How Much Better Is Miami's Defense This Year Than Last Year?

Vontae Davis

Last year's defense was pretty bad.

The Miami Dolphins gave up way too many big pass plays, and put their offense in a hole early on in games. It was obvious that that group needs to improve if Miami wants to be a top team in the NFL.

My question is: have they improved, and if so, how much have they improved?

First, I want to say that they have definitely improved. The loss of Jason Taylor and Joey Porter wasn't the best thing that could have happened, but it was also not the worst thing.

Miami replaced Joey Porter with another talented LB who can get 100+ tackles in Karlos Dansby. Dansby is also a veteran who shows great leadership ability, which isn't really something we had with Joey Porter. Porter was somewhat of a leader, but not as much as Dansby can be.

Koa Misi is one player who will be able to replace Taylor this year. While Misi is only a rookie, he has had a very good training camp so far.

And while I do like Misi a lot, I don't like him as much as Cameron Wake. Wake was the Canadian Football League defensive player of the year two years ago before he came to Miami. The man is an absolute beast, and is able to get to the quarterback extremely well. He didn't even play that much and he still had 5.5 sacks last season.

I like Wake to replace, and surpass, Jason Taylor as an OLB this year.

The weakest part of the Miami Dolphins defense was the secondary, though. There aren't many new faces that will most likely be starting in the secondary, but that doesn't mean they will be as weak as last year.

Both of the Dolphins main starting CBs of last year, Sean Smith and Vontae Davis, are back, and they are more experienced than last year when they were only rookies thrust into starting spots against the best receivers in the NFL.

The experience has got to help, and another thing that I think will have an impact on their development is the fact that they have two other backup cornerbacks ready to take their spots: Will Allen and Nolan Carroll.

Allen is a veteran CB who has been in the league for 10 years. Carroll is a rookie drafted in the fifth round of this years draft. Carroll has been a very pleasant surprise during training camp as he has been able to make a lot of great plays so far.

And, for those of you that think that Ted Ginn Jr. never did any good for the Miami Dolphins, well you are wrong. The Dolphins traded Ginn to the 49ers for the fifth round pick that they used to draft Carroll. Wierd, huh?

The last, and biggest, concern is the safeties. Miami seems pretty set at Strong Safety with Yeremiah Bell. The problem is the Free Safety spot. But, I am not nearly as concerned about that now as I was before training camp started.

The current leader at FS is Chris Clemons, a second year safety out of Clemson. Clemons has gotten the most reps in training camp so far and, according to Miami Dolphins Head Coach Tony Sparano, has made only one mental error. That sounds pretty good since Clemons has had well over 200 repetitions.

I think Clemons will be the biggest surprise this year.

So, to answer the question of whether or not Miami's defense will be better than last year, I have to say they will. I just don't see anywhere where the Dolphins have gotten any worse, just better.

Let me know what you think. I am eager to hear your opinions.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

The Miami Dolphins Randy Starks Move Is High Risk, High Reward

Randy Starks making a tackle

I was reading an article on Miami Dolphins DE/NT Randy Starks yesterday, and it got me thinking.

The Dolphins are being very, very risky by going against what most people consider common football knowledge. They are putting in somebody smaller at the Nose Tackle position than most teams would even dream of doing.

It is a risky move, and it could either spell out huge success and possibly the creation of a new way that teams view Nose Tackles, or it could be a huge disaster and make the Dolphins staff look really bad.

Think about it. Miami took one of their most successful defenders last year, Randy Starks, and moved him to a position he had never played before in the NFL. The expression goes: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

So, why would Miami move a very successful defensive end to the nose tackle position where he has never been and is considered too small by normal standards?

Here is an answer for you right from the mouth of Randy Starks courtesy of the Miami Herald:

"Some of those bigger guys might not be as strong so they need the extra weight to hold the point. They need to be 320 or 340 pounds. I can be 305 and still be effective."

For those of you that don't know, the point is the very middle of the line, basically right across from where the center snaps the ball.

It is a good thing that Starks is confident in his abilities. I do think this will end up being a good move.

The only problem I see with it is Starks will most likely take a hit in statistics. Nose Tackles don't have as good of stats as other defensive lineman because their main job is to occupy as many blockers as they can so other defensive players can get through the line.

But, that is only a problem if Starks makes it. Hopefully, he will understand that the team needs him there and take the hit in stats to help the team win.

Let's hope this risk pays off, because I would love to see a new revolution at the Nose Tackle position. It think it would make the NFL more fun to watch because you will have more explosive NTs in the game. It would make defense even more fun to watch.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

Miami Dolphin Injuries Are Piling Up: Kory Sheets Is Out For The Season

Just a day after the Miami Dolphins lost LB A.J. Edds, they also lost RB Kory Sheets.

While Sheets was a backup, I believe that he had a lot of potential. Some people disagree with me on that, but I really did think that he could have done pretty well this year.

