Miami Dolphins going 'Gator' heavy on day three

So far today, the draft's third and final day, GM Jeff Ireland has taken a page out of Bill Belichick draft handbook, and taken THREE Florida Gators for his first four pick.

First, the Fins took LB Jelani Jenkins with the 104th pick (4th round).

After taking Michigan State TE Dion Sims two picks later, Ireland then took Florida RB Mike Gillislee with the 164th pick, only to then take Gator kicker Caleb Sturgis three picks later.

Sturgis is an interesting pick because he went in the 5th round.  It's well known around the league that if you take a kicker that high up you intend to keep him.  After Dan Carpenters early season struggles last season, you've got to think this is a clear message being sent to the former Pro Bowl kicker.

The other two Gators, Gillislee and Jenkins, were interesting picks by Ireland, especially the ladder.

Gillislee ran for 1,152 yards and 10 touchdowns in his final season at Florida.  The breakout season clearly raised his draft stock, and makes him an interesting player to follow going forward, especially with Lamar Miller expected to take the reigns this season for the Fins.  The two young running backs could be a nice duo together if they pan out.

TE Dion Sims is intriguing as well.  He has a massive build, and is good in the blocking game, which is something Dustin Keller struggles with at times.  The knock on Sims, however, is his track record.

He missed all of the 2010 season because he was suspected for his involvement in a theft ring involving 104 laptops and the Detroit Public School system.

Sims plead guilty and was sentenced to one year probation and 15 hours of community service. However, his conviction was eventually expunged.

More to come.

Fins trade back into 3rd round, nab Utah St. CB Will Davis

The Dolphins traded picks 109, 146 and 224 for the Green Bay Packer's 93rd overall pick, which was used on CB Will Davis from Utah State.

Davis has good size, quick hands and feet, and is a physical corner.  The knock on him, however, is his lack of experience at the position.

Regardless, he was named first team All-WAC last season.

This, from Davis:

"I had a good feeling about the Dolphins but once they made their last pick and then traded out of their pick, I didn't know," Davis said. "It was kind of disappointing. But then I got the call they traded back in and, I tell you what, I'm ear to ear smiling right now."

The Fins have now drafted two corners, an offensive lineman, and, of course, Dion Jordan.

Dolphins draft OT Thomas with 77th pick

The Miami Dolphins have drafted OT Dallas Thomas with the 77th overall pick.

Thomas played LT and LG at the University of Tennessee, so it is unsure where the Fins plan on playing him.

Thomas suffered an injury at Senior Bowl, and didn't work at the Combine.

The three year starter is 6-5, 300 pounds and started 25 straight games at left tackle, and 12 games at left guard his senior year.

He was selected as a Second Team All-SEC member for 2012.


[UPDATE: The Fins have traded their 82nd pick to the Saints.  They will now have the 7th, 9th, and 12th picks of the fourth round tomorrow.]

BREAKING: With 54th overall pick, Miami Dolphins select...

Boise State CB Jamar Taylor.

This is the first time the Fins have drafted a CB since Sean Smith in the 2009 draft.

Taylor was a 3-year starter for Boise State. He's contributed 137 tackles, seven interceptions and forced six fumbles during his career.

He's one of the fastest and strongest CB's in this year's draft.  ESPN's Mel Kiper had him going in the 5th round before this past season, and then put him as a second round talent after the year he had.

One more note: This is the pick that the Fins got in return for the Vontae Davis trade a year ago.

Give a corner, get a corner.

Good pick by Jeff Ireland.  Addressed another pressing need.

BREAKING: Dolphins trade WR Bess to Browns

As was speculated all day yesterday, Davone Bess has been officially traded to the Cleveland Browns.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport first reported the news via twitter, and was soon followed by ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The two teams swapped draft spots in two rounds, including the 4th rd. There were no actual pick given up.

Bess has spent his entire career with the Fins since being signed as an undrafted free agent in 2008.

Faulk: "This move is all about getting to Tom Brady"; other analysts react to Jordan pick

At this point, you should know how I feel about the Dion Jordan pick last night by the Miami Dolphins.  If not, go read the column I posted last night.

