Is Miami as close as this draft tells us?

I purposely stayed away from posting during the draft so as to not let my initial, knee-jerk reactions cloud my assessment of the overall draft. So what did this draft tell me about the Miami Dolphins? This draft tells me that Grier and Flores believe they are close – and if they can build off of last year’s 10 wins without a step back, they may be right. Rather than essential re-building block pieces, this draft to me was about luxury pieces for a team hoping to take the next step to competitor.

The Phins used the no. 6 overall pick on a slot receiver. You don’t do that unless you think you are close. Normally, a WR that high in the draft would almost have to be someone who was a clear cut number one stud 6-4” 220lbs sub 4.4 Adonis with Velcro for hands. But unfortunately, there wasn’t anybody like that in this draft. Miami decided that an X and Y of Parker and Fuller with Waddle in the slot was superior to eventually starting DeVonta Smith outside with either Parker or Fuller and Bowden/Grant/Perry in the slot. They’re probably correct, but slot at 6 is a luxury – not that that is a bad thing.

Yes, pass rusher is/was a severe need. But realizing there was no sure thing at either DE or OLB pass rusher in this draft, the Dolphins still took a chance on a guy who has tremendous physical attributes who hopefully stay healthy and turn into a attacking piece on the edge. You’ve got to be somewhat comfortable in your status to be able to take a chance on a guy like that and forgo a more certain candidate at another position. Luxury. (Miami’s draft was about explosive athletes: Rated No. 1 by NextGen https://sports.yahoo.com/next-gen-stats-tabs-dolphins-212457765.html )

In my mind, pre-draft, Holland was the top rated S prospect. But Miami had/has (for now?) two relatively highly paid guys in McCain and Rowe and just drafted Jones last year. Safety was not a huge need relative to some other positions on the team. Maybe the ballhawking Holland can be played as a physical CB in nickel or dime – then what is Igbinoghene for? Holland is a very good prospect, but clearly Miami eschewed other areas of need for a guy who may eventually excel where they already currently have players. That is a luxury pick, especially if he can't start in front of one of the already established guys (unless someone gets cut/traded).

Last year, Miami spent 3 picks on guys who started on the OL. Miami dumped last seasons starting LG and C free agent acquisitions and replaced them with more FA acquisitions in Skura and Fluker. And now this year after all those resources, there was only one position in the draft upon which the Phins doubled-down – and that was on the OL. At best Eichenberg will compete in a crowded competition at OG (or maybe RT) and at worst will be the swing OT. With what appeared to be more highly rated (by us and the prognosticators, but apparently not by Grier) guys at other positions of need, the Phins not only selected a potential swing OT (if he’s a starter, what does that say about last year’s selections) in the 2nd round, but traded up to do it. That again, is a luxury.

The fact that Miami bypassed what were clearly some very highly rated RBs (for the 2nd year in a row by some folks count) kind of says either Grier/Flores doesn’t value the run game or thinks they are fine there already. Flores addressed how he feels…

But Brian Flores is still confident that the Dolphins’ rushing attack will be much improved.

Why?

Because his team is much more dynamic on the outside with their skill group after the additions of Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle.

“I think if you’ve got guys who can run on the perimeter, if you load the box, there’s more opportunity for one-on-one matchups and opportunities downfield. Defenses have to make that decision when you have those types of players on the field and again, if you don’t load the box and you play for those big plays, then there’s less people in the box and less people to block and I think it really becomes kind of a numbers math game,” said Flores during the post-draft press conference.

“If you get those guys blocked, there’s more space to run. So there’s a lot to this and as you guys know – you guys watch and have seen a lot of football and understand the game – so when you have guys on the perimeter and guys who demand some attention – that kind of attention – then there could be more space and there may not be. And if that’s the case, then we’ve got to take advantage of those matchups on the perimeter. It’s a chess game, as you all know, and obviously the run game and how you attack the run game, that’s part of it.”

https://sports.yahoo.com/dolphins-looking-receiver-improvements-help-203801995.html

So he is fine with the RBs they have and feels the upgrade in the WR speed will allow the same guys (as opposed to getting better RBs) to perform better. That sounds like a team that thinks they are close.

