Potential Miami Dolphins: New Orleans Saints Guard Carl Nicks

Would be a fantastic pickup. It would solidify our O-Line and it would likely improve our chances of trading up for RG3 instead of drafting Reiff with the 8/9 pick

Most likely on the “D” side of the ball; there are a lot of very good CB that should be available. He will probably be franchised but a guy like Cortland Finnegan would really add another level of nasty to our D. He and Davis would really mask our issues at FS, speaking of which Michael Griffin would be another potential option. The signing will most likely dip back into the Cowboys fraternity with Anthony Spencer being the latest ex-Cowboy to join the Phins.

then Nicks should be our top FA priority.

I don’t think this team can afford to tinker with an Offensive Line that outside of Colombo is really very solid. The Offensive LIne in my opinion is the most unfairly maligned unt on the team and the major overhaul of the line from 2010 to 2011 (in combination with Reggie Bush but to a lesser extent) is the primary reason for the drastic change this team saw in its ability to run the football. To spend big money in free agency on a Guard no matter how talented they are is a waste of valuable cap room.

The primary issues on offense are A.) inconsistant play at Quarterback and B.) which is just as concerning and has become a problem that management has been unable to fix is the lack of explosion, depth and ability to seperate at receiver and Tight End.

The offense from 2010 to 2011 went from 28th in the league (YPA) to 11th in the league (YPA) with a major overhaul to the interior of the offensive line and at the runningback position. Both of which were effective outside of the Colombo move (which is at Tackle obviously rather than Center or RG) and the Daniel Thomas draft pick which has been a mixed bag and there are some things there that really concern me. However the moves at Tight End and receiver were ineffective and I believe that Jeff Ireland’s decision to head into 2011 only adding Charles Clay (a 6th player and a situational player) and Edmond Gates at receiver and Tight End was a massive underestimation of the problem.

Look at some of the games we lost, I could use the Denver game but I have used that game multiple times so I will use the Giants game and the Eagles game. In both games the team suffered injuries to the offensive line. In the Giants game the team entered the contest without Richie Incognito (which we were overcame with Nate Garner) however as soon as Mike Pouncey went out in the 4th quarter the team could no longer run the ball (remember we only had 17 points at that point anyway) and the personnel issues at Tight End and receiver were accentuated. They began to condese the field with their safeties and were playing press man every snap with Bracket and Roll coverage on Marshall. Depsite the improvement in the running game we have noone besides Bess and Marshall who are dangerous enough to consistantly create seperation and Matt Moore isn’t good enough to carry the team, he isn’t Tom Brady. Speaking of whom did this year behind a line that was reshuffled every week and led to more Quarterback hits on him than in his career but they have awesome explosion and diversity and Tight End at receiver. They went 13-3!!!!!!

In the Eagles game the story was the same. Injuries on the line lead to problems running the ball, their coverage went strict press and Kurt Coleman and Nate Allen began to squeeze the field and contest every route. They had the luxery of Bracketing Marshall every snap and putting their best corner (typically Asomugha) on Bess. It is unacceptable that teams can run those types of coverages on us and that despite the drastic improvement in the running game it is disappointing that the offense only improved by three slots with a full offseasson dedicated to that side of the ball.

I love what has happened on the line and Colombo needs to be replaced but until these issues are fixed the offense will remain stagnant.

However Jeff Ireland did address soem areas effectively as I pointed out above. If the Dolphins make a major move in Free Agency for Carl Nicks or draft a Right Tackle at nine however I will have lost all faith in this managements judgement.