I loved it.  It was an AGGRESSIVE move by Jeff Ireland.  The days of boring, safe, vanilla draft picks are no more.  Ireland went all in last night.  Joe Philbin loved the pick, "I was all for it."  Stephen Ross said it was "a great day" for the organization.

Why do I love this move?  Well, NFL Network's crew summed it up best: "This move is all about getting to Tom Brady."

EXACTLY.  Last night, the Miami Dolphins' defensive front four became one of the most feared groups in the National Football League.

Cameron Wake.

Paul Soliai.

Randy Starks.

And now, Dion Jordan.

This defense just got really, really good.  Offenses have had to gameplan for ONE player in the past when playing the Miami Dolphins, that being Cameron Wake.

Now, you've got a 6'7 athletically gifted talent opposite Wake on the right side of the line. You've got somebody who's freakishly quick for his size, who can cover tight ends, who can cause fumbles, who can get to the QB in the blink of an eye.

Is he raw?  Sure.  Does he need to put on 20 pounds?  Probably.  Was he a bit of a reach?  Maybe.  But is he worth it?

Absolutely.

ESPN's Jon Gruden said he was "shocked" by the pick.

Skip Bayless didn't like it at all (he also didn't like the Ryan Tannehill pick last year).
ESPN’s Mel Kiper said he’s best suited to be a 3-4 outside linebacker instead of a defensive end in a 4-3.

However, the overwhelming reaction has been positive.

NFL Network’s Mike Mayock: “He’s breathtaking off the edge. He’s got the potential to be Jason Taylor. He looks a little bit like an Aldon Smith. If he puts 20 pounds on that 6-7 frame, someday he might even be a DeMarcus Ware. He’s got that edge speed."

NFL Network’s Steve Mariucci: “When he puts on a little muscle, he’s going to be dynamite. They’re going to find a way to have this guy on the field most downs.”

NFL Network’s Marshall Faulk: “If you’re going to compete against the Patriots two times a year, you have to be able to beat a guy one-on-one and not blitz Tom Brady. You need this guy.”

ESPN's Chris Morteson was even impressed with the trade itself, saying the Fins gave up very little to move all the way up to the third pick (only ONE second round pick).

Some question Jordan's college stats, as he only posted 5.5 sacks in his final season at Oregon.  Please, don't look into that too much like some people will.  Jordan played most of his snaps at the OLB position.  He played in a very different system at Oregon than he will be playing this season in Miami.

Can he make the transition?

“Not a problem for me,” Jordan said. “I feel like I’ll do well.”


Can you be a strip-sack-fumble-and-touchdown type of defensive end?  Jordan’s answer:

“Of course.”

Listen, this wasn't the safe pick for the Miami Dolphins.  That would have been LT Lane Johnson.  But, as I said, those days are over.  Years ago, the Fins passed up players such as Joe Flacco or Matt Ryan, who had the chance to be great but needed time to get there, for safe pick Jake Long.

I've got one question for you..

How did that work out?

On a night that started with the uniform evolution show down in Miami ended with something much more significant in New York:

A new era.

And an exciting one too.

Miami Dolphins make bold statement in draft's first round

Jeff Ireland gets it.

He needed a home run of an offseason.  He needed to make this one count.  He needed to be bold, daring, and ambitious.

On Thursday night, the embattled Dolphins GM took all of those things, balled them up, and threw us a Yu Darvish-esque curveball...

TWICE!

Not only did Ireland trade up to the third overall pick in the NFL Draft's first round, but he then shocked, well, everyone by passing up LT Lane Johnson for DE/OLB Dion Jordan.

Ballsy, Jeff.  Touche'.

I love it.  I loved everything about it.

It addressed a GLARING need for this team.  Cameron Wake is begging for a compliment on the right side of the defensive line, and now he's got one.

It came at a surprisingly low cost, as Ireland only had to give up one of his second round picks to move up.  For a move like that, you'd usually have to give up a second and a third rounder.

