, considering he was pretty much learning how to play LB on the fly. He should be able to take another huge step after having a full season in the 3-4 behind him, and his intensity and high motor are quality attributes that can't be coached. Roth was very good against the run last year, but his pass rush left alot to be desired, and while he may never be a true sack artist, I believe he'll improve in that area this season.

Outlook - Roth is solid, but I think we could use some competition, and it's definitley not a bad idea to have a backup plan should Roth leave in Free Agency, or falter in his development as a 3-4 LB. Is that competition/backup plan already on the roster?

Backups - Charlie Anderson, Quentin Moses

Vitals - Anderson (6'4, 250lbs, 27 years old, 5 year pro.) Moses (6'5, 260lbs, 25 years old, 2 year pro.)

Contract Info - Anderson (3yr, $7.35mil, $2.5mil bonus, 2 years left) Moses (1yr, $460k, restricted FA in 2010.)

Charlie Anderson tallied 34 tackles and 2.5 sacks last season, and was really only a situational player for us. I don't think he can be a starter at this spot, and I'm not sure he can really press Roth for the job, so he doesn't exactly fit the competition/plan B need. He is, however, a decent depth player, and a good enough special teamer to keep a roster spot. But, as of right now, he's still just a backup.
Quentin Moses certainly has the measureables, at 6'5 250, to be a good Strongside LB, but he was cut twice, and he hasn't been able to get on the field in his 2 seasons here. But, there's the possibility that 2 years in a row learning the same position in the same system could do wonders for the kid, and I think the fact that he was tendered a one-year deal instead of just being cut outright says that he at least has some potential. I wouldn't be counting on Moses to be "the guy" if Roth leaves, or even to push for some playing time over Roth.

Outlook - Not a whole lot to expect out of this group, but I think Roth has earned another season to prove he can be the man at the SSLB spot. I'm not sure we have to draft a top-tier guy to come in and take over just yet, but we definitely need somebody to compete with Roth and develop into a starting caliber player.

Overall, I think we have some talent, and we are, at the very least, set in the starting lineup for 2009. But, beyond that, there's 2 question marks behind Porter that need to answered this season, and I think we could definitely use a draft pick to get a guy that can potentially take Roth's job. I don't think that guy needs to be found in round 1. I would look towards the end of round 2, or even to the second day of the draft for a guy like Lawrence Sidbury, Paul Kruger, Brandon Long, or David Veikune. What do you guys think?

Poll

What do you think our best option for addressing the OLB position is?

Stand Pat. Wake/Walden and Roth/Moses/Anderson are good enough.

116 votes

Get a Strongside LB after the first round.

114 votes

We need a Rush Backer. Strongside is fine. Find one in Round 2.

127 votes

Pick the Best LB Available in Round 1. Let's not mess around with this position

78 votes

Get multiple LB's. This whole group is terrible.

16 votes

451 votes | Poll has closed