Hello Dol-Fans!
Another week (Week 3)… another loss (0 – 2)… and more Dolphins Roster changes in attempts to find a winning formula. The question buzzing in my head is, do they (the Miami Front Office) really believe these new players can immediately contribute?
Igor Olshansky can be a disruptive force along the Defensive line, and he definitely has the prototypical size you look for in a D-Lineman. He’s not much of a pass rusher as evidenced by his sack stats (1.5 in 2010, and 12.5 in his 8 year career), but he’s a sure tackler (39 in 2010) and will use his big body to force plays back inside. Transition time for a D-lineman typically isn’t lengthy, so of the two new players… he should have the most immediate impact. Expect to see him lined up primarily on running downs and possibly subbing in at DT in a pinch.
The acquisition of CB Nate Jones is a bit of a head scratcher. He’s in his second stint with the Dolphins now, and I can only assume they’ll be using him for positional depth at this point. With Sean Smith and Vontae Davis securely locked in their starting roles, and Will Allen also resigned to shore-up the Nickel role, I don’t foresee Jones having much playing time soon. Like Olshansky, he’s a good tackler (57 in 2010) but his coverage skills are average (3 PD’s in 2010), and is susceptible to being burned by speedier WR’s.
All in all, I believe Miami acquired two solid players for the Defense, though I really question their potential to dramatically contribute immediately.
What do you think?
