What I Believe: The Miami Dolphins Chances Next Year

Article from my blog: Dolphin Shout

Now that the draft buzz is basically over, I figured why not move on to something else to talk about. I know it may be a little early to talk about, but I can't help myself. So, here is a little bit of a preview for the Miami Dolphins.

The Dolphins have improved their offense tremendously by just making one crucial move, which was gaining WR Brandon Marshall. He completely transforms the Dolphins and turns them from just a running team to a running and passing team. Marshall will help Chad Henne and he will help the Dolphin running backs because defenses will have to focus more on Marshall and less on the run game like they were able to do last year.

Miami had a great offensive line last year, and it will only get better because of the addition of guard Richie Incognito. The line was great at blocking last year, and they will now be even better because of Incognito.

Miami has focused the majority of their efforts on defense this offseason. Every single pick in the draft except for one was used on defensive players, so that was obviously where they needed to improve the most. A lot of the pocus has been on improving the front seven on defense, and it has gotten better. The more notable additions by Miami were adding linebacker Karlos Dansby from Arizona and drafting defensive end Jared Odrick. Our front seven is obviously better and ready for whatever opposing offenses can throw at it.

My concern is the Dolphins secondary. Miami didn't draft a safety until the fifth round in the NFL draft, and they haven't added any notable talent at safety other than the draft. I believe that was a mistake because the Dolphins got beat way too many times last season, and a big reason for that was our safety play. We have great young talent at cornerback with Sean Smith and Vontae Davis, but not at safety. I think Miami is putting too much confidence in our safeties and is trusting them too much. I haven't seen much of our young safeties, but from what I have seen I believe we could use some help

So, now for the main reason I wrote this article: Miami's Chances. I believe that the Dolphins have a great chance to make the playoffs next year. They have a bunch of scoring machines on offense now. Of that I have no doubt. Our run defense will be really good, too. Like I mentioned above, my biggest concern is the Dolphins safeties. So, until our safeties can get better or we get new ones I don't think Miami can make a deep push into the playoffs.

Here's to an improved secondary.

Please check out my blog. I post on it first, and then I add the article to Bleacher Report later on. So, check out my blog for up to date analysis and opinions. Check it out here: Dolphin Shout or Miami Dolphins

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Reshad Jones Scouting Report

Here is a scouting report on Reshad Jones courtesy of mockingthedraft.com

Reshad Jones
6'2, 215 pounds | Strong safety | Georgia

Agility/Hips: Can turn and run well. Short steps allow him to turn north south with balance and quickness. Does not change direction well when moving laterally. Struggles to cut with a receiver in man coverage.

Ball Skills: Drops a lot of easy interceptions. Has developed nice timing in jumping throws and can break up a lot of passes, but does not end up with sure-thing interceptions. Lets the ball get in to his body, does not follow the ball in to his hands.

Body Control: Maintains balance downfield in coverage. Will lose his feet when trying to stick with a receiver underneath. Does a nice job of leaping for jump balls, gathers his weight and gets the most out of his jump.

Instincts/Recognition: Plays the run better than most linebackers in terms of diagnosing running lanes and attack the line of scrimmage. Reads his keys effectively and is rarely caught out of position. Does not do well in single high coverage, late to read the quarterback’s intended receiver.

Pass Coverage: Has plenty of experience in man coverage. High in his back pedal and does not explode in breaks against crossing routes. Does not have the range to play a single high Cover 1 role, but can be trusted as a Cover 2 safety. Anticipates routes and lanes well.

Pursuit: Outstanding pursuit. Consistently takes the proper angles to meet the ball carrier at the point where he can deliver a blow. Is rarely caught out of position against the run. Uses his length to ensure ball carries will not get by him when pursuing laterally.

Run Support: The best part of Jones’ game. He is comfortable as the eighth man in the box and has enough size and strength to handle the physical part of the game in traffic. Plays downhill with aggression. Sure tackler that can take down a ball carrier by himself.

