Dolphins and Falcons Drafts

[Joey_Potter]

The two combined teams of the Dolphins and Falcons have released about 15 players (give or take a couple) including many starters a week...and the week isn't done yet. It shows these teams are truely starting from scratch and are more in need of impact players than ever.

What players or positions do you all see these teams going after in the draft and I'm not just talking Round 1.

[Walter]

I think it reinforces that the Dolphins will be looking for an offensive tackle early in the draft or free agency. The Falcons will now definitely be looking for a tight end, but I don't think till Round 4 or so because they have so many other needs.

[Joey_Potter]

Agree Walter. Did you get my PM?

[Matt McGuire]

Yeah I agree with Walter. The cuts of Shelton and Alabi make me think they are very likely to address tackle with one of their two second round picks.

They still had huge needs at DB, WR, and TE.

As far as QB, do you really want to draft a guy and put him in a position to fail?

I mean let's just examine the HISTORY of this decision.

Tim Couch - Cleveland
Archie Manning - New Orleans
Joey Harrington - Detroit
David Carr - Houston

I'm not saying any of those quarterbacks would have been the "answer" for their respective franchise, but they failed in large part because they played on a ****ty team and the team didn't emphasize the rest of the roster.

I mean quarterback is just one position. It's an important one, but it isn't everything.

Look at a few most well respected QBs right now in the NFL game one second and let me make a point:

Peyton Manning - Tony Ugoh
Carson Palmer - Levi Jones
Tom Brady - Matt Light
Brett Favre - Chad Clifton
Matt Hasselbeck - Walter Jones

The list goes on and on. Go through the first round draft order and examine the first 16 picks. How many of those teams have very solid talent on their offensive line?

Couch, Archie, Carr, and Harrington all had ****ty players blocking for them. But they don't put up stats so let's just look at the quarterback position. That's very logical.

I'm not attacking you guys, just the people that think every team needs a star quarterback to win games. Look at what Jacksonville did with David Garrard. Eli Manning won a super bowl. My main point here is that the most important things a quarterback can do is not turn the ball over and make good decisions in the passing game. Not highlight reel stuff, but hey that's the quarterback position in a nut shell if we are being honest.

[animal52]

Yeah I agree with Walter. The cuts of Shelton and Alabi make me think they are very likely to address tackle with one of their two second round picks.

They still had huge needs at DB, WR, and TE.

As far as QB, do you really want to draft a guy and put him in a position to fail?

I mean let's just examine the HISTORY of this decision.

Tim Couch - Cleveland
Archie Manning - New Orleans
Joey Harrington - Detroit
David Carr - Houston

I'm not saying any of those quarterbacks would have been the "answer" for their respective franchise, but they failed in large part because they played on a ****ty team and the team didn't emphasize the rest of the roster.

I mean quarterback is just one position. It's an important one, but it isn't everything.

Look at mwnrion aomw well respectws QBa right now in the NFL game one second and let me make a ****ing point:

Peyton Manning - Tony Ugoh
Carson Palmer - Levi Jones
Tom Brady - Matt Light
Brett Favre - Chad Clifton
Matt Hasselbeck - Walter Jones

The list goes on and on. Go through the first round draft order and examine the first 16 picks. How many of those teams have very solid talent on their offensive line?

Couch, Archie, Carr, and Harrington all had ****ty players blocking for them. But they don't put up stats so let's just look at the quarterback position. That's very logical.

I'm not attacking you guys, just the people that think every team needs a star quarterback to win games. Look at what Jacksonville did with David Garrard. Eli Manning won a super bowl. My main point here is that the most important things a quarterback can do is not turn the ball over and make good decisions in the passing game. Not highlight reel stuff, but hey that's the quarterback position in a nut shell if we are being honest.

To support this point, I remember hearing a buddy of mine who is a radio engineer for ESPN tell me of a conversation he heard from Marty Morningwheg. He said that when the decision was made to draft Joey Harrington he knew he would be fired very soon. His arguement was that his defense wasn't solid enough, his O-Line needed upgrade, and it takes at least 3 years for a QB to develop. He lobbied for Quentin Jammer hard and lost. They rushed Joey in, they lost 13 games, and Marty got fired in favor of Steve Mariucci.

I couldn't help remembering this story when I was watching the AFC championship game and watching Jammer have a solid game. What is the Lions greatest need this year? CB.

[Joey_Potter]

If I were Miami I would wait until the third round and grab QB or wait until next year to address it. Trent Dilfer was an average QB but did a great job when he was younger at being a leader, making good decisions, not turning the ball over, and playing within himself. You dont need to be an All Pro to be a Super Bowl Caliber QB as everyone seems to think.

Agree with Matt, I do.

[NoNonsenseCoach]

I don't so much agree with the Peyton Manning - Tony Ugoh, but Peyton eraned his respect with Terik Glenn, so point taken.

I agree though. QB is important but not everything.

[Matt McGuire]

JP I plan on addressing what I think Miami should do (already begun to wrote it...will be released next week) and like you said it isn't by taking a QB this year.

You see in my latest mock I have them going Long, Flowers, Carlson...so you can draw the lines yourself on my opinions.

I will go more in detail on it, but I say work with John Beck and Cleo Lemon. The Dolphins aren't even on the verge of a 7 win season. This is an extremely slow process and history says to upgrade most of the positions on the team so a quarterback has a better chance to lead the team.

It can't workout without a capable quarterback, but a quarterback can't be capable to do his job unless he has teammates that can do their job. It isn't 1 vs. 11. It is 11 vs. 11. The quarterback just takes the snaps.

[Matt McGuire]

I don't so much agree with the Peyton Manning - Tony Ugoh, but Peyton eraned his respect with Terik Glenn, so point taken.

I agree though. QB is important but not everything.

Yeah I know Ugoh isn't an elite left tackle yet, but he showed flashes of brillance and he can be elite in a few years.

[Matt McGuire]

If I were Miami I would wait until the third round and grab QB or wait until next year to address it. Trent Dilfer was an average QB but did a great job when he was younger at being a leader, making good decisions, not turning the ball over, and playing within himself. You dont need to be an All Pro to be a Super Bowl Caliber QB as everyone seems to think.

Agree with Matt, I do.

Great example. Also don't forget (same exact model) is Brad Johnson in Jon Gruden's offense. I mean people still said the Bucs offense was very average even in the playoffs, but Johnson didn't turn the ball over and Tampa absolutely dominated the 49ers and the Raiders because of turnover ratio, ball control, and defense. Not an elite passing attack.

[Matt McGuire]

Just to put it out there (I know he looked horrible in the Fiesta Bowl) but this is why I am so high on Sam Bradford. Accurate, smart, precision passer. Has a ton more to learn but i love what I have seen so far. Pretty good arm too but he doesn't "wow" me with it.

[Vbsiena]

Isn't Bradford a projected 7th round pick? Where and who do you see him going to?

[Matt McGuire]

He was a redshirt freshman last season I believe.

[49ersfan]

He was a redshirt freshman last season I believe.

He was. I think he'll be a 1st-round pick whenever he comes out.

[Matt McGuire]

Also, I don't blame Bradford on having a poor game. How good would Eli Manning be if the Super Bowl was played 4.5 months after their AFC Championship game w/San Diego?

I think having to wait until the first week of January to play really puts a big burden on a QB to just keep playing in rhythm with the rest of the season. Sure Chad Henne did it, but he wasn't consistent at all in his career. I don't put a lot of stock in the Capital One bowl for Henne. I knew what he was capable of, I just never bought into him as a prospect. I still don't.