State of the Miami Dolphins Roster: Cornerbacks

I disagree with your statement about the best young corners in the league. Ours our top five if not runner up but, I have to give that title to the Bengals.

I also think that the rating on Vontae and Smith both are rated too low. IMO they both have earned a 2-B level at least. I cannot recall a corner in my 37 years who hits as hard as Vontae does. He also has leaped over Randy Moss to make an interception or two. I can’t recall anybody else leaping over Randy Moss ever. And Tom Brady consistently goes 300+ passes in the NFL without an interception. To intercept such a pass from Brady to Moss is nothing short of incredible.

If Smith would have caught any number of the potential picks that bouced off his hands so far he would definitely be rated higher as well. As far as I am concerned breaking the play up is the primary responsibility for any CB. Catching the ball is totally a bonus. To be in the right position to break the play up shows the talent, not the hands.

But a secondary that stays together plays better and better together. Our boys are only going to improve the longer the unit stays intact. Maybe this season we will earn the title of the best young corners in the league. We certainly stand a chance.

Looking good here

Another part that is overlooked is that Vontae Davis and Will Allen are great tacklers and provide a lot of help to the run defense as well. Having guys on the perimeter that can defend the run does a lot to prevent some big runs.

Smith and Davis are a great compliment to each other. Smith has been better in coverage, but Davis handles physical WRs better than Smith. Thus, Smith may be a better matchup against certain WRs while Davis would be better than Smith against physical WRs. I’d like to see the Dolphins actually use them to continuously assign them against a WR more than they have been.

“never looked back” when he lost his starting job to Jason Allen?

This is a good, solid set of young CB’s. I don’t see Smith or Davis as being man to man, shut down CB’s which will keep them from being considered elite like Revis, Asomugha, Woodson, Baily, etc. I actually like Smith because of his size and man coverage skills to get closer to “elite” status than Davis.

For this defense to get to the next level, an elite level defense in the Packers, Steelers, Jets mold, the CB’s need to get better. They need to play man better to let Nolan use his more exotic blitz packages. They need to catch the football and create TO’s. They need to take the INT’s and score TD’s.

I see Smith potentially becoming like Antonio Cromartie (without the 15 kids!). A tall, ball hawking, man coverage CB. Not elite, but a very good CB for a number of years. He might make a couple of Pro Bowl’s but will never be elevated to the level of the elite guys.

I see Davis potentially becoming like Ronde Barber. A very good, zone coverage CB that can support the run effectively. Barber has had a very good career, but I don’t think he was ever considered “elite”. I can see Davis making a couple of Pro Bowls, being a quality starting CB in the league, and then moving to FS (I think his natural postion in the NFL).

… it’s very good. Something that doesn’t need a great deal of attention in the draft or FA.

did yall see that stat where the league average last season by an nfl defense was somethin like 6.3 dropped ints and the Dolphins had 19 dropped ints?

I think having him there will help put the secondary players in the right positions including the safeties with him and Dansby being the “coaches” on the field I think the unit will improve greatly, like you said above about on the field and in the locker room. Also do you think there’s any trade we could do with a new CBA of course for Sapp if Allen looks healthy at the end of camp instead of just cutting him because we did give up Camarillo for him and nickel corners are hard to come by?

Vonate Davis is legit and I BELIEVE that he will certify himself as an elite player in the NFL within the next year or 2. I like Sean Smith as well and hopefully he will continue to get better but as of right now between the two Vontae is the better overall corner hands down.

Oh and Matty comments like these remind me how bias you are towards Smith

He beat out Vontae in 2009 for the starting job and has never looked back.

If anyone didnt look back after getting the starting job its Vontae. In case you forgot Smith lost his job to Jason Allen of all people. But anyway at the end of the day we got 2 raw ass corners and I cant complain

I like our starters, and I like our depth (Carroll shows a lot of promise), but we do need to be looking around for another youngster. Between Allen and Sapp, our bench is pretty long in the tooth.

The biggest thing I’d like to see Vontae do to improve his game is focus more on making the sure tackle than on making the big tackle. He tries to lower the boom on guys too often, and either whiffs or bounces off.

 Why are there so many comments saying Davis is not that good??? What the hell people…..With Allen coming back, Smith and Davis starting we will be fine. Remember when you say how bad Davis got beat that he is 23 years old …..he has improved each year…so get off him