This is not necessarily a criticism of Miami’s draft. Clearly, Miami did not select the guys I would have nor did they go in the direction that I thought they would. What this draft tells me is they are mostly happy with what they have and believe they were just a few select pieces away. As a fan, I sure do hope they are right.

I agree, merc. I think this draft tells us that the Phins think they are close. Clearly, they are banking on the new additions at OL, WR and TE to make Tua a better QB AND open up the running game. And I think they feel Phillips can be a game-changer on D.

I think what you are calling 'luxury picks' is what I referred to as 'home run swings' during the draft. Those first 3 picks really showed an emphasis on playmakers - guys that can impact the outcome of the game in multiple ways. This is a much different focus than we've ever seen from a Dolphins draft.

On safety, I think the future is a starting tandem of Holland and Jones. Rowe has been very good, particularly against TEs, but he is essentially a stopgap. McCain has done a good job of limiting big pass plays, but he has shown almost zero playmaking ability. That's where Holland comes in. If Holland develops the way I think he can, he is going to be the Patrick Chung of this defense - a QB in the secondary that can call plays and get everyone set, and move around the formation in multiple roles at multiple positions. And he has a knack for getting the ball. Again, it is a role Minkah Fitzpatrick was supposed to play (before his mommy complained about his role/usage). We did not have anyone like that before Holland. I'm so sold on Holland that I actually think McCain could be traded or cut before the season.

I would say the Phillips and Holland picks were, in part, made to beat the Bills. Pass rush and coverage killed us in that final game - and those areas were addressed in the draft and with the addition of veteran CB Justin Coleman.

oh, and i also forget to talk about their TE selection. obviously with a crowded TE room, they must have some sort of vision for 2 TE sets - even after what they've done to get the 3 WR look established. this could be a future insurance move for what happens with Gisecki - but clearly another pass catching (perhaps more complete) TE is a luxury.

agreed JMP. they are definitely taking chances and hopefully it will payoff. but it is certainly a change for the same old tired approach of lunch pale, solid guys that hasn't worked for so long.

Hunter Long is a pick I disliked at first, but I see the logic now. If he is as good a blocker as he's been advertised, then he'll replace pending FA Durham Smythe. Long gives us a a TE that can block AND catch - so now, with him, Waddle and Fuller, we are set up to run multi-WR formations AND multi-TE formations in a way that doesn't limit what we can do in those sets. Essentially, Long gives us options and possibilities that we didn't have with Smythe and Adam Shaheen.

In an ideal world, Long becomes Gronk to Gesicki's Hernandez. But if nothing else, Long gives Tua another huge body on 3rd down and red zone opportunities.

I'm so sold on Holland that I actually think McCain could be traded or cut before the season.

I was thinking about this as well... before McCain was moved to safety he was playing at or near a pro bowl level at nickel CB. It's possible if Holland is ready to start at safety, or he's put there to accelerate his learning curve, moving McCain to start at nickel could be the move. I think this pushes Needham to a depth role.

Iggy is still backup boundary corner, and insurance against injury or an opportunistic trade of Howard or Jones.

OR.... or they gave the Monkey a double dose of tequila and he was way off the mark when throwing the darts!!



No, I think this is the way Grier has set up his draft board. He THINKS he got four 1st round graded players with his first four picks.

And maybe he is right.

BUT... I think there were other moves to be made that would have benefitted the Phins. Of course this is only true if you think the Phins could have used a RB drafted higher than the 7th, or how about a Center, another WR?

