One Single Attribute Changes the Game for Heat’s Two-Way Marcus Garrett

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According to Adrian Wojnarowski this morning, the Miami Heat officially signed Summer League standout, Marcus Garrett, to a two-way contract. This was expected for some time now after his high level play in Las Vegas, but it was more about when the signing would come than if it would come.

And the unique thing about a Heat two-way deal is that they’re going to get plenty of reps on the real team. If injuries unfortunately happen, there are some roster spots at the bottom that aren’t true fillers. That means Garrett will be called up to bring his best and most comfortable skill to the table: defense.

So what has that really looked like up to this point?

Plenty of high level defenders trot their way through Summer League. Some are just quick and hounding on the ball. Others know how to navigate through screens off the ball. Or just a high IQ of how to defend at this level.

When evaluating the game of Garrett, there wasn’t one defensive weakness. Not one.

He can pressure ball-handlers baseline to baseline, can fight through screens like it’s nothing, and has better anticipation than plenty of guys in the NBA currently. On that end of the floor, he truly is special.

His ability to rack up a bunch of steals in the stat-sheet is the most interesting part about him. Not only is he forcing ball-handlers to give up the ball and relocate, but if they try and test him, he capitalizes. Pick pocket here, pick pocket there. And well, now he’s earned himself a nice two-way deal.

The offensive stuff is the part of his game that led to him landing in the undrafted market. You may be asking yourself: if he’s this great of a defender, why wasn’t he drafted? And my answer would be too many question marks for some teams to take a chance.

But what if I told you there’s one thing he can do to totally eliminate those question marks?

 

Before totally discussing that element, I should address his overall offensive usage. He got some on-ball reps in Vegas, and I had a couple different takeaways from those minutes.

For one, he’s never going to be a facilitating guard at the next level, and frankly, he won’t ever be asked to do that. He reads the game well for his age, but there isn’t enough fluidity to truly put him in a point guard slot, meaning he will play a bunch of two if he gets the chance.

And let me just say, slotting Garrett next to Tyler Herro off the bench when the roster spots become slim is not the worst back-up plan in the world. He fills every hole of Herro’s game in many ways.

Looking at the clips above, you see his ability to finish at the rim. That was something that came as a surprise to me, since I was curious about his driving capabilities, but there still seem to be some worries in that role.

If he gets to the rim, good things will happen. He’s creative enough to utilize smooth looking up and unders or a straight up shoulder to the mouth with his physicality, but I’m not so sure he will have the opportunity to get down there often. He took advantage of some match-ups for simple blow-bys, but that just won’t be the case if he’s plugged into a Heat system.

But there is one thing that will undoubtedly transfer over if he chooses to do so…

3 & D. That’s a term we hear often for plenty of one-dimensional shooters in this league. Keeping the role simple is always an indication for a 3 and D label, but that’s not quite the case for Garrett.

The reason that must be his role at the next level is due to them finding ways to keep him from being an offensive liability. Looking at past projects like KZ Okpala who were just dominant defensively, the offensive stuff never came together because there was no true role for him.

Okpala’s not an on-ball attacker. He’s not a fantastic finisher off the short roll. And well, the shooting never came along.

But if I’m Miami, I’m drilling outside shooting with Garrett on the offensive end and absolutely nothing else. In the first two clips above, the play is simple: spot-up three in the corner.

And that should be his Miami Heat role on the actual squad.

If he wants to be a part of the future rotation, that corner three must fall at a decent clip. With his defensive capabilities, he doesn’t need to be great on the offensive end. He just has to survive.

Saying that Okpala should become a 3 & D guy is quite an unrealistic expectation. But Garrett has shown enough flashes in a very small sample size to make me think it’s possible. And as much I don’t like him as an on-ball scorer, take a glance at the final clip above.

Two dribbles, pull-back, mid-range jumper. If that stuff came along out of nowhere, we’re talking about a completely different beast.

But for now, the Miami Heat have a very intriguing young prospect who has some undeniable strengths on the defensive end. And much like Erik Spoelstra did with Gabe Vincent last season, that ability makes me think Spo will trust Garrett frequently when he’s forced to get out there and play.

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The Unique Combos of a Miami Heat Pick and Roll

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As we continue to go through some of Miami’s base offensive sets heading into the new season, we must dial back a bit. In many cases, the way actions are triggered are through normal pick and roll/pick and pop sets, since the true damage in a Heat motion offense is occurring on the weak-side off the ball.

