Not feeling good about our directions for 2010

[Doc-phin]

As of today 03/09/2010...

I feel we are falling behind the curve.  We signed Dansby and that was great and all but lets look at what else has happened.

We have lost Will Allen, Nate Jones, Gibril Wilson, Aiken Ayodele and likely Jason Ferguson with the suspension.  Not to mention that we don't know what will come of Jason Taylor and filling Joey Porter's position.  Our backups to these positions are undetermined at best.

Our areas of greatest need can be debated, but lets just assume we can agree on free safety, nose tackle, wide receiver and now some sort of reliable depth at corner.

In my mind we have already blown it at receiver.  I, like many, feel we are too young at this position and shouldn't be looking to draft another receiver.  If we do draft a receiver, my bet is that it would come at the cost of our only veteran's job (Camarillo).  I don't really don't see any #1 receivers to go after at least without a significant loss in a trade.

We have no free safety and we should all be very careful about Chris Clemons as a free safety.  I think Sharper is still available, so perhaps he could ease my mind about this for the short term.  Otherwise, drafting a free safety would be very troubling considering how young our cornerbacks are.  Some may say that Jason Allen would play this role, how secure would you feel about that?

Nose tackle is probably a draftable position that we could expect decent early results, but they don't exactly grow on trees.  I don't think we can rely on later rounds to pick one up, therefore that position would likely keep us from taking a skill position that is truly worthwhile.  Do you want to rely on Soliai?  I don't.

I really don't see any experienced corners that would be worth picking up at this point.  I will be honest, with the loss of Will Allen and Jones I am starting to panic about this position.  If Davis or Smith don't play well or get hurt, I could see us having an even worse pass defense this year. 

Anybody else starting to get nervous?

[Philly Fin Fan]

As of today 03/09/2010...

I feel we are falling behind the curve.  We signed Dansby and that was great and all but lets look at what else has happened.

We have lost Will Allen

You're jumping the gun. You need to take a better look at NFL transactions. There are two Will Allen's in the NFL- one is a CB, one is a FS.  I assume you saw the Steelers signed the FS and thought it was the Fins CB.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I predict the dolphins end 2010, the same as 2009, 3rd place in the div ahead of the Bills and behind NE and the Jets. 

[Defense54]

I predict the dolphins end 2010, the same as 2009, 3rd place in the div ahead of the Bills and behind NE and the Jets. 

Gee......your prediction was so.......predictable. 

[Phishfan]

Could this be considered the first "the sky is falling" post of 2010?

I think the fact that you even mention the loss of Wilson in this post shows you are trying to focus on negativity. I personally see that as a positive for this team.

[Defense54]

Could this be considered the first "the sky is falling" post of 2010?

I think the fact that you even mention the loss of Wilson in this post shows you are trying to focus on negativity. I personally see that as a positive for this team.

A New England fan on a Dolphins forum focusing on negativity!!?  Say it isn't so.......

[Sunstroke]

Not nervous at all, and think that the direction we're going as we head into 2010 is exactly the direction we need to go.

As far as Nose tackles not growing on trees, that may be the case, but this year's draft class has several good bushes that they're growing on. It's a depth position this season. We can get a stud NT in round one, and we can get a quality NT in rds 2 or 3...possibly even 4.

[Doc-phin]

A few defenses of my statement after the replies thus far...

First, I am not a New England fan and perhaps Defense5499 was trying to indicate someone else but the way it was stated it actually implicates me.

I actually do feel the loss of Wilson is a negative and have defended him a fair amount.  I realize I am in the minority on this sentiment, but I still feel that Wilson would be a better 2010 free safety than Clemons or any rookie.  Jason Allen could be a possible solution, but again there is no security there IMO.

The picture I saw on NFL network was our Will Allen, perhaps they made a mistake but it was not just the name.  It indicated that he signed a 3 year deal with the Steelers.  I did not look this up anywhere else to confirm, so it is definitely possible that the picture was pulled for the wrong Will Allen.

Finally, I am not saying the sky is falling!  However, look at what we are up against and what we must do to make the playoffs...

When you consider our roster and what needs to be improved to compete in our division, we have substantially more holes to fill and positions to upgrade than the Jets and Patriots.  Beyond that we are probably going to have to compete with the Ravens, Steelers and one of our division opponents for a wildcard spot if we can't win our division.  Once again, I feel we are behind these teams in terms of talent.

My hopes were that we would sign a quality veteran receiver and upgrade our free safety.  Everything else looked to be a draftable.  Instead, we upgraded a linebacker spot and have not improved our free safety situation and poised ourselves to stay very young at receiver with no true number one guy.  This isn't sky falling stuff!  This is analysis and I would be just as likely to post a thread showing positive moves if I saw it that way.