The TE pick at #81 just makes NO SENSE no matter how I look at it? Yeah, he may turn out to be a very good TE, but.... Better than WRs Dyami Brown, Amari Rodgers, or RBs Trey Sermon or Michael Carter, OG Wyatt Davis or Kendrick Green, or how about Quinn Meinerz? LB Monty Rice, or how about Baron Browning? Heck, I think a CB would provide more help this season; Molden, Wright, Melifonwu, or Thomas who went picks 99 thru 102?

And then trade away #156 for a pick next year....?

Obviously, Grier and Co. were assessing their needs DIFFERENTLY than most of us. Which I expected, but not to this level.

So, we can call it luxury.... or was it one of those "lateral value" picks where someone the Phins REALLY WANTED was off the board? Maybe they thought OC Josh Myers or Creed Humphrey would be there?

In any event, I hope all the picks work out for the Phins. But I will be BETTER prepared for the next draft. Grier ain't gonna lull me into complacency by picking the player I want #1 anymore and thinking I will forgive him for going off the rails later!!!

Grier gonna Grier!!

Tua played like garbage last year. Benched twice, bailed out by Fitzpatrick and the D in 7 of the 9 games. If he plays close to a mid level QB I think we can win 10 games. If he throws for under 100 yards like he did in 33.3 percent of the games, those will most likely be losses.

finfanatic wrote:I think there were other moves to be made that would have benefitted the Phins. Of course this is only true if you think the Phins could have used a RB drafted higher than the 7th, or how about a Center, another WR?

The TE pick at #81 just makes NO SENSE no matter how I look at it? Yeah, he may turn out to be a very good TE, but.... Better than WRs Dyami Brown, Amari Rodgers, or RBs Trey Sermon or Michael Carter, OG Wyatt Davis or Kendrick Green, or how about Quinn Meinerz? LB Monty Rice, or how about Baron Browning? Heck, I think a CB would provide more help this season; Molden, Wright, Melifonwu, or Thomas who went picks 99 thru 102?

And then trade away #156 for a pick next year....?

Obviously, Grier and Co. were assessing their needs DIFFERENTLY than most of us. Which I expected, but not to this level.

So, we can call it luxury.... or was it one of those "lateral value" picks where someone the Phins REALLY WANTED was off the board? Maybe they thought OC Josh Myers or Creed Humphrey would be there?

Some counters to your points about the #81 pick:

The Dolphins were not going to draft another slot receiver (Brown, Rodgers) after using the # 6 overall on the position. That would not have made any sense at all.

As for RB, Sermon is always hurt and I think it was a stretch to take him in round 3. Michael Carter is a good back, but again I think the Phins wanted a bigger back - they already have 2 smaller backs that are similar to Carter.

At OL, the Phins were clearly looking for an RT - and they got a really good one in round 2. I don't think they wanted a guard, as the plan seems to be to move Hunt to guard. They certainly could have drafted a center - but then again, Skura was a top-rated center not very long ago.

CB isn't a need - we have too many as it is. A late round flyer could have been used there, but certainly not at 81.

LB is interesting - I thought they may have selected an OLB at some point, and I don't know why they didn't.

The bottom line here is that the Phins clearly want to incorporate 2-TE sets into the passing game, and they did that by adding a player many people felt was a top 3 player at the position. We all want a more dynamic, modern-day offense, and adding Long was a key piece in making that transition. We didn't have a player like him on the roster, and he really opens up possibilities for offensive formations and playcalling.

Trading away #156 was a great move IMO. This draft was all but over in the middle of the third round, and we wisely traded a 5th for a 4th next year - in what promises to be a MUCH deeper draft. I've heard some people say that this past day 3 was one of the worst in league history in terms of available talent, and I agree with that. No need to take a player just for the hell of it. And then we came back in round 7 and got two very intriguing prospects.

I disagree that Grier had a different set of needs than we thought. We all thought the top priorities were offensive playmaker, pass rusher, right side of OL, and RB. We addressed every single one of those, plus strengthened the passing game with a complete TE and the secondary with a versatile ballhawk. Center and LB were the other needs, but we do have players at both spots and I wouldn't call them 'urgent' needs.

