After watching our #1 wideout, the right side of the line, and various holes on defense pop up, I am finding little light at the end of the off season tunnel. I usually browse and read these forums lately while refraining from posting as of late due to lack of time. However, I'd like to get everyone's opinion. What are people's expectations for this season?

Having a new coach and new system in place makes this officially a rebuilding year for the Phins in my opinion. Our two current options pre draft at QB are Matt Moore (career backup who proved servicable going 6-6 last year in his "career year" and Garrard, whose been out of the game since 2010. In an era where you either have a good QB or GTFO, that QB roster gives me a case of the gags and pukes. With no deep threat defenses will again be stacking the line against Bush, ala pre-Marshall years. It seems that my beloved Dolphins have taken a huge step back in talent this year, and have hit the reset button on the coaching staff. Losing Nolan in my opinion, while I understand is inevitable with the regime change, is one if not the biggest loss this year.

The draft? Oh the draft. The opinions and polls have us taking the Agies QB Tannehill. He's a 1-2 year project. I'm sorry but if you spend the #8 pick on someone who can't make an immediate impact on your franchise, you need to have your head examined. I'm not pitching the idea of drafting a QB post 1st round either. That ship has sailed on this franchise many times over and I for one will vomit if we draft a QB in the 2nd round again.

In short, the team is full of holes, we've got a new coach and no QB. This year in my opinion needs to be used as the foundation year for our next 5-7 years to come after this year. Build up your talent with fresh young talent in 3-5 year contracts and work your way into some sort of position to acquire a QB that has the moxie to take you into the playoffs. At least with the talent to have a "punchers chance" postseason.

What say you board? What do you expect from the beloved franchise this year? Will they go for Tannehill? What's our record?

I see your last post before this one was January 31, 2012 02:09PM, Odenn.

All you have to do is read the numerous threads since then, particularly the last sixty days, to answer your questions above as to how the board thinks.

Odenn, no offense, but I stopped reading when you made it sound like losing the right side of our line was a bad thing

It was a sight for my sore eyes when I read that Columbo retired.

Here is my prediction Odenn we surprise alot of teams, and have a shot at the playoffs because we are not that bad. You the other hand are on anti depressants. I say 9-7 with a shot at the playoffs.

Say what you will, I guess I've finally been disappointed too many times. I go into seasons with high hopes and dreams of playoffs only to watch it implode over and over. Yea maybe a bit on the emo side right at this moment, but with reason.

Odenn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> After watching our #1 wideout, the right side of
> the line, and various holes on defense pop up, I
> am finding little light at the end of the off
> season tunnel. I usually browse and read these
> forums lately while refraining from posting as of
> late due to lack of time. However, I'd like to get
> everyone's opinion. What are people's expectations
> for this season?
>
> Having a new coach and new system in place makes
> this officially a rebuilding year for the Phins in
> my opinion. Our two current options pre draft at
> QB are Matt Moore (career backup who proved
> servicable going 6-6 last year in his "career
> year" and Garrard, whose been out of the game
> since 2010. In an era where you either have a good
> QB or GTFO, that QB roster gives me a case of the
> gags and pukes. With no deep threat defenses will
> again be stacking the line against Bush, ala
> pre-Marshall years. It seems that my beloved
> Dolphins have taken a huge step back in talent
> this year, and have hit the reset button on the
> coaching staff. Losing Nolan in my opinion, while
> I understand is inevitable with the regime change,
> is one if not the biggest loss this year.
>
> The draft? Oh the draft. The opinions and polls
> have us taking the Agies QB Tannehill. He's a 1-2
> year project. I'm sorry but if you spend the #8
> pick on someone who can't make an immediate impact
> on your franchise, you need to have your head
> examined. I'm not pitching the idea of drafting a
> QB post 1st round either. That ship has sailed on
> this franchise many times over and I for one will
> vomit if we draft a QB in the 2nd round again.
>
> In short, the team is full of holes, we've got a
> new coach and no QB. This year in my opinion needs
> to be used as the foundation year for our next 5-7
> years to come after this year. Build up your
> talent with fresh young talent in 3-5 year
> contracts and work your way into some sort of
> position to acquire a QB that has the moxie to
> take you into the playoffs. At least with the
> talent to have a "punchers chance" postseason.
>
> What say you board? What do you expect from the
> beloved franchise this year? Will they go for
> Tannehill? What's our record?

