Pretty much anyone who follows the Dolphins agrees that the team needs to address a huge talent gap at linebacker. With Kiko Alonso being the pretty much the only guy to make plays last season, the Phins need to fill some spots.
While some teams are looking for LB depth, we’re looking for LB starters. I like Mike Hull a lot, but he must be underperforming in practice or something, because they don’t let him play much on game day. The LB need is grave, because our current guys weren’t able to provide run support, nor did they rush the passer effectively on blitzes, not could they cover anyone. LBs need to have at least one of those skill sets, and ours are lacking badly.
So with this dire need at linebacker, why am I reading so many reports that say the Dolphins need to draft a tight end? Are you serious? A tight end? Draft guru Todd McShay and several unnamed Dolphins personnel executives seem to be pushing this idea. And it’s a bad idea. A worrisome, horrible idea.
Tight end is not as important as linebacker. Tight ends are a dime a dozen. When Gronk got hurt, New England just plugged some new guy in. When Jordan Cameron got hurt, Dion Sims filled in. It’s among the easier positions to fill. No team loses games because their starting TE is unavailable. But they do lose games when you can’t stop the run, or the pass. And THAT is the Dolphins’ problem in a nutshell.
I turn it over to you readers…are you concerned about our current TE position? Should the Dolphins consider drafting offense again this year? What free agents excite you?
Anything except a WR. We draft like 3 or 4 every single year
Dolphins need a tight end as Dion Sims is a free agent and Cameron won’t have his option picked up. Gase utilizes tight ends heavily in his offense. Linebackers is obviously the biggest need but tight end and defensive end are in a stronge race for second. The draft pundits just rank the top plmrospects and then assign them to a team based on need and of course draft order. Tight ends O.J. Howard or David Njoku are currently projected as first-round picks are are also projected to possibly be available around 18-25 and since we pick 22nd that’s why they are pegging us to perhaps thst one there. But maybe you agree more with Mel Kiper who has Miami taking a Florida Gator linebacker in the 1st-round. Even though that linebacker isn’t projected as a 1st-rounder by anyone but Kiper. Inside Lb Zach Cunningham of Vanderbilt is the only 1st-round caliber linebacker expected to possibly be available around 22 but many mocks have him going sooner. The only other 1st-round projected linebackers are Crimsoj Tide players Rueben Foster and Tim Williams and both are expected to be gone before 22 so that’s why most of the so-called experts are mocking us a tight end at 22. And even though we need at least two new linebackers we need a tight end and defensive end also. Plus another guard. But that’s why you have free agency also.
Rick, I can’t argue about your options you listed. I still think TE is a lower priority because the position isn’t game-changing. Some put up great numbers, like Gronk always comes to mind. But then when Gronk is removed from the equation, the team just throws to its WRs more. I dunno. I’m far more concerned with the D. Even if Njoku is available at 22, I might have to pass if a great LB is there instead.
There’s linebackers the Dolphins are looking at dor later rounds like T.J. Watt and Hassan Riddick. But honestly O.J. Howard can run routes as smooth as Shannon Sharpe and is a decent run blocker. He has potential to transform an offense. He’s definitely worth the 22nd pick at what is a need position. I wouldn’t mind the linebacker Zach Cunningham at 22 myself if he’s there but he’s more likely to fall to the 2nd round than the Howard kid is.
And as far as free agents there are about three I really like. Kevin Zeitler at huard. Eric Berry(whose price will be exorbitant but imagine him lined up next to Reshad Jones).at safety. And yes I’m going to go there, Tannehill knee-smasher Calais Campbell would look awesome lined up next to Suh, Phillips, and Wake. Campbell can play DT or DE so he’d fit in quite nice. The free agent linebacker class is pretty predestrian in my opinion. I’m just hoping Tannebaum doesn’t do anything stupid like pay a whole lotta money to a player we really don’t need at a position we don’t need like Alshon Jeffrey or one-handed Pierre Paul. Crossing my fingers.
Bout time we draft a franchise QB. Move up and snag the guy from Clemson would be great
I can’t disagree with Jay here. I wouldn’t be opposed to drafting a QB and seeing what he could do in camp. But Jay…I’m wondering your opinion….do you think Dolphins management will even consider giving some young QBs a shot, or are they certain that Tannehill is positively our future?
Unfortunately, I think Ross (he drafted him) is in love with TannePuke…..sad misjudgement for Finfans …..
Just read that Mel Kiper thinks we will pick a tight end also. Unless that tight end can play linebacker or QB, I think it’s a huge mistake.
I agree that Tannehill was drafted by Ross, so, love em or hate em, he’s gonna be starting again when healthy. I’m just throwing this out there because you guys are talking about drafting qb’s, but, we have Doughty. Is he good enough to play in this league? And if not, we the heck did we draft him then? I just don’t understand having to draft another QB when we have one on the squad.
We have 3 QB’s on the squad……but none above average…..no franchise QB!
Ok. Can Doughty be developed then? Is he just a camp body, or just insurance in case Moore goes down? And TJ Yates- we still have him right? We might be looking for years for a franchise QB. I guess I dont understand the rationale for drafting another QB when other needs are more urgent.
Nothing is more urgent than a franchise QB.
I really wanted to see what Doughty could do. But when T-hill got hurt, the Dolphins wasted no time whatsoever in bringing in Yates. The coaches must have known that Doughty wasn’t good enough….not even to be Matt Moore’s emergency backup. I thought they’d at least give Doughty a shot, but no. T-hill got injured on a Sunday afternoon, and they had Yates come to town that very night, without even giving Doughty a thought.
Sean don’t even get into a back & forth with this fool Jay about how we need a qb. He’s like broken record. He can’t name a single free agent the Dolphins should target or player we should draft, even though that’s the entire point of the post, because he doesn’t know anything about the sport. He just trolls.
FU DUMBASS!!
Your mother’s the dumbass for not swallowing you.
GO PLAY IN TRAFFIC, DUMBASS!!