Is This The Worst Decision Made By This Front Office?
by ct1361 on Nov 19, 2010 11:11 PM EST
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Samson Satele was a 2nd round pick for the Dolphins in ’07. As a rookie he started all 16 games for the Dolphins. Even though that year was awful, I thought that the rookie center play very well. He showed that he could pass protect and in the run game, though not strong enough to be a straight up road grader, he was athletic enough to pull and lead block on sweeps.
During his 2nd year Satele again started all 16 games. He played most of the season with an injured shoulder. Toward the end of the season it became obvious to most people that the shoulder severely limited his run blocking ability. He looked like he was playing with one arm.
In the offseason prior to his 3rd season, the Dolphins FO decided that it needed a more physical center to help in the run game. The signed Jake Grove, a former Oakland center with a history of injuries, to a large multiyear contract worth $14+ million guaranteed. Since Satele wasn’t needed, the Dolphins traded him and his roughly $1 million salary to the Raiders for a 6th round pick.
What has happened since the Dolphins FO decided to get rid of Satele? Let’s take a look:
- With the 6th round pick the Dolphins got from the Raiders they selected Andrew Gardner, OT from Georgia Tech. Gardner appeared in 1 game for the Dolphins in ’09. Gardner was released cut by the Phins and I don’t think he is in the NFL right now.
- Jake Grove started 10 games for the Dolphins in ’09 until he got injured, yet again. While he was in the line-up Grove played well and was the anchor for the 4th ranked rushing offense in the NFL. But like his history suggested, he couldn’t stay healthy.
- As an insurance policy to Grove’s injury history, the Phins signed an unrestricted FA in Joe Berger. In Berger 6+ years in the NFL he has played in 32 games and started in 15 for 3 different teams (Dolphins twice). Berger started the remaining 6 games of the ’09 season.
- This past offseason, the journeyman Berger beat out Grove for the starting center position because Grove was injured (again) during training camp. Grove was then cut.
- Berger by most accounts wasn’t the player at the center position that Grove was (22nd ranked rush offense in ’10), but at least you could count on him to stay healthy, right? For 9 games in ’10 that is. For game 10, Berger’s replacement, Cory Proctor, lasted less than a quarter before he was injured. His replacement was starting LG Richie Incognito.
- No one knows right now who is going to start for the Dolphins at center next week.
Satele on the other hand has appeared in 56 of a possible 57 games in his career. He has started in 52 of those 56 games. For Oakland, he is the anchor of the 2nd ranked rushing attack in the NFL for ’10. He is effectively blocking a 3-4 NT (Denver, Kansas City, and San Diego all play a 3-4). And too top it all off, Satele is making less than $500,000 this year, half of what Berger is making.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/samson-satele/469349
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/joe-berger/300139
Imagine what the Dolphins could have done if they had kept Satele. They would have had roughly $15 million to play with ($14+ million from Grove and $0.5 million cost difference between Satele and Berger). Could they have gotten another playmaker on offense, a change of pace RB or a speedy #2 WR? Could they have signed a significant pass rusher opposite Wake or a ball hawking FS? Who knows, but I think it is pretty obvious in hindsight that the Dolphins would be a better team right now if they would have kept Samson Satele.
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No
Drafting Pat White in the second round and then drafting Patrick Turner in the third round of the 2009 draft was a MUCH worse decision. White and Turner were wasted picks that could have been used on players like LeSean McCoy, William Beatty, Mike Wallace, Phillip Loadholt, Jerraud Powers. Draft picks are important in the NFL. Drafting two players early that aren’t even on the next the following season is possibly the worst move ANY team can make.
aka "The Duke"
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Turner just got promoted on the Jets I believe
MC Hammer was dissapointed when he found out that Kevin Durant could touch this.
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Can't argue with you there. Wasted draft picks suck.
But imagine some of the holes that could have been filled with that wasted $15 million? Another 3 or 4 good mid level type players? An impact pash rusher? How about this scenario: This past offseason the Phins sign Julius Peppers to play DE with that $15 million. Instead of drafting another DE, the Phins draft Dez Bryant.
The defense would have Peppers, Starks, Langford, and Wake rushing the passer. Marshall would have the speed WR opposite him that he needs. Henne gets his deep threat. And the Dolphins get a dynamic Punt and Kick returner. How sweet would that be?
"It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." MACBETH
"Walter, I love you, but sooner or later, you're going to have to face the fact you're a goddamn moron." THE DUDE (The Big Lebowski)
That's heavy
I’m going to dream about this tonight and cry in my sleep.