CarsonChris wrote:Tua played like garbage last year. Benched twice, bailed out by Fitzpatrick and the D in 7 of the 9 games. If he plays close to a mid level QB I think we can win 10 games. If he throws for under 100 yards like he did in 33.3 percent of the games, those will most likely be losses.

No, Josh Allen played like garbage as a rookie. Tua played average - looking great at some points and poor at others. As you'd expect from a rookie coming off a major injury, with no football practice in the offseason, no training camp and no time with the starters in the first half of the season. Allen got better, and so will Tua.

JMP wrote:

CarsonChris wrote:Tua played like garbage last year. Benched twice, bailed out by Fitzpatrick and the D in 7 of the 9 games. If he plays close to a mid level QB I think we can win 10 games. If he throws for under 100 yards like he did in 33.3 percent of the games, those will most likely be losses.

No, Josh Allen played like garbage as a rookie. Tua played average - looking great at some points and poor at others. As you'd expect from a rookie coming off a major injury, with no football practice in the offseason, no training camp and no time with the starters in the first half of the season. Allen got better, and so will Tua.

This is Tua's and Grier's make or break year. If Tua fails so does Grier. Time will tell.

I cannot say that I think Miami is as close as the way they drafted. That said, they picked up a couple really nice players, one that could be boom or bust in Phillips (injuries), and got a few picks for next year. This kind of feels more to me that they got priority in this draft for what their cap could handle moving forward.

I am surprised by so many people's shock that Waddle was our guy. I've been hearing for months that he was the best fit for the Fins and quite a few mocks had him going to the Fins, especially later ones. I love our draft. It didn't go exactly how I thought it might go after the first round, but every pick made, other than the TE Long pick, I understood the moment it was made.

Nearly every time I did a mock I drafted a RB, usually Williams at 36, and a center. I thought Meinerz was the pick at 81 but they went tight end. Maybe Long was just higher on their board and that's what we want them to do right? Pick the better player even if it's not necessarily a need? If Long is as good as people are saying then our 12 personnel is going to be terrific. Wasn't it our most productive set last season?

I think we as fans, especially around draft time, sometimes forget that this isn't just for next season. Does anyone really expect Rowe and McCain on this team in 2-3 years? We have their replacements. And if one of them doesn't work out, not everyone will, then we are in position to try again. One or both of those guys moving on might be how we resign Gesicki.

The thing I love about this is this is year two of the rebuild and we are winning and rebuilding. There will be bumps, there will be concerns, there will be success, and there will be busts. But it's been a fun ride thus far. It's not a finished product yet and even the players we got last year that had some success need to improve, especially Tua and the O-line.

The bottom line is that no matter what each of us think of the draft or certain players that the Fins picked, we'll all be happy if the player succeeds and be disappointed if the player is a bust. We won't care who liked or didn't like who.

JMP wrote:LB is interesting - I thought they may have selected an OLB at some point, and I don't know why they didn't.

agreed. although it appears they are going to treat Phillips as an OLB according to Beasley of the Herald.

https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins/article251132074.html

so assuming Baker and McKinney (coming off injury) inside and Van Ginkel and Phillips outside in a 3-4, that leaves 3 or so backups out of:

Biegel (missed all of 2020 with torn achilles)
Eguavoen (hasn't quiet lived up to CFL promise)
Munson (ST)
Roberts (major knee injury likely PUP)
Riley, Johnson, Scarlett (???)

that is not a lot of reliable depth especially if any of the projected starters go down with an injury and the backups are called upon for significant playing time beyond their ST role. i suspect Miami will have to look to the secondary FA market for some LB insurance.

Yeah that's a pretty thin depth chart at LB, agree there is probably a journeyman or two coming in the secondary FA market.

