In-depth Observations from Tuesday's OTA Practice

It was a big first day from Dolphins camp earlier this week, as it was the first time the media got chance to watch the new look 2014 Miami Dolphins.  There were new faces all over the field, from LT Branden Albert, to new OC Bill Lazor, and while it is only May, there was still plenty of takeways from the two hour practice.

Some observations:

- One of the biggest standouts was LB Koa Misi, who was at the MLB spot for the entire afternoon with Dannell Ellerbe moving over to OLB.  The Dolphin had hinted at this all offseason and it seems that, for the time being at least, this is the new lineup they're going with.

- New DT Earl Mitchell took most of his snaps with the first team defense,along with Randy Starks.  Remember, the Fins are loaded at DT this season with Jared Odrick, Randy Starks, and Earl Mitchell all taking the place of former Dolphin Paul Soliai.  Odrick was sidelined most of practice with an undisclosed injury (nothing serious), which may have been why Mitchell got the reps, but regardless, expect all three of these guys to see plenty of action this season.

- DE Dion Jordan was easy to find on the field, as the second year man out of Oregon was noticeably bigger.  After an injury plagued rookie season, Jordan put on 17 LBS this offseason, and it showed.

- New CB Cortland Finnegan took all the first team reps opposite of Brent Grimes, and he was one of the stars of practice.  He showed good quickness, and even intercepted Ryan Tannehill during an 11-11 drill mid-practice.  It seems that he will be the one to beat out for that second CB spot.

- The starting offensive line looked like this: LT Albert, LG Thomas, C Pouncey, RG Smith, RT James.  It's extremely early, but those are the guys to beat out.

- All three WR's who ended last season with injures- Brian Hartline, Armon Binns, and Brandon Gibson- were on the practice field.  Hartline and Binns were working with the first team offense and looked solid, while Gibson was on the side working with trainers.  This is to be expected, as Gibson had the most significant injury with the torn ACL, but expect him to be ready to go by July.  Binns was another practice standout, as he looked quick, reliable, and, most importantly, healthy.

- RB's Lamar Miller and Knowshon Moreno both took snaps with the first team offense.  I'd expect Moreno to take command of that starting job come training camp.

- WR Mike Wallace looked like his usual fast self, but there was one noticeable difference- he was all over the field.  Remember, last season Wallace was stationed mostly on the right side of the field, raising some eyebrows around the league.  It appears new OC Bill Lazor has plenty of other ideas for the star WR this season.

- Speaking of Bill Lazor, his new look offense was on display, and it was evident.  A couple things to expect: A lot of pre-snap movement, a lot of quick hitch routes, and a lot more involvement from TE's.  Michael Egnew set up next to Ryan Tannehill in the backfield for a good amount of plays, and it's evident that a multiple TE look is big in this offense.  Screens and quick passes were also utilized a lot, telling me that there will be a big emphasis on getting the ball to you play-makers in this offense.

- This is also a much different system for QB Ryan Tannehill.  Remember, Tannehill has been around the same offense for six years now, or, in other word, his entire career, so there is much to learn.  Tannehill missed some throws due to timing, which is the key point in this system, so he'll have to work hard with his WR's to iron out the wrinkles.  I wouldn't read too much into this now, as it's extremely early, but there is still much work left to be done.

- WR Jarvis Landry took snaps with both the first and second team, with a majority coming with the two's.  His size and hands come as advertised, and I expect him to play a major role in the offense this season.


The next OTA practice with media availability is Monday, so I'll have a new set of observations for you next week.

Football is BACK, don't miss any of the action!

    

With OTA's Set to Begin, a Look Back, and Ahead

Tomorrow signals the beginning of the 2014 campaign.... For the media that is (the team has been together for about a month now, but practice is open to the media for the first time this year tomorrow).  Yes, I know rookie camp was last week, but that's nothing more than a bunch of wide-eyed 22 year old's running around aimlessly for a couple hours a day.

So no, that doesn't count.  But tomorrow?  Now that's a different story.

