SB Nation User Blog: Little Nicky 21

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

LittleNicky's 7 Round Dolphins Mock Draft

Little Nicky 21 — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 21:52:39 -0000

This is my first crack at a Full, 7-round, Dolphins Mock Draft. We have 9 picks in the 2009 Draft, and at least 1 pick in every single round. The longest wait we'll have on Draft Weekend between picks is 53 selections, between our 4th and 5th rounders, so it should be a pretty eventful weekend for us. I really see us being Defensive-centric throughout the opening rounds, then adding some OL depth later in the Draft. I also think the "Free-Falling WR's" theme will continue for another year, so I have us getting a potential 1st-round wideout with our early 2nd rounder. But enough talk, let's get to the picks.

1st Round.

Pick 25 (25th Overall)

Darius Butler, CB, UConn - 5'10, 185lbs, 4.38 40, 43in Vertical.

Butler is, IMO, one of the top Corners in the draft, and he would not only start immediately opposite Will Allen, I think he could take over the "number 1 CB" tag by the second half of the season. He has the best combination of speed and jumping ability of any of the draft's top corners, and he's not afraid to come up and smack a ballcarrier in the run game. Butler is one of the most complete cornerbacks in the draft, and I think we get a very good addition to our secondary here in round 1.

2nd Round.

Pick 12 (44th Overall)

Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC - 6'1, 212lbs, 4.51 40, 36in Vertical.

Nicks, projected as a late-first round prospect, could fall into the early second, and I have the Dolphins getting him at 44. We may have our choice of a few WR's here, because, like I said earlier, I believe WR's as a group could fall again like they did last year. Anyway, I envision Hakeem Nicks as Anquan Boldin v2.0. His 40 wasn't all that impressive, but he plays very fast. He has HUGE hands, and catches anything he can get to. One of his more Parcells-pleasing attributes is his ability-and, moreso, his willingness-to block. On top of all that, Nicks' is able to do damage after the catch, which enables him to turn anything into a big play. It may be a stretch to see him fall to 44, but I don't think it's out of the question.

2nd Round.

Pick 24 (56th Overall)

Lawrence Sidbury, OLB, Richmond - 6'3, 265lb, 4.64 40, 28 Bench Reps, 35in Vertical

Sidbury is a high-motor, high-potential pass rusher coming from the Division 1-AA (FCS, whatever) National Champion Richmond Spiders. He might take some time to convert to OLB, but his skills and athletic ability project well to the SSLB or Rush LB in our 3-4 defense. The knocks on him are mostly coachable, things like "doesn't use his hands well" and "does not have many pass rush moves." But I believe he would be a solid pickup at this point in the draft, and his potential, if realized, would make him an absolute steal at the bottom of round 2.

3rd Round.

Pick 23 (87th Overall)

Chris Baker, NT, Hampton - 6'2, 326lbs, 5.02 40, 24 Bench Reps, 35.5in Vertical

Another small-school prospect for us, but I'm sure his former teammate, Kendall Langford would vouch for Baker's ability. At only 6'2, he would seem to be a little short for a NT, but he plays with good leverage and was quick enough to play DE as well at Hampton. I believe he could be a 3-down NT because of his ability to rush the passer from the 3-4 set. He does have a couple red flags as far as character concerns, getting kicked off the Penn St. football team a couple years ago for 2 misdemeanor assault charges, but I don't think he has a habit of running into the law, so I'm not too concerned about it. I think his combination of size and athleticism is too good to pass up at this point.

4th Round.

Pick 8 (108th Overall)

Greg Toler, CB, St. Paul's College - 5'11, 191lbs, 4.45 40, 13 Bench Reps, 33.5in Vertical.

Who needs BCS players? Matty did a short write-up on Toler about a week ago, and the more I learned, the more I liked about Toler. He's drawn comparison's to Rodgers-Cromartie, drafted in the first round by Arizona last season, mostly because he's a small-school CB rising up draft boards. The more telling endorsement of Toler, however, is that the Miami Dolphins brass flew out to St. Paul's College to attend a private workout of the kid. He could come in and compete with Jason Allen and Eric Green for the Nickel/Dime CB spots. Getting the recognition he's getting, you know he had to work incredibly hard, and I think that work-ethic and attitude would carry over into the NFL.

5th Round.