So, this piece is going to be all about personnel combos. There weren’t many PnR weapons in the past with limited resources and a bunch of guards who carried the same type of skills, but that changes now. This Heat team has diversity throughout, so let’s immediately jump into some of the ways different players will be used in these actions…

Duncan Robinson Ghost Screening

When I think about Kyle Lowry’s insertion into pick and roll sets, my mind doesn’t immediately go to Bam Adebayo lobs, known as 1-5 PnR. It actually goes to Duncan Robinson being used as a popper.

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I’ve talked about this in past pieces, but Robinson’s ghost screening is the key to spacing whenever things look jumbled up. If the gaps are closing within the lane, sending Robinson to set a screen and pop out has a tremendous pull not only on his defender, but all defenders.

That’s why you hear the word “gravity” linked to him so frequently.

We’ve seen it used with Adebayo a ton, but also with Jimmy Butler at the top of the key. But what makes Lowry different than the Butler combo?

Well, it’s just about the above the break pull-up threat. When it’s run through Robinson and Butler, good things can come from it with a hard drive from Butler, but it doesn’t create extra space. The reason for that is defenders can go right under the screen for a cut-off, basically daring Butler to shoot a contested mid-range pull-up, which is essentially the third option in that action.

First option is a Robinson three. Second option is a full back dive from Butler. Third option is a corner spray. The defense wins frequently when Miami settles for that fourth option.

Looking at the clip above, defenders must consistently go over the screen on Lowry. We saw it a lot with Fred VanVleet spraying out in Toronto, but once again, Robinson’s pull is just different.

The looks Robinson will be getting in these actions may not look much different, but it’ll look a whole lot better for Lowry and crew. It basically leads him into a top of the key isolation possession like he’s playing one-on-one in his front driveway. That’s the getting a bucket feature Lowry brings, and Robinson will be the key to trigger that.

The Late-Game Go-To

Throughout this past season, Miami had a pretty effective go-to down the stretch of games. You always want to put the ball in the hands of your best player, and Butler-Adebayo pick and rolls enhanced that.

Speaking of playing a game of one-on-one, that’s what many of Butler’s attacks looked like late in games, throwing himself into the dropping big to create an offensive advantage. And even though Lowry will be on the floor late in games, this combo will still be a common go-to.

Throwing Lowry in the weak-side corner leaves that as a kick-out option when his defender slides down, which will be his spot no matter what if he’s playing off the ball. The reason for that is Robinson will be a strong-side staple if Miami leads into Butler-Adebayo pick and rolls down the stretch.

As seen in the first clip above, the defender is glued to him in the corner, not even thinking about ducking down to Butler. That is the spacing excellence that I’m talking about, and it’s why I feel Robinson will be closing many more games this season than he has previously.

Although these are two examples of Butler buckets, Adebayo will still get as many looks as Butler in this position, either throwing down the alley-oop or flowing into that push-shot in the lane. As orchestrated earlier, they have options.

A Butler-Lowry Inverted Punch

(I’m not going to ask this question again. I’m not going to ask this question again.)

Ah, nevermind. Why was the Butler-Dragic inverted pick and roll so effective last season?

This is not to discredit Dragic in anyway. He was huge for them in these spots as an oddly successful scorer off the roll last season, since he was physical enough to set hard and angled screens on opposing forwards. But the true reason it worked was the pure downhill dominance of Butler.

If you give him a good enough angle to use his shoulder bumping under the rim, the team is in good shape. Inverted pick and rolls will be huge when Butler and Lowry share the floor, starting with the fact that Lowry is a fantastic screener.

While this will be looked to often, normal pick and rolls will be just as effective. As seen in the last clip, Lowry knows when to hit guys on the short roll and Butler knows how to score at a high level off the short roll. It’s a perfect match.

Adebayo will just need to provide enough of an off the catch presence to maximize that two-man set.

What PnR Improvement Benefits this Team the Most?

I should start this section off by saying Robinson’s game is not going to be flying in a bunch of different directions just because he got paid. He’s going to continue to play his simple spot-up role, while a needed jump in field goal attempts will be the hope.

But if you were to ask what pick and roll asset changes things most, it’s Robinson ball-handling.

The reason for that is displayed in the clip above. He’s constantly blanketed when flying off the off-ball screens, which at times leads to Adebayo flowing into his next option. But as seen here, this is a fun wrinkle.

Reverses his direction with a swing through motion, keeps his dribble alive inside the arc, and finishes it out with a lob pass to Adebayo. The interesting part about this is it came a minute into the game, meaning that may have been a hopeful trial from the coaching staff to sprinkle in.

