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Saturday, April 25, 2009

2009 NFL Draft: Day 1

We conclude a busy day of drafting with an overall expression of what we liked and disliked in the first couple rounds of the draft.


- Oakland drafts Darius Heywerd-Bey with the #7 overall pick. Ahead of Crabtree... They may be the most retarded franchise in the NFL. Detroit gets unlucky, Oakland is just retarded. To cement my opinion, they go out and draft Michael Mitchell in rd 2. I have never heard of the guy, and ESPN didn't even have footage on him. Kiper estimates they could have waited until rd. 5 atleast to have drafted him... I'm glad in not a Raider fan.

- New England screws Miami, twice! They took Ron Brace, Darius Butler.. both Miami targets... I hate them!

- I can't believe that Rey Rey and Everette Brown fell to the 2nd round...

- If it only cost a 6th for TB to move up 2 slots in the 1st round, couldn't Miami have given up a 6th and moved up 4-5 slots in the early 2nd to land Brace? Butler? Brown? Maualuga? Ridiculous!

Now to Miami's picks"

25th Pick- Vontae Davis... Love it, a physical monster. He'll excel under this regime, and I expect he will be a stud corner for years to come.

44th Pick- Pat White... I know not what to say about this pick. I don't want to deliberately question the great and well trusted minds that run this organization, but, cmon... how much can the wildcat do? White brings versatility, but I'm interested in seeing how he will be used..

56th- was traded to Indianapolis for their 61st overall and their 5th round pick.

61st Pick- Sean Smith... Great Pick, 2 corners in day 1 which could shore up our secondary. This was also a value pick, and Smith should have gone much earlier.

Overall: I would have liked to see some different names on this list, but considering that a ton of great player went right in a span of 5-7 picks before our 44th, we kind of got screwed. The wide receiver run in the late first-early second killed the chance for Miami to pick up a stud receiver.

For Day 1: C/C+ Grade.

NFL Draft Live Thread

Ladies and Gentlemen, the day we have all been waiting for since the end of the season has arrived.

We have called in sick, canceled family events, and gotten our liquor ready for today. Pop open the caps and get your shot glasses ready, in 3 hours, the NFL draft will begin.

I will update this post after every pick, and I will sum up the day after out last pick today. During the coming week, we will analyze in depth how the Dolphins drafted, and how it affects the organization.

Lastly, I wish the Jets, Bill, and Patriots the worst of luck today. I hope all their players are busts!!

With that said, lets get this party started!! Go FINS!!

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With the 25th Pick in the NFL Draft, our Miami Dolphins select Vontae Davis, CB Illinois. This will definitely strengthen our secondary. I still think we should draft another corner later in the draft.

With the 44th Pick in the NFL Draft, our Miami Dolphins select Pat White, QB/WR, West Virginia. This is an interesting pick. Does this mean Miami is enhancing the wild cat? The run on Wide Receivers made me throw up in my mouth a little bit, but oh well.

The Miami Dolphins have traded their 56th pick to the Indianapolis Colts for their 61st pick overall and Indianapolis's 5th round pick.

With the 61st pick in the NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins select Sean Smith, CB, Utah. Great pick to shore up our secondary!!

Friday, April 24, 2009

Breaking News!!

ESPN is reporting that the Arizona Cardinals have reduced their asking price for wide receiver Anquan Boldin from a 1st and a 3rd, to a 2nd and future considerations.

Recently I said that I am enamored with AQ, but a 1st and a 3rd was too steep a price. Now though, I don't know how Miami doesn't just pull the trigger as fast as possible.

I'd be willing to give a 2nd and a 6th or 7th just to spice up the offer. Either way, more than likely Miami would use their first or one of their second round picks on a receiver in this draft.

I hope to see some news develop out of this soon, and hopefully its from Miami.

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-Update [Apr. 25th, 12:01pm]

According to the National Football Post, the Arizona Cardinals GM, Graves, stated that they never initially set a price for Boldin, that the rumors that have come up recently about lowering the asking price are false, and that they remain on their position of having Boldin stay with the team with the hopes that they can sign him to a new contract.