[Fred Finstoned]

Doc,  sit in the lotus position and drink the Kool-Aid drink the Kool-Aid!
I KNOW what you're saying but, I think most of our holes can be filled in this draft. I hope we use our first pick for a FS and not NT. If you  look at my post in the Dolphins Needs thread you'll see NT can be gotten in the 2nd round(lots of talent late). Our biggest concern is WR and I can't see Tuna going after Marshall. We still have a decent core if, they just use what we have to the best of their abilities.Watch game films and see what I say about Teddy! Send him long,make him a deep threat. He can out run most defense backs and he won't have to take a hit.If he catches one of three, defenses will have to respect that!Opens up the run game where we have lots of talent!
        REMEBER DRINK THE KOOL-AID,DRINK THE KOOL-AID

[Sunstroke]

I'm thinking about a no-koolaid diet...

* I think the AFC East will be one of the toughest conferences in the NFL next season, with NE, NYJ and the Phins being teams that no one really wants to face.

* I still don't think of Miami as a SB contender, and once that determination was made in my head, I immediately looked at this season as another year to continue building the roster and prepping for runs in 2011 and 2012. With some of the key players on this team (Jake Long, Henne, Davis, Smith and a few others) being where they're at, age-wise, I saw 2011 and 2012 as being the prime windows for this group to make a deep playoff run.

* I really think, barring an impact FA signing prior to the draft, Miami is going to positionally go the following draft direction...(with players named being for "if I could drop a dollar at astronomical odds" purposes only):

#12:  NT (Dan Williams, Tennessee)
#43:  FS or OLB (Nate Allen, USF or Ricky Sapp, Clemson)
#73:  Whichever of the FS/OLB that didn't get taken in rd 2( FS Reshad Jones, Georgia, OLB Navarro Bowman)
#107: WR (Danario Alexander, Missouri, Demaryius Thomas, Ga Tech)
After:  O and D-line, drafted by the pound, with more of a taste for higher upside beef from smaller schools.

[Doc-phin]

Let me say the thing that really caused me to start the thread...

I really can't think of a situation in which a team dominated by 1st, 2nd and 3rd year players somehow matured into a team that threatened for a deep playoff/superbowl run.  I am concerned that at a certain point you become too young.

We do have a few vets to speak of but the ones we have don't seem to be the kind to bail you out of a jam.  They lack the leadership qualities you want when you need that final drive for a score or a big defensive play to end a game. 

Who knows, maybe we will get lucky with enough draft picks that the leadership won't matter.  I just hate to count on it.

[Tenshot13]

[quote author=Sunstroke link=topic=16378.msg195426#msg195426 date

#12:  NT (Dan Williams, Tennessee)
#43:  FS or OLB (Nate Allen, USF or Ricky Sapp, Clemson)
#73:  Whichever of the FS/OLB that didn't get taken in rd 2( FS Reshad Jones, Georgia, OLB Navarro Bowman)
#107: WR (Danario Alexander, Missouri, Demaryius Thomas, Ga Tech)
After:  O and D-line, drafted by the pound, with more of a taste for higher upside beef from smaller schools.



[/quote]

I like how you're thinking Stroke.  I see it the same way, except with a few minor tweeks...

1 - NT (Dan Williams)...he may not be available with the Bills and Broncos ahead of us, so OLB (Jason Pierre-Paul)

2- WR (Benn, Tate) OR NT if not taken in the first (Cody or Cam Thomas).  I also wouldn't be upset with FS Nate Allen because of my USF homerism.

3 - OLB ( Koa Missi (sp?), Ricky Sapp) if not taken in the first OR FS (Rashad Jones even though I don't think he'll fall that far...I think he's gone in the second round).

4 - go with the best available talent, whether it fills a need or not.

The rest...what Stroke said.

[dolphins4life]

I'm excited for this year.

Look at the two SB teams this year: NO and INDY

The Dolphins played INDY extremely close this year

They REALLY beat NO.  The Dolphins dominated that game.  Then, the refs gave the Saints two gift TDs.  (On the play before the end of the first half, when Colston caught the ball at the one, the clock should have run out, because the Saints were out of TOs)

Our young secondary players will improve

Henne will get better

Ricky and Ronnie will be back

Hartline will continue to develop

This team will be an SB contender in 2010.  Mark my words. 

[SpaceCoastFinsFan]

I agree there Doc.  It seems this offseason is similar to the last..... the team keeps misisng out on guys.

[bsfins]

Let me say the thing that really caused me to start the thread...

I really can't think of a situation in which a team dominated by 1st, 2nd and 3rd year players somehow matured into a team that threatened for a deep playoff/superbowl run.  I am concerned that at a certain point you become too young.

We do have a few vets to speak of but the ones we have don't seem to be the kind to bail you out of a jam.  They lack the leadership qualities you want when you need that final drive for a score or a big defensive play to end a game. 

Who knows, maybe we will get lucky with enough draft picks that the leadership won't matter.  I just hate to count on it.

What do you expect from a team that has had many years of horrible drafting (the one player away mentality),you have to start somewhere....We only have 3 guy's on our roster from the 2007 draft,1 from 2006,2 from 2005,1 from 04,1 from 03......It bites you in the ass....