Of course it wasn’t great containment from the defense, since worrying about Robinson floating down the middle of the lane with Adebayo on your hip is an odd choice.

But if this can be used in a very small sample size, since over-usage will lead to fast elimination, it could be huge for their offense and a major headache for opposing defenses.

A New Markieff Morris Staple: Popping

Markieff Morris will no doubt be the back-up 4 for this Heat team. Other than a lack of true depth, the reason I’m more confident than others is that he brings something that the other front-court options don’t.

PJ Tucker will be stationed in the corner, Dewayne Dedmon will predominantly be a roller, and KZ Okpala won’t be a primary option. The only other guy who can portray this specific skill is Omer Yurtseven.

Morris was a huge part of the Lakers’ horn sets, where two guys are screening at the top of the key on each side with the other two players in the corner. He was the popper in these sets for a few reasons: 1) he’s a threat above the break as a shooter and 2) it’s the one spot of the floor he can truly play-make.

When Miami use him as a simple pick and pop threat, will defenses respect it enough to worry about it briefly? That’ll be the question when the season begins, but his task will just be as simple as knocking down open threes at a decent clip to make this work.

Morris is also a very physical screener which adds to this point, but everything comes back to him being the only rotational big who can pop out effectively and potentially make teams pay.

Could We See Some PnR Ball-Handling Reps for Adebayo?

What is your main takeaway from the play above?

Was it Adebayo’s decisiveness to flow into a hard drive? Was it the two hard clear-outs by Robinson and Victor Oladipo to give Adebayo space?

If it was either of those two, the same point is reached: the Heat have been trying to find ways to get Adebayo downhill. Even though he can probably do it on his own in space consistently, there’s been a plethora of back-screening, simple clear-outs, and more creative actions to get this done.

But what if they just find a 4-5 pick and pop duo with Adebayo as the ball-handler?

This may be something that could come up way down the line of the season, but it’s something that has crossed my mind when diving into this stuff. As I like to call it, it’s the Yurtseven move.

There is 100% going to be a point in the season when Adebayo and Yurtseven are sharing the floor, and it just feels like they would have to at least try it out. Guys like Meyers Leonard could shoot from deep, but there wasn’t enough versatility to quickly screen, spin out into his spot, and fire away.

Yurtseven has that.

If they’re facing a bigger team, they will place the slower big onto Yurtseven which is a clear Heat advantage. The reason for that is Yurtseven can bring that slow-footed big out to the elbow, giving Adebayo the green light to attack in space against a back-pedaling big with zero chance.

We could see a similar thing with Butler screening for Adebayo to get to the rim, but it just eliminates the kick-out threat off the pop. Like I said before, this is something that won’t be a feature early on, but I won’t be shocked if it eventually turns into a positive element in Miami’s offense.

A Change of Speed for Tyler Herro

Tyler Herro has built a recent rhythm with athletic bigs who are lob threats. It’s a perfect combination for young guards, due to the fact they play at a very fast pace and have that instinctive outlet.

An evolving chemistry with Adebayo to a positive looking bench duo with Precious Achiuwa. But now, Herro will have a slight change of speed with his big man side-kick Dewayne Dedmon.

He may not be that athletic rim rocker, but he is a veteran big who is very efficient around the basket and just needs that ball in catching range in the interior to get up a good look. And well, that is what Herro needs.

Somebody that will slow him down a bit, bring down the rushing levels from the last two seasons, and give him a simple big who isn’t asking for much. He’s going to rebound, set screens, and give Herro the pathway to be the fantastic scorer that he is.

That’s the picture perfect big man for Herro off the bench.

Now, of course Herro will still be getting plenty of minutes alongside Adebayo, so those fast-paced opportunities will still be there. But minutes with starters aren’t what many are worried about heading in, it’s his level of comfort with a bunch of on-ball reps with multiples reserves.

And yet, I think Dedmon is ultimately the guy that pushes Herro in the right direction offensively in his new role.

These two-man combos are endless when thinking through them, and that’s an absolute field day for Erik Spoelstra. Yes, most pick and rolls are just instinctive flows from players when things breakdown, but in a Heat offense under Spo, there’s always extra layers to the PnR that eliminates the early season predictability.

 

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Answering More of Your Off-Season Questions on the Miami Heat

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As we get closer and closer to the start of the new NBA season, it’s no longer about evaluating the team’s potential moves or next steps in terms of organizational decision making. Now, it’s about projecting forward onto the season how specific players, or the team as a whole, will produce on the floor together.

Instead of continuing my series on the different offensive sets and actions I think Miami will be using next season, we’re coming back to answering your guys’ questions about this new roster.

