Author: Bill

Dolphins need someone to take Center stage….

Aug. 01 News and Notes

 

Bill (@PhinNation on Twitter)

Stop me if you’ve heard this one: The Miami Dolphins are concerned about their offensive line.  Yes, the Dolphins are only 6 days into training camp. BUT, there are problems that keep surfacing, mostly around the center position. The problem is that Mike Pouncey, the Dolphins Pro Bowl Center, is probably going to miss the first 6 games or so of the 2014 season.  Who is going to step up and earn the starting center position heading into Opening Day?  That is the problem, no one is stepping up and showing that he is ready to fill the gap until Pouncey returns.

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

Shelley Smith gave it a shot, but he’s a natural guard, not a center…..and it showed. He had a number of bad practices early in camp and seems to have been replaced by Nate Garner. Unfortunately, Garner didn’t exactly take the job and run, like we the Dolphins had hoped.  Sam Brenner, who is another contender for the starting spot, is rehabbing an injury from earlier in camp.

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Ja’Wuan James could be special for Dolphins

May. 09 Opinion

 

By Cyrus (@Cyruslassus on Twitter)

I must admit that selecting a right tackle at number 19 was one of my least favorite ideas, but the Miami Dolphins reached for one that has Pro Bowl potential at two spots.

That is the value I see in the James pick.

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

As a rookie he projects as a starter and I expect him to be better than both Tyson Clabo and Jon Martin were in the past two seasons.

However, what excites me about the pick is that he has all of the ability to become great at the position and possibly become just as good on the left side by the time Branden Albert retires.

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It’s Dolphins Draft Day! Some last minute thoughts…..

May. 08 Opinion

 

By Cyrus (@Cyruslassus on Twitter)

The Miami Dolphins have the 19th pick in the draft, which could be a valuable pick should one of the top three quarterbacks slides, or another elite prospect, such as tight end Eric Ebron, wide receiver Mike Evans or linebacker CJ Mosley.

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

At this point the Dolphins would have a decision on their hands. Mine would be to take the top 12 prospect who slid and pat yourself on the back.

This is what I believe will and should happen. Any of those prospects could start year one or provide major insurance at key positions.

The latest rumor has Miami trading up for right tackle Zach Martin, which sounds like trading up for Vernon Carey instead of taking nose tackle Vince Wilfork.

Trading down is more appealing, because you could create competition and find some gems later on the way Jimmy Johnson did with Jason Taylor in the third and Zach Thomas in the fifth round.

The down side of that formula was also experienced when the Dolphins moved down and crafted John Avery when Randy Moss was slipping to their spot.

The offensive line will certainly be addressed at some point, but it is neither as drastic of a need as most believe nor is the team strong enough elsewhere to just look at plugging holes.

The draft should be about finding stars, not starters.

LIVE DRAFT CHAT: Want to talk about the draft with other Dolphins’ fans?  Stop by the Phins Forum during the draft and join the conversation!

 

 

 

Should the Dolphins draft a QB in the 1st round?

Apr. 02 Opinion

 

By Cyrus (@Cyruslassus on Twitter)

After putting a lot of thought into the 2014 season and the future of the Miami Dolphins, I have come to a surprising conclusion heading into the draft.

The Miami Dolphins must draft a quarterback in the first round.

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

Ryan Tannehill is not a franchise quarterback as of yet and that is the first order of business until you can cross it off.

A right tackle or right guard is not worth giving up a chance at a franchise quarterback.

Not now, not ever.

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Mock Draft: After signing Moreno, how will the Dolphins attack the draft?

Apr. 01 Opinion

 

By Cyrus (@Cyruslassus on Twitter)

Since my last mock draft, there have been a few significant developments.

The first was the signing of Knowshon Moreno, which could be an indication that Miami will not draft a running back, or at least not in the first three rounds.

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

The second is that according to the Ravens and Dolphins, it is a 2015 7th round draft pick that Miami owes Baltimore as part of the Bryant McKinnie deal, and not a 2014 selection as it had been reported.

