FIRE GRIER!!! DO IT NOW!!!

CarsonChris wrote:These undersized QB's you throw out there have superior athleticism that I haven't seen Tua display in the NFL.   The ability to run.  Tua just isn't there yet.

You're right - Tua didn't show much ability to run last year, less than a year after a major career-threatening injury. But he's plenty athletic and can run, and he moves great within the pocket.

white1 wrote: The fact this problem has extended into the defense is particularly troubling.  We all felt that the defense would be something we could count on to keep us in games, and steady the ship as the offense developed over time.  Instead, we have been totally embarrassed on that side of the ball - at least by the Bills and Tampa.  The Raiders lit us up pretty good also.  

It's a mystery - and not a good one.

Absolutely. And the Colts lit up our defense too!

HalCHorn wrote:Brees and Russell Wilson changed the NFL's view on undersized QB's.  Murray is proving a lot of people wrong.  (For the record, I'm one of those people.  I was thinking the big MLB contract was a better bet than trying to survive in the NFL as a 5'10" QB.  In the words of the Fonz, I was wrrrrr....I was wrrrrr......)

Tua has worked hard, has strong character, certainly could come back and prove a lot of people wrong too, and I hope like Hell he does.

Still....Mahomes, Allen, Herbert, Jackson....all of them had big questions about the translation of their game to this level.  Arguably four of the top 5 QB's in the league right now.  Other coaching staffs seem to develop the position well, why can't we?  Who is the last young QB we coached up into something?  Scott Mitchell is the last one I can remember, and that's nearly 30 years ago.  Tannehill doesn't count, he improved dramatically once he went somewhere else, so he got no help from a coach who didn't want him (Philbin).

Excellent post, Hal. The line I bolded is right on point - we just cannot develop QBs, no matter who the coaches are. It is pathetic.

Coaching is a difference maker, but pissoir poor drafting and even worse free agency decisions are hard for ANY Coaching staff to overcome IMO.

My theorem is Flores got lucky with all the coaching carousel stuff and with the good results last year was thinking, "Picking a Coaching staff ain't hard! I can just throw anything against the wall and we will be competitive. My defense will save the day!"

Well, that has bitten him in the posterior. I do not know if Flores has the ultimate say on the coaching staff, but whoever is responsible for the decisions this season should have that job taken away! At the least!!

On to the pissoir poor drafting...

The Phins have the same problem they have had for decades now... they just cannot get an impact player at any position no matter how many draft picks they acquire!

Xavien Howard maybe? Anybody else?

They have some good players on the team for sure, but anybody that a Phins Phans would hate to see go?

And usually, given enough picks, the law of averages works in your favor and you hit on a stud who is arguably a HOFer or at least a perennial Pro-Bowler. Not so the Phins. Many of their drafts are renowned for not having ANY of the players stick on the roster after a few years!

And how about a low rounder suddenly jumping up and becoming a starter and getting a big second contract! Any of the Phins players doing that. Gesicki, Howard... Tunsil if you can count him. And if not for the BongMask Bandit video, the Phins would not have gotten him!

The personnel decisions, draft, free agents, coaching, etc... have been execrable IMO.

UNTIL...the Phins get someone who can draft some impact players they are always going to be also-rans in the NFL.

Grier should have been let go after passing on T J Watt for Charles Harris. THAT was unforgivable IMO.

Great post, FF.

The Harris pick was under Tannenbaum's watch...not sure we can count that against Grier. But yes, horrible pick!

Anyway, most teams aren't loaded with superstars. The best teams tend to have 2 or 3. Call me crazy, but I think the Dolphins have at least 2-3 POTENTIAL superstars:
--Gesicki should be one of the top receiving TEs in football - and I believe he will be when he goes to his next team in free agency.
--Waddle has home run ability and could be a Tyreek Hill type.
--Howard is already a top corner...but obviously isn't playing like it.
--Tua has the intangibles, accuracy, release, etc. to be a top QB.

These players are not draft fails - they are coaching fails. If the 3 offensive players listed here were put in a position to do what they do best, I absolutely believe we'd be a top team and no one would be complaining (too much) about Grier.

Looking at it as it stands:

2019: Gaskin is a solid value where he was picked, Dieter shows potential at C, Van Ginkel the same at LB, Wilkins is OK, but no stars in the bunch as of now, 3 years later.

2020: Tua: jury is still out. Jackson: hopefully we can salvage something with him developing into a good LG, but still, trading a playmaking S in Fitzpatrick for a LG has to be a fail. Iggy is a total fail at this point. Hunt and Jones look promising, Davis and Kindley too early to write off. But....any stars yet?

2021: Way too early to tell, Holland and Jones could develop into a tandem that makes us forget about Fitzpatrick at least. Phillips has looked pretty good last two weeks.

Some good picks, but outside of Gaskin and possibly Jones I'd be hard pressed to identify one excellent value as it stands right now. Again, other teams are developing star players.....we aren't.....

This team needs to improve, fast. And also needs the 49ers to finish at least not much ahead of us, because that decision to trade next year's first is just looking Wannstedtian after 5 weeks.

Great post, Hal, and I won't argue against it. BUT - again, if we figure out how to use Tua, Gesicki and Waddle, we're a contender. Look at the Chiefs drafts - aside from their "big 3" what stars did they draft? And how about the Bills, besides Allen? Honestly, it doesn't take a million draft hits to win in this league.

We are going to be forced to watch a miserable season and Eagles will get our pick. Fire him now.