Miami Dolphins
Owner: Stephen Ross (about 95%) and Wayne Huizenga (about 5%)
Founded: 1966
Stadium: Sun Life Stadium
2010 record: 7-9
Last playoff appearance: 2008, AFC East Champs, L27-9 BAL
General Manager: Jeff Ireland
Head Coach: Tony Sparano (25-23, 2 seasons as Dolphins Head Coach)
Offensive Coordinator: Brian Daboll
Defensive Coordinator: Mike Nolan
Defensive Alignment: 4-3
2010 NFL Rankings:
OFF: 17.1 PTS (30th) 323.1 YDS (21st) 220.4 PASS (16th) 102.7 RUSH (21st)
DEF: 20.8 PTS (14th) 309.3 YDS (6th) 209.2 PASS (8th) 100.1 RUSH (7th)
Pro Bowlers: Jake Long OT, Randy Starks DE, Cameron Wake OLB, John Denney LS
2011 schedule:
1 Sep 12 vs. Patriots 7:00 PM Tickets
2 Sep 18 vs. Texans 4:15 PM Tickets
3 Sep 25 at Browns 1:00 PM Tickets
4 Oct 02 at Chargers 4:15 PM Tickets
5 Bye
6 Oct 17 at Jets 8:30 PM Tickets
7 Oct 23 vs. Broncos 1:00 PM Tickets
8 Oct 30 at Giants 1:00 PM Tickets
9 Nov 06 at Chiefs 1:00 PM Tickets
10 Nov 13 vs. Redskins 1:00 PM Tickets
11 Nov 20 vs. Bills 1:00 PM Tickets
12 Nov 24 at Cowboys 4:15 PM Tickets
13 Dec 04 vs. Raiders 1:00 PM Tickets
14 Dec 11 vs. Eagles 1:00 PM Tickets
15 Dec 18 at Bills 1:00 PM Tickets
16 Dec 24 at Patriots 1:00 PM Tickets
17 Jan 01 vs. Jets 1:00 PM Tickets
TEAM NEEDS: QB, RT, C, FS
Potential Free Agents:
Chad Pennington QB
Patrick Cobbs RB
Pat McQuistan OT/G
Richie Incognito OG - re-signed - 3 yrs
Cory Procter G/C
Tony McDaniel DE – re-signed –
Paul Soliai NT – franchise tag
Quentin Moses OLB
Free agent acquisitions:
Matt Moore QB (Panthers) – 2 yrs, 5 million
Ray Willis OT
Ronald Fields NT (Broncos)
Jason Trusnik OLB (Browns) –
Jason Taylor OLB (Jets)
Kevin Burnett MLB (Chargers) – 4 yrs
Free agent losses:
Tyler Thigpen QB - signed by Bills
Ronnie Brown RB – signed with Eagles
Ricky Williams RB – Signed with Ravens
Channing Crowder LB
Picks in 2011 Draft: (overall draft grade: B): I really thought that Miami was going to draft Ryan Mallett, but in the end, they didn’t view him as a fit. Instead, they added key positions on offense and some depth and development on defense. The interior of the offensive line is shored up with Mike Pouncey and at least one running back position will be filled with Daniel Thomas. Edmond Gates and Charles Clay will help Chad Henne (or whoever might be their quarterback) in the passing game. Prior to the draft, GM Jeff Ireland said they were going to be looking for speed in the draft and they got some players with it in Thomas and Gates.
(! Indicates draft pick who was interviewed, had a private workout, etc. prior to the draft according to my compiled list):
Rd 1, Pick 15 (15) Mike Pouncey OG, Florida! – Good value, especially for a guy who’s the twin of a pro bowl rookie from last season. Is he a carbon copy? He got drafted one spot ahead of where his bro did last year.
Grade: A- Rated: 18
Rd 2, Pick 30 (62) Daniel Thomas RB, Kansas State! – Runs too upright, but is a good inside runner. JUCO transfer, went to three different JUCOs before arriving at K State, plus he’s struggled with academics according to his scouting reports. Fills an area of need as Ricky Williams and “Shy Ronnie” Brown (Lonely Island anyone?).
Grade: C+ Rated: 91
Rd 4, Pick 14 (111) Edmond Gates WR, Abilene Christian – Gates has been talked about as a better prospect than current Chicago Bear and ACU alum Johnny Knox.