***********************************************

Not exactly sure where you are coming from on your assessment.

One paragraph you are saying that anyone who takes a QB at 8 (who you say is projected to be a 1-2 round guy), they need to have their head examined.

Then in another paragraph, you say use this year's draft to build for the next 5-7 years. With Miami not having a "real" QB, then shouldn't QB be a choice? I know you will probably come back with "draft a QB in the later rounds," but how far has that gotten Miami? They are still looking for that #1 guy.

Tanney has had nothing but positives said about him from just about every draft guru, former GMs, analysts, scouts, etc. So, if Miami needs to build for the upcoming years, wouldn't Tanney fit in that scheme?

And I agree with Chyren that all you have to do is read the numerous posts here and you will see where this fan base is leaning.

Cap, everyone has positives to say about Tannehill and I do too. He appears to be one of the most field smart QBs coming out of this draft, perhaps second to Luck in that category.

However, while draft gurus, former GMs, analysts and scouts have all pointed out his positives, it is also true that they have indicated negatives. Moreover, many have agreed with Odenn, I just saw one on the NFL channel last night, that he should not be picked as early as no. 8.

Also, some years, drafting a QB is simply not in the cards. If you can't get one that you are "certain" will be a franchise QB in the first round, then you have to re-adjust your strategy, regardless of your needs. That might require drafting a longshot QB in the late rounds or passing on QB altogether that year. However, at the same time, you should not NEGLECT rebuilding the rest of your team in the best manner possible just because you cannot get the caliber of QB at your first draft opportunity that you want. I think that is what Odenn, a longtime poster here despite his recent absence, is saying.

I agree with you Chyren. If you don't like the QBs available then don't force it. I believe that is what we did last year. We didn't like the QBs in the draft and we didn't love the options in FA, so we went the cheaper route and found a guy we thought would be a solid backup and gave Henne one more shot.

However, if you have a conviction on a QB then you have to take and may have to trade up for him. I think that is the discussion between Ireland, Philbin, and Sherman, do they have a conviction on Tannehill?

Well, I would have traded up for RGIII.

Bill Walsh had a very interesting, and successful draft philosophy. He didn't believe in trading up or down in the draft. He didn't worry about whether a player was drafted "too high." He drafted solely on whether or not he believed that player would be successful and contribute to what the team was trying to do. That was his only criteria. He would say that in a few years none of the coaches are going to be worrying about where a player was drafted, only whether they were a good player and contributing to the team. Since Bill Walsh was a pretty successful coach, we might want to keep that thought in mind when discussing whether or not Tannehill is worth the #8 pick. If Ireland, Philbin, and Sherman, who collectively know a hell of a lot more about football and Ryan Tannehill than all of us combined, think Tannehill will be successful, then they should draft him at #8. If not, move on and draft someone they think will be successful.

dolfans1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bill Walsh had a very interesting, and successful
> draft philosophy. He didn't believe in trading up
> or down in the draft. He didn't worry about
> whether a player was drafted "too high." He
> drafted solely on whether or not he believed that
> player would be successful and contribute to what
> the team was trying to do. That was his only
> criteria. He would say that in a few years none
> of the coaches are going to be worrying about
> where a player was drafted, only whether they were
> a good player and contributing to the team. Since
> Bill Walsh was a pretty successful coach, we might
> want to keep that thought in mind when discussing
> whether or not Tannehill is worth the #8 pick. If
> Ireland, Philbin, and Sherman, who collectively
> know a hell of a lot more about football and Ryan
> Tannehill than all of us combined, think Tannehill
> will be successful, then they should draft him at
> #8. If not, move on and draft someone they think
> will be successful.