I got to thinking back on it, and I think the last time some HC told the Owner the Phins were "Close. Very Close." Was Dumbstedt Wannstedt!! And the more personnel moves he made the LESS CLOSE the Phins got!!

The Phins ain't THAT BAD off I hope, but when you factor in the success rate for 1st rounders, there is a chance one of the two 1st round picks stinks!

Hopefully not both.

Killah Sith wrote:I am surprised by so many people's shock that Waddle was our guy. I've been hearing for months that he was the best fit for the Fins and quite a few mocks had him going to the Fins, especially later ones.

Yep, the Phins did a good job early on of disguising the fact they had Waddle as the Number THREE GUY on their board...I do not for a minute believe they would have bypassed Pitts or Chase to select Waddle... But Grier being Grier, who knows?

I was a "Magic" Waddle fan all along and thought if there was a chance he was the next Tyreek Hill he should be the pick, but even I started believing the smokescreen that the Phins wanted D. Smith. I sure hope the Tag Team OCs know how to use him correctly.

Killah Sith wrote:It didn't go exactly how I thought it might go after the first round, but every pick made, other than the TE Long pick, I understood the moment it was made.

You and me both, brother! Of course by then, with the trade up for Eichenberg who I think would have been there at #50, I knew Grier had a far different draft board than I thought the Phins needed. But TE at #81 still was a shock!

And I do hope everything works out. But given the success rate for the draft, we know that is not likely. Some of these picks will likely STINK, and some will stink mightily! Let's just hope there ain't a Rap Singer amongst them!

IMO there's no way the Phins would have picked Chase over Waddle, and I doubt they would have picked Pitts either. If they wanted either of those guys, they would have stayed at 3 - since both were assumed to be going top 5 all along.

Chase is a boundary-only receiver that hasn't played since 2019. I think there's zero chance he was at the top of their WR list. I'd guess he was #3 at best, behind Waddle and Smith.

I think the top of the draft played out exactly the way Grier/Flores hoped it would, and they got their guy at 6.

finfanatic wrote:...I do not for a minute believe they would have bypassed Pitts or Chase to select Waddle...

But TE at #81 still was a shock!

hey FF, not a criticism, but i'm trying to understand your thinking. you think a pass catching TE at #81 is a shock, but yet you thought they would select a pass catching TE in Pitts even higher if they had a chance? i'm trying to figure how Pitts satisfies a need, but Hunter Long does not. yes, there is a gap in evaluated talent, but they both play the same position.

mercury22nathan wrote:

finfanatic wrote:...I do not for a minute believe they would have bypassed Pitts or Chase to select Waddle...

But TE at #81 still was a shock!

hey FF, not a criticism, but i'm trying to understand your thinking.  you think a pass catching TE at #81 is a shock, but yet you thought they would select a pass catching TE in Pitts even higher if they had a chance?  i'm trying to figure how Pitts satisfies a need, but Hunter Long does not.  yes, there is a gap in evaluated talent, but they both play the same position.

A gap? Just a little one for sure! IMHO, Pitts is not a TE. And if the Falcons use him like a TE, then they wasted a pick. He is an X-Receiver. Too big for DBs to cover and too fast for LBs; a mismatch nightmare. It was only after Dan Mullins REALIZED what he had and started using him like that X-Receiver that Pitts became the threat he was last season.

Pitts is an IMPACT receiver IMHO.
Long is a TE. He may turn out to be a very good TE, but... never anything close to Pitts IMO.

JMP wrote:IMO there's no way the Phins would have picked Chase over Waddle, and I doubt they would have picked Pitts either. If they wanted either of those guys, they would have stayed at 3 - since both were assumed to be going top 5 all along.

Chase is a boundary-only receiver that hasn't played since 2019. I think there's zero chance he was at the top of their WR list. I'd guess he was #3 at best, behind Waddle and Smith.

I think the top of the draft played out exactly the way Grier/Flores hoped it would, and they got their guy at 6.

