Gone-Tae! What does it all mean?

Vegas has the over under on Indianapolis wins at 5.5. This was a useless tidbit for the SoFlo Sea Mammals until today, when they traded cornerback Vontae Davis to the Baby Horses for a second round pick and a conditional sixth.

First? The positives. Vontae Davis wasn’t starting. If he truly had become the nickel corner, flipping him for what is potentially a top 40 pick in the upcoming draft is borderline miraculous. With Davis starting last season we had the 25th ranked pass defense in the NFL, so we weren’t shaking up some elite unit.

Another positive, and GM Jeff Ireland was quick to point this out, is that picks are ammunition for trades that could happen in the very near future. We now possess what could be a high first rounder, two high second rounders, and two thirds. So perhaps there will be a chance to add a key piece to the team, ideally at the wide receiver position, between now and the trade deadline? That might serve to lessen the sting of the Brandon Marshall trade, which in our minds still looms large with every dropped Tannehill pass.

Negatives? Well, although players seem to ultimately understand that this is business, it is also a fraternity. We saw players ask for a meeting with Joe Philbin after the jettisoning of short-time teammate Chad Johnson. Well Vontae Davis has been in the trenches with many of these guys for a while now. There are already murmurs in the locker room. Philbin is new. And Philbin, despite his mild manners, is not treading softly in Davie. There is potential to seriously fragment this locker room.

Another negative? We’ve all seen flashes from Davis. Plenty of talent. There was a time when many of us were certain that he, along with Sean Smith, would make for a top tandem in the league. Smith has been progressing. Davis, for whatever reason, has seemed to stall. A change of scenery could be all he needs, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see Vontae flourish in Indiana.

In summary, Joe Philbin has spoken softly but carried a big stick. He’s ruffled some feathers, and time will tell how that plays out. But even if we don’t use these picks to snag some magical #1 wideout, like disgruntled speedster Mike Wallace, Philbin has set himself up to add the type of young, talented players he wants in April. As it stands, five of the first roughly ninety players selected in the 2013 draft will be headed to Miami. Maybe three of the first forty.

It’s Joe’s right to try and make this into the team he wants. Only time will tell if that’s for better or for worse.

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

The Fibbing Fin: Revis’ Swagger Stolen, DB Suspects Vontae Davis

All Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis has hired investigators to track down three gallons of swagger that disappeared from the defensive back’s luggage during a summer visit in South Florida.

“I went to Miami to work out with Vontae Davis and his boys. Next thing I know he and that tall guy are claiming to be the best cornerback tandem in the NFL.” Revis shakes his head. “They got their hands on some swagger from somewhere. You tell me what happened.”

Davis denies any wrongdoing. “I developed this swagger in the fifth grade,” the Miami cornerback claims. “I started talking smack to my teachers, knocking notes down when kids tried to pass them.”

Davis’ grade school Principal, R.J. Butterflood explains, “We didn’t know what had gotten into Vontae. Then our guidance counselor found a scientist in Denmark who had isolated the swagger gene.” Butterflood smiles proudly, “Turns out that kid had a sh** ton of natural swagger.”

Davis dropped Revis at Miami International Airport after the combined Jets-Dolphins workouts, and claims to have seen the aforementioned swagger in Revis’ luggage. That is exactly when Revis believes the swagger-lifting took place. Davis has denied the charges, claiming that said swagger was lost or stolen in transport.

American Airlines has denied any responsibility, even reprimanding Revis for packing it in the first place. “It clearly states in our guidelines, no flammable materials, no explosives, no liquids over four ounces, no weapons or cutting implements of any kind, and absolutely no swagger.”

An uncorked barrel of swagger caused the emergency landing of a Southwest 737 last February.

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BS NEWSWIRE

 

In Case You Didn’t Know, Mike Nolan is a Bad Mammajamma

The 2009 Miami Dolphins’ team defense? 22nd in the league. The 2010 version? 7th, sandwiched between the Jets and the Ravens. Yeah, and that’s with a brand new free safety, a rookie end thrown into the mix, a first round pick barely seeing the field, Crowder out almost all year, cornerback uncertainty (at least across from Vontae), and perhaps the toughest first half schedule in the entire league.

Why would this surprise anyone at this point? “Crazylegs” Nolan does this everywhere he goes. The Broncos before Nolan arrived? 29th. The Broncos under Nolan? 7th. The Broncos after Nolan? 30th.

Thank you again, Josh McDaniels. Thank you of course for a young, monster receiver in Brandon Marshall. And thank you for inexplicably letting Mikey Nolan gallop away from Invesco after he took your D from 29th to 7th in a single season.

Perhaps Nolan will let you clean his dry erase board when they Broncos yank your headset away? Can’t see the top brass letting you slide with what’s shaping up to be a 12 loss season.

GO DOLPHINS — and feel free to follow us on Twitter @thebottlenose

Mike Nolan invents a new blitz using his monstrous brain.

