MrEpsYtown

I sat in on a clinic with Flaherty a couple of years ago. Nice guy and all but really wasn't super impressed with his knowledge and process etc. But he has a super bowl ring and I'm on my couch. He's like Danny Crossman, one of these mediocre coaches who hangs around and keeps getting jobs. Best of luck to him, but Dolphins probably made the right move for them.

There is a connection there as he played for Leslie Frazier in Tampa. He was also terrible there in the Tampa 2 system becuase he lacked coverage ability, and that was when he was young. That said, he would definitely be some solid depth, but I don't think the regime will go after him. I don't think he's what they are looking for. Just my 2 cents. He's a 3-4 ILB imo.

I think the key to this idea is what happens with DiMarco. Lee Smith is the guy who can double as a fullback and tight end, as he did a lot of it in Oakland the last couple of years.

Could be something to do with the Dodson kid?

I remember during the senior bowl that year, during practices and such, Charles Davis loved him. He was heaping praise on him left and right and so I was pretty surprised when he was drafted in the seventh round. They were talking about him as a 3rd or 4th rounder. So I always kind of remembered his name, but he kind of fell off my radar. He's a good player with some good instincts and a move to safety was huge for his career.

They started two games next to each other at LG and LT in 2015. After that, Long was moved to center for Washington for 2016. Though they will be familiar with each other from practice as well.

He's going to be so good.

Yep you are definitely right. My comment should have reflected his lack of size and athleticism, so I appreciate the correction. My major point is that he was able to make it in the league a bit, without those elite traits, which is the kind of guy I want teaching young receivers.

I've said this a couple of times, but I truly believe that the development we saw in Robert Foster last year was a direct result of Hall's work. Practice squad guys and bottom of the roster guys simply won't get much attention from the head receivers coach becuase he has a million other more important things to deal with. Hall would have been the guy putting in the extra work with Foster imo. Hall made himself an NFL career out of very little talent. A guy like him making it, with his limited ability...that guy usually has some great insights into the intricacies of playing the position. He didn't get by on great athleticism or size, he had to grind, and I think that's the reason why he will make a great impact on the receivers on the team.

I am a Sills fan, but I do think that Nick Easley will surprise a bit. Not sure that he makes the roster, but I think he has the chance to be a bigger version of Cole Beasley. Also, as line guy, I'm going to start paying more attention to Jon Feliciano. As guys have been hurt he is getting a million reps, and it seems as if he at least has a chance to earn a starting gig at one of the guard spots. I am interesting to see how that continues to develop in training camp. I also think we see a huge step up from Siran Neal. He's a bit of athletic freak without a real true position, but if he understands the defense he could be an interesting and versatile cog in subpackages. He can play some linebacker, some slot, some safety.

Johnson is more athletic than Levi will ever be, but his durability will always be a concern. Johnson has a pedigree though and aside from his athletic ability is a really smart player. I like his upside, but I also like the fact that we have some functional depth in Gaines and Levi. As many have said, may the best man win. Competition is a good thing.

I agree on Feliciano as well. Not sure if he starts somewhere, but I think that when Morse is back we see Long and Feliciano as teh first team guards.

I wonder if the nitpickers and the title police will come back here if indeed Zay is not on the roster to heap praise on you for your early Nostradamus like prediction. Somehow I doubt it. They will be hiding in the same place all the Mason Rudolph lovers are. Still a great thread and a lot of tremendous analysis in here both for and against Zay.

Great work Gunner. I get the sense that the regime feels better about Spencer Long than they do about Spain. It seems like they are making it crystal clear that they want him to be a starting guard here. I know Spain is injured and I really like him, but I think Long is a lock and is extremely likely to be one of the starting guards. I'm not sure Spain is a mortal lock, though I think he should be.

Definitely Mitch Morse. I basically talked about him on here for months. But he is so good and will make a massive difference that no one will notice. That's the life of a center, but Morse is a top five in the league center. I know a lot of people loved Eric Wood, but he had his issues and Morse is better. Oliver would be my next choice. I'm not sure we could have found better fits his offseason than Morse and Oliver.