Bingo!

dolfans1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bill Walsh had a very interesting, and successful
> draft philosophy. He didn't believe in trading up
> or down in the draft. He didn't worry about
> whether a player was drafted "too high." He
> drafted solely on whether or not he believed that
> player would be successful and contribute to what
> the team was trying to do. That was his only
> criteria. He would say that in a few years none
> of the coaches are going to be worrying about
> where a player was drafted, only whether they were
> a good player and contributing to the team. Since
> Bill Walsh was a pretty successful coach, we might
> want to keep that thought in mind when discussing
> whether or not Tannehill is worth the #8 pick. If
> Ireland, Philbin, and Sherman, who collectively
> know a hell of a lot more about football and Ryan
> Tannehill than all of us combined, think Tannehill
> will be successful, then they should draft him at
> #8. If not, move on and draft someone they think
> will be successful.

well said, seems so simple yet so hard for some people to understand.

ChyrenB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cap, everyone has positives to say about Tannehill
> and I do too. He appears to be one of the most
> field smart QBs coming out of this draft, perhaps
> second to Luck in that category.
>
> However, while draft gurus, former GMs, analysts
> and scouts have all pointed out his positives, it
> is also true that they have indicated negatives.
> Moreover, many have agreed with Odenn, I just saw
> one on the NFL channel last night, that he should
> not be picked as early as no. 8.
>
> Also, some years, drafting a QB is simply not in
> the cards. If you can't get one that you are
> "certain" will be a franchise QB in the first
> round, then you have to re-adjust your strategy,
> regardless of your needs. That might require
> drafting a longshot QB in the late rounds or
> passing on QB altogether that year. However, at
> the same time, you should not NEGLECT rebuilding
> the rest of your team in the best manner possible
> just because you cannot get the caliber of QB at
> your first draft opportunity that you want. I
> think that is what Odenn, a longtime poster here
> despite his recent absence, is saying.

********************************************************

Understood, and I agree.

Yes, there are many positives about Tanney, and there are also some negatives, which is to be expected. Really, tho, that goes with every single player in the draft (including Luck). Luck hasn't played a down of NFL football, as yet, but is said to be the best since....Peyton Manning (and John Elway before that). However, what did the reports say about Ryan Leaf? So, again, every pick is a crap shoot.

I also agree that he should not be picked at 8. If this was "reality," he would be picked late 1st, early 2nd. But, this is not reality. QBs always go higher than where they should. That is what is going to happen to Tanney and Weeden. And if you think about it, RG III shot up the scale all of a sudden, also. Where was he thought of prior to his final year? Now, if Miami drafts according to where a player SHOULD be drafted, Tanney and Weeden will be gone before Miami blinks. Does Ireland have a strong conviction on Tanney? Yes? Draft him at 8! No? Go in another direction.

Drafting a long shot QB in later rounds is just a body filling space until he gets cut before the season starts, unless....the guy's name is Tom Brady. But, again, the Brady situation is an anomaly. I don't recommend passing on a QB a particular year unless the guys that are available are all 4th and later round talent. If a team is in need of a QB (and has been for a whole lot of years) and the guy that is sitting there when your turn comes has big time talent but needs a little work, does the brass pass on him? Ireland, et al, can't keep hoping that they will be in a position every year to draft a top notch QB. If they wait until next year, as some on this board have suggested (grabbing Barkley), Miami won't be in a position to do that, unless they suck (again). Miami has too much talent to do that, so they, once again, won't be in that position, so they have to grab a "good" QB when the opportunity presents itself.

I also understand that Miami must build their team and can't pass up a "superstar" just to grab a QB. The problem is, that superstar won't be sitting there at 8.

Ireland has to make a tough decision. And....there is no guarantee that Ireland has Tanney as "the guy" when Miami's pick comes up. We'll just have to wait and see what Ireland's vision is.