Meet New Dolphins Left Tackle, Jonathan Martimsislee

Hmm. Right around the time Jeff Ireland performed last rites on the Branden Albert idea he began hedging his bet, drafting mammoth blocking tight end Dion Sims, along with one of the best pass blocking backs in the draft in Florida’s Mike Gillislee.

We want Jonathan Martin to excel on the left side as much as anybody, but we’re not holding our breath (great analysis of Martin’s performance last season here, by the way (http://www.thephinsider.com/2013/2/4/3901992/miami-dolphins-season-in-review-offensive-line-trench-warfare). Heck, Jeff Ireland was obviously in the market for another player to protect the blind side.

But with the idea of Martin actually starting at that crucial spot becoming more and more of a reality, we made a couple of supplemental moves. Ireland grabbed Dion Sims, considered perhaps the best blocking tight end in the draft. He also imported Florida Gator Mike Gillislee, who in addition to his talent with the ball received rave reviews for his blocking skills from just about every scout and site you can name. Dustin Keller and Lamar Miller have their skill set, but legit ability to slow Demarcus Ware will probably never appear on their resume.

So perhaps we’ll be seeing a fair amount of Dion Sims just to the left of Jonathan Martin. It wouldn’t surprise us to see a whole lot of Gillislee in the backfield too, chipping whatever DEs and LBs are coming around the Martin. Oh, and let’s throw in a lot of Dr. T rolling to his right, just in case the “blind side by committee” falters.

GO DOLPHINS, and feel free to follow us on Twitter @TheBottlenose

Miami’s Draft: Sack or Be Sacked?

This will be fun to watch. Maybe not so much for Ryan Tannehill.

Heading into Thursday evening we were nowhere near the territory where “the big three” left tackles were expected to leave the draft board. Then, suddenly, with the clock almost expiring on the Raiders, our new logo appeared. We were on the board at three. Ireland had done it. With Branden Albert talks at an impasse, Jeff had taken advantage of a buyer’s market and jumped up for Lane Johnson.

Only we hadn’t. Dion Jordan’s phone rang, and the Sea Mammals had punched the freakishly athletic defender a ticket to Davie. It was of course, one of those “wow” moments. After considering the fruitless search to generate pass rush opposite Cameron Wake, and the fact that the road to our division title leads through Tom Brady, we bought in. Wake and Jordan may meet at a lot of QBs for the foreseeable future.

But along with the excitement was the belief that Miami and Kansas City would still be burning up the phone lines about Branden Albert, the 28-year old, disgruntled tackle who was ranked Pro Football Focus’ 7th best pass blocker in 2012 (9th in 2012). At the end of round 2 we would have added a unique force to our already 7th ranked scoring defense, as well as protected Ryan Tannehill’s blind side.

That trade never happened, for either salary or trade compensation reasons, depending on who you follow and trust on Twitter. Possible targets Menelik Watson and Terron Armstead off the board, our second rounder went to secure explosive cornerback Jamar Taylor to go opposite newcomer Brent Grimes (we get it, stop Brady, win the division). The draft continued. We grabbed Tennessee tackle/guard combo Dallas Thomas, who is projected to be either an interior lineman or right tackle at the next level.

From the look of it a very productive draft (we’ll review ALL the newcomers after the undrafted class is signed), with one humongous, glaring asterisk. Some are classifying the Branden Albert talks as “dead”, but who expects that situation to get better before getting worse? We expect that drama to only intensify, and we’re on record as the main suitor if and when the dung hits the fan in Chief Land. Other options may emerge of course.

Is there a sliver of hope that Jonathan Martin can somehow play left tackle at a sufficient level against NFL talent? Sure. To hope is human. However, he was generally eaten alive there last season. To be fair, he was a rookie, but we’re not prepared to go into the season depending on him. The many discussions with the Chiefs lead us to believe that Ireland’s not too comfy with that idea either.

As the dust settles, we’ve added a potential sackmaster to the ranks. Of course in doing so we may have exposed our own gunslinger. It’s sack or be sacked in Davie, and if Jeff Ireland doesn’t pull a rabbit from a hat at left tackle? Well next season’s last sack may go to Stephen Ross.

GO DOLPHINS, and feel free to follow us on Twitter @TheBottlenose

Fins Front Feels Fearsome After First Round Finagling

Wow. What a 73-second rollercoaster of emotion. Fins suddenly on the clock.  Fins staring Lane Johnson in the face. Fins instead nab Oregon defensive freak Dion Jordan.

This can’t be judged yet. Firstly we want to salute Jeff Ireland for finding a way to leap into “elite prospect” territory for pennies on the dollar. At pick 12 Miami seemed a mile away from those guys. Even man-crush Tavon Austin and top CB Dee Milliner would be gone by the time that pick rolled around.