Talking Numbers

Yesterday we learned that the approximate available salary cap number for the Dolphins entering the draft was at or about $13.19 Million dollars. Armando Salguero from the Miami Herald deems that this will be enough to not only sign all our picks, but 3-4 undrafted free agents, and a veteran through free agency.

I decided to take a closer look at last years numbers to have a closer estimate to how Miami's cap will look after the draft adding an additional 5% of the contract amount to this years draftees.

25th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected CB Mike Jenkins from South Florida. On the 26th of July, 2008, Mike Jenkins inked a 5 year, $9.725 Million dollar contract with Dallas.

This is how the contract looks:
$6.75 Million guaranteed, including a $3.1 Million signing bonus.
2008: $231,000 guaranteed
2009: $657,500
2010: $789,000
2011: $920,500
2012: $1.052 million

Expected Contract for Miami's 25th pick: 5 year, $10.24 Million Dollars, $7.10 Million guaranteed, signing bonus of $3.25 Million Dollars, 2009 Cap Hit of $242,550.

44th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears selected Matt Forte, Tulane. On the 2nd of July, they signed him to a 4 year, $3.781 Million Dollar contract.

This is how the contract looks:
$2 Million guaranteed, including $1,533,333 signing bonus.
2008: $156,667
2009: $385,000
2010: $470,000
2011: $555,000

Expected contract for Miami's 44th pick: 4 year, $3.97 Million, $2.1 Million Guaranteed, $1.61 Million Signing Bonus, and a 2009 Cap Hit of $165,000.

56th Pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, Green Bay selected QB Brian Brohm, Louisville. On the 27th of July, GB signed him to a 4 year, $2.605 Million deal.

Brohms contract becomes alot more complicated but the main part is that he got a signing bonus of $900,000 and a base salary for 2008 of $295,000.

That said, Miami's 56th Pick's contract should look something like 4 year, $2.74 Million, $950,000 signing bonus, and 2009 cap hit of: $310,000.

Alot of numbers, I know.

It's not worth calculating the lower picks, as much of the contract is based on whether they seem to make the 53 man roster or practice squad, or get cut.

Basically, though, the Dolphins should be able to sign all their picks and still have ample cap space. I would throw a rough estimate of about $7 Million left available in cap space. This will give them the luxury of picking up someone like Taylor after the draft to come in and solidify the defense for the next couple years while our younger guys develop.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Addressing Pre Draft Rumors

Recently there have been a ton of rumors regarding the Miami Dolphins, their players, players they may be looking to trade for, and how this all affects the future, not this season, rather, 3-4 years down the road.


Ronnie Brown Fiasco
First call of order is to address Ronnie Brown. To do so, we must understand that this regime does not believe in making players "unavailable." Every single Miami Dolphins player is available "for the right price." Now, do I think RB will be on the move?? No! Do I want him on the move?? No!

Take a couple minutes to view his picture. I chose this picture because I think it speaks louder than anything I can say about RB and what he means to this franchise. RB is the face of this franchise. If you analyze the picture, you can identify the expression on his face, a smile. RB's attitude towards his teammates, coaches, and football as not only a profession or a sport, but as a passion, exemplifies exactly what this organization and it's players are all about. In addition, RB is the face of the Dolphins. Look at his shoulder pads... that logo he wears is part of him, and he is part of us. If he's moved, morale as a whole within the organization will fall to the floor, and Parcells knows how important it is to have high morale (specially after his TO saga at Dallas).
Lastly, Ronnie Brown is a star running back. He is a proven back who posts amazing stats behind a mediocre line. Imagine when Miami's line builds chemistry, he will be THE best!