Grade: A Rated: 70
Rd 6, Pick 9 (174) Charles Clay TE, Tulsa! – Clay brings some versatility to the Dolphins’ offense and gives them some options to use him to confuse defenses. He offers a more viable pass option.
Grade: A Rated: 142
Rd 7, Pick 28 (231) Frank Kearse DT, Alabama A&M – has potential to become a nose tackle.
Grade: C Rated: 305
Rd 7, Pick 32 (235) Jimmy Wilson DB, Montana – charged with murder. Character obviously doesn’t matter with GM Jeff Ireland (remember his combine private interview question to Dez Bryant about his mother being a prostitute?). Wilson has been trying to rebuild his image and put the past behind him.
Grade: F Rated: NR
2010 Dolphins’ Draft review:
Here was some interesting nuggets of information I found out from internet newspaper articles and the Dolphins only available video from last year’s draft, which was a pre-draft press conference: General Manager Jeff Ireland weighs a lot on how the player plays when evaluating them, and the combine and pro days are looked at to verify if what he’s seen on tape is what’s true. Their draft board had been set since February, with a few tweaks and moving parts on it since then. In this video on NFL.com, Michael Lombardi revealed a sign that Bill Parcells had in the Dolphins’ war room that essentially said that they weren’t going to go pick players who had worked out well at combine or pro days. They were going to pick the players who, “play football well in their pads.” Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald stated in this article that the Dolphins had spoken to a handful of teams about trading down in the first round. He also stated that sources said that the Eagles called the Dolphins about trading with them, but Philadelphia didn’t want to give up a second rounder, which Miami really wanted. No trade went through, but they were able to trade with the Chargers who were willing to give up the 40th overall pick and their first rounder (28th). Koa Misi’s versatility attracted the Dolphins to him. Their first three picks were players who were at the Senior Bowl, where the Dolphins coaches had coached. Ireland said that coaching the players at the Senior Bowl was an advantage for them over other teams. He also confirmed that they were interested in Georgia Tech safety Morgan Burnett, who was taken later in the third round by the Packers.
Rd 1, Pick 28 (28) Jared Odrick DT, Penn State – ended up on IR after week 6, 1 start, 1 TCK
Rd 2, Pick 8 (40) Koa Misi DE, Utah – 16 games, 11 starts, 41 TCK, 4.5 SCK, 2 PD
Rd 3, Pick 9 (73) John Jerry OT, Ole Miss – 12 games, 10 starts
Rd 4, Pick 21 (119) A.J. Edds LB, Iowa – IR
Rd 5, Pick 14 (145) Nolan Carroll CB, Maryland – 13 games, 1 start, 3 TCK, 2 PD, 1 INT
Rd 5, Pick 32 (163) Reshad Jones SS, Georgia – 13 games, 2 starts, 21 TCK, 1 SCK, 2 PD, 1 INT
Rd 7, Pick 5 (212) Chris McCoy DL, Middle Tennessee State – waived in final cuts, to practice squad, added to Texans practice squad.
Rd 7, Pick 45 (252) Austin Spitler LB, Ohio State – 12 games, 4 TCK
Looking back at my grades for the Dolphins’ 2010 draft class: The Dolphins got an overall grade of a B from me. All of their picks got solid grades from me (none below a B-). Koa Misi (B-) ended up better than the grade I gave him, so I’d change it to a B+. It was a very solid draft for Ireland and the Dolphins. They were able to get Brandon Marshall, Odrick, Misi, and Jerry. All four of those guys were starters for the most part in 2010. Getting four starters out of a draft (plus the Brandon Marshall trade) is stellar. They got solid value in the middle and later rounds as well. After re-evaluating the Dolphins 2010 draft class, I’ve got to upgrade it to an A. No one pick was spectacular, but they hit on almost all of the picks.
First Round Picks From Last 5 Years: Jared Odrick DE, Vontae Davis CB, Jake Long OT, Ted Ginn WR, Jason Allen CB
2010 Stat Leaders
Chad Henne 301-490 61.4% 3301 YDS 6.7 YPA 15 TD 19 INT 75.4 RTG
Ronnie Brown 200 ATT 734 YDS 3.7 YPA 5 TD
Brandon Marshall 86 REC 1014 YDS 11.8 YPC 3 TD
Dan Carpenter 30-41 73.2% 60 LNG
Yehemiah Bell 101 TCK
Cameron Wake 14 SCK
Benny Sapp 2 INT
Out of Season Storylines (Because there is no offseason)