The Miami Dolphins approach this draft with a full compliment of draft picks and very few weak spots on the roster.

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Would DeSean Jackson make sense for the Dolphins?

Mar. 29 Opinion

 

By Cyrus (@Cyruslassus on Twitter)

The Philadelphia Eagles have cut wide receiver DeSean Jackson and the Miami Dolphins are among the teams that could be interested.

Photo Courtesy of Wigstruck via Wikipedia

Photo Courtesy of Wigstruck via Wikipedia

Bill Lazor was brought in as offensive coordinator because of the success of the Philadelphia Eagles offense last year and it would only make sense to bring in one of the leaders of that offense to shorten the learning curve.

The Miami Dolphins wide receiver corps are coming into the season pretty banged up and Mike Wallace did not demonstrate that he was worthy of being called a number one receiver.

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Breaking down the odds of the Dolphins drafting Pro Bowlers in the NFL Draft

Mar. 26 Opinion, Uncategorized

 

By Cyrus (@Cyruslassus on Twitter)

I visited my local fair yesterday and was lured in by the chance of coming away with a big prize for a small price in their carnival games.

I came away feeling scammed and it reminded me of the NFL Draft.

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

I did a numbers analysis of the past five drafts and discovered that 80 Pro Bowlers were selected out of 1272 selections, for a 6.3 percent early success rate.

15 were selected in the 2009 draft, 30 in 2010, 20 in 2011, 11 in 2012 and 4 in 2013.

Obviously, the last two drafts have not had as much time to develop and more Pro Bowlers are surely to sprout, but they have been included as they give a realistic picture of what this Dolphins regime can expect in their win or go home season.

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Who are the top 10 Dolphins of All-Time??

Mar. 26 Opinion

 

By Miami Jules (@Miami_Jules on Twitter)

Spring has sprung and with it, spring brings along its beautiful flowers and warmer weather, calm after the wintry  storms, and a lull in the football free agent action, as many of the top F/As have been signed and coaches and GMs put on their silly convention hats and attend the NFL Owner’s annual meeting. We, the absolute football fans in the meantime, are being hammered on sports TV by the relentlessly torturous non-stop coverage of college basketball, while we desperately try to find an oasis of information, in a desert of football news.

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

We do not have to suffer my beloved football purists, so I thought some football entertainment in the form of trivial homage to those heroes of the gridiron who might’ve once stirred up emotional excitement and passion , which we now look nostalgically back on, may put some excitement back into our football starved minds. The question I ask you fellow Dolfans is: Who are your top 10 Dolphins of all time? Participation is encouraged and if we get enough of you involved, I will be happy to ask a similar question during another desperate quiet time, either before the draft, or in between the draft and the start of training camp as rumor and news demands it. Here is my top 10 Dolphins of all time:

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Updated Dolphins Mock Draft – Will they go OL in the 1st round?

Mar. 24 Opinion

 

By Cyrus (@Cyruslassus on Twitter)

The Miami Dolphins should be able to fill a lot of needs in the 2014 draft.  Here is my projection.

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

With the 19th pick in the 1st round, the Miami Dolphins select:

C.J. Mosley, Alabama, Middle Linebacker

I believe the Miami Dolphins will have an elite defense in 2014, but it cannot happen without All Pro production from the middle linebacker.  Miami’s offensive line has gotten all of the headlines, but the linebackers were the biggest disappointment in 2013, and this man could turn the unit around.

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Dolphins closing in on Knowshon Moreno? What about Blount?

Mar. 21 Opinion

 

By Cyrus (@Cyruslassus on Twitter)
The current market value for Denver’s Knowshon Moreno and New England’s LeGarrette Blount is at about $3 million per season, which to me says the Dolphins should double their pleasure.

Photo Courtesy of Jeffery Beall via Wikipedia.org

Photo Courtesy of Jeffery Beall via Wikipedia.org

Knowshon Moreno is an every down back with good hands and an excellent pass protector.  He ran for a thousand yards last season and scored ten touchdowns and, at 26, has plenty of tread left on his tires.

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