Anquan Boldin a Phin?
Anquan Boldin is a beast. He is an elite receiver who would work wonders for Miami working opposite Teddy Ginn. I believe a "Boldinesque" receiver, if I may, is exactly what would make Miami's offense a prolific offense in the NFL. Many people believe that it should be an automatic "pull the trigger" decision by the front office to acquire Boldin from Arizona, and as much as I like Boldin, I have to disagree with those people.

Dallas set the bench mark during the season last year for acquiring an elite Wide Receiver. Using that frame of reference, it's safe to assume that Boldin will not come cheaper than a 1st and a 3rd, and a new, lucrative contract to go along with it. Realistically, Parcells and Co. are not going to pay that much, but taking that out of consideration, I believe that is too steep a price considering he is not the missing piece to make this franchise a Superbowl contender.

Miami has one too many holes that need plugging, and trading away our future for a guy who's in his prime now just doesn't make any sense. (Recall the Ricky Williams trade?). I would be utterly disappointed if Miami ended up following through with this trade.

Salary Cap Concerns
Good News!! There is no need to be worried. According to Armando Salguero from the Miami Herald, the Dolphins are $13.19 Million dollars under the $127 Million dollar salary cap.

"This means the Dolphins can draft, add undrafted free agents, budget for a practice squad, and even add veteran free agents such as Jason Taylor or trade for an Anquan Boldin (which would require a new contract), if they so desire."
Which leads me to:

Jason Taylor's Reunion
If there is one move that I want Miami to make in regards to free agency and bringing in a possible veteran, it'd be this one. Not only is this a nice ending to an epic drama, but Taylor is a Phin at heart. I don't think there is a better fit than for him to come back to Miami. Even more encouraging is the fact that his mediocre injury prone season with Washington drove his price down to pocket change.

Taylor and the Miami brass have been in communication, and I expect him to rejoin Miami shortly after the draft. I sure hope they bring him back!

Reminder: Live Draft Thread

For those of you dropping by, Phin Addict will have full coverage of the NFL Draft this Saturday and Sunday with immediate analysis of all of Miami's draft picks. Keep that refresh button handy come this weekend.

There will also be a live NFL draft Thread available starting at 1pm EST Saturday. I highly encourage all of you Phin Addict followers to drop by and comment. You can do so as OpenID or even anonymously, so there is ZERO reason why you should hesitate.

I look forward to sharing thoughts with you all there!!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Proposed Draft Plan

The 2009 NFL Draft has had us speculating about what the Dolphins, or any team for that matter, will or will not do for the past couple of months, and for some, even longer. Who will Miami draft? Will they trade up, and if so for whom? Or will they trade down and acquire more picks?

The most important thing is that we can rest assured that our front office, Tuna Man and his crew, are not like our previous front offices from the past 10 years. The group of MEN leading this team today, and during the draft this coming weekend is not the group of boys that we had in here when we had the likes of Cam Cam, Nick "the dick" Saban, or Dave "not even successful in college" Wannstetd. This front office throws out smokescreens, does not leak information, and essentially drafts players that don't deviate from what they qualify "NFL quality."

We all speculate nonetheless, spend countless hours researching about who fits best under a system that half of us don't even understand. Nonetheless, I who consider myself the brain, will propose a simple plan towards what is the Miami Dolphins 2009 Draft.

One thing that is very important we remember is: Last year is gone! It was a magical season, where many things went Miami's way, whatever the reason (wildcat, flew under the radar, etc.). This year, the NFL has challenged us to prove ourselves with the schedule they've planned for us. With this said, understand that although Miami won the division last year, they are still in rebuilding mode. Why rebuilding and not "re-tooling" you ask... because Miami is still looking to overhaul about 30% of their roster. This 30% includes more than just depth positions, as some starting positions are not set yet.

With this understanding, Miami has to step into this draft with a "Best Player Available" mentality. This by no intentions means to draft players whom we have depth and starters for, rather, draft players who may not fill immediate needs or gaping holes, but whom have Stardom potential for the future.