Speed: Does not have elite speed downfield, can be beat deep. Has the long strides to aid him with recovery, but his lack of top end speed can be exploited against the faster receivers.

Tackling: Sure tackler that can be depended upon as the last line of defense with confidence. Shows proper technique and makes the effort to wrap up and drive the ball carrier through the ground. Has had more than his fair share of bone-jarring hits. Will make receivers think twice about going over the middle. Really lays the wood and consistently knocks the ball carrier backward.

Final Word: Jones is a safety that is NFL ready from the physical point of view. He plays with the kind of downhill aggression that every team wants in an enforcer over the middle. He is a guy that always find himself in or near the action, getting in on a lot of turnovers and big plays. He is not the kind of safety that can be trusted with a lot of coverage responsibility but his length and instincts will be enough to get him in the every down defense early in his career. If he can be put in to a system that allows him to play downhill and in man coverage against tight ends, Jones will thrive. He is of the 2nd round type that teams will look to as the kind of high reward pick in terms of immediate payback.

I have also included a video so you can see some of his highlights. As you can probably tell, he is definitely an amazing tackler.

Thank you to Kevin Modica for showing me the video.



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Dolphin Shout: Reshad Jones, SS Miami Dolphins

With the 163rd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft the Miami Dolphins selected Reshad Jones a safety from Georgia. Jones is a very talented safety, but he has had questions about his speed. He also has great size and has a lot of athleticism.

While watching his highlights, I couldn't help but notice how well he tackles. Miami fans will recall Gibril Wilson of last year who couldn't tackle anyone so he will be refreshing for Dolphins fans to watch play next year. He also gets a lot of big hits on runners.

He isn't the best catcher, but as long as he breaks up a pass I am fine with him. My main concern with him is that he will get beat deep by faster receivers, which was a problem for the Dolphins last year. I hope that Miami can put him through some special type of workout to improve his speed because I do not want to see the same thing as last year. I know it won't be exactly the same thing because of his tackling, but I just can't get past my worries over his speed.

I wish I was comfortable with him playing FS, I just can't completely be. The concern over his speed is a big one. I really, really hope he can develop his speed, but until then I hope Miami looks for a faster safety.

Hopefully he can prove me and any other doubters wrong, though.

For a full scouting report on Jones, please check out my blog.: Dolphin Shout or Miami Dolphins
I post on my blog first and then I add the post as an article to B/R later, so if you want the most up-to-date posts, be sure to check out my blog.

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Hopefully, The Miami Dolphins Will Sign Free Agent LB Adalius Thomas

One position that the Miami Dolphins could use some help on is the outside linebacker, and that could be a very easy problem to fix. The New England Patriots recently released LB Adalius Thomas, a veteran outside linebacker. According to an article on yahoo.com, the Dolphins are waiting for the price to drop on Thomas before they sign him.

I hope they don't wait too long, because from what I can tell Thomas has a lot of talent and experience. He would be instrumental in teaching the other Dolphins OLB's and helping them develop.

Another reason I really want Miami to sign him first is because the Jets have also showed interest in him, and I want Miami to do anything that will hurt the Jets. If the Dolphins can snatch up Thomas before the Jets, then the Jets will have to go searching elsewhere for a lesser talented OLB, which is perfect.

So, hope that Miami does not wait to long to sign Thomas because those slippery Jets will probably be ready to sign him soon.

Just my two cents. Please check out my blog for all of the latest content. I update my blog with posts first, and then I add it to Bleacher Report. My blog is here: Dolphin Shout or here: Miami Dolphins

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Blog Bonus: Comparing Darren Sharper to Gibril Wilson

Probably any Dolphins fan who followed them closely knows about Gibril Wilson. If you don't, well be thankful you didn't have to find out by watching it happen.