Dan Marino (13) and Steve Nash (13) will go down in history as being the greatest passers to never win the last game of the season.
I don't know about Peppers
He’s very expensive and he’s not a good fit as a 3-4 DE. He’s probably play SOLB for us. He’d be a beast rushing the passer, but I don’t know how he’d be in coverage. But I agree we could have done better for the money.
aka "The Duke"
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way to go CT kick when were down , rub it in
LIFE IS A GARDEN YOU HAVE TO DIG
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What Earl Said^^^
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Think Hard Real Hard Before You Type
I know this is just crazy talk but
think Peppers , Starks,Solai,Wake in a 4-3, I know Crowder and Dobbins arent 4-3 LBs Dansby can play whatever. Okay now I’m thinking about it, dumb idea, sorry. But it would be a nice front 4
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No no, that's not a bad idea
That’s a ridiculous front 4. We could have drafted Weatherspoon or Daryl Washington. That would be Wake, Peppers, Soliai, Starks, McDaniels, and Merling as our defensive line. Crowder and Weatherspoon/Washington as OLBs and Dansby as a MLB. That’s sick! I’m sad now.
aka "The Duke"
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Substitute Langford for Solai and now you got something.
"It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." MACBETH
"Walter, I love you, but sooner or later, you're going to have to face the fact you're a goddamn moron." THE DUDE (The Big Lebowski)
Langford is your 3 technique and Starks is your 1 technique. With Peppers playing strong side DE and Wake playing weakside DE, you are looking at one of the best front 4's in the NFL.
"It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." MACBETH
"Walter, I love you, but sooner or later, you're going to have to face the fact you're a goddamn moron." THE DUDE (The Big Lebowski)
Actually Wake prefers the strong side as a 4-3 DE
Peppers attacking the blind side and Wake on the strong side. That would be frightening.
aka "The Duke"
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Unofficial Phinsider DJ
And Soliai is not a bad 4-3 DT
he’s improving a lot this year.
aka "The Duke"
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yeah you want the big boys in the middle
okay I dont feel as bad now , thanks for bailing me out!!!
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Think Hard Real Hard Before You Type
Crowder was a beast as 4-3 olb with Zach Thomas ....
You know what they say: "If you can't stand the Heat, get the hell out my face!" Go Heat!
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by Davone_Is_BessT on Nov 20, 2010 5:22 PM EST up reply actions
I have nothing against the 3-4 but i think 4-3 fits are team a little better right now, if you see Nolan runs it alot in his hybrid D
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not the worst but
when you put it the way you did, it does seem like a pretty big screw up now.
He's was being thrown around like a rag doll
by WIlfork and Jenkins so I would have to say NO.
by firedanhenningnow on Nov 20, 2010 3:00 AM EST reply actions
we got rid of him because he wasn't physicsl enough with the beast NT's in the afc east.
It wasn’t a terrible decision, grove is way better, that was a bad decision to let him go, IMO. he had a hard time staying healthy but we should have kept him and had berger as his backup, then worst case scenario is he gets hurt and berger has to start, but berger is the starter now so its really not that bad of a worst case scenario. but there are a few bad decsions like pat white, patrick turner, ernest wilford. but who could have guessed those wouldnt work out for us. atleast it didnt set us back a few years, we can live with those bad decisions.
by Dolphinsrule0505 on Nov 20, 2010 3:42 AM EST reply actions
We should have kept Satele even though we signed Grove,
because we would not be having this problem now, signing Grove was a stupid decision and then trading Satele was another stupid decision.
◊◊◊ Marshall/Bess>Moss/Welker ◊◊◊
BandWaken Got me this Matty BLB award 2010 former Goof Trooper and proud recipient of the Matty JLRBotY award 2010
Agreed the amount of money we could have saved
Even so if BP and co were skeptic of Samsons injurey and didnt want to take the risk why sign a guy with a history of not playing through an entire season regardless I dont get it we should have at least kept Samson around even as a backup
Winner Of The 2009 Phinsider Predict The Pick Contest. Creator Of The Phinsider Annual Mock Draft
And when Satele had his injury
he never missed a game, I thought that was their kind of guy, he was only 2 years in and could have benefited from their strength conditioning program, he is a very capable, dependable center, especially as a back up, and he keeps getting better, and in truth is probably better than Berger.