The thing I'd like to see Miami do best is trade out of the first round. To be quite honest, this draft is full of second and third round talent. From my scouting and research, I would say there are potentially 10-15 players that are true first round talents on an average year. About 7 of them are true first round talent on any given year. I would absolutely adore a move where Miami can acquire a 2nd, 3rd and 4th for their 25th pick in the draft. This would allow us to fill more holes, with talent that isn't far below what will be drafted in the 1st round this year.

Heading into the draft, it is unreasonable to think that Miami needs a couple of players to make it a superbowl contender. Miami is still another off-season away, atleast.

Draft for the future!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Assessing Possibilities: Hakeem Nicks

Most of us, according to the recent poll about who to draft with the first pick in the draft, agreed that Cornerback is Miami's most gaping need. Most of us also agreed that a close second would be a number 1 Wideout, or at least a wideout that complements young Teddy Ginn.



Hakeem Nicks, 6-1 212lbs.
40 Time: 4.63/ Vertical: 36'

- 2008 1st Team All-ACC.

Hakeem Nick's is easily one of the more underrated players in the coming NFL draft, the most NFL ready receiver in the draft, and one of the wideouts with more upside in the draft.

Nick's 40 Time is misleading. While he doesn't have blazing speed to get past corners at the next level, he can at times get behind them and make plays down the field. Nicks is deemed a pure possession receiver. He has amazing hands and body control. His wing span is over 7 feet long, and is an offensive ball hawk.

One of the more surprising things about Nicks is his awareness. Nicks always knows where he is on the field, and who's around him. He may not be your team's burner, but he has all the ability in the world to take it to the house.

Nicks gets off the line extremely fast, and knows how to use his size to his advantage against weaker and even more physical corners. He boxes out corners for out routes and end zone fade routes like a pro.

He plays the middle of the field as well, or better than any other receiver in this draft. He's as physical as they come, and isn't afraid to knock pads against linebackers or safeties. Nicks runs great routes as well, and although he isn't as elusive or quick as guys like Maclin or Harvin, he has his own set of moves that are surprisingly effective.

The biggest punch on Nicks is his speed. What most people don't understand is that Nicks isn't your stopwatch speed type of guy. He plays faster than it seems. The other knock on Nicks is his work ethic. Nicks has added weight during his off-season, and this has brought questions about his work ethic, hence, his maturity level as well.

Overall: I won't lie, I have a humongous man-crush on Nicks. Ever since I saw him torch my Miami Hurricanes, I knew this guys was NFL ready. This off-season, and more heavily within the past two weeks, there have been many rumors about Miami going after Arizona's AQ (Anquan Boldin). Well, if they can draft Nicks with pick 2a, not only will I be ecstatic, but they'll have their own AQ... younger, cheaper, and hungry.

Monday, April 20, 2009

NFL Draft Sat/Sun

For those of you dropping by, Phin Addict will have full coverage of the NFL Draft this Saturday and Sunday with immediate analysis of all of Miami's draft picks. Keep that refresh button handy come this weekend.

There will also be a live NFL draft Thread available where you can comment all you want about the on-goings of the draft.

Assessing Possibilities: Vontae Davis

Picks in the first round are usually valued extremely high because of the superstar potential teams have when drafting early. There are zero guarantees that any player will translate well into the NFL, but through all the studying, it has been determined that players taken in the first round have a higher chance at success.

Welcome:

Vontae Davis, 5-11 1/2, 203lbs.
40 Time: 4.49/ Vertical: 36'

- 2 Time 1st Team All-Big Ten Selection.

Davis has the prototypical size and speed for NFL success. He has ideal height, top end speed, and a bulky build for a corner. He is not at all injury prone, and can play all day every day. His size and athleticism is unmatchable by any other corner in this draft, and none comes close.

Davis is explosive and possesses unbelievable closing speed. He has a second and even a third gear to catch receivers from behind if he bites a double move. Davis can change directions on a dime, and is fluid enough at the hips to play press and not get beat off the line.