I can joke around about it now, but it was extremely frustrating during the season to watch. He just could never seem to make a tackle, and a few times he would miss a tackle that was broken for a big gain. His coverage skills were also mediocre at best. So, here is a little bonus comparison between him and Darren Sharper for people who view my blog.

2009 Interceptions:
Darren Sharper: 9
Gibril Wilson: 0

TD's returned in the last six years:
Sharper: 8 (3 last year)
Wilson: 0

Been to Pro Bowl?
Sharper: Yes
Wilson: No

Those are just some of the stats that show the difference between the two. You can be assured that if Miami gets Sharper, then they will get more interceptions, TD's returned, and a lot less TD's allowed. Sharper also got almost twice as many passes defensed as Wilson, with Sharper's 15 and Wilson's 8.

Trust me, we want Darren Sharper.

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Miami Dolphins Safety Situation: Should they Bring in New Players?

The Miami Dolphins weakest point last year was definitely their pass defense. If you ask any Miami fan who payed attention to the Dolphins last year, they will probably say something similar to that.

So, it was obvious that during the off-season Miami had to make some changes and improve their secondary. What I'm wondering is: have the Dolphins done enough to be successful against the top passing defenses in the NFL? I honestly don't think they have.

Safety is where Miami needs the most help. The Miami Dolphins only drafted one safety in the 2010 NFL Draft, and that was Reshad Jones in the fifth round. It may be better than nothing, but it still isn't much.

I think that the Dolphins should be searching for a new safety in the free agent market. One of those free agent safeties is veteran Pro Bowl FS Darren Sharper who was on the New Orleans Saints last year. I know his contract is pretty expensive (not sure the exact figures), but he would definitely be an improvement over what we have right now. He would also be able to teach the younger safeties so they can step in when he retires.

From what I can tell, there are not any other good safeties available in the free agent market that would be worth the Dolphins signing. So, I really hope that they try and go for Sharper.

Please check out my blog: Dolphin Shout

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Check out my blog for a bonus comparison between Gibril Wilson and Darren Sharper, so you can see how much the potential improvements can be.

I post first on my blog and then add the post as an article to Bleacher Report later, so be sure to check it often so you can see the posts as soon as they come out.

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Video Regarding the Lex Hilliard Blog Post Below

As you can see, Hilliard is a very aggressive blocker. He will definitely do great for the Dolphins in the future.

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Miami Dolphin Shout: Lex Hilliard RB is the Future of the Miami Dolphins

So, I bet you have never heard of Lex Hilliard. Well, he is the Miami Dolphins third string running back. He is overshadowed by Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams success last year.

He did get some playing time last year, and while it was sparse it still showed a lot about him. He is a very fast and explosive runner. I remember during a game last year the Dolphins had a third down with around 15 yards to go(I don't remember the exact number). Chad Henne handed the ball off to Hilliard who ran all the way to the first down. That play was when I realized that he was actually a really good running back.

So, I started to pay attention to when he was in a little more. I have come to the conclusion that he is definitely the future of the Miami Dolphins. He has incredible running skill, along with exceptional blocking skills for a running back. I honestly would still be comfortable with the Dolphins if Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams were to all of the sudden leave. He is that good.

Look him up, he is really good. I have a video of his blocking skills on my blog, so please take a minute to check him out.

My blog is here: Dolphin Shout

or here:
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I post on my blog, then I add the posts to B/R later on. So, if you want to get the posts as soon as they are released please check out my blog.

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Seriously? Who cares what Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland said to WR Dez Bryant?

So, I am willing to bet that by now you have heard all about what Jeff Ireland said to WR Dez Bryant during an interview before the draft, and I am willing to bet that because of how much the story has been on the news around the internet, television, and radio.

If you haven't heard, Miami Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland was interviewing WR Dez Bryant, who was a potential pick for the Dolphins during the draft. During the interview Ireland reportedly asked Dez Bryant if his mom had ever been a prostitute.

