Finhead's Ramblings: The Empty Mind Edition

by Finhead83 on Feb 21, 2012 5:00 PM EST in 2012 NFL News

I don't really have a specific topic in mind here. My mind is blank on a specific topic. Instead, I'll just post a few keys things we could be looking for.

1) The coin toss for the NFL Draft tie-breakers will be held on Friday for the Dolphins/Panthers and Chiefs/Seahawks draft positioning. If Miami picks #8 before Carolina in the first round, the Panthers will pick before Miami in the second round. The positioning will alternate each round. Roger Goodell will flip the coin at the Westin Hotel in Indianapolis. I think this is a great opportunity for OFF4L to get a great photo with M.M. and Goodell. Instant classic!

2) There is a belief the Vikings will release Steve Hutchinson because of his contract and age. He'd be another quality guard on the market, but at 35, he'd be a stopgap solution on the line. If he was five years younger, I would be drooling at the thought of what the left side of our line would look like.

3) In regards to the New England Patriots, Brandon Lloyd is reportedly interested in playing for them. Lloyd would give the Patriots what they need at WR, but a more intriguing report has surfaced. Some think New England may make a play on Mike Wallace, the Steelers WR, even as a restricted free agent. Would it be worth surrendering a late first round pick? He's only 25 and is one of the better deep threats in the NFL. It would be a terrific move for New England. Makes you wonder though. Would you be willing to trade the #8 or #9 overall pick for Wallace? He's young and is exactly what Miami needs at WR, but he'd be a bit pricey with an extension. If it came to Wallace vs Riley Reiff, I have a feeling some Miami fans would choose Wallace.

4) I spoke last week about Osi Umenyiora about a potential trade. Umenyiora said today he plans on being quiet this offseason and will keep a low profile. If he doesn't cause a distraction, the Giants may decide to hang on to him for his final contract year.

5) We may see more franchise tag tenders this year because of the new CBA. Under the old agreement, players were paid the average of the top five-highest paid players at their position for the season. With the new CBA, they judge the tag number on the franchise tag number for the five previous seasons. As a result, most positions have had their franchise tag number drop around $2 million. For defensive tackles, the price fell from $12.5 to $7.9 million. Unfortunately, for players that were tagged in the previous season, they will still receive 120% of their previous season's salary, which is why Soliai would cost over $15 million to tag instead of $7.9 million.

6) Dan Henning-like thought here. Tannehill was Texas A&M's best WR before he was starting WR. He's 6'4 and has decent speed. Tannehill would be great for the Wildcat package. Oh wait, I forgot, that should no longer be in our playbook. A few years too late for our primitive offense.

7) Going back to the lineman debate for the first round pick here. Many don't like the thought of a Reiff because Miami would have 3 first round picks on the OL next year. The reasoning is they can get a tackle later in the draft, like Zebrie Sanders in the second round. Couldn't you be just as happy though if Miami selected Reiff at #8 or #9 and then someone like Vinny Curry or Nick Perry in the second if available? I know it's never exciting to draft OL in the first round, but it wouldn't mean our draft would be a fail. Just don't be grading our draft as a F after the first round if we end up with Reiff.

8) I'm surprised there isn't more talk of Tommy Streeter as a draft prospect. He's 6'5 and can run a sub-4.4. He has a bit of improvement to do, but he has a ton of talent. Personally, I'd love him as a mid-round prospect.

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I would have no problems with another first round OL.

Any nfl QB that rarely gets hurried or hit can be a sooperstarr, right?

If Carey’s still in the mix it’d be four first rounders wouldn’t it?

But then again, my mind resides in a constant state of emptiness. That way I’ll float heads up if I fall in a river,

I never got a prize for doing what was expected of me.

by Tunaflipper on Feb 21, 2012 5:31 PM EST reply actions

Nor would I.

Too bad we don’t have the RB or QB to take advantage of having that kind of talent on the line. But hey, there’s always next year.

I used to think I had a drinking problem.
So I stopped thinking.

by luvs2drnk on Feb 22, 2012 5:11 AM EST up reply actions

I would rather have the Panthers pick before us in the first round

so we can have an earlier 2nd round pick

by BlaqDolfin on Feb 21, 2012 5:47 PM EST reply actions

hhhmm i wouldn't mind streeter either as a big deep threat opposite marshall.

The jest suck, snatchez is overated, patsies will fall, i hope brady breaks his knee.

by Nete88 on Feb 21, 2012 6:07 PM EST reply actions

Streeter is a frickin beast.

