When is more the right move and when is it too much?
Elite talent, but aging, wide receiver Odell Beckham stopped by the Miami Dolphins facility to discuss a contract in one of his many stops as a free agent. While OBJ left the building without a contract, the Phins are clearly interested in adding OBJ for the right price or maybe even a rookie in the draft to their loaded pass catching group. There’s no doubt that Tyreek Hill, Jaelan Waddle, Odell Beckham, and Jonnu Smith would be an amazing collection of talent that would drive the Dolphins again to the top of the NFL’s passing stats.
Think of all the air pulling and sleepless night defenses would have trying contain all that wide receiver talent!
Still, is this the best move for the Dolphins to reach real success in 2024?
I can easily see why all the excitement there is for having three stud receivers to go with Smith, Achane, and Mostert. The collection of speed and offensive skill talent would be almost unbelievable. But we threw the ball so fast in 2023 not because we wanted to as much as we had to. And while we led the league in rushing, it was mostly pop runs to the outside, very, very little production inside and the big runs had plenty of stops and short gains on the edge as well. Miami attacked the edges, the deep, and the pocket posts over the deep middle with great success. The problem was as time went on it became too predictable, and when we couldn’t make hay inside, defenses sat in pass defenses on every down and focused on the Dolphins limited menu. I said all season it’s not that the Dolphins couldn’t beat good teams, it’s the offense couldn’t beat good defenses…
… And Tua wasn’t the reason why.
I’m not saying Tua didn’t make mistakes or is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but this offensive line was put together with spit and bale wire and it came apart. The o-line breakdowns weren’t just because of the injuries, although they sure hurt. This offensive line was built thin with little to no firebreaks for a worst-case scenario. It sure does feel it’s being that way again… unless we use the draft or late Free Agency to fix it.
A receiver addition WITH a talent injection on the O-line would be the trick!
Add Beckham by all means, but please bolster this offensive line! I know many liked Wynn, but whatever his talents, he has been injured every year he’s played but one. I love Terron, but he too is almost always injured. I don’t think Jackson is more than average, and you can bet with the best pay per head that I don’t have a ton of trust that Eichenberg, Cotton, Jones or any of the rest other than Brewer is a game changing asset. This doesn’t feel like a great foundation to build the 2024 Season on. Of course, I could be dead wrong too… and I hope I am.
I’m not saying Chris Grier doesn’t have a plan to add talent, but it’s clear with the loss of practice and two-a-days that the quality of the offensive line has diminished. This is why talent is critical at the position to offset the lack of practices. I think this is one reason why the offensive line especially the interior has been rising dramatically in cost. Teams understand how critical it is to have good offensive line production in the interior.
Miami seems to have a different belief on how to build or maybe the players they have at the position will outperform expectations. The draft will tell us a ton about what the Dolphins brass believe. Let’s just hope they nail it because we need real success in 2024! Go Phins!!!
I understand that this is pretty deep DL draft. I hear that there are two outstanding centers that could be taken at #21. This would allow Allen to move to RG. Both are said to be teriffic at both run blocking and pass blocking, with Jackson from Oregon I think being the higher grade of the two. The center anchors the OL. In the 2nd round we could take a strong top 6 or 7 DT. The 3rd round I say go for guard. He would be most likely be a developmental kid, even at the 3rd round, but the potential could be there. MJ your thoughts? Take care!
I like Sweat in that second round… not many NTs and I think one is part of this defense. Weaver had one in Texas and the Raven. Maybe they are changing it a bit and there are more DTs in a typical scheme… For me, I’d draft JPJ or a top tackle that falls and then nab Sweat in the second even if it took a small trade up… that;s me. We both have a similar taste… not sure Grier agrees. Take care too Stephen…hope all is well, brother.
MJ,
I understand that this is pretty deep DL draft. I hear that there are two outstanding centers that could be taken at #21. This would allow Allen to move to RG. Both are said to be teriffic at both run blocking and pass blocking, with Jackson from Oregon I think being the higher grade of the two. The center anchors the OL. In the 2nd round we could take a strong top 6 or 7 DT. The 3rd round I say go for guard. He would be most likely be a developmental kid, even at the 3rd round, but the potential could be there. MJ your thoughts? Take care!
I like Sweat in that second round… not many NTs and I think one is part of this defense. Weaver had one in Texas and the Raven. Maybe they are changing it a bit and there are more DTs in a typical scheme… For me, I’d draft JPJ or a top tackle that falls and then nab Sweat in the second even if it took a small trade up… that;s me. We both have a similar taste… not sure Grier agrees. Take care too Stephen…hope all is well, brother.