The majority of the coverage on Ireland has been bad and putting him down. What I'm wondering is, who really cares? It is just a question he asked in an interview. I'm not saying that it is acceptable to ask someone that question, but the question is also not worth all of the media coverage and negativity it has received since the news has been released. Sure, it wasn't exactly a great question to ask, but people are putting him down like he killed someone.

All he was trying to do was see how Dez Bryant would react, because Bryant has had off the field problems before. So, basically it was just a test, and Bryant passed. That's all there is to it.

Analysts(especially on my local radio) are spending their time calling him classless and some are even calling for reparations from the NFL. Really? And, apparently the Player's Union raised concerns about discrimination. Really? I know that with the internet today news spreads like wildfire and it comes with the territory of being in the NFL, but there has to be a line drawn between important news and downright useless news.

The only reason that this would ever turn into a problem is if other stories of bad interview questions by Ireland shows up, but if only one question shows up then there isn't really a problem. Sometimes things that wouldn't really mean something in any other sport show up in the NFL because of how popular it is.

Now, I am not saying that it is totally acceptable to ask somebody if their mom is a prostitute. I am saying that the story was over-covered and not as bad as people made it out to be. He was only trying to get a reaction from Bryant.

Just my opinion: Dolphin Shout

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The Miami Dolphins Will be a Preparation Nightmare for Opposing Teams

If NFL teams thought it was hard to prepare to play against the Dolphins last year, this year is going to be even worse for them. Not only do the Dolphins have the same personnel to run last year’s trickery, now they also have a passing threat.

If a defense wants to have success against Miami this season, then they better be prepared for anything. There are so many weapons the Dolphins have now, that in any given play they have multiple options to give the ball to. Here are a few things defenses will need to prepare for.

First, they need to spend at least some time preparing for the Wildcat offense. It didn’t work all of the time last year, but it still worked a lot and helped the Dolphins to key wins. Take the New York Jets Monday Night game, for example. All the Dolphins did was run the wildcat, and it worked amazingly. The Jets obviously didn’t prepare enough for the wildcat, so in order for other teams to not follow in their footsteps this season they will have to spend at least some time preparing for it.

Another think defenses will need to prepare for is the standard running game. The Dolphins have three incredible running backs (Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, and Lex Hilliard) and a first down machine at fullback (Lousaka Polite). All three running backs are capable of breaking free at any time. Many people haven’t heard of Lex Hilliard, but he showed huge potential last year whenever he ran. It felt like every time Lousaka Polite touched the football he got a first down. The Dolphins would always put him in on third and short and let him pound it out. I honestly don’t remember a single time where he ran on third and short and didn’t get a first down.

The passing game is the newest addition to what has become a high-powered offense. The Dolphins traded with the Denver Broncos for Brandon Marshall during the off-season, filling the Dolphins biggest need. Now, defenses who used to be able to stack the defensive line because their cornerbacks were able to shut down Dolphins receivers one on one will now have to bring more passing coverage. Brandon Marshall requires a double team a lot of the time and he can still make big plays at will. With the extra coverage on Marshall, the other Dolphins receivers will be more open to catch themselves. Who knows, maybe one of Miami’s receivers from last year will start to transform into a deep threat himself.

One last threat opponents of the Miami Dolphins will have to worry about is the tight end position. The Dolphins were able to use tight end Anthony Fasano extremely well two years ago, and now that teams will be focusing more on other Dolphins Fasano should have a much better season than last year’s poor performance. It’s just something to watch for.

So, as you can see the Dolphins now have threats everywhere on offense. I would love to hear what other coaches say its like trying to prepare for the Dolphins this year. One thing I am sure of is that opposing defenses will be frustrated a lot next year.