Pick 25 (161st Overall)

Frantz Joseph, ILB, FAU - 6'3, 235lbs, 4.83 40, 19 Bench Reps, 27.5in Vertical.

Bottom line, the kid is a tackling machine. He notched 141 tackles last season for FAU, and he plays with terrific instincts and intensity. He definitely has the requisite size to play alongside Crowder, and he was asked to play in coverage enough in school that it's not a glaring weakness in his game. He would immediately contribute on special teams, and I think he could eventually work his way into the lineup as a starter. Plus, I can just see him and Crowder doing a "Hans and Frantz" routine in an interview, and how could we pass up that comedic potential?

6th Round.

Pick 8 (181st Overall)

Dallas Reynolds, C, BYU - 6'5 328, 5.28 40, 20 Bench Reps, 30in Vertical.

I've seen Reynolds in a couple Dolphins 7 Round Mocks, and I liked the pick, so I shamelessly stole it for my own. The biggest bonus to getting Reynolds, IMO, is his versatility. He can play pretty much every OL position, and he would provide quality depth all over the line. I think he's most valuable as a backup C though, considering Grove's injury history and the fact that he's pushing 30. Reynolds would be a great guy to start grooming as a future starting center.

7th Round.

Pick 5 (214 Overall)

Robert Brewster, OT, Ball St. - 6'4, 325lbs, 5.31 40, 23 Bench Reps, 30.5in Vertical.

Brewster was the OL Anchor on last year's prolific Ball St. offense, which led the team to a 12-2 record, including a loss in the GMAC Bowl. Ball St. did ALOT of passing, and their QB, Nate Davis, was largely untouched most of the season thanks to his OL. Brewster would be a good pickup for the tackle position, a position that severely lacks depth behind Long and Carey. He's certainly big and strong enough, and his experience pass blocking can only help him at the next level.

7th Round.

Pick 28 (237th Overall)

Marlon Lucky, RB, Nebraska - 5'11, 216lbs, 4.53 40, 18 Bench Reps.

This is my plea for Husker to come back :-) In all seriousness, Lucky is a decent back, with good pass catching ability, and I think he was never able to reach his potential largely because of Bill Callahan's cluelessness as a coach. He would most likely join Lex Hilliard on the practice squad to start, and he would have a chance to compete to be the complementary back to Ronnie once Ricky moves on. At this point in the draft, I think you're just drafting for a "just in case" scenario, and Lucky would at least be able to step in on 3rd downs if a couple running backs go down.

So that's my 7 round mock. Feel free to skewer it and tell me how stupid I am and all that below :-)

Faggins Signs with Titans

Little Nicky 21 — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:19:21 -0000

Faggins Signs with Titans

No DeMarcus Faggins for the Dolphins. Actually glad we didn't sign him, seeing as how he would probably get cut later in the offseason, once whichever CB we draft shows up.

Dolphins 1st Round Pick: Bracket-Style

Little Nicky 21 — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:06:10 -0000

This is a great time of year. Two of my favorite sporting events, March Madness, and the NFL Draft, both take place over the next month and change. So in the spirit of these events, I thought I'd put together a Draft Pick Bracket to narrow down who I think the Dolphins should pick.

I've taken 32 prospects that could be available, tried to seed them fairly based on where they would fit if I made a Big Board, separated them into 4 regions, and matched 'em up. And each round, I'll look at the match-up's, decide who I would take if both of those players were available, and move on. Keep in mind that I did not include top-tier players like Curry, Raji, J. Smith, Oher, Orakpo, E. Brown, or Maualuga, because I doubt any of them drop into the 20's. But enough of my senseless rambling, you guys are here to see the bracket.