And, most importantly, this gave the Miami Dolphins a GAME CHANGER on the defensive side of the ball.  The safe pick would have been Lane Johnson, probably the most logical one too.  But offensive lineman don't win you championships.  Offensive lineman don't make game changing plays.  Offensive lineman aren't impact players.

Defensive ends are.  Especially one's with the potential elite talent that Jordan possesses.

If Jeff Ireland has learned anything over the last five seasons, it's that if you do not constantly pressure Tom Brady, you will NEVER beat the New England Patriots. Cameron Wake can only do so much.  He's been a one man show out there for years now.  He had 15 sacks last season while the other three DE's had only 8.5 COMBINED.

Jeff Ireland has gone all in this offseason.

He went all in tonight.

As Stephen Ross said, "This is an impact player. It's a great thing. It's a great day."

Welcome to Miami, Dion.

BREAKING: RAIDERS TRADE 3RD OVERALL PICK TO DOLPHINS, WHO THEN SELECT DION JORDAN

Well, that's a curveball.

Jeff Ireland is putting it all out there now.  The Fins GM has just pulled off a trade with the Oakland Raiders for the 3rd overall pick.  Miami then selected Oregon OLB Dion Jordan.

The Dolphins passed on LT Lane Johnson, who many thought they'd pick here after the trade.  This tells me that the Branden Albert trade is still very much alive.

The Fins view Jordan as a player very similar to Jason Taylor on the defensive line, and putting him on the other side of Cameron Wake could give Miami the most complete line in all of football.

I'll put it to you like this:  Wake had 15 sacks last year.  The other three DE's had 8.5 COMBINED.

More to come.

[UPDATE: The Fins reportedly gave up their 42nd overall pick, along with the 12th pick, for the Raiders 3rd pick]

Pictures from Sun Life Stadium uniform unveiling

Just finished watching the official uniform/logo evolution unveiling life from Sun Life Stadium.  Some of those in attendance included Bob Griese, Dan Marino, Ryan Tannehll, Cameron Wake, Brian Hartline, Phillip Wheeler, Daniel Thomas, Mike Pouncey, and Reshad Jones.

Enjoy.

Dolphins unveil Nike Elite 51 uniforms (pictures); latest on Branden Albert AND Davone Bess with first round looming

Things are heating up at Miami Dolphins headquarters.  The 2013 NFL Draft kicks off in ONE hour, trade talks regarding Branden Albert and Davone Bess have caught steam, and the team has just officially released their new look Nike uniforms.

Whew.

First, the official uniforms, which, after seeing this, have grown on me (These are right off the Nike website):

C'mon, how does that not get you excited?  Those look good, and that's coming from a guy who wasn't completely sold on them yet.

DAVONE BESS:

As much of a fan favorite as Bess has become, he's clearly living on borrowed time right now.  Speculation began two months ago when the Fins acquired playmakers Mike Wallace, Brandon Gibson, and Dustin Keller (and resigned Brian Hartline) that WR Davone Bess would soon be on his way out.  Well, this seems to be coming to fruition as the draft approaches. 

According to reports, the Fins are currently in trade talks with multiple teams, most notably the Cleveland Browns (who the Fins will play week one), for the services of Davone Bess.  Reports also say that GM Jeff Ireland is seeking a 4th or 5th round draft pick in return for the sixth year man out of Hawaii.

Parting ways with Bess would clear over $2 million in cap room, something the Fins may need if they pursue Branden Albert.

BRANDON ALBERT:

Speaking of Albert, talks between the Chiefs in Fins will apparently be put on pause tonight.  Reports indicate that both teams are willing to wait each other's first picks out until a decision is made.  This makes sense, seeing as the hold up right now seems to be centered around which second round pick Jeff Ireland is willing to give up.

FIRST ROUND:

The Fins will have the 12th pick in tonight's first round AS OF NOW.  I stress this because reports indicate that Ireland could either trade up or down before the 12th pick comes up.  

As of right now, though, look for these players to potentially wind up in a Fins uniform by nights end:

TE Tyler Eifert

CB Xavier Rhodes

CB Dee Milliner

CB D.J. Hayden

WR Tavon Austin (if he falls this far, I don't see the Fins passing on him)

OL Chance Wormack

OL Jonathan Cooper

OL D.J. Fluker

We'll have the very latest for you right here, so keep checking back! We're one hour away.