Could be, but then again, at one time we thought they were targeting Smith too.

I seem to recall the consensus was that no TE would go that high, so Maybe Grier was HOPING Pitts would be there at #6, not Waddle.

I actually believe Grier had it ranked Chase #1 and Waddle #2, with Smith maybe #3. But we will probably never know.

I think everyone expected Pitts to go top 5 - the only question was, was he worth it since no TEs are ever drafted that high. But pretty much every single person seemed to think he would be gone no later than pick 5.

You can call Pitts a WR all you want, but the fact is he's a TE and the Falcons (and any other team that drafted him) will use him as a TE. Sure, he'll line up all over the formation at times, but he is a TE in the mold of, if he's fortunate, Darren Waller.

I think if Pitts could block worth a damn, the Dolphins would have stayed at 3 and taken him. But without blocking, he's essentially a more hyped-up Mike Gesicki - they would play the exact same role in the Miami offense. A guy like Hunter Long, though, can actually block - and he is the most complete TE on the roster now. Obviously Pitts is a better receiver - but Long is a better blocker and gives us a player-type that we didn't already have.

As for the WR rankings, there is literally no chance the Phins had Chase ranked above Waddle and Smith - it simply wouldn't make any sense. The Dolphins traded out of the top 5 - knowing full well that Chase and Pitts were likely to go top 5. That should end all speculation about who they had ranked higher.

And again, Chase hadn't played since 2019 and he plays a position that we are already loaded at. That's two strikes against him for the Dolphins. What we needed was a playmaking slot that could also be used all over the formation - and that is what Waddle and Smith would bring. Also, from a character standpoint, Waddle and Smith are both off the charts and two of the highest-character players in the entire draft. That counts with this Miami staff.

Then you have Chase sitting out the season - while Waddle busted his ass, with nothing to prove and nothing to gain, to fight through a bad ankle injury and play in the National Championship Game.

You can also tell which player the Dolphins favored by listening to the post-draft interviews: Chase talked about putting up big numbers, while Waddle talked about winning games. There's a fundamental difference there.

JMP wrote: As for the WR rankings, there is literally no chance the Phins had Chase ranked above Waddle and Smith - it simply wouldn't make any sense. The Dolphins traded out of the top 5 - knowing full well that Chase and Pitts were likely to go top 5. That should end all speculation about who they had ranked higher.

Let's take that back a MONTH from the draft when Grier made the trade. Not when the draft happened.

Pitts didn't shoot up to the top ten until AFTER Grier made his trade. He is a TE as you point out based on draft orthodoxy... I know it ain't real, but with the simulator early on you could get Pitts #12 thru #20. Then he started creeping up, and finally top six.

And if Grier KNEW the Bengals were going to draft Chase he is a Genius without par, because nearly all the experts were saying Sewell AFTER the Phins moved down from #3.

And as far as the Falcons go, you are saying Grier KNEW the Falcons were going to draft Pitts instead of a QB? Or a WR? Or a DB?

And you can call Chase a "boundary" WR all you want, but the fact is he was rated the #1 WR also throughout the draft. He got passed by Pitts shooting up the boards, but Chase remained the #1 WR. And you say Grier didn't even have him on his draft board and would have bypassed Chase to take Waddle?

Like I said, I would have loved to see Pitts, Chase and Waddle and Smith there. We KNOW Grier wanted Waddle over Smith, but we don't know DIDDLY about who Grier would have taken if he had the chance at Pitts or Chase or Waddle?

The fact that he traded down to #12 and then back up to #6 might mean he was ready to take any of the four that fell to him. All we can say for sure is he had Waddle rated above Smith. They say, AFTER THE PICK, that they got their #2 rated player, but every team says that when they don't get the top guy on their board. We will probably never know for sure.

finfanatic wrote:

JMP wrote: As for the WR rankings, there is literally no chance the Phins had Chase ranked above Waddle and Smith - it simply wouldn't make any sense. The Dolphins traded out of the top 5 - knowing full well that Chase and Pitts were likely to go top 5. That should end all speculation about who they had ranked higher.  