◊◊◊ Marshall/Bess>Moss/Welker ◊◊◊
BandWaken Got me this Matty BLB award 2010 former Goof Trooper and proud recipient of the Matty JLRBotY award 2010
by uncle finster on Nov 20, 2010 8:01 PM EST up reply actions
Not hard to be better than a true backup
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"Give me a minute and I'll change your mind. Give me a bullet and I'll change your life" -Gematria - Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone
There were a few of us who questioned the Grove signing at the time.
It wasn’t a question of upgrading the center position it was a question of who they picked to upgrade the position. Grove was always hurt. That combined with the money made no sense at all.
It is hindsight, but they Phins should have never let Satele go.
"It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." MACBETH
"Walter, I love you, but sooner or later, you're going to have to face the fact you're a goddamn moron." THE DUDE (The Big Lebowski)
I was one of the guys
that was very critical of the trade that sent Satele away, especially with the signing of the injury plagued Grove, neither move made much sense to me, but especially after we signed Grove it was a bad decision not to keep him as insurance imo.
◊◊◊ Marshall/Bess>Moss/Welker ◊◊◊
BandWaken Got me this Matty BLB award 2010 former Goof Trooper and proud recipient of the Matty JLRBotY award 2010
by uncle finster on Nov 20, 2010 8:38 PM EST up reply actions
The contract should have had injury incentives, like a bonus if he starts all 16 games.
-Pulse of the Maggots P.o.t.M. The "Font" Nazi - Alpha6
The "pm striker king"- WZB The "reply" Nazi -Aplha6
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"Give me a minute and I'll change your mind. Give me a bullet and I'll change your life" -Gematria - Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone
Satele
Would have made a good guard at a least!
But agree, Pat White in second round is the worst move IMO
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Not the worst but up there imo
Pat White and Dan Henning are by far the worst lol,anyway what bothered me was the regime did not even give Samson a shot we all thought BP loved tough players who can play through injuries and Samson did just that they shouold have saved some money asked Samson to put on more size and give him another shot….PS he was a rookie in 07 hmmmmm didnt we have a running back the same year who was on verge of his best season ever a good center anchors a good running game just saying
Winner Of The 2009 Phinsider Predict The Pick Contest. Creator Of The Phinsider Annual Mock Draft
Parcells Mistake due to his bias
the Tuna preferred “bigger” players at every position – and it really cost us. Outside of Wake we have NO Speed off the edge. NONE. He drafts size and SLOW every time.
I am looking forward to a “parcells free” draft this year…. He failed in the draft for sure.
We would be TERRIBLE without the great FA signings (credit for that BP)
Samson – was an average player – and I liked Grove better too – so i would have agreed with this move. But just pointing out why it happened. BP thought he was too weak and small at the point of attack – SS has proven him wrong (mee too in this case) But if Grove had stayed healthy, would have been a great move. We should bring back Grove right now if he can play…. But egos will get in the way.
40 Year FIN FAN
DRAFT a #1 WR now.........
Are you sure Ireland, a Parcell's guy, will draft any differently?
And Parcells will still be with us at the draft as long as he doesn’t go to another team.
Dan Marino (13) and Steve Nash (13) will go down in history as being the greatest passers to never win the last game of the season.
Well, the patriots draft the same way.
But what does Belicheck know?
-Pulse of the Maggots P.o.t.M. The "Font" Nazi - Alpha6
The "pm striker king"- WZB The "reply" Nazi -Aplha6
Leader of Sparano for RedZone Play Caller and Fire Dave DeGuglielmo Bandwagon
"Give me a minute and I'll change your mind. Give me a bullet and I'll change your life" -Gematria - Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone
I HATED that move.
I remember it like yesterday. But there are other moves I didn’t like as well that tops this.
Can't remember the last time Miami had so much talent.
Rusty Smith! (Titans future qb)
Camarillo trade made 0 sense. A starting clutch WR for a 29 year old back-up CB? Someone found Rickey's old stash.
IR him now!
Can't remember the last time Miami had so much talent.
Rusty Smith! (Titans future qb)
Camarillo trade made 0 sense. A starting clutch WR for a 29 year old back-up CB? Someone found Rickey's old stash.
The FO did some good things with FA pickups
But our draft, except Jake Long, screwed us for years to come. Also getting rid of proven players before their replacements could show that they do the job hurts. We didn’t need White, Misi, Odrick, nor Smith. Guys like that could of been found rounds 5-7. The misses were Dez Bryant, Hakeem Nicks, Matt Ryan, Ford, Hernandez, and Penn. All could of been had and letting go of proven players also hurt. Time for change and definite direction.
Damn the sheriff, Bring on MARSHALL LAW
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