You heard it here first at: Dolphin Shout

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Superstar Breakthrough: Featuring Chad Henne, Miami Dolphins QB

Last year he had only a few tools and was able to use them to do great things, now he has all of the tools he needs: a great offensive line, a great receiving corps, and a great running game. With those tools he will be able to do incredible things that will bring him to the Pro Bowl. Welcome Dolphins fans, to the future of the Miami Dolphins: Chad Henne

He had a great season last year, and he didn’t even have a star wide receiver. Now he has Brandon Marshall, one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, and he has better pass blocking with the Dolphins adding center Richie Incognito.

I personally cannot wait until football season starts because of how well Chad Henne will do. If Henne is able to use the tools given to him, then he has a shot at making the Pro Bowl. He showed a lot of promise last year, now he has to step up and become the leader of this franchise. The Dolphins finally have a potential franchise quarterback, now all Henne has to do is make the most of his opportunities.

I believe that Henne has a legitimate shot at being one of the top 5 quarterbacks in the NFL. Now before you call me crazy, hear me out. Henne stepped in last year with the Dolphins already 0-3. That technically means he went 7-6 in his debut, and that is without a star receiver. Now, he has a star receiver and a better offensive line. He can only get better from here, so I really believe that he will be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.

I know that I keep referring to Brandon Marshall when talking about Chad Henne’s improvement, but that is because he is so important. He completely changes the preparation of opposing defenses. Not only do defenses have to plan for the running game and trickery from Miami, but now they also have to plan against a deep threat in Miami’s passing game.

Finally, Chad Henne has legitimate tools to do what he needs.

Chad Henne will be in the top 5 for QB’s and a superstar in the NFL. You heard it here first at: Dolphin Shout

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Dolphin Shout: Ricky Williams, Miami Dolphins RB

I figure that today's shout-out is an appropriate one. Today's shout is for Ricky Williams, who is releasing a documentary(I guess that's what you could call it) about his life today.

Ricky Williams has always been a great running back in the NFL. He was also one of the best for a few years until he unexpectedly left the Dolphins in 2004.

Since Ricky has returned to Miami, he has been a very good backup running back. He has apparently stayed clean of any Marijuana usage, which was something he struggled with a lot before he left the Dolphins.

Ricky Williams "movie" is called "Run Ricky Run" and will be shown on ESPN 30 for 30. From what I can tell, it tells the story of Ricky's life and what he did when he left Miami so abruptly in 2004. I encourage everyone to watch it because Ricky Williams is a very extraordinary man, and he does not think like other people. So, it would be interesting to try and view life from his perspective.

Trust me it is worth a look. If you consider yourself a true Dolphins fan, then I suggest you check it out because, from what I can see, it shows a lot about the man behind the helmet.

Please check out the rest of my blog: Dolphin Shout

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More Jared Odrick (sorry video got cut off a little)

Here are some Jared Odrick highlights for the Hardcore fans. It shows everything he did, good or bad. So if you like dissecting a player like the coaches do, then go ahead and enjoy.

Let me know about other Dolphin Players who have highlight reels similar to this on Youtube.

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I Know I’m Late, but Miami Dolphins WR Brandon Marshall Is Perfect for the Dolphins

I know that the Miami Dolphins trading two second round draft picks to the Denver Broncos is old news by now, but I didn’t have my blog when they made the move so I couldn’t write about it then.

Well, I have my blog now so I figured I would write about one of my favorite moves in all of the years I have followed the Dolphins.

This was the best move made by any team in the NFL this offseason. Period. Miami needed a big time playmaking receiver, and that is what they got. Brandon Marshall is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Now, Miami will have an extremely potent offense, with an already excellent running game and a now excellent passing game.

Brandon Marshall is a receiver that can make the big play any time it is needed, and he is a very big target for Chad Henne. Miami already had a bunch of Wes Welker-type possession receivers. All they needed was a big-time receiver.

But, you have probably already read all of the stuff I have mentioned above. Now, here’s something you probably didn’t think about:

Chad Henne.

