Hickey spoke this morning

[Spider-Dan]

If you are making a point about the NFL draft and you feel the need to cite Tom Brady, your point is almost certainly invalid.

It's like citing Drew Brees or Kurt Warner.  The next NFL MVP is not currently stocking grocery shelves in an Arena Football town, nor is he some team's current early-round bust.

[MikeO]

32 teams had the same info on Brady and he still went in the 6th round. Not sure what the relevance is. Teams get it wrong on players all the time, Dion Jordan was a consensus top 5 pick....

And Tom Brady didn't start Day 1. Thanks for proving my entire point! Expecting a player who is picked in Rounds 4,5,6 to come in and start Day 1 is unrealistic. Not impossible, it can happen but its unrealistic expectations. There is a reason why Douglas went in the 4th round.

Brady sat behind Bledsoe and if Bledsoe doesn't get hurt who knows when Brady would have saw the field in New England. Brady wasn't a plug and play QB just like Douglas probably isn't a plug and play OG, hope I am wrong though.

[Rich]

If you are making a point about the NFL draft and you feel the need to cite Tom Brady, your point is almost certainly invalid.

It's like citing Drew Brees or Kurt Warner.  The next NFL MVP is not currently stocking grocery shelves in an Arena Football town, nor is he some team's current early-round bust.

If you are posting, it is invalid. 

[Rich]

And Tom Brady didn't start Day 1. Thanks for proving my entire point! Expecting a player who is picked in Rounds 4,5,6 to come in and start Day 1 is unrealistic. Not impossible, it can happen but its unrealistic expectations. There is a reason why Douglas went in the 4th round.

Brady sat behind Bledsoe and if Bledsoe doesn't get hurt who knows when Brady would have saw the field in New England. Brady wasn't a plug and play QB just like Douglas probably isn't a plug and play OG, hope I am wrong though.

Your point was that teams must have known something. Well what do they know when they have all these future busts slated as first round picks?

And if you know anything about the guard position, you know there are plenty of guys that were drafted in the middle rounds playing guard at a high level in the NFL.

Some positions like guard, linebacker and running back are positions where you can find starters from day 1 anywhere in the draft.

[MikeO]

Your point was that teams must have known something. Well what do they know when they have all these future busts slated as first round picks?

And if you know anything about the guard position, you know there are plenty of guys that were drafted in the middle rounds playing guard at a high level in the NFL.

Some positions like guard, linebacker and running back are positions where you can find starters from day 1 anywhere in the draft.

I never said Douglas wouldn't be a great player. I just said don't bank on him coming in and starting day 1. I'm not knocking him, just don't expect him to start Week 1. HOPE I AM WRONG THOUGH!

If Douglas is this sure fire starter as a rookie at guard then 31 other teams are utter morons for passing on him 3 or 4 times. There are a lot of questions about his game (yes at guard, not just tackle) and that's why he fell. Doesn't mean he sucks, but gotta keep perspective when talking about him

[Rich]

I never said Douglas wouldn't be a great player. I just said don't bank on him coming in and starting day 1. I'm not knocking him, just don't expect him to start Week 1. HOPE I AM WRONG THOUGH!

If Douglas is this sure fire starter as a rookie at guard then 31 other teams are utter morons for passing on him 3 or 4 times. There are a lot of questions about his game (yes at guard, not just tackle) and that's why he fell. Doesn't mean he sucks, but gotta keep perspective when talking about him

There were a lot of good guard prospects and good tackle prospects that would convert to guard in this draft. So for a couple to be available in the 4th round isn't out the question.

In the Dolphins system, he can start at guard day one because they look for athletic guards who can move, not maulers. He's got good strength as well. The knocks on him coming out were lacking aggressiveness and finishing plays, but again this was based on his play at tackle.

If he had come out after the way he played guard he doesn't get out of the 2nd round.

[masterfins]

I agree and that's why this team is 6-8 wins this upcoming year.

Would you like to wager on this prediction???  To me it's mind boggling when someone says a team is going to be worse this year versus last year when there are multiple upgrades across the team (WR, OL, DL, etc.).  What positions are worse this year versus last year??  (TE probably, but other than that??)

[MikeO]

Would you like to wager on this prediction???  To me it's mind boggling when someone says a team is going to be worse this year versus last year when there are multiple upgrades across the team (WR, OL, DL, etc.).  What positions are worse this year versus last year??  (TE probably, but other than that??)