SHULA REGIONAL MARINO REGIONAL

(1) Clay Matthews, OLB, USC						(1) Jeremy Maclin, WR, Mizzou
(8) Victor "Macho" Harris, CB, VTech						(8) Duke Robinson, OG, OKLA
(4) Andre Smith, OT, Alabama						(4) DJ Moore, CB, Vandy
(5) Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake						(5) Josh Freeman, QB, KSU
(3) Brandon Pettigrew, TE, OK St						(3) Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU
(6) James Laurenaitis, ILB, Ohio St						(6) Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia
(2) Sean Smith, CB/FS, Utah						(2)Darius Butler, CB, Conn
(7) William Beatty, OT, Conn						(7) Eben Britton, OT, Arizona

(1) Brian Cushing, OLB, USC						(1) Vontae Davis, CB, Illinios
(8) Knowshon Moreno, RB, UGA						(8) Evander "Ziggy" Hood, NT, Mizz
(4) Larry English, OLB, NIU						(4) Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers
(5) Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Mary						(5) Michael Johnson, OLB, Gtech
(3) Alex Mack, C/G, Cal						(3) Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio St
(6) Max Unger, C/G, Oregon						(6) Aaron Maybin, OLB, Penn St
(2) Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC						(2) Percy Harvin, WR, Florida
(7) Ron Brace, NT, BC						(7) Connor Barwin, OLB, Cincy

CSONKA REGIONAL THOMAS REGIONAL

There it is. Four regions, 8 players each. I won't waste any more of your time talking about it, let's start breaking down match-up's.

First up, the Shula Regional.

(1) Clay Matthews, LB vs (8) Macho Harris, CB. This one is a landslide, Matthews is the pick. Macho could be had as late as the bottom of round 2, so that's a poor value pick. Clay moves on.
(4) Andre Smith, OT vs (5) Alphonso Smith, CB. Andre Smith was considered a Top 3 selection at one point, but Cornerback is a bigger need for us, and Andre's Combine and Pro Day fiasco's tell me to avoid this kid at all costs. Alphonso Smith is a 1st round CB. He wins it.
(3) Brandon Pettigrew, TE vs (6) James Laurenaitis, LB. This is a tough match-up, because I believe Pettigrew is a Top 15 talent, but TE isn't a very big need for us. However, I also think we can get a similar player to Laurenaitis later in the draft, so I'd take the BPA in this situation. Pettigrew it is.
(2) Sean Smith, CB vs (7) William Beatty, OT. I don't think this one is close. Sean Smith presents great value at a need position, while Beatty is a 2nd round-graded player at a position we're set at. Smith wins it going away.

2nd Round of the Shula Regional

(1) Clay Matthews, LB vs (5) Alphonso Smith, CB. Either player would be a solid pick, but I think Matthews is the better pick. There's still some CB depth into the 2nd round, while it'll be difficult to find a player like Matthews later on. Clay moves into the Finals.
(2) Sean Smith, CB vs (3) Brandon Pettigrew, TE. This one isn't as close as the rankings make it out to be. Sean Smith is a highly ranked player at our biggest position of need, while Pettigrew would be more of a luxury pick. Smith takes it.

Finals of the Shula Regional

(1) Clay Matthews, LB vs (2) Sean Smith, CB. Match-up of the top 2 seeds in this region, and it's a doozy. Matthews is one of the better OLB's in the draft, but what tips the scales for me is Sean Smith's versatility. Being able to CB and FS allows us to move him around, and gives us options in case he isn't up to snuff at CB. Matthews is really pigeonholed into the Rush LB, and that isn't an absolute need at this point. Sean Smith moves on to the Final 4.

Next up, we'll go down into the Csonka Regional's First Round.

(1) Brian Cushing, LB vs (8) Knowshon Moreno, RB. No-brainer here, Cushing is the choice. He has the ability to play any LB position in the 3-4 defense. He's a juggernaut in this Region. Cushing wins.
(4) Larry English, LB vs (5) Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR. Tough choice here, because Heyward-Bey is an extremely talented WR. But he is also very raw. English is a solid, if unknown, OLB prospect, and he gets the nod here.
(3) Alex Mack, C/G vs (6) Max Unger, C/G. The top two Center prospects matched up in the first round here. The Jake Grove signing flipped me on this one, and I'm going with Unger, due to the fact that he can play 4 OL positions. Versatile depth is a must for the OL, so Unger moves on.
(2) Hakeem Nicks, WR vs (7) Ron Brace, NT. Brace is a guy I really want, but he would be a bit of a reach in round 1. Nicks is one of the top WR prospects, and would look damn good alongside Ginn. Hakeem is on to the 2nd round.

2nd Round of the Csonka Regional.

(1) Brian Cushing, LB vs (4) Larry English, LB. In a battle of LB prospects, versatility reigns supreme. Cushing's ability to be moved all over trumps English's single-position status. Brian steamrolls into the Finals.
(2) Hakeem Nicks, WR vs (6) Max Unger, C/G. The cinderella story continues. Nicks is good, but there isn't another OL with the type of positional-flexibility that Unger has. Unger takes it in the upset.