Oh well, we will have to wait another year to see how he does, but that is if Miami even decides to keep him. He was also a contender for the kick return position, so who knows how he could have done with that.

The injury was a torn achilles tendon and he will be out for the season. It is a shame to see to players out for the season in back-to-back days of training camp. Let's hope Miami can stay relatively injury free for the rest of the year.

How about you? Do you think the Miami Dolphins will keep Kory Sheets for next year?

Subscribe to DolphinShout

Miami Dolphins WR Brandon Marshall Is Doing More Than Just Receiving

Image courtesy of krextv.ehclients.com

As soon as the Miami Dolphins added Brandon Marshall I immediately started thinking about how he would improve the Miami Dolphins offense and how he would be the threat Miami and Chad Henne was looking for.

He will definitely do all of the above, but he will also help Miami in another way.

He will help other players develop. Training camp only started last Friday, and I have already heard of two different players who said the Marshall would directly help them get better.

Those two players were CB Sean Smith and WR Patrick Turner.

Sean Smith said this on Friday after he was beat by Marshall in training camp:

"He's a great receiver. Now I see why we went out and got him. I'll learn a lot from him."

And, it is true. If you want to be the best you have to play the best, and Brandon Marshall is the best. Marshall beat Smith twice on Day 1, and you can bet Smith learned something from Marshall in just that day. Imagine Smith learning from Marshall over the course of multiple seasons.

He could develop into one of the top CBs.

The most recent player to admit Marshall’s help is receiver Patrick Turner. Turner made a great play in training camp Sunday. He later spoke about how he had been learning from Marshall. He also had this to say:

“You can't help but learn something from the guy every day. Brandon being sort of the same size and the same body type, I can go ask him questions and pick his mind a little bit.

It was good to hear that Turner was finally doing something because he has been a disappointment since the Dolphins drafted him. He still may not make the team, but now he has a much better chance now that he has learned from Marshall.

Thanks everyone for reading, and please let me know who you think Marshall will impact more this year?

Subscribe to DolphinShout

Training Camp Day 2: Miami Schedules A Workout With Quarterback Tommy Grady

This shirt was given to every player trying out for a spot on the Miami Dolphins. The picture was tweeted by Sean Smith (http://twitter.com/SeanSMITH4)

I have to say that I am thoroughly confused.

The Miami Dolphins scheduled a workout with a new quarterback for next Monday. This was really surprising to me because I thought all of this time that the only move Miami would make concerning quarterbacks on the roster was to get rid of one.

Now, it looks like they are considering adding one?

Maybe they are looking for somebody to pressure Pat White into performing more. That is the only thing I can think of because they aren't likely to get rid of Chad Pennington because he has certain clauses in his contract that will most likely keep him in Miami. I forget what the clauses were, but they went somewhere along the lines of Miami paying Pennington money if they traded or released him.

So, that is unlikely.

But, what are they doing with him?

The quarterbacks name is Tommy Grady, and he played in the Arena Football League. Because I was unable to find statistics for Grady for his AFL career, I have looked up some of his statistics from college.

In his final year with the Utah Utes he completed 50.4% of his passes, which was definitely nothing special. He threw for 681 yards and 4 touchdowns in that year, also.

These numbers may not seem that great, and that is because they aren't. He was the backup, so you can cut him some slack with those stats. But, not too much because he was a backup in college.

Most college starters don't ever do much in the NFL, let alone their backup.

Also, his name is also eerily similar to Tom Brady. I don't let superstition get in the way, but I still don't know if I could ever get past the name.

So, I'm not sure what the Dolphins are planning, but let us hope it ends up to be something good.


And on a similar note, Pat White was at training camp today after missing yesterday. Tony Sparano would not reveal why White was out. All he said was that White had some personal health issues. Apparently those issues are resolved and he is back to working out with the team.

I hope he is able to do well because I believe he can still be a good quarterback and that we haven't wasted our second round pick on him, yet.

Thanks everyone for reading and please give me your feedback on either Tommy Grady or Pat White.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

Miami Dolphins Training Camp Begins With Good Signs Everywhere

Training Camp Day 1 has ended, and we have mostly good results from camp.

First, we should start with Brandon Marshall. As you have probably heard, he did really well today. All reports from training camp are positive on Marshall, but what else did you expect. Marshall also had two big catches over CB Sean Smith, which leads me to my next topic.

Courtesy Of miamisportsgeneration.com

Sean Smith struggled when covering Marshall, but what else would you expect? One of the hidden benefits of having a great receiver is that they will also help your cornerbacks develop. It is especially important for Smith because he is very tall and doesn’t normally have to face receivers his size. Marshall is his size, so it added experience for Sean Smith.

As for the FS battle, Clemons appears to be the current starter and is turning into a pretty good starter. When talking about Chris Clemons, Tony Sparano had this to say:

“Chris Clemons had a good spring and this gives us a chance to see the next step, tackling and last line of defense type things.”

I will do my best to interpret what Sparano means, but I am not quite sure myself about what he means. From what I can tell he is saying that the FS position will no longer be a hindrance and they no longer have to plan around the position.