Not betting with you cause I know I will never see the money.I see an o-line with no guards and a secondary that has 1 healthy legit safety entering the year.  This league is about giving the QB time to throw the ball and about being able to stop the pass and cover. Miami's 2 biggest weaknesses are those areas. Plus our head coach sucks.

I REALLY REALLY HOPE I AM WRONG!  But being honest with a schedule that has this team on the road the first 2 months non-stop, I think its a recipe for disaster. Overall I think the team is moving in the right direction. They have a very young core to build around and the arrow is pointing up big-time. I am happy with how this team is being built. I think in 2 years or so they will be ready to compete. But this upcoming year might be really bad for the reasons I stated.

Again, hope I am wrong. Really hope I am wrong.

[masterfins]

Not betting with you cause I know I will never see the money.I see an o-line with no guards and a secondary that has 1 healthy legit safety entering the year.  This league is about giving the QB time to throw the ball and about being able to stop the pass and cover. Miami's 2 biggest weaknesses are those areas. Plus our head coach sucks.

I REALLY REALLY HOPE I AM WRONG!  But being honest with a schedule that has this team on the road the first 2 months non-stop, I think its a recipe for disaster. Overall I think the team is moving in the right direction. They have a very young core to build around and the arrow is pointing up big-time. I am happy with how this team is being built. I think in 2 years or so they will be ready to compete. But this upcoming year might be really bad for the reasons I stated.

Again, hope I am wrong. Really hope I am wrong.

Well you are right you wouldn't see the money, because people that lose bets don't get paid, winners do.     I disagree with you on the scheduling, but yours is a valid point.   But as I said in my original post where is Miami worse than last year?  Pouncey back in his normal position, Albert back at left tackle, James back at his normal position, at least the same guards playing (now with more experience and better players to their right and left),  so barring injuries or suspensions the OL will be greatly improved.  So how can anyone predict a worse record??

[MikeO]

Well you are right you wouldn't see the money, because people that lose bets don't get paid, winners do.     I disagree with you on the scheduling, but yours is a valid point.   But as I said in my original post where is Miami worse than last year?  Pouncey back in his normal position, Albert back at left tackle, James back at his normal position, at least the same guards playing (now with more experience and better players to their right and left),  so barring injuries or suspensions the OL will be greatly improved.  So how can anyone predict a worse record??

I think the schedule is tougher and the layout of it doesn't do Miami any favors. I don't agree with you that the o-line is better overall. I don't see it. Albert coming off a major injury and no guards to speak of. Hope I am wrong.

[Sunstroke]

I not only think that Miami has a much better team than last year, I think they win 10 games this year and make the playoffs. This, coming from a person who is normally very skeptical on Miami's chances. They added one of the 2-3 best defensive players in the league (Suh), two excellent WRs (Parker & Stills), an outstanding TE (Cameron), and a quality RB to complement Miller (Ajayi). Did they add enough O-line help? Probably not, but Albert coming back, Pouncey and James back at their optimum positions and Jamil Douglas being better than Dallas Thomas leads me to believe that Miami's O-line will be improved.

At the risk of repeating myself for the 17th-ish time, I believe people are severely underestimating the positive effect that Ndamukong Suh will have on Miami's defense.

[MikeO]

Hickey did more interviews Friday. He said Will Davis will be ready for training camp. Which is good because on special teams is an absolute beast

[Pappy13]

At the risk of repeating myself for the 17th-ish time, I believe people are severely underestimating the positive effect that Ndamukong Suh will have on Miami's defense.

I hope you are right, but I fear that people are overestimating what effect Suh will have on this defense. They'll be better at stopping the run at the line of scrimmage which was a huge problem last year, but once you get past the line then RB's will be free to do whatever they want because we don't have a single LB that knows how to read plays and tackle RB's before they get moving. They will probably also be slightly better at rushing the QB, but again they don't have any LB's or nickel backs that are capable of really shutting down RB's, TE's and slot receivers in the short to mid range pass attack. The weakness of this defense is in the middle which causes a real problem in getting off the field. Way too many 3rd and 5's to 3rd and 10's were converted into first downs last year. I don't see that changing much with Suh unless they sack the QB and that just won't happen enough.

[MikeO]

Hickey also said Jason Fox will be competing at OG as well.

Looks like Fins will give Dallas Thomas every bit of competition possible so he doesn't start

[EDGECRUSHER]

I think Miami will go with a 4 man Line to prevent Dallas Thomas from starting again.