Davis plays the ball as well as he plays the receiver, and doesn't miss the opportunity to intercept anything within his range. He becomes a receiver when the ball leaves the quarterback's hands. His vertical leaping ability allows him to jump with most receivers in the NFL.

Davis knows how to play the run. He recognizes run plays quickly, and closes on the ball carrier. He is a downhill player. He times his blitzes well, and closes on the QB as fast as anyone. He can also play on special teams, and play well.

The biggest speculation on Davis comes not from his physique, rather from his attitude. Is he easy to coach? Some sources say that Davis works hard only when he wants to, and that at times, he shows lack of respect for the coaching staff.

It's also said that although he's a physical monster, he isn't a playmaker, and when he gets blocked on the running game, he doesn't attempt to fight out of it. Some wonder whether he has hit his ceiling in potential.

Overall: I for one think that Davis's only downside is his attitude, and I think that this may be the deciding factor between Miami drafting Davis or Darius Butler if they're both available at pick 25. If Miami believes that they can straighten Davis out, then he's the pick. Otherwise, it's Butler.

If Davis can get his attitude problem straightened out, he has a legitimite shot at taking over Miami's starting corner job by the second half of the season, and becoming a star in the NFL. He is a safety with the physical ability and versatility to play corner. I would be ecstatic if Davis comes to play for Miami.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Assessing Possibilities: Jamon Meredith

To provide me with better information regarding Jamon Meredith, like I did with Nick Reed, I have contacted someone who watched him play throughout his entire collegiate career. John Havard from the great South Carolina blog, Garnet and Black Attack, has taken his time to answer some of my questions about Meredith, and this is what he had to say.

Jamon Meredith
, 6-4 1/2, 304lbs.
40 Time: 5.03/ Bench: 31/ 20 Yard shuttle: 4.82

- 2006 Andrew Sorensen Scholar-Athlete Award

John Harvard had this to say about Meredith:

Meredith is certainly an athletic talent and a guy with a head on his shoulders. He's played every position on the line, so he's versatile. However, it's hard for me to be TOO high on him considering the line problems we've had over the past couple of years. Meredith has been an anchor on our line and has certainly played well. Jamon was pretty clean in college. He's also been successful academically. With a 3.7 GPA, my guess is that he didn't spend too much time hanging with some of the worse elements in our program.
John also stated that since Jamon has played his entire collegiate career under the offensive system run by Steve Spurrier, it's more than likely that his skills are translatable to the NFL, and that he will jump in with a head start because he already understands the systems.

When asked about Jamon's negatives, John said:

My main complaint about Meredith would be that he generally hasn't shown the kind of urgency and drive you like to see out of a lineman. He doesn't always finish a play, doesn't always seem to have that desire to pound an end into the ground. I just never felt he lived up to his huge potential. He'll need to develop drive to play in Miami, no doubt. Part of the problem in Carolina is coaching (we fired our OL coach this past January), so with better coaches, perhaps he'll show what he's capable of.

John also stated that Meredith's only character weakness was that although he practically led the line for his time at SC, he was never really a leader.

Meredith has incredible versatility, since he has played every position in the SC O-line. He's quick enough to play LT for Steve Spurrier, which says a great deal about his ability to move quickly. His 40 time ranked second amongst all Offensive Lineman at the Indianapolis combine.

His negatives can include him relying too much on the length of his arms, causing him to at times be slow moving his feet and adjusting to the rush. In addition, he needs to develop an attitude to be able to deal with the rushing linebackers and ends at the pro level.

Overall: This is more of a depth pick than a need pick for Miami if they were to select Meredith. He provides them with the versatility they need to insure them of any possible injuries. With a great Head Coach, Sparano, who's specialty is the O-line, Meredith may potentially become a decent starter or at worst an above average backup.

I want to thank John for his thoughts on Jamon Meredith. I encourage all you Gamecock fans to drop by and add your thoughts about Jamon Meredith, and how you think he will fit not only in the NFL, but in Miami's Offensive Line.