Tomorrow will be the first time the entire 2014 Miami Dolphins take the field as a unit (again, to the public).  All the major players will be there.  All of the coaching staff will be there.  All of the new guys, young and old, will be there.

For the first time since December 30 of last year the Miami Dolphins will take the field.  So, with that in mind, now would be a good time to regroup and reflect on this past offseason.  As well as look ahead to what to watch for in the coming months.  After all, this squad will look a lot different tomorrow than it did five months ago.


KEY LOSSES:

LT Jonathan Martin

OL Richie Incognito

FS Chris Clemons

DT Paul Soliai



FREE AGENT ADDITIONS:

RB Knowshon Moreno

LT Brandon Albert

S Louis Delmas

CB Cortland Finnegan

DT Earl Mitchell

OG Shelly Smith



2014 DRAFT CLASS:

Ja'Wuan James, OT, Tennessee

Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU

Billy Turner, OT/OG, North Dakota State

Walt Aikens, CB, Liberty

Arthur Lynch, TE, Georgia

Jordan Tripp, LB, Montana

Matt Hazel, WR, Coastal Carolina

Terrence Fede, DE, Marist



WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

Now, while this is a big first step towards the NFL fully returning, lets remember, this still isn't training camp.  There will be no pads.  There will be no hitting.  But, with that being said, there is still plenty to watch for.  Like..

- Ryan Tannehill and Mike Wallace.  We all know the issues these two had last season.  How do they look now, five months later, with a full offseason under their belts?  How does the deep ball look?  How does the chemistry look?

- New OC Bill Lazor's offense.  What are the noticeable differences in the offense?  In Ryan Tannehill?  In the overall pace, look, and feel?  Expect up tempo, fast, and a lot of movement.

- The WR's.  Remember, Brian Hartline, Brandon Gibson and Armon Binns all ended last season with injuries.  How many of those three are practicing?  How many are with the trainers?  And, let's not forget new WR Jarvis Landry.  Where does he fit in?  How does he look?

- What does the offensive line look like?  There are A LOT of new additions on this line, and it may take some time for Joe Philbin to put together the right recipe.  We know Branden Albert will be at LT, and Mike Pouncey will be at C, but beyond that it's a bit of guess.  Where does first round pick Ja'Wuan James play?  What unit does he come out on?  Where does rookie Billy Turner fit in?

- The OTHER CB.  We know you'll have Brent Grimes manning the left side of the field.  But the right side?  That spot is WIDE open.  One has to assume that Cortland Finnegan will be the favorite out of the gate, but remember, you've got two second year players in Will Davis and Jamar Taylor right behind him.

- What do the LB's look like?  This group was easily the weakest link on Miami's defense last year.  Dannell Ellerbe was hurt for much of the year, and Philip Wheeler was a huge problem.  Does second year LB Jelani Jenkins make a push for somebody's spot?  Does Ellerbe become more of a leader the team desperately needs him to be?

- DT will be a fun position to watch.  Jared Odrick, Earl Mitchell, and Randy Starks are all above average starters in this league, and all will get ample playing time at the position.  But who is the front runner?  Who comes out with the first unit?

- How does Dion Jordan look?  His shoulder issues stunted his growth last season, but rumor has it he's ready to be a serious competitor this season.  Does he give Olivier Vernon a run at his job starting tomorrow?


So many questions, and, surely, so many more that will pop up after tomorrow.  Make sure to keep checking back throughout the day for any updates.

We're almost there!  Just a few more months.

Hang in there.  

BREAKING: With the 19th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft...

The Miami Dolphins select Tennessee tackle Ja’Wuan James.

James will be a starter day one.  He, in theory, solves the Dolphins RT problem.  This pick is a stretch, but to defend Dennis Hickey, there was really not much he could do.

Zach Martin was gone.  C.J. Mosley was gone.  Robinson, Lewan, and Matthews were all long gone.

The only option here was to trade down or reach for a tackle.  My guess is Hickey couldn't trade down or he would have.

