Saturday Dolphins Mailbag: A Hill-Diggs Debate, Noah-Jackson at Crossroads, State of the O-line, and More

Half 2 of this week’s SI Fan Nation All Dolphins mailbag:

From Mcdrip’s twin (@TheGreatPhinsby):

Yo Alain, it has been fairly quiet recently. Any Intel on Reuben Foster and Ingram?

Yo, nothing has actually surfaced since each gamers visited the Dolphins, however logic says any transfer with Ingram would rely upon discovering the appropriate worth to fulfill either side, whereas I believe looking at Foster was extra of an exploratory assembly with the outcomes to be filed for future use.

From Cliffy Mac (@mclifford36):

Do you assume Miami is ready till after coaching camp cuts to signal extra gamers or do you see them making extra strikes earlier than then?

Hey Cliffy, I do not assume coaching camp cuts essentially is the time to make lots of strikes when you’ve got a playoff-contending workforce. Against this, it is why the 2019 Dolphins have been so busy on the waiver wire that September. The pause proper now’s to see what groups do or do not do after the draft. That is the subsequent key interval so far as I am involved.

From Isaias Boffill (@BoffillIsaias):

Whats up Alain, seeing because the dolphins have made main upgrades at WR. Will this workforce be a pass-heavy workforce or will we be a run-first workforce?

Hey Isaias, if you happen to have a look at Mike McDaniel’s time with the 49ers, that clearly was a run-oriented workforce and I do not see any cause why that might be totally different in Miami. Having mentioned that, after we say run-oriented, it isn’t fairly the identical factor as run-first since you completely need to move within the NFL to win and even the 49ers handed greater than they ran final season.

From d. Edward (@Syr2Pitt2SD):

How did proper sort out go from being our largest want final season to folks seemingly unconcerned about it this season, and lots of going as far as to now say heart, ILB, CB, DI and edge are our largest wants?

Hey Edward, unsure I would agree that “folks” are unconcerned about proper sort out, however I do consider the notion is that the returning expertise is so much higher than it confirmed final yr and possibly the reply already is on the roster, whether or not or not it’s Austin Jackson making a giant Yr 3 soar or shifting Robert Hunt again to proper sort out or Liam Eichenberg getting the shot at that place. The addition of Terron Armstead additionally introduced of a sigh of aid to the general view of the offensive line.

From Rob Reimer (@RobReimer76):

I do not listen an excessive amount of in regards to the Miami Dolphins this time of yr, Alain. Not a lot occurring till the draft and … it is baseball season.

Ha! Good one, Rob. One factor for certain, it isn’t going to be as eventful a draft for the Dolphins because it has been the previous two years, although I might suspect they will make a commerce or two to recoup some picks. As for baseball, I really want I might say I used to be as enthusiastic about it as I used to be as a child as a result of it was #1 for me, however that ship has sailed. I do take pleasure in watching Vlad Jr. rip 450-foot residence runs, although. Oh, and I grew to become an enormous Brett Phillips fan this week after beforehand not even figuring out who he was (Google it, it is price it).

From Ricardo Hernandez (@Ricardo96451182):

In a latest article you instructed that S. Diggs could also be higher total receiver than T. Hill. No matter him now being a Dolphin, I didn’t consider anybody being extra explosive, nor did I see him as undependable, injury-prone, and so forth. So what’s it that Diggs can present over Hill?

Hey Ricardo, it is a truthful query to ask, however be sure that we’re clear that the remark was “total receiver,” and never most dynamic or explosive. I might give Diggs the sting by way of route working and talent to make contested catches, although he will not run away from defenders the best way Hill will. Their stats from final yr, by the best way, have been awfully comparable and if you happen to wished to inform me that Hill is the one who’s the very best receiver, I would not name you loopy for that opinion.

From Stanford J. Younger (@SportsMDE):

Something Dolphins? Is there any approach we are able to quick ahead 5 months to week one??? 😉 … Actually, although: Do you get the impression the Dolphins employees needs a few of the OL (eg Austin Jackson) to be in higher form? Perhaps play at 310-315 as an alternative of 327-330? A-La Armstead? Esp in ZBS?

Hey Stanford, any coach needs his offensive linemen to be in higher form no matter scheme or circumstances. If you wish to single out one Dolphins offensive lineman who must be on high of his conditioning this offseason and summer time, it isn’t Jackson or Armstead, although, it is Solomon Kindley.

From Dave (@angryvet59):

Nobody likes to maneuver on from a 1st-round draft choose. However, if you happen to needed to guess, between Igbinoghene, Eichenberg and Jackson who will get traded/launched or placed on apply squad? Thanks & sustain the nice work Alain.

Thanks for the type phrases as all the time, Dave. I am going to first need to remove Eichenberg out of your query as a result of he was a second-round choose and since he is had just one season, subsequently he is not going wherever. Between Igbinoghene and Jackson, I might assume that Noah is within the extra weak place of the 2 as a result of he simply hasn’t developed sufficient to the place coaches belief him, although that may change now with Mike McDaniel as head coach and Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain teaching cornerbacks. That mentioned, he additionally may need extra commerce worth than Jackson as a result of he is additionally extra of an unknown and a few coach someplace may assume he can get him to show his athletic capacity right into a productive NFL participant. One last item, for both to finish up on the apply squad, they must be launched and clear waivers, and I would suspect a former first-round choose would get claimed by one other workforce seeking to take a shot at reviving a profession.

From John Kerns (@yitwail):

Alain, this isn’t of nice significance, however do you count on McDaniel might be scripting the primary 15-25 performs as is customary with Shanahan/West Coast offense? Thanks

Hey John, we have not addressed that with McDaniel simply but, however having spent so a few years with Shanahan and seen up shut his success, I am unable to think about McDaniel would deviate from that apply.

From Mason28 (@Mason2816):

Alain, thanks for answering my query. The Dolphins including Armstead and Williams in free company. Do you assume they’ve finished sufficient to make the road higher?. Have they got sufficient with the gamers on the roster?.

Hey Mason, my reply is a convincing sure. I wrote earlier than the beginning of free company that maybe the most important key for the offensive line was progress from all of the younger linemen on the roster after which added that one or two free agent pick-ups would do the trick. In getting Armstead and Williams, the Dolphins completely have taken care of that place and I nonetheless would count on main progress from any variety of the younger guys, whether or not or not it’s Eichenberg, Jackson or Deiter (Hunt already is fairly good).

From J Soto (@dolphin_4life):

Hello Alain. For those who needed to guess what place the Dolphins will draft with their 1st choose (third rd), what would you choose?

Hey J, going again to the earlier query, it is definitely not the offensive line. At the moment, I might say the very best prospect amongst working backs, broad receiver, edge defender, linebacker or cornerback.