Now, the Csonka Regional Finals

(1) Brian Cushing, LB vs (6) Max Unger, C/G. This is the Finals of the Versatility Bracket, it seems, but Cushing will be an immediate starter and impact player, while Unger will provide quality depth. In the first round, take the impact guy. Depth can be found later. So the Csonka Regional Juggernaut, Brian Cushing, snowplows himself into the Final 4.

Moving right along in this already Epically Huge Post, the Marino Regional 1st Round.

(1) Jeremy Maclin, WR vs (8) Duke Robinson, OG. Maclin is a top-flight WR prospect, and I'd be pleasantly surprised if he was available. Robinson is a guard, and a guard only, and you don't take guards in round 1 unless that's the only thing you need. Maclin moves on.
(4) DJ Moore, CB vs (5) Josh Freeman, QB. Freeman is a talented QB, but we don't have a need for a 1st round QB right now. DJ Moore, however, would start immediately at CB. I'll take Moore.
(3) Tyson Jackson, DE vs (6) Clint Sintim, LB. Another difficult 3-6 match-up. We picked up 2 DE's in last year's draft, and both were solid, but we could still use another good rotation player. Sintim may be available later in the draft, so Tyson gets the nod here as the BPA.
(2) Darrius Butler, CB vs (7) Eben Britton, OT. Butler is a terrific player, and instantly steps into the void we have in the secondary. Britton would provide quality OT depth, but you have to take the impact starter in round 1. Butler dominates.

2nd Round of the Marino Regional, it's all chalk, top 4 seeds here.

(1) Jeremy Maclin, WR vs (4) DJ Moore, CB. Maclin is a stud, and I don't think DJ Moore is worth passing on Maclin at 25. There's some solid CB depth into round 2, so we can go ahead and take the electrifying WR from Mizzou here. Maclin heads to the Finals.
(2) Darrius Butler, CB vs (3) Tyson Jackson, DE. Both players would be great value picks at our spot, so it comes down to positional need to me. We only have 1 starting CB, while we have 3 young, solid DE's. Butler starts Game 1 and instantly upgrades the defense, so he moves on to face Maclin in the Finals.

Marino Regional Finals. (Almost done guys lol)

(1) Jeremy Maclin, WR vs (2) Darrius Butler, CB. Real good match-up here, facing one of the top WR prospects vs a high-rated CB. I believe Corner is a more pressing need than Receiver, and Butler is definitely a starting-caliber player. Butler moves into the Final 4, joining Cushing and Sean Smith.

The final Regional of this bracket is up next, the Zach Thomas Regional. First round.

(1) Vontae Davis, CB vs (8) Evander "Ziggy" Hood, NT. I'm not real high on Ziggy because I don't think he'd be a real good fit in our 3-4, and I definitely don't think he's worth our #1 pick. Davis might be the top CB in the country, but there's also some maturity issues to deal with. Saying all that, Davis still walks away with the win here.
(4) Kenny Britt, WR vs (5) Michael Johnson, OLB. Britt is a favorite among some of the bloggers here, and for good reason. He's a big, strong receiver who can go up and get the ball. Johnson has bust written all over him, and screams Workout Warrior to me. Britt moves on.
(3) Malcolm Jenkins, CB vs (6) Aaron Maybin, OLB. Maybin is another guy like Michael Johnson who has a high bust potential. Jenkins is a decent CB prospect, but looks as if he'll be best as a FS. I take Jenkins over Maybin though, and Malcolm gets into the next round.
(2) Percy Harvin, WR vs (7) Connor Barwin, OLB. 3rd straight OLB prospect goes down here, because I think Harvin is just too good to pass up in favor of Barwin. Harvin will be instant impact, and can add that score-from-anywhere threat to our offense.

2nd round, coming up.

(1) Vontae Davis, CB vs (4) Kenny Britt, WR. This is the end of the line for Davis, and it's the attitude issues that did it. He's definitely talented, but I want my first pick to be a good player as well as a coachable athlete, and Davis is still a question mark in that department. Britt can come in and immediately upgrade our WR corps, and he rides on into the Finals.
(2) Percy Harvin, WR vs (3) Malcolm Jenkins, CB. Another WR/CB showdown in this bracket, and the WR takes it again. I have questions about Jenkins being able to step up to the NFL level of play, but I have no questions about Harvin. The kid can flat out play, and he opens up the playbook immensely with his versatility.