There is a good chance that I am completely wrong, but that is what I think was said.

And this last part will be on Jared Odrick, because I am sure you guys are curious about how he is doing.

He is currently in the starting position above Marques Douglas. Surprised? So am I. But, this is a good sign. Douglas is a very good player, and the fact that Odrick is starting above him is very, very encouraging.

We will see how things go, but for now Odrick is the top DE on the right side.

That is all for today. Hopefully the good signs will keep on coming as we monitor them. Be sure to keep checking back for updates on the FS and DE situations.

Subscribe to DolphinShout

Miami Dolphins Training Camp Is Finally Upon Us

Training camp is finally here.

Now we can finally watch football again and follow position battles on the Miami Dolphins that we have been discussing for months. No longer are we just speculating about certain situations. Now we can actually see how the situations unfold. Situations like who will step up as a starting free safety and who will emerge as starters on the defensive line.

Photo courtesy of Hillyork

I am no longer bored. The Miami Dolphins have come to the rescue.

And, as the Dolphins enter training camp there is much optimism by the players about how they will perform this year. There is also a whole lot of optimism among Dolphins fans. This is one of the best Dolphins teams we have seen in years.

Think about it. Is there any team that has looked this good to you in the last ten years?

The funny part about that is that most people outside of the Dolphins fans underrate Miami. They don't predict much from South Beach in 2010. If you take away the article written by Michael Lombardi on NFL.com then there really isn't much else outside of Miami that gives the Dolphins any kind of good prediction.

Don't worry. Predictions mean nothing when it comes to game time. Sure, they are a good indicator of how a team will perform when they do play, but they are definitely not 100% accurate. Nowhere close.

One thing I am sure of is that this will be a better year than last. Of that I am absolutely certain. We have only gotten better.

While other analysts have been paying attention to the New York Jets and New England Patriots they have been missing out on the best team in the AFC East. They will find out soon enough, though.

What is your prediction for this season? Do you think that this team is the best Dolphin team we have had in the last decade? Let me know by leaving a comment or sending me an email at paul@dolphinshout.com

Subscribe to DolphinShout

7 Concerns Going Into The Miami Dolphins Training Camp

With training camp a month away, I figured it is never too early to start analyzing things we should be watching during the Miami Dolphins training camp.

Every team has concerns going into training camp, and some teams have more than others. Here are seven of the concerns going into the Miami Dolphins training camp on July 30.

1. The FS Position?

The Dolphins biggest weakness last year was their pass defense. They have improved much of their defense and added a successful defensive coordinator. The only real glaring hole left is the free safety position. There are a few potential players that could be a starting safety. Among those prospects are Reshad Jones, Chris Clemons, and Tyrone Culver. It will be interesting to see if any of them are able to step up during training camp.

2. How Brandon Marshall and Chad Henne Work Together?

I'm not sure how big of a concern this will be, but it should still be thrown out there. Brandon Marshall missed a good bit of the OTA's this offseason. While he probably didn't need the OTA's physically, it still would have been better if he was there so he could work with quarterback Chad Henne. It is important for a quarterback and his receiver to have timing and be able to work together to be successful. Hopefully they will be able to develop that during training camp.

3. How The Tight Ends Will Perform?

Last year was a disappointing one for Miami Dolphins tight end Anthony Fasano. He didn't play near as well as he did the previous season when he was one of the top tight ends in the NFL. Fasano will probably do better this year, but we will see how he does during training camp.

4. Who Will Return Kicks?

Now that we lost Ted Ginn Jr, the Dolphins need a new kick return man. Ginn definitely wasn't a consistently good return man and I am glad that he is gone, but I just don't know who can replace him. Hopefully someone can pop up during training camp.

5. Can Karlos Dansby Adequately Replace Joey Porter?

The Dolphins got rid of linebacker Joey Porter this offseason, but they gained linebacker Karlos Dansby to replace him. Porter was a dominant linebacker who was a defensive leader for the Dolphins last year. He was also an emotional leader, and we will see if Dansby is able to match up to him. Hopefully he can be an emotional, as well as physical, leader for the Miami Dolphins defense like Porter.

6. Ronnie Brown

There are two concerns about Brown, but one of them may not even be a problem when training camp actually starts. The first concern is how Brown will be able to come back from his season-ending ankle injury from last season. Brown was very instrumental to the Dolphins success last year, so his health is important. Another concern is his current contract situation. He hasn't signed a deal with the Dolphins yet, and he is apparently looking for a long-term contract. We will see what the Dolphins are willing to do.

7. Leadership

The Dolphins lost a couple of leaders this offseason. There are some potential athletes that could become leaders this year for Miami's offense and defense. It will be interesting to see who can step in when training camp starts. Look for players like Chad Henne and Brandon Marshall to become leaders on offense. Defensively look for at least Karlos Dansby, and we don't know about who else yet.

Subscribe to DolphinShout