He’s a perfect example of the Ineptitude of Randy Shannon.

He’s going to be drafted higher than he’s projected because NFL scouts are smart and if we can tell he’s a beast then so can they. He was just underutilized in Miami.

I would be happy if the Dolphins picked him in the third round. Thrilled if they stole him in the fifth.

by DolfanVince86 on Feb 21, 2012 6:20 PM EST reply actions

LOL

Just saw this on ESPN Scouts Inc. This is how under-the-radar Streeter is at this point:

Possesses above-average bulk but possesses a wiry frame due to height. Top-end speed appears to be average.

by DolfanVince86 on Feb 21, 2012 6:21 PM EST reply actions

I would love to get Wallace on the Phins. I don't think they have the cap space for Wallace and a FA QB.

NE has the cap space. That is a scary thought, Wallace in that passing game.

"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)

by ct1361 on Feb 21, 2012 6:39 PM EST reply actions

Agreed.

I hate every thought of Wallace in NE.

- Attempting to debate with a person who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to the dead.
- Defeat isn't bitter if you don't swallow it.

Contributing Writer to the The Phinsider.
Follow @Finhead83

by Finhead83 on Feb 21, 2012 6:52 PM EST up reply actions

Too expensive for Belichick's taste.

Plus it would mean giving up Welker. If Belichick’s going to spend that cap money, it’s going to be to revamp his defense.

I used to think I had a drinking problem.
So I stopped thinking.

by luvs2drnk on Feb 22, 2012 5:14 AM EST up reply actions

The Pats can get both Wallace and keep Welker.

They’re $20 mil under the cap and can make some moves to create more space. They’d have $11 mil in cap space after franchising Welker, but could create even more room by signing him to a new deal.

- Attempting to debate with a person who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to the dead.
- Defeat isn't bitter if you don't swallow it.

Contributing Writer to the The Phinsider.
Follow @Finhead83

by Finhead83 on Feb 22, 2012 7:13 AM EST up reply actions

I wasn't implying they couldn't afford him.

Belichick isn’t big on big named FA signings, especially at WR. So, yes, while they could afford to do it. They’re more likely to go after defensive FA’s to help shore up a unit that finished 31st in yards allowed.

I used to think I had a drinking problem.
So I stopped thinking.

by luvs2drnk on Feb 23, 2012 12:37 AM EST up reply actions

I don't know.

The Pats do make some big moves (Moss, Ochocinco) when they feel the need is right. While I don’t think it’s likely they’d sign Wallace, I wouldn’t put it past them.

- Attempting to debate with a person who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to the dead.
- Defeat isn't bitter if you don't swallow it.

Contributing Writer to the The Phinsider.
Follow @Finhead83

by Finhead83 on Feb 23, 2012 7:28 AM EST up reply actions

Neither Moss or Ocho are a good comparison.

Wallace is going to be asking for a nice chunk of change. All the big name players the Pats have gotten in the past they have gotten for cheap (Moss for a 4th round pick, Ocho for a 5th and a 6th, Dillon for a 2nd, Welker for a 2nd and 7th, and Haynesworth for a 5th). So while they may look like big moves, they did them for peanuts. Signing Wallace will cost them more than any of those other guys.

I used to think I had a drinking problem.
So I stopped thinking.

by luvs2drnk on Feb 23, 2012 11:32 PM EST up reply actions

Develop Gates

Deep threat. Nuff said.

Why is everyone wanting to do away with pieces we’ve drafted so freakin’ early? Give guys like Gates, Clay, and others time to develop. They both could be leathal eventually. The thing is all these guys you guys want to sign, benefit from Pro Bowl, Super Bowl winning QB’s. Maybe we need to just find our Pro Bowl, Super Bowl winning QB….then worry about other pieces. The WR core is a solid enough group to be lethal.

by Mr_Solo_Dolo on Feb 21, 2012 9:07 PM EST reply actions

Gates is too small to become a legit deep threat.

He could become a legit return threat, but I don’t see him becoming anything more than another Ted Ginn in the WR corps.

I used to think I had a drinking problem.
So I stopped thinking.

by luvs2drnk on Feb 22, 2012 5:15 AM EST up reply actions

Wut?

Gates is 5’11" 197
Wallace is 6’0" 199

What’s 1 inch and 2 pounds?