Fins Bake Jake “Coconut” Grove, Order a Berger

The guaranteed money is gone. Nothing we can do about that. $14.5 million, enough to buy this. But when the Dolphins cut Jake Grove today they did save a considerable amount of cash that will certainly be put to good use in the near future. He was slated to make between $3 and $4m over the next four years, about $15m in total that can now be spent on other worthy Sea Mammals.

Vontae “Crazylegs” Davis has shown a lot this preseason. If he goes off this year, expect a Revis holdout sequel in South Beach. Chad “Crazylegs” Henne has only two years remaining on his rookie deal, and if he continues to impress we’ll have to lock him up as well. Plenty of ducats we’ll be shelling out in the near future.

Then of course there’s the Miami backfield. We’ve quietly managed to not have a single starting-quality rusher signed through February. If Ronnie stays healthy we can hopefully extend him at a reasonable price. Ricky seems open to another year. But if Ronnie signs for more elsewhere, and Ricky moves to a Nepalese commune, we may have to make a run at free agent possibilities Deangelo Williams or Ahmad Bradshaw.

At any rate, we couldn’t pay Grove that type of cash to make a permanent dent in the trainer’s table. We wish him good health and good luck elsewhere. Enter Joe Berger and his tidy $700,000 salary. Just enough to buy this.

GO DOLPHINS, and follow us on Twitter @thebottlenose

Joe Berger. Big Neck. Bigger promotion.

Does Miami Have a Quadfecta on Its Hands?

If early indications mean anything, Mike Nolan will soon be granted “Fecta” status with the Miami Dolphins. Thus far it is our defense that has dominated camp. Mike’s Maulers have come after the offense with a sea of different looks and schemes, exactly the innovation Nolan has been known for.
Denver didn’t have the talent level and depth that the 2010 Dolphins will enjoy on the defensive side of the ball, yet Nolan’s squad ranked 7th overall. The Bottlenose is excited to have an innovative, attacking defense that should be just as exciting to watch as our offense.

Cameron Wake unleashed. An active nose in Randy Starks who can not only hold up at the line, but also get into the backfield? A playmaker and leader in Karlos Dansby. Two budding corners in Vontae Davis and Sean Smith (the latter has been giving Brandon Marshall fits). A slugger down the field in Yeremiah Bell. Solid contributors in Langford, Crowder, Allen. Beasts Marques Douglas and Charles Grant added in recent days. Not to mention newcomers Koa Misi, Jared Odrick and Nolan Carroll, who have all been impressing. Even Chris Clemons, who was the biggest defensive question mark heading into his first year as a starter, has been on point thus far (also worth pointing out that I think he’s a lock to be the fastest Free Safety in the NFL).

Mike Nolan took Baltimore’s 22nd ranked defense and guided them to elite status. Oh, and that Broncos defense Nolan coached up to #7 in the league? They were 29th the year before he arrived. Miami’s talent and depth has The Bottlenose convinced that Nolan is about to work some whoop-ass mojo in SoFlo.

Which begs the question, how does one go about being added to a pre-existing “Fecta”? Is this something for the agents to hash out? Additionally, if Dan Henning can successfully merge Brandon Marshall’s talent, Henne’s arm, and the Wildcat, will be dealing with a “Quintfecta”?

We’ll sort it out at team headquarters after the season, bathed in the glow of our new Lombardi.

The tortured mind of a defensive genius.

Eric Berry, Out of Reach?

Fannation.com ran an interesting bit today about Tennessee’s monster safety Eric Berry. They explain that some teams are scared to use a top ten pick on a safety, and that he might fall as a result. If Berry somehow magically makes it to 12, I don’t see how we could resist. Eric, Sean, Vontae and Yeremiah would make up one hell of a defensive backfield.

Is Our Free Safety Already in Davie?

Will Allen is a good cornerback, but Sean Smith and Vontae Davis seem to be justly locked in as starters. So what are we to do with the guy? Does he really just come in on passing downs? His future as a full-timer could be at the currently vacant free safety position.

Aeneas Williams, Rod Woodson, Ronnie Lott, and a host of other corners have made the switch to safety, with great success. A strong cover guy like Allen would be a nice counterpoint to Yeremiah Bell, who’s more of an enforcer.

Allen’s ability and willingness to make the move to safety could go a long way to solidifying our draft plans. A decision between Dez Bryant and Earl Thomas (or between Cam Thomas and Nate Allen, or between Koa Misi and Reshad Jones) could be made easier, knowing that Will would be at FS for at least through 2011. We’ve got no backup plan at WR1. Our backup plan at NT is shite (at least until week 9). We might not have Jason Taylor back at DE/OLB. Seems like those might be more pressing needs than free safety, with a quality player like Allen there to step in.

Will is set to make $5 million this season, and that’s a hefty price tag for a part-time corner. Will has already said flat out that he will be starting this season. This declaration could actually come true if he’s willing to move about twenty feet further back in the secondary.