Buckle up.

Fins new uniform leaked, confirmed; the latest on Branden Albert AND my 2013 first round selection is...

The Dolphins just can't seem to keep things under wraps, huh?

Last month, the team's new logo was leaked, and since confirmed, well before its original release date.  And now today, just two days before the big unveiling, the Fins' new uniforms have been leaked as well.  The pictures below have been CONFIRMED, and will be what your Miami Dolphins dawn on the field for the 2013 season.

Thoughts?  Personally, I'm somewhere in the middle right now.  I love the helmets, the white on white is about as awesome as awesome gets.  However, the white on white home uniforms look to simple for me.  The lighter aqua and orange color scheme is a nice touch on both, and the bold aqua stripe down the pants is a new addition that I don't mind either.

But when it really comes down to it, who really cares!?  If this team wins 10 games this year, fans will love them.  If they lose 10, they'll be deemed a disaster.

OTHER NEWS

The ongoing saga with Chiefs LT Branden Albert continues to become less and less clear.  

Yesterday, two reports came out.  One said the Fins and Albert had reached a stalemate in the negotiations, citing that "contract demands had turned off the Dolphins."

The other report, earlier in the day, said that the Fins were in-fact willing to meet Albert's contract demands.

Ah, media.

So what's the deal?  Well, here's what we THINK we know.  According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, if the Fins were to meet Albert's contract demands, they'd likely be paying him somewhere in the ballpark of $8.9 million a year, this on top of giving the Chiefs a second round draft pick.

The question now becomes, is Albert worth this sacrifice?  It's been well documented that he's a solid, solid football player.  According to Pro Football Focus, Albert was the 11th best pass blocking left tackle last year.  That, to me, is worth it.  However, what's concerning is this:  In Albert's five NFL seasons he's played 16 games once -- that in 2011. Last year he missed five starts and three full games because of a back issue. 

Albert missed more starts than Jake Long did last year.

So, what does Jeff Ireland do?  Well, speculation is starting to heat up surrounding the Fins GM trading DOWN in Thursday night's first round of the draft.  This tells me Ireland may be willing to move on Albert, and therefore trades down to get that second round pick he'd be losing back.  This also tells me that he doesn't love his options at the 12th pick and can get better value later in the first round.

This may be Ireland's best move.  If he does trade down, these are the possible players that could be on his radar, according to Salguero:

Cornerback D.J. Hayden of Houston.

Safety Kenny Vaccaro of Texas.

Tight end Tyler Eifert of Notre Dame.

Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson of Missouri.

Defensive tackle Sylvester Williams of North Carolina.

Guard Jonathan Cooper of North Carolina.

Personally, I've said from the beginning that, if Ireland doesn't trade up to get one of the three left tackles, he should be targeting TE Tyler Eifert of Notre Dame.  I love Eifert's size (6'6, 250), especially in the redzone, and especially love his knack to catch the football.  He can outrun any linebacker in the NFL, and would be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.

If you give Ryan Tannehill yet ANOTHER playmaker like Tyler Eifert, then I think this Fins offense can make some serious noise.  You've also got to look at what Jeff Ireland has watched twice a year every year when the Patriots are on the field.  Their entire offense is built around TE play!  This has got to be in the back of Ireland's mind come Thursday night.

So, there you have it.  My first round pick, whether the Fins trade down or not, would be Tyler Eifert.  Now, if Ireland decides to trade up, then obviously you're in an entirely different ballgame, and you're taking somebody like a Lane Johnson.  But, based on what we know RIGHT NOW, I'm taking Eifert.

We'll have the latest right here, so keep checking back!

2013 Miami Dolphins regular season schedule; latest on LT Albert

Here it is, and eight minutes early too, how about that?