That’s right, Chad Henne is going to benefit tremendously from the addition of Brandon Marshall. Henne had a pretty good season last year, and he didn’t even have a big time wide receiver. The only player that we had that had big time potential couldn’t catch a football to save his life. All of our other receivers have incredible catching ability, but they are just possession receivers.

I am willing to bet that Chad Henne has a shot at doing well enough to make the Pro Bowl because of Brandon Marshall. He has the arm, and now he has the right tools(receivers) to work with.

Brandon Marshall finally gives Miami part of the tools they need to make a Super Bowl push. Yes, I just said Super Bowl. Haven’t heard that about the Dolphins in a while, have you?

You heard it here first at: Dolphin Shout

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Miami Dolphins Secondary: No Longer A Major Problem

Now, before everyone sends me emails about my previous shout on how changing the pure 3-4 scheme is the least of our problems, just hear me out. I am well aware that the biggest problem of our pass defense was our secondary. It would have taken someone who was deaf, blind, and dumb to not know how bad our secondary did last year. I was just showing that Jared Odrick had a huge impact on the Dolphins.

I believe that there are 2 main reasons for last years horrible passing defense.

First, our safeties were, for the most part, atrocious. Gibril Wilson was "playing like Betty White out there" the entire season. He was probably one of the worst tacklers I have ever seen in the NFL, and he always seemed to be giving up big plays that an average, "run-of-the-mill" NFL safety wouldn't give up. Thankfully, he is gone and we have drafted new safeties to fill his spot.

Second, our cornerbacks were young. Vontae Davis, Miami's first round pick in the 2009 draft, and Sean Smith, one of Miami's second round picks in the 2009 draft, were two very young cornerbacks who showed a lot of promise. They may have given up a few big plays now and then, but they also made a few big plays in the favor of the Dolphins. They were thrust into starting positions as rookies and showed a lot of potential. They will only get better and I believe that they will soon become a dangerous duo to throw against.

Now that both of those problems are either completely fixed, or much better than last year we will be fine against the majority of the passing offenses in the NFL.

Please check out the rest of my Miami Dolphins Blog

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Shout Out: Jared Odrick DT Miami Dolphins

This is my first official Dolphin Shout-out. So, I figure why not shout out to a man who will help change Miami's defensive scheme:

Jared Odrick.

Jared Odrick will help the Dolphins move from a pure 3-4 defensive scheme to what I can only refer to as a hybrid defensive scheme. I see that because there will probably be a little bit of the 3-4 scheme as well as the 4-3 scheme. Odrick is very good at interior penetration, because that is all he did in college when he played for Penn State because they ran a 4-3 defense.

Miami had problems last year rushing and pressuring opposing quarterbacks. That was part of the reason why their pass defense seemed so bad. The quarterbacks could take all of the time they wanted to do whatever they wanted. Now with the new defensive hybrid, our defense can set up with 4 defensive linemen and use Odrick's superior interior rushing skills to get to the QB (or RB) sooner.

So, Jared Odrick, welcome to the Miami Dolphins and what will hopefully be a long and prosperous career in Miami. And, thank you in advance for helping transform our defense in to what will be a very productive hybrid.

This has been my first Shout, please check back more more posts and shouts at Dolphin Shout

I will also have a post later today regarding our secondary, so please check back in later.

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Welcome to Dolphin Shout

This is an introductory post for my new Miami Dolphins Blog.

I have a lot of ideas and I will explain them in this and later posts, but for now I am looking for suggestions of what you guys would like to see in my blog. So, if you have any please feel free to email them to me at: DolphinShout@yahoo.com.

My main idea for this blog is to do a daily shout-out to a Miami Dolphins player, staff member, or other person affiliated with the Dolphins. If you ever have any suggestions as to who I should give a shout-out to, please feel free to email me at: DolphinShout@yahoo.com.

Thanks again for stopping by and please check back soon for more informative and (hopefully) interesting posts on the greatest team in the NFL.