The bottom line is, Miami desperately needed a RT.  And now the have one.  James is a plug and play tackle.  That's what the Dolphins needed.  It's not flashy, it's not sexy, but it was, again, a DESPERATE need.

And now it's been filled.

More to come.

OT Zack Martin OFF Dolphins Draft Board

Well, it was looking good.  Really good, actually, for the Miami Dolphins.

Zach Martin was seemingly slipping right into their hands.  The Notre Dame OT was still on the board with just the Cowboys, Ravens, and Jets left to pick before Miami.

And then, in a surprise move to say the least, Dallas PASSED on QB Johnny Manziel and stole Martin right from Miami's grasp.

My guess right now?  ILB C.J. Mosley.

Stay tuned.


[UPDATE: Mosley has just been taken by the Ravens at 17.  Johnny Manziel is still available.  I'll leave it right there.]

Dolphins Draft Board (UPDATED)

We're 10 picks into the 2014 NFL Draft.  The Miami Dolphins have, so far, stood firm at pick 19.

Here are the players Miami had targeted that have been drafted:

OT Greg Robinson (2nd overall to St. Louis)

OT Jake Matthews (6th overall to Atlanta)

TE Eric Ebron (10th overall to Detroit)


The good news: OT Taylor Lewan STILL remains on the board.  Many thought he would be long gone by now, but the pipe dream is still alive, for now, for a possible Lewan-Miami marriage.

Along with Lewan, Zach Martin, who I believe to be Miami's most realistic possibility, is also still available.

The bad news:  WR Sammy Watkins, arguably the best receiver in the draft, has gone to the Buffalo Bills.  That's scary for the Miami Dolphins.

Stay tuned.


[UPDATE:  Taylor Lewan has just been selected by Tennessee 11th overall]

For New GM Dennis Hickey, the Possibilities are Endless

After six months of build up, and two extra weeks of pointless media speculation, the grandest NFL event since February's Super Bowl has arrived:

Draft day (night).

This will be GM Dennis Hickey's first draft, and he holds the 19th overall pick (for now).

So what does he do?

I have absolutely no idea, and neither does anybody else. 

Does he go BPA? Does he reach? Does he move up? Down? Nobody knows, except, well, Hickey (we hope..).

The area of need for the Dolphins is crystal clear: Offensive line. 

Some think they go after Zach Martin, the versatile lineman from Notre Dame.

Others speculate it'll be Virginia's Morgan Moses.

You also have Cyrus Koundjio, with his biggest knock being his health. 

In a dream scenario, either Taylor Lewan or Jake Matthews will fall into Miami's lap at 19. Im not even going to talk about those two, however, because I don't see them dropping much past 5.

Scenarios beyond offensive line include linebackers Ryan Shazier and C.J. Mosley, and wide receivers Marqise Lee and Odell Beckham Jr.  I don't expect Beckham Jr. to be there at 19, and I'd be shocked to see Hickey take Shazier, which would be a reach.  Next to Martin, I'd say Mosley is the likeliest choice if Hickey stays put at 19.

Then, of course, there's always the chance that Hickey trades either up or down.  If he chooses to trade up, something I don't see happening, then expect him to try and move around the top 10 and draft either a WR or lineman.  Another name to watch in this scenario is TE Eric Ebron, who many have Buffalo taking at 10.  I can imagine new offensive coordinater Bill Lazor licking his lips at the possibility of Charles Clay and Eric Ebron on the field at the same time.

Personally, I think the likeliest off all scenarios is for Hickey to trade down.  Why?  I don't expect Martin to be there at 19, and, if that's the case, then moving down may be the best move. This is an extremely deep draft at WR and OL, so gaining an extra second round pick may be crucial if lineman start flying off the board in day two.

So, what should you make of all of this?

Nothing.  I don't know what Hickey's going to do, and I don't even dare try and guess.

All you need to know is Miami needs to address the offensive line, linebacker, and cornerback positions.  Who, when, and how Hickey addresses these needs are beyond me.

Just sit back and enjoy, folks.  The NFL draft has arrived.

Updates to come by the minute.

Stay tuned.