What really is Minkah?

by mercury22nathan Wed May 29, 2019 9:37 am

interesting read on the use of Minkah Fitzpatrick.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-miami-doesnt-need-to-get-creative-with-minkah-fitzpatricks-usage

so did Miami draft a slot corner (albeit a very, very good one) in the first round? and then what are they paying McCain to do? thoughts?

by white1 Wed May 29, 2019 2:17 pm

Interesting.

I also just saw on Twitter, Mando is writing an article on the new deployment for McCain: Safety.

Only lends further credence to what we've heard from Flores and his staff. The defense will be flexible and unpredictable. Roles may change weekly based on matchups. These kinds of alignments in practice proves that.

You can't call Fitzpatrick a slot corner, any more than you can call McCain a safety. X Howard is a boundary corner but I wouldn't be surprised to see him used creatively also.

by **JMP** Wed May 29, 2019 3:23 pm

We'll be using a lot of formations with 5 and even 6 or 7 DBs, if last year's New England defense is any indication. With that in mind, I don't think the terms "cornerback" and "safety" will really matter anymore.

Some of these defensive backs will line up at LB, CB and S...and blitzing players may even line up on the DL. Then next play, it will change all over again. So yes, flexibility and different alignments are what we'll see across the board.

Very exciting, and much more fun/interesting than the garbage we've seen on defense in recent years.

by white1 Wed May 29, 2019 3:29 pm

I actually think Harris will blossom in this scheme. He's a tweener. All we ever did in the past is put his hand in the dirt and ask him to play rush DE. Not the best way to use him IMO....

by Degarmo Thu May 30, 2019 4:34 am

I want Fitzpatrick to be a roamer, and pull down 8 picks this season.

by **JMP** Thu May 30, 2019 8:36 am

I don't see Minkah ever really justifying his draft status, and I don't see him as a big INT guy. But I think he'll be a very valuable player in this defense, with the ability to line up anywhere and everywhere and have an impact. He may never be an All Pro, but he should be one of the smartest and most important pieces on the Dolphin defense.

by mercury22nathan Thu May 30, 2019 9:02 am

white1 wrote:I also just saw on Twitter, Mando is writing an article on the new deployment for McCain: Safety.

and here it is...

https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/armando-salguero/article230934513.html

McCain said he’s calling the back end of the defense on some plays. That’s one reason he says the position requires a master communicator, which he seems to be good doing.

About that: There were times last season that communication in the back end was, shall we say, lacking for the Dolphins.

It’s impossible to know if McCain’s work at safety is a result of Jones being absent from OTAs and the team simply needing a player to fill the void until Jones returns.

If that’s the case, the absence has hurt the Dolphins because it has forced both McCain and McDonald, who typically played free safety last year, to move to a different spot this offseason.

But there’s a chance McDonald, who seems more natural at strong safety anyway, might remain there and then he and Jones would compete for that job once Jones returns to the team.

But if the the Jones absence is not the reason for all the moving parts, it is understandable if the Dolphins may be preparing for a future without Jones. If the Dolphins intend on trading Jones after June 1, the current setup is the one the team could continue into training camp.

Mando reading the tea leaves that McCain at safety may very well mean that Jones is soon to be gone.

by mercury22nathan Thu May 30, 2019 9:04 am

oh, and which would then of course open the role of slot corner to Fitzpatrick.

by **JMP** Thu May 30, 2019 10:34 am

If McCain is calling plays for the defense, then he is going to be on the field a lot and will be viewed as a key piece to the D. I find that very surprising...I always saw him as a JAG and not a key player. Hopefully the new staff will get the most out of him.

Jones is obviously not part of the long-term plan, regardless of anything else.

by finfanatic Mon Jun 03, 2019 1:37 pm

Dang, JMP!!!

You did know the joke on the Alabama team was that Minkah knew the defense so well and knew what was going to be called, that they all called him "Saban's Son.", right?

If he doesn't turn into a perennial All pro, they are using him wrong IMO.

Sounds like Flores its gonna try and implement the Pats D. Without the players all having the Pats Belicheck inspired "mindset" that usually does not work.

But anything has to be better than the crapola they have been trotting out the last few seasons. YECK! BARF! GAG!

That was the a supremely good example of "Doing LESS with MORE" than we have seen in quite a while IMO.

by **JMP** Mon Jun 03, 2019 3:46 pm

finfanatic wrote:Dang, JMP!!!

You did know the joke on the Alabama team was that Minkah knew the defense so well and knew what was going to be called, that they all called him "Saban's Son.", right?

If he doesn't turn into a perennial All pro, they are using him wrong IMO.

Yep, I do know about Minkah at Alabama...but all that means is that he's a smart player that knows what he's doing, and can almost be a "coach" on the field. That's GREAT - and it's something we've been missing for many years. But that doesn't mean Minkah has All Pro skills. And again - for this defense, we don't need an All Pro safety. We need a smart, versatile player that knows his (and others') jobs and can be in a position to make plays. In other words, we need a good, solid player - and IMO that's exactly what Minkah is. He may not be the best DB in the league, but we don't need him to be.

Consider Devin McCourty - Patriots' free safety for the past 9 years. Very solid player, with 2 Pro Bowls and 0 All Pro nods. He may not get the awards, but he's a huge part of what the Pats do on defense. I think that's Minkah.

finfanatic wrote:Sounds like Flores its gonna try and implement the Pats D. Without the players all having the Pats Belicheck inspired "mindset" that usually does not work.

But anything has to be better than the crapola they have been trotting out the last few seasons. YECK! BARF! GAG!

That was the a supremely good example of "Doing LESS with MORE" than we have seen in quite a while IMO.

It will take time for us to get the horses on D, and implement the mindset, but I do think we are headed in the right direction by establishing a sound defensive system. And yes...anything is better than Matt Burke!!

by white1 Tue Jun 04, 2019 11:15 am

Going to an earlier comment, it's possible Minkah will settle in as a slot corner for his primary position.

Now, we've all heard that the secondary will be extremely flexible and variable. In other words, expect players to play different positions based on the opposing offense strengths and players.

If Minkah becomes our primary slot corner that's a very good thing IMO. Two reasons. One, slot corner is becoming as valuable as boundary corner, with the passing game continuing to evolve and the slot corner playing a key role in shutting down those routes - whether run by a WR, TE or RB operating out of the slot. Second, Minkah playing in the slot as a rookie posted excellent - and by excellent I mean league leading - stats in defense. He was good but not nearly as effective when lined up as a safety, boundary CB or LB (rare).

For those reasons, I would be thrilled to see Minkah mostly as a slot, and moving to safety, boundary or LB as variations off of our base scheme. To eliminate the opponents ability to predict what we will do, and to take advantage of matchups.

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