It's WR vs WR in the finals of the Thomas Regional.

(2) Percy Harvin, WR vs (4) Kenny Britt, WR. I've really jumped aboard the Harvin bandwagon as of late, because the more I watch the highlights and hear about the kid, the more I like what he could do for our offense. His physique, along with his style of play reminds me a little of Steve Smith, and I'd love to have one of them. I would be perfectly happy taking Britt, but not if Harvin is still on the board.

So the Final Four is set. Brian Cushing, Sean Smith, Darrius Butler, and Percy Harvin are the last one's standing. Realistically, I'll be extremely happy with any one of these 4. But that's not any way to close out this bracket. The last 3 match-ups are next.

(1) Brian Cushing, LB vs (2) Sean Smith, CB. Great match-up, and there really isn't a right or wrong answer with these two. Both would start immediately, and both are versatile enough to play all over the place on defense. The deciding factor for me is that LB has more of an impact than a CB through the course of a game. They rush the passer, drop into coverage, play the run, make tackles everywhere, and generally wreak havoc all over the field. And Cushing is a certified beast. He's been a juggernaut all tourney, and he's moving on again.
(2) Darrius Butler, CB vs (2) Percy Harvin, WR. This one is a little easier for me, mostly because of positional value. I believe that Butler is first-round caliber CB, and would be able to step in and start right away. He fills our biggest need. Harvin is an electrifying athlete, but I wouldn't pass on Butler to take a WR at this point. So the Draft Pick Bracket Championship is set, with Brian Cushing taking on Darrius Butler.
~CHAMPIONSHIP~ (1) Brian Cushing, LB vs (2) Darrius Butler, CB. Can't say I'd be disappointed with either of these guys, both are instant impact on defense, and both are bigtime playmakers. My choice, however, is Brian Cushing. He affords us so many options on defense, and there really isn't a player of his caliber anywhere in the 2nd round. He can play Strongside or Weakside, depending on the package, and I'm fairly certain he'd be able to make a quick and smooth transition to the inside alongside Crowder (who also made the switch from 4-3 OLB).

So there it is. If you read the whole thing, I applaud you. It took me two days to come up with it all, and I actually enjoyed doing it. And the best part? It's a bracket, so everyone of you can make your own and see who you come up with. I think it's a real good way to take a close look at each prospect and figure out the best pick for us.

Jets and Redskins Still Spending

Little Nicky 21 — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:34:48 -0000

Well it looks like the two biggest spenders the past couple years, including this year, are at it again. The Jets keep on blowing money, re-signing OG Brandon Moore on the same day they cut him. Moore got 4 years and $16mil, including $10mil in guarantees. They also traded an '09 5th rounder and '10 conditional pick to the Eagles for Lito Sheppard.

The Redskins threw more cash around, this time grabbing OG Derrick Dockery to a 5 year deal worth $26mil, with $8.2mil guaranteed.

There must not have been any market for Moore, because he was cut earlier in the day, then re-signed for a substantial paycut. Also, Lito Sheppard was all but given away, a year after Philly made Asante Samuel the highest paid CB at the time to replace him. I'm awaiting the news that NYJ overpaid Sheppard in his new contract.

As far as Washington, I have no idea where they keep getting money, but they've gotta be tapped out by now. That Haynesworth contract was just ridiculous.

Phinsider Rookie Primer: A Quick Guide for New Members

Little Nicky 21 — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:50:51 -0000

With the new SBN/Yahoo! deal poised to bring in more traffic to our beloved Dolphins Blog, I've put together a quick How-To guide to make using the site easier for all the new members coming in.

Welcome New Members! Current members, if I leave something out, please let me know so I can add it in.

HOME PAGE LAYOUT

On the home page, there's a million different things you can do. Along the left sidebar, there's links to the Generic SBN Welcome Guide, to create a new FanPost or FanShot (we'll get to that later), and to Edit Settings. Further down, there's links to a Mock Draft Database, a comprehensive list of '09 Free Agents, and the entire Dolphins Roster.