We’ll know very soon what Ireland’s plan is for left tackle. We assume that our second rounder is about to become Branden Albert, who is 28, and graded out as the 7th best pass blocker in football last season per PFF (out of 70+ linemen). Or perhaps Menelik Watson or Terron Armstead will find away onto our roster.

What we do know is the most freakishly talented defender in the draft is now a Miami Dolphin. What we do know is Cam Wake figures to have company in the face of opposing quarterbacks. What we do know is Wake, Soliai, Starks and Jordan is not a defensive front our opponents will be happy to see.

And lastly, we know that the elite defenses never stop adding talent. We stepped on the field last year with the seventh best scoring defense in football. We’re going to climb that list in 2013.

GO DOLPHINS, and feel free to follow us on Twitter @TheBottlenose

The Bottlenose’s 2013 Miami Dolphins Mock Draft

Hell, why not give it a whirl?

PICK #12. We think Tavon’s gonna be history by this pick. We’re also not sold (barring a Milliner tumble) on the corners available here being any better than the guys available in the next round. This pick may boil down to who the Sea Mammals have graded higher, Eifert or Sheldon Richardson. We’ve secured the services of both Randy Starks and Dustin Keller only for 2013, so either a TE or DT will be a need sooner rather than later. We like the TEs available later much more than the DTs. SELECTION: SHELDON RICHARDSON, DT, MISSOURI

PICK #42. Can’t bet the farm on the Grimes signing, which is another one year special Jeff Ireland cooked up. We didn’t go CB in round 1 ’cause we liked the depth later. Time to pull the trigger on a small school kid with big time talent. SELECTION: ROBERT ALFORD, CB, SE LOUISIANA

PICK #54. This pick secures Pro Football Focus’ #7 ranked pass blocker in the NFL last season. #9 ranked in 2011. That’s out of over 70+ linemen they graded. Protecting Tannehill is even more important now that he actually has targets to throw to. Let Martin progress on the right side. He’s not an NFL LT. But KC’s 28-year old malcontent IS. SELECTION: BRANDEN ALBERT, LT, KANSAS CITY

PICK #77. Nice depth at TE this year. Passing up on Eifert left this a need area, not knowing if Keller will be around beyond 2013. Hopefully this kid’s got a little Gronk in him. SELECTION: GAVIN ESCOBAR, TE, SAN DIEGO STATE

PICK#82. Misi doesn’t scare left tackles. We’re not convinced Olivier Vernon scares left tackles. We think this guy will. SELECTION: COREY LEMONIER, DE/OLB, AUBURN

PICK #110. Reggie Bush is chilling on Eight Mile now. Really think Ireland is content with Lamar Miller and Daniel “Two Yards and a Cloud of Dust” Thomas in the backfield? Exaaaactly. SELECTION: MIKE GILLISLEE, RB, FLORIDA

PICK #146. The Dolphins wait to add some wide receiver help, but a remarkably deep class leaves a pretty intriguing prospect still on the board. A possible Bess trade would make this an even smarter move. SELECTION: JOSH BOYCE, WR, TCU

PICK #166 If John Jerry isn’t the guy, then who is? We could see them adding a hard-working, smart, character guy with upside on the interior. Level of competition is suspect, but he’s got the will and the tools to put it all together. SELECTION: OG, J.C. TRETTER, CORNELL

PICK #217 Almost closing time at this point. When a 340lb, SEC battle-tested nose is sitting there you have to take notice. Let’s not forget that Soliai’s contract is up after this season too. Maybe big Paul could show this up and down youngster how consistency works. SELECTION: NT KWAME GEATHERS, GEORGIA

PICK #224 Hard to see why this physical freak isn’t projected to go higher. The Sea Mammals have shown interest, and the addition of a big, fast back like Murray, along with the addition of Lee, could easily send Daniel Thomas packing. SELECTION: LATAVIUS MURRAY, RB, CENTRAL FLORIDA

PICK #250. Why not give a look to the 6’5, 235lb safety prospect who lit up the East West Shrine Game? SELECTION: COOPER TAYLOR, S, RICHMOND

GO DOLPHINS, and feel free to follow us on Twitter @TheBottlenose

Draft Talent Plateau Could Both Hurt, Help Dolphins

Trading down from pick 12 may be very difficult to do, if the SoFlo Sea Mammals are so inclined. Why? Trading up to pick 12 would cost more (at least if you adhere to Jimmy Johnson’s mythical draft value board) than trading up to say pick 22. Aside from it costing less to move up, why would someone be content at 22 or 24? Well, because there’s a whopping pile of players with roughly identical grades this year.

Yes, unless someone unexpected tumbles, Miami may have won just enough games last season to be outside of the “hot ticket” players tonight. That doesn’t mean there won’t be talent there. We should be able to get a good, maybe even great player at 12. Said player just might not be head and shoulders above the names called during the rest of the evening.