Enjoy:


September 8              at Cleveland Browns                    1 pm

September 15            at Indianapolis Colts                     1 pm

September 22            Atlanta Falcons                             4:05 pm

September 30            at New Orleans Saints (Mon)           8:40 pm

October 6                  Baltimore Ravens                           1 pm

October 13                 BYE

October 20                 Buffalo Bills                                   1 pm

October 27                at New England Patriots                  1 pm

October 31                Cincinnati Bengals (Thurs)                8:25 pm

November 11             at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Mon)        8:40p

November 17             San Diego Chargers                            1 pm

November 24             Carolina Panthers                              1 pm

December 1               at New York Jets                                1 pm

December 8              at Pittsburgh Steelers                          1 pm

December 15             New England Patriots                          1 pm

December 22             at Buffalo Bills                                    1 pm

December 29             New York Jets                                     1 pm


As you can see, the Fins will get three primetime games this season, with two of those coming on Monday nights.  Clearly the times are a changin'.

The Fins open up in Cleveland, which will be a, to put it lightly, less daunting task than their last two season openers (vs. New England, @ Houston).  Miami then travels to Indianapolis in Tannehill vs. Luck round two, before heading home in week three to welcome in the Atlanta Falcons.  Gulp.

The following two weeks will be awfully intriguing, as Miami heads to New Orleans for their first of two Monday nighters this season in week four, only to come back home to play the defending champs in week five before getting a much needed breather with the week six bye.

Three of the Fins' first five games will be on the road.

Other notable games:  Week 8 @ New England, week 9 vs. Cincinnati (Thursday night, Halloween), week 10 @ Tampa Bay (Monday night), and week 14 @ Pittsburgh.


Branden Albert:

According to reports, the Fins have received permission from the Kansas City Chiefs to talk to LT Branden Albert.

Albert, who lives in Miami, is expected to visit the Dolphins' facility in the next couple of days for a physical, a source told ESPN's John Clayton.  Although Albert signed his franchise tender earlier last month, the five year starter has expressed his desire for a long-term contract.  If the Dolphins can work out something with Albert, they would give up one of their two second-round picks to make the trade.

Do I like the possibility of this?  Well, that depends.  It's pretty much a given that if the Fins do not trade up in next week's NFL draft, they won't get one of the top linemen coming out.  Clearly, with the loss of Jake Long, addressing that LT position is a glaring need for this team.  So, this basically comes down to what GM Jeff Ireland would rather do- trade up for the likes of Lane Johnson, or work out a deal with Albert.

While Albert is a rock solid lineman, he would require some serious money.  To me, if you're going to make some noise, I'd rather trade up in the draft and get somebody like Johnson rather then give Albert a long term contract.  But hey, you never know what Ireland has up his sleeve these day, do you?

We'll keep you updated.

Miami Dolphins 2013 preseason schedule released; mock up of new uniforms

With the draft exactly three weeks away, and the regular season schedule about two weeks away, the NFL has given us something to hold us over...

The 2013 preseason schedule!!!

Alright, it's not overly exciting, and we already knew one of the games- Dolphins and Cowboys will play in the HOF game August 4th- but hey, it's at least something, right?


So, without further adue, the 2013 Miami Dolphins preseason schedule:


Date       Opponent                                      Time

Aug. 4     Dallas Cowboys (Canton, Ohio)       8 p.m.

TBD.        at Jacksonville                              TBD.

TBD.        at Houston                                    TBD.

TBD.        Tampa Bay                                    TBD.

TBD.        New Orleans                                  TBD.


Riveting, no?  The Fins do get an extra preseason game, as you may have noticed, because they play in the HOF game.  The Cowboys will play five instead of four as well.

One more piece of news:

Ben Violen of the Palm Beach Post reported today that, while we won't know exactly what the Fins new uniforms will look like until their unveiling on April 25th, don't be surprised if they look very similar to this:

This from Violen:

"Now, these images of the Dolphins’ new uniforms, created by fans and passed along to us, haven’t been released by the team (thanks to @Solfins and @JCCampell1 on Twitter).

But we’ve been told by good authority what the uniforms look like (they’re tentatively going to be revealed on April 25, the same day as the first round of the NFL Draft). And let’s just say that you should get used to this look."

That's all for now, Go Fins!