I'm going to play Devil's advocate here and agree that Joseph could push Milano for snaps. I still don't believe that this regime absolutely loves Milano. He was still losing snaps to Ramon Humber last year, when he was clearly the better player, which is just totally ludicrous. That tells me that he was likely making mistakes in games that were forcing coaches to make that substitution. These are the types of mistakes that we as fans probably can't really see. Don't get me wrong, I love Milano, but he played really terrible in a few games last year. I don't think it is out of the realm of possibility that Joseph could push Milano a bit. Again, I love Milano. I think he's a prototype Will for today's game, but he's going to be overmatched in power run schemes when teams use tight ends and full backs and run right at him, which is what happened against Indy and New England last year. I think we as fans like him a lot more than the powers that be do (This is just my speculation). If Joseph proves to be just as good in coverage and better in the run game, it isn't totally crazy that he could push Milano for snaps. I do think it's more likely that we see Joseph at some Sam a bit in base 4-3 plays, which would take some linebacker snaps from Lorax which is probably a good thing. I think he could be our poor man's Shaq Thompson.

What a Schat head!

Just remeber guys, hot takes for or against Zay at this point are pointless. At this point last year Malachi Dupre was lighting it up and Robert Foster was terrible. It's too early.

All the stuff about guards playing the right or left side is a bit overrated. Most guys are trained in college to play both sides of the line...so it's not like they've never done it before. Most of Spain's experience came at LG, but there is no reason why he could not play the right side. For Long, he was a RG in college and has played RG, LG, and center in the pros. Feliciano played some left tackle, RT, and guard in college and has played LG, RG, C in the pros. It really doesn't matter. They are going to move guys around because they value position flexibility. Let's just say that hypothetically, Feliciano and Long win the starting guard spots and Spain is #3...well if Spain is going to be a backup, he is going to have to play both sides. If Spain can only play LG, and doesn't win the competition to start, he's useless and would get cut. I'm not worried about any of this and none of it is some secret plan to keep LG open for Dawkins. I still don't understand why people keep penciling Dawkins in at left guard to accommodate Nsekhe. Dawkins and Ford are the young bookends and this regime is not moving either of those guys inside unless they are terrible. And just remember that Dawkins, if he were moved, can play the right side. He did it at the Senior Bowl. So let's not overreact about all this side switching stuff. One of the more interesting things to come out, at least to me, is Ike Boettger playing center on the second team. I mentioned that I thought they should get him to learn center somewhere on this site a while ago. I really like Boettger's potential. There is some nasty to his game and he does have some athletic ability. If he can show that he can capabley play center, he has a much better chance of making the roster. There is solid upside there.

I forgot about Kendricks. He played for Rob Boras with the Rams there is some familiarity there, plus he was very productive at the time. .

Man what are they teaching Miami U tight ends?

Touch situation here. I do suppose it is nice to see Knox, Croom, Sweeney get some extra reps. Not much in free agency outside of AJ Derby, Ryan Griffin (who was arrested for punching a wall.) Ofcourse Jake Fisher is still out there, and we all know he is familiar with the playbook. Interesting UDFA out there is Stetson tight end Donald Parham, who was a an UDFA of the Lions and waived after rookie minicamp. I don't know if he was hurt or just terrible. But I thought he seemed interesting pre draft.

I know we like to talk about process, but boy Bengals process is bad. Use numerous high draft picks on offensive linemen who have flaws, Jake Fisher, Ogbuehi, Bobby Hart. Use a top ten pick on a guy who runs fast but can't do much else and was and is always hurt. Swap first round picks with the Bills for a franchise LT, highly paid, and move him to guard to accommodate your next highly drafted tackle who has flaws. Use a first round pick on an injured center who is more suited to guard in Billy Price (he was terrible btw.) Resign Bobby Hart and get prized free agent John Miller, both for pretty significant money. Their process is a mess imo and they are headed to a bad place. This is example A of how spending high draft picks on "the trenches," isn't always a great idea.

I think the Bengals will be one of the worst teams in the league this year. New coach will be way in over his head ala Steve Wilks. Plus John Miller.

Yes I have been joking about it tongue in cheek, but Gase ruined Tannehill (not that he was great to begin with), who was there before he got to Miami. So I could see him and his new GM finding their own guy next year.