The flip side of the plateau? Maybe our #12 selection won’t be flashy, but we can look forward to a second round chock full of players with the same grades as some guys going tonight.

GO DOLPHINS, and feel free to follow us on Twitter @TheBottlenose

Top Ten Reasons to Put Away the Branden Albert “Haterade”

Lots of negative chatter about the SoFlo Sea Mammals’ discussions with the Chiefs regarding Branden Albert. The following list represents our best attempt at quelling this discontent as the draft approaches.

1. The trade hasn’t even happened yet.

2. Albert just turned 28, and Pro Football Focus ranked him as a top ten pass blocker the last two years (#7 last year, #9 in 2011).

3. He’ll cost us a 2nd rounder. Our most recent 2nd rounders? Jonathan Martin, Daniel Thomas, Koa Misi, Pat White, Sean Smith, Samson Satele, Philip Merling, Chad Henne and John Beck. Let’s stop acting like those second rounders are gold.

4. We’ve got TWO second rounders.

5. Jonathan Martin was a big, giant sketchball on the left side. I’m sorry. He was. He fell to the second round because people doubted his ability to lock down the blind side. He didn’t exactly face the defensive hounds of hell in the PAC 12, where 42-38 final scores are the norm.

6. To import Mike Wallace, Dustin Keller and Brandon Gibson (not to mention any additional targets we acquire in the draft) and not give Tanny enough time to get rid of the ball would be a humongous, crying shame.

7. Yes, a contract we give Albert would reflect the importance of having a good left tackle, but it will also be one that’s relatively painless to get out of after two seasons.

8. Jake Long’s last truly good season was 2010. The Rams are betting on him turning back the clock three years, and it’s an expensive gamble. Albert is playing at a high level NOW, and that means something.

9. When Jeff Ireland had to decide on Jake, the “big three” LT prospects hadn’t meteorically risen up the draft board. Things happen on a certain timeline. As things change, you play the cards you’re dealt. That’s what Jeff’s doing.

10. We’d get one less player if we traded up for a LT. Trading up would mean losing a second rounder. Suppose we did jump up. We’re talking about having just Lane Johnson, or having the guy we know is a top 10 pass blocking linemen (out of 70+ eligible players) locked in on the left side AND Tavon Austin, or Dee Milliner, or whatever player might fall to #12. Not to mention the possibility of trading down and adding more picks, and plugging more holes.

In conclusion, we’re not going to cry if we acquire a 28-year old, top ten pass blocker to protect Tannehill’s blind side, and pay him the going rate. Not to mention it’ll lessen the hurt when the trade also allows us to plug two other holes by the end of round 2.

GO DOLPHINS, and feel free to follow us on Twitter @TheBottlenose

Dolphins Must Still Be Bold About Receiving Corps in Draft

Patriots, Broncos, Saints, Redskins, Packers Giants, Falcons.

Those were the seven highest scoring teams in the NFL last year. The significance of that list? With the exception of the Redskins and dual threat Jedi RG3, all of these offenses took the field with at least two beastly receiving targets on the field.

Welker/Gronk. Demaryius/Decker. Graham/Colston. Nelson/Cobb. Nicks/Cruz. Juilo/Roddy/Gonzo.

Left tackle. Cornerback. Pass rushing end. Running back. There are other areas of obvious need for the SoFlo Sea Mammals as the draft nears. But in today’s NFL there is no such thing as too much pass catching talent.

This isn’t a knock on Keller, Bess, Hartline, Gibson, Clay or Matthews. They may all play a key role this season. But we also know now, by and large, what these players are capable of.

So when Jeff Ireland and the boys are on the clock in those first couple of rounds, here’s hoping they remember that there’s been no better time to go “best player available” at WR and TE.

If Tavon Austin is the next Harvin. If Cordy Patterson’s the next Roddy White. If Justin Hunter’s the next A.J. Green. If Zach Ertz is the next Gronkowski…

We’ve got Wallace to open things up. We love the signing, but our work isn’t done. The beastly offenses in this NFL double-down with prime time targets. If we let a star pass catcher slip through our fingers in exchange for a “physical corner” who may get flagged every time they lay a finger on an opposing receiver, or a run-blocking interior or right-side lineman, it would be a shame.

The tea leaves are clear. The NFL wants scoring. The NFL wants passing. As a defense, the only thing scarier than having to deal with Mike Wallace would be having another beast to worry about.

“But if we focus on Mike Wallace then _________________ will make us pay.”

Fill in that blank. Bess? Hartline? Keller (no spring chicken, and he’s on a 1-year deal)? If the “big 3″ left tackles are gone. If Milliner hasn’t miraculously fallen. If we haven’t traded up. Or if the right guy sneaks into the second round…

Why not fill in that blank?

GO DOLPHINS, and feel free to follow us on Twitter @TheBottlenose