Miami Dolphins Ceiling and Floor Player Analysis: Karlos Dansby

We're moving at a faster pace with Kevin on vacation. He left his laptop in the trunk and the little light back here makes it easy for me to get these articles out more often. I told you I can't be contained!

Moving on to the linebackers, Karlos Dansby is the next up in line to be analyzed. If Cameron Wake is Miami's best and most important defensive player like many people say, Dansby is a close second. Wake has the motor, but Dansby is the brains and captain of Miami's defense. Dansby came to Miami after playing as a 4-3 OLB with Arizona, moved to a 3-4 ILB once he arrived, and will now be Miami's 4-3 MLB under Kevin Coyle. It's not often you can find a LB that can fill all those roles, but Dansby is a smart player and has good athleticism to boot.

Floor: Unlike some of the recent players I've analyzed, Dansby has a high floor and is a safe bet to produce. With players like Paul Soliai and Randy Starks in front of him, he will have open lanes to attack and won't find a blocker getting to him at the second level too often. He will get his tackles, but the question will be how many of those impact plays such as sacks, forced fumbles, and interceptions he will have. A lot of that will depend on how he's utilized with Kevin Coyle, but Dansby does have the ability to make an impact in every category. His health and his responsibility will play a significant factor in how many impact plays, especially sacks, he'll have. Stats: 100 tackles, 1 sack, 1 FFs, 0 INTs.

Ceiling: If the Dolphins continue to use Dansby on blitzes and have him rush the passer, which may depend on the ability of Miami's front four to generate pressure without blitzing, Dansby has the ability to get anywhere between four to eight sacks with the Dolphins. Of course, that is the optimistic side. On the flip side, if Miami's front four generates good pressure on a regular basis by themselves, Dansby could fall into coverage more often, leaving himself open for more interceptions. He's an average, but not great coverage LB, but with more opportunities to cover players comes a higher chance to get a few picks. Stats: 130 tackles, 5 sacks, 2 FFs, 3 INTs.