If Brent Grimes gets hurt, we’re doomed.

I’ll start off by saying that, and I firmly believe it’s true.   We just don’t have enough depth in our secondary to make up for Grimes if he’s ever injured.  We barely held on for dear life last year when Cortland Finnegan got hurt.  It would be much worse if Grimes went down.

The other Dolphins corners just aren’t too good.  I’m sorry to all you fans of Jamar Taylor and Will Davis, but those guys have had plenty of times and opportunities to do something, and they never have.   It might take a few years for a DB to become a star, but it doesn’t take a few years for them to become reliable, at the very least.  Davis and Taylor have not done so yet.  it’s the Dion Jordan situation, minus the high 3rd-overall price tag.   You can’t keep saying “he needs time” forever.  One day, you have to realize you were wrong.  The Dolphins were wrong about Taylor and Davis.

Please don’t get hurt, Brent!

Don Jones and Michael Thomas are safeties who were forced to play some CB because of injuries.    The Dolphins showed their lack of depth here.  Philbin keeps far too many defensive lineman on the active roster each Sunday, and he doesn’t allow enough emergency depth at CB.  You can’t just plug a safety into a CB slot in the middle of a game and expect immediate results.

Brice McCain is a free agent who could fill in well, but he needs to step up his game when Tom Brady starts to dissect us twice a year.  It is a sad reality that our entire defense needs to be built to defeat Tom Brady.  EJ Manuel and Geno Smith twice a year scare nobody; our defense just needs to worry about Brady.  (Although I should note that Joe Philbin is one of the few NFL coaches who has no clue how to consistently beat Manuel and Smith, neither of whom Philbin has never swept.  Philbin even got swept when Buffalo used 5th-string journeyman QB Thad Lewis against us TWICE.)

Former NY Giant Zack Bowman could be intriguing.  But I’m not sold on why the Giants allowed him to walk.  He came to the Dolphins for a fairly reasonable price.  So if the Giants were not willing to pay him an average salary, maybe they knew something.

Rookie draft choices Tony Lippett and  Bobby McCain could be intriguing.  Someone has to tell these kids about what a great opportunity he has.  The Dolphins have drafted many DBs in recent years, and every one has seen significant playing time.  McCain and Lippett don’t have to beat out Brent Grimes for a roster spot; they only have to beat out a Jamar Taylor or Will Davis.  However, we want McCain and Lippett to play like he IS battling for a job against Brent Grimes.

In training camp, Philbin needs to set the bar much higher for these guys.   We cannot keep players just because they are good enough to barely be on an NFL team.  We need to keep players only because they are definitely quality NFL players.

Your thoughts on the Dolphins’ CBs?

9 Comments

  1. I was actually thinking that Zack Bowman would fill that role I think that if there was a staff more clueless then philbin’s over the last few years it was the Giants so I was hoping we caught a break on his signing.

    Also I thought that Michael Thomas had a few nice games last year before he was injured and seemed to show a lot of ball instinct. Miami seems to have a ton of Nickle CB but as you mention they suck.

    Thomas played about 90 snaps last year and I hope he gets a lot more this year he seems to always be around the ball.

    Also I remember reading somewhere that Miami used 14 different starting combinations on defense last year?????

    Seems like a lot to me

    Despite all that Miami was still ranked #6 in pass defense which gets lost when they are also 24th against the run and got hammered….. I mean embarrassingly HAMMERED in the finial game by a guy who shouldn’t be a QB!

    I think we will be fine at CB I think the depth behind our LB is much more serious a problem and I can’t remember a year where we haven’t had significant injury’s to the LB group!

  2. Injuries aside we are already better than last year. Cortland Finnegan was nothing special and served a veteran purpose. It’s time for those 2 CBs (Davis & that other guy) to step up or cut bait. While CB won’t be a strength, if our D line & LBs can apply pressure we could get some easy picks. Right now Lippett is too raw & so is Bobby McCain. Our best bet is with Brice McCain or maybe Bowman. I sure do miss the days of Sam Madison, Surtain, & I’d hate to say it…… the guy that signed with KC….. I’m bad with names today.

  3. Memory came back!!

    Jamar Taylor & Sean Smith

    I’m looking for a HUGE YEAR from SS Jones!

  4. Author

    Sean Smith had so much potential, but never really made a difference. I remember Vontae Davis publcally mentioning that Smith was going to KC about a week BEFORE free agency had even opened up. Totally against the rules for Smith and KC to have been negotiating. And totally hysterical that Vontae didn’t know enough to keep his yap shut!

  5. Would love some good ‘ol Louis Oliver/Jarvis Williams flashbacks.

    For whatever reason the Dolphins have “always” been weak at CB…. Aside from Sam Madison/ Pat Surtain/ Brent Grimes/maybe Sean Smith….. who have we ever had???? William Judson/Don McNeal/Tim McKyer/JB Williams

    Troy Vincent never made me warm & fuzzy

    I’ve been a Dolphins fan 30 years and can’t recall a CB sniper to avoid like Revis/Sherman/Deion/Champ Bailey/ Woodson/ Peterson/ or others not mentioned.

    I know it’s easier said than done but landing a top notch CB has never been a priority as far as I can tell.

    I like our Safeties but goooolllly…. CB has forever been a pain

  6. Author

    I read from several sources that Davonte Parker (I’ll eventually look up the proper spelling) was looking great at practices today. So far so good. Same with Suh…a beast so far. These guys excel when showing off their natural football ability on the practice field. Then Joey Philbin gets a hold of them on game day, and suddenly they are half as good as they were. Philbin’s style simply inhibits a player’s ability, not fosters it.

  7. Billy Lazor needs to be the next Head Coach if this season bombs.

    Kevin Coyle is on his last stand with this talented D…. How did Todd Bowles ever get away?

  8. Bryan – Two Words “Joe Philbin”

    You can add a third word to that anywhere you like, “Incompetent”

    Posted by Armando Salguero 01/23/2012 at 03:36 PM

    http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2012/01/source-bowles-return-to-dolphins-unlikely.html

    “Philbin talked to interim head coach Todd Bowles Sunday and the message didn’t exactly suggest the new coach is eager to retain Bowles. In fact, a source close to Bowles just told me the club’s secondary/assistant head coach/interim head coach will not return to the Dolphins.”

  9. Jamar Taylor has looked the part of a starting caliber CB. He must be made of glass though because he is hurt more than healthy. Should start referring to him as Mr. Glass.

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