Let's take that back a MONTH from the draft when Grier made the trade. Not when the draft happened.

Pitts didn't shoot up to the top ten until AFTER Grier made his trade.  He is a TE as you point out based on draft orthodoxy... I know it ain't real, but with the simulator early on you could get Pitts #12 thru #20. Then he started creeping up, and finally top six.

And if Grier KNEW the Bengals were going to draft Chase he is a Genius without par, because nearly all the experts were saying Sewell AFTER the Phins moved down from #3.

And as far as the Falcons go, you are saying Grier KNEW the Falcons were going to draft Pitts instead of a QB? Or a WR? Or a DB?

And you can call Chase a "boundary" WR all you want, but the fact is he was rated the #1 WR also throughout the draft. He got passed by Pitts shooting up the boards, but Chase remained the #1 WR. And you say Grier didn't even have him on his draft board and would have bypassed Chase to take Waddle?

Like I said, I would have loved to see Pitts, Chase and Waddle and Smith there. We KNOW Grier wanted Waddle over Smith, but we don't know DIDDLY about who Grier would have taken if he had the chance at Pitts or Chase or Waddle?

The fact that he traded down to #12 and then back up to #6 might mean he was ready to take any of the four that fell to him. All we can say for sure is he had Waddle rated above Smith. They say, AFTER THE PICK, that they got their #2 rated player, but every team says that when they don't get the top guy on their board. We will probably never know for sure.

Disagree. Pitts has been a top 5 pick for a long time - and I'm sure NFL teams knew that long before the 'draftniks' did.

As far as the WRs, the 3 top guys (Smith, Waddle, Chase) were all very different - so it is reasonable to think that teams would have them ranked differently. I'm sure some teams had Chase as #1, others had Waddle #1, and still others had Smith #1. Thinking about the Dolphins, I just don't see any possibility that Chase was their #1, based on everything I said above. Waddle and Smith were clearly better fits IMO, in terms of body of work, character, work ethic and versatility - those guys are everything the Dolphins are looking for. Waddle also has off-the-charts speed and playmaing ability that no other receiver in this class had. I also think there was no way the Phins were using a top 10 pick on a guy that hadn't played since 2019 and who had just 1 full season as a starter - I think that was a huge deal for them, at least at the top of the draft.

I never said Grier didn't have Chase on his board - but I do believe he had him ranked below both Waddle and Smith, and I don't think he would have used the #6 on him. Chase being a boundary receiver isn't a knock on him - but the Phins wanted a guy that could play everywhere, not just outside.

mercury22nathan wrote:
so assuming Baker and McKinney (coming off injury) inside and Van Ginkel and Phillips outside in a 3-4, that leaves 3 or so backups out of:

Biegel (missed all of 2020 with torn achilles)
Eguavoen (hasn't quiet lived up to CFL promise)
Munson (ST)
Roberts (major knee injury likely PUP)
Riley, Johnson, Scarlett (???)

A lot depends on formation. I see Phillips playing DE in 4-3 alignments and OLB in the 3-4. I think he will also play DE in the 3-4 in obvious pass situations. And when they use the 'amoeba' formation, he could be anywhere! He's a guy that will probably play all over the front 7.

I expect Biegel, Scarlett and Riley to all have big roles. Eguavoen could be the odd man out IMO - I think he needs a huge camp to make the team.

No problems, JMP. We just disagree.

I think Phillips is going o be a stand up type. I don't want him down in a stance where he can get slobber-knocked and get a concussion.
Can he wear one of the cushioned helmets I saw some player wearing on the Spring Game???

Like this one, but imagine it in the aqua and orange and white....



Even if it looks goofy, if it keep Phillips on the field, I am all for it!