Along the right sidebar, you'll find the FanPosts, a Featured Poll, and the FanShots, followed by the Dolphins Schedule, some links, and a Dolphins News Feed.

Down the middle, affectionately known as The Frontpage, is where all of Matty's articles go, as well as any fanposts deemed Frontpage worthy.

FANPOSTS AND FANSHOTS

This is where your voice can be heard. FanPosts are articles from the blog members, and FanShots are quick-hitting quotes, videos, pictures, or links that don't constitute an entire post. FanPosts have a 75-word minimum, so if you don't have 75 words of info, it's probably better off as a FanShot.

You can open a new FanPost from the link at the top of the left sidebar, or under the rest of the FanPosts on the right sidebar. The same goes for the FanShots.

You'll see a little box at the top of the FanPosts and FanShots on the sidebar, that's for "rec'd" posts. If you like the post you're reading, and you think it deserves special notice, you can recommend - or 'rec' - it. if a post gets 4 rec’s, it’ll get moved up to the "recommended post” area. You can find the rec button just above the little green bar (explained below). Rec'ing a post is known around here as "Goo'ing it" or hitting it with the "Goo Cannon." It makes more sense below.

COMMENTING

Pretty self-explanatory, but there's alot of shortcuts and things you can do besides just typing and posting. There's a green bar right below the body of the post separating it from the comments, and just below that green bar is a box for "Auto-Refresh." Make sure that box is checked. Trust me. It's awesome.

Right below that is a list of all the Post Shortcuts that help you navigate through the comments. Without these, it's almost impossible to keep up with a live thread or busy conversation. Here's the full rundown in case you can't find it

Press C to tab through new comments, Shift-C to tab backwards, X to mark a comment as read, and Shift-A to mark all read.
Z will simultaneously mark and tab forward, and R will reply to the comment that has focus.

Also, if you want to reply to a specific comment without using the shortcut, you can just click "reply" in that specific comment window. It's the best way to keep the conversation organized and make sure people know who and to what you're responding to.

You can also rec comments just the same as a fanpost or fanshot. Right next to the reply button, is 'actions.' Click that, and 2 more buttons come up. Flag and Rec. If a comment receives enough 'rec's' it'll get a big star and glow green so it gets noticed. The glowing green comment is how we came up with the Goo Cannon, so if somebody says they goo'ed your post or comment, it's a compliment.

PERSONAL SETTINGS

You can customize your Phinsider Experience by clicking "Edit Settings" on top of the left sidebar. There's a whole bunch of things you can do in there.

The first thing you'll see in the Settings tab is the timezone. Yeah. Next is Blog Preferences, and this is where you'll have to do some changes. The best thing to do is switch the "number of fanposts displayed" to 20, because you miss a lot of good content if you keep it at 10. This place works fast. Have the live comment updating set to yes, and the default comment format set to expanded, and you're good to go.

Next, go to the Edit Profile tab. This is where you can create your 'sig' (signature, shows up at the bottom of every one of your comments), and your avatar. It's all pretty self-explanatory once you get there, so have fun. The My Dashboard tab is just a quick reference to all your recent fanposts and fanshots, for each and every SBN blog you're a member of.

If you have any questions about something I may have left out, feel free to ask. And once again, Welcome!

Tagliabue to the Dolphins?

Little Nicky 21 — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 19:04:31 -0000

FROM PROFOOTBALLTALK.COM

(REST OF ARTICLE CUT OUT DUE TO BORING NON-DOLPHINS INFORMATION.)

SBJ points out that Tagliabue could also be accepting a position with the Dolphins, which would most likely require him to give up his gig with the league office.

Tagliabue reportedly has been advising on an informal basis new team owner Stephen Ross, and Ross reportedly wants to hire Tagliabue to become the vice chairman of the team.

This is pretty interesting. And note that it's not just a random PFT rumor, but comes from Sports Business Journal (SBJ). If it's true, I think it'll be a good move. Nobody has a better understanding of how the league works than the guy who was in charge of the whole operation for the last couple decades. What do you guys think? Fun poll time.

Poll

How do you feel about Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue joining the Miami Dolphins?

I like it, it can only help.

55 votes

No. There's no need for him.

15 votes

Yawn. What's his 40 time?

32 votes

102 votes | Poll has closed