Steve Smith is 5’9" 185…legit deep threat for several years.
Santana Moss is 5’10" 205….legit deep threat for a while
Santonio Holmes is 5’11" 192….legit deep threat

And the list could go on and on with legit deep threats that are the same size as Gates.

Gates is still RAW. He’s played football for what, 3 years TOTAL!? Give him a chance to develop before signing someone else. If you keep replacing someone ahead of him, then he’s never going to get enough game time to develop.

by Mr_Solo_Dolo on Feb 22, 2012 8:48 AM EST up reply actions

I couldn't agree with you more!

We have been spoiled by the plague of the perfect season and the Marino era. We expect immediate success or label the player a bust. Then, we drool over a player that another team took years to develop into a monster while we jettison our own players…. who subsequently go on to be developed by another team.

As the Eagles (and Heat) discovered, you can buy stars but you can’t buy chemistry. Transitioning from mediocre to good requires talent and coaching. We have talent, we just got a coach. But transitioning from good to elite requires chemistry, knowing the thoughts of your teammates, their weaknesses, their tendencies in situations. You know what they will do if a play breaks down and how you can maximize on every situation. This takes time, playing together and mental effort. Let’s not be so quick to discard developing talent to run out and search for someone else’s “talent”.

And on another note, it’s much cheaper to develop your own talent as far as your cap is concerned, than to chase FA talent. And best of all, if you develop talent in-house, you won’t be held hostage financially by any diva player because you always know you have more talent under him to develop. AND, now you are in the position to get compensation for other teams wanting YOUR young talent.

by PhinNomenol! on Feb 22, 2012 10:08 AM EST via Android app up reply actions

Yep

I mean look at Wes Welker for instance. I still don’t know why, even if he wouldn’t have became what he is now, we traded him. He was an excellent punt returner. But look, we give him up, now look what happened. Another example, Matt Roth. Not a dominate guy, but an underrated, solid linebacker. Teddy seems to be finding a little success in San Fran where they expect him do one thing, return kicks.

Buying talent and not developing you own, isn’t that why EVERYONE hates the Yankee’s? They’re notorious for having a poor excuse of a farm system in their minor leagues. Isn’t this why everyone tends to root for the small market team that makes it to a WS? Develop our own talent.

So to answer the OP, hell no I wouldn’t trade a #1 pick for Mike Wallace. He isn’t worth it IMO. You can have Dan Marino, Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Chris Carter, etc on the same team…but if Dan doesn’t have time to throw then what good is it? Draft Riley with our 1st pick, worry about a pass rusher in the second, and a safety in the third. Then draft to fill other positions.

One last point I meant to make in my previous post. Not every reciever has to have Randy Moss physical attributes to be a deep threat. I think Steve Smith has shown this…and several others.

by Mr_Solo_Dolo on Feb 22, 2012 12:14 PM EST up reply actions

We were forced to give him up because New England used a poison pill in his contract when he was a RFA

Miami couldn’t match it and instead of taking a 2nd rounder in return via RFA, they traded him for a 2nd rounder and a 7th round pick.

As for Wallace, I am not saying Miami should do it, but it is an interesting consideration. I do like Gates, but that doesn’t mean getting Wallace means it is the end for him. In fact, it’d probably be the end for Hartline, not Gates. Still, you don’t want to sit still necessarily and hope rookies pan out. Otherwise we can pass on RGIII and try and develop Devlin.

- Attempting to debate with a person who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to the dead.
- Defeat isn't bitter if you don't swallow it.

Contributing Writer to the The Phinsider.
Follow @Finhead83

by Finhead83 on Feb 22, 2012 2:18 PM EST up reply actions

We don't expect immediate success.

But we do expect that player to show some potential that would at least warrant them getting playing time. Which is something Gates failed to do in his rookie year.

I used to think I had a drinking problem.
So I stopped thinking.

by luvs2drnk on Feb 23, 2012 12:53 AM EST up reply actions

I guess I worded it wrong.

Gates plays too small to be a legit deep threat, right now. Yes, he was a rookie and could still develop into something. But in order to do that he’s got to get on the field, which he didn’t do last year.

As for the guys you mentioned, other than Moss (who’s not been a deep threat since 2005 and has always been inconsistent), they all play bigger than they are. Steve Smith is short and stocky and uses his strength to out muscle most DBs putting him in the best position to make the catch. Wallace and Holmes both use their speed wiry frames to create separation. Gates could develop into that second grouping, but he showed very little potential last year with which to put that kind of time in.