Who steps in for Pouncey?

http://www.espn.com/blog/miami-dolphins/post/_/id/22377/whats-the-dolphins-contingency-plan-for-c-mike-pouncey

Miami Dolphins head coach Adam Gase confirmed Sunday that the team will be without Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey for the rest of the preseason, and there is concern if Pouncey will be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Seattle Seahawks.

That leaves a huge void in the middle of Miami’s offensive line for the next two weeks and possibly more.

Personally, I'd give Anthony Steen every chance to take over for Pouncey, with Kraig Urbik being my second choice.  I think Jamil Douglas is a waste that should be cut sooner rather than later.

I'm not familiar with Steen at all, but I've read that he's got very short armas and small hands, but is strong as an ox.  He looked at least serviceable against Dallas, and hopefully he'll continue to progress against Atlanta.  I don't think he's a long-term answer, but if he can hold down the fort for a few weeks that would be great.

I have read the same time about Steen and it sounds like he going to be a guarantee second string player if he does well.

Steen is the definite frontrunner.

Speaking of long term answers, clearly Pouncey isn't it. He can't stay on the field, and all evidence points to a chronic condition affecting BOTH of his hips.

We need a new player at center long term. Only question now, in my mind, is when will the team cut ties.

This is where bad drafting kills a team.  By this time, Jamil Douglas should be ready to take over at center and play well enough that he makes Pouncey expendable next offseason.  Instead, Douglas is on the verge of getting cut and Pouncey's primary backup is a guy that went undrfated in 2014 and has bounced around the NFL since then with no regular season experience, never played center before and has T-Rex arms. 

I don't mean this as a knock on Steen...he has an opportunity to save his career and we'll see what he can do.  But it's just another example of the Dolphins' contingency plan being more 'wing and a prayer' than anything else.  The 'throw shit at the wall and see what sticks' approach is still alive and well in Miami, even without Fireland, Hickey and Philbin.

Grier better get this solved, it's his shop now.

Fix the roster holes, get some depth, or he's next on the chopping block.

JMP wrote:The 'throw shit at the wall and see what sticks' approach is still alive and well in Miami, even without Fireland, Hickey and Philbin.

I'm telling you, it's got to be a curse. Too many different people coming in and making the same mistakes for the same reasons CANNOT be a coincidence.

Pouncey's lack of lower-body strength, which is his choice, is the reason he will be often injured. He's overrated, and needs replacing, but it's too late for this season, again, ad nauseum.

Armando discusses the weirdness of how Pouncey came back in the game for an extended period of time after being injured, and somehow nobody seemed to even notice or care that he was hurt.

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2016/08/strangeness-of-mike-pouncey-injury-anthony-steen-talks.html

DolFan 316 wrote:Armando discusses the weirdness of how Pouncey came back in the game for an extended period of time after being injured, and somehow nobody seemed to even notice or care that he was hurt.

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2016/08/strangeness-of-mike-pouncey-injury-anthony-steen-talks.html

Wow, that is very strange.  Someone clearly messed up...there's no way a starter should go back in the game if he's hurt in a preseason game, even if it's minor.  They're just lucky Pouncey din't make the injury worse by going back in.

Dolphins medical staff is still the tops!

How's Brees doing again?

Isn't this the same issue Miami had with Jake Long. I thinking that Miami needs to stop using 1st rd pick on OL

Has the scouting department been AXED completely and some new fresh scouts brought in?

I am thinking these scouts have been in utter EPIC FAIL mode for decades now.

Burn that Dept to the ground and start over. Buy a few Draft magazines and maybe read up on the players instead. Check out some online sites.

I doubt it could be any worse than what the Phins have had for decades.

And would cost a whole heap less!

They can't help it if they have incompetent people that are drafting these players.

Steen looked pretty good against the Falcons, but I don't trust him against a big time DT...