So, let’s hop right into it…

It’s important to begin this answer by making something clear: Goran Dragic has been absolutely huge for this team in recent years, which is an obvious statement.

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But at this point in Kyle Lowry and Dragic’s career, there isn’t one major attribute that Dragic does better than Lowry. So that pretty much sums up the positional upgrade from Dragic to Lowry.

Lowry is a better passer, shooter, defender, and this list can grow longer and longer. And that’s nothing against the skill-set of Dragic, but I feel the aging game of Lowry’s fits the mold of this Heat team much more. Someone who can get a bucket at all three levels whenever it’s necessary, gets Bam Adebayo in comfort spots, and changes the direction of their defensive status.

Even if you were to make an irrational statement and call the scoring comparisons a wash, the defensive end is the major upgrade. This team doesn’t want to have a bunch of weak defenders in their back-court in every possible lineup, which was a focus in roster construction this off-season.

It should go without saying, but Lowry is a huge upgrade over Dragic, especially come playoff time when things slow down.

Whenever I’m asked about the potential “ceiling” of players, I never want to go too extreme. Of course you’re projecting the best final product of a specific player, but it should be slightly realistic in that same sense.

To that point, Marcus Garrett’s ceiling is a very valuable 3 and D guard. When looking at KZ Okpala for example, that would be ideal to have that type of label in the near future, but up to this point, nothing has shown me that’s somewhat possible.

Garrett, on the other hand, has shown some minor flashes in limited amount of Summer League minutes. There’s no doubt in my mind he will be a lock-down defender at the next level, due to the fact he doesn’t have one single weakness on that side of the floor.

Active hands, quick feet, on-ball control, off-ball predictability. It’s not normal to have that within a skill-set this soon, but well, Garrett has shown that he has all that and more. And by the way, that means Miami should be locking in on securing him on a two-way contract as soon as possible.

But as I said before, his ceiling would be a sufficient spot-up shooter on offense. He can finish at the rim but I can’t see him getting down there often. He has a smooth mid-range jumper when he’s in space, but shot creating puts some things in question.

It all comes down to the development in the outside shot, and in a Heat system, I’m confident that he will obtain that quickly.

I think most people will agree that this Heat team will go as far as Bam Adebayo takes them. It’s not about pure domination offensively. It’s not about playing outside of his comfort zone. It’s just about believing in his own game to take the shots that are being given to him.

A lot of the Heat’s premier players will be around the same amount of shot attempts per game this regular season. But if he ends up being the team’s leader in shot attempts this year, I’m 100% confident saying this team is a 3 seed.

And well, that pretty much answers the fact that Adebayo is the true X-factor.

Now, in terms of who else can be an x-factor this season, it’s more about a specific position than a specific player. And that is corner spacing.

As I’ve noted while diving into Miami’s offensive scheme, the scoring production will heavily ride on the amount of pull their corner shooters have on a defense in the Heat’s base sets. Can PJ Tucker force enough reluctancy to eliminate constant lane close-offs? Can Markieff Morris take a shooting efficiency leap?

That’s the true x-factor. That will be the difference between Miami winning a playoff series and not even being competitive in one.

This may be a bit of an odd answer, but it is something I want to see more of: Bam PnR ball-handling.

We saw more of it with Duncan Robinson pushing his own defender into a screen for open lanes which worked perfectly, but there should be an expansion of that. Of course the addition of a true point guard may not make you think that, but it may be even better for Lowry and crew.

For one, continuing to see Robinson’s screening develop will be huge. When he slips screens and utilizes ghost screens, good things happen. You’re taking a chance on a possible defensive miscommunication, sending two out on Robinson, due to that continually being the main focus when he shifts out.

But what if we saw this stuff without Robinson?

This would be the Omer Yurtseven effect essentially. If Miami could end up running some 4-5 pick and pop with Adebayo having the ball in his hands, why not try it out?

Up to this point, the focus has always been about getting Adebayo to flow downhill in anyway possible. Pocket pass receptions out of high PnR, elbow touches, or the occasional lob pass.

But him gaining the confidence to take guys off the dribble in space to get to the cup would be huge for this team. And as Jimmy Butler said when I asked him about Adebayo doing this, “He’s damn near unguardable whenever he’s playing like that.”

I think this can be answered in a couple different ways, depending on if you’re evaluating it on paper or projecting forward, but there are some mutual points for both.

On paper, it’s pretty easy to say that the team will decline in bench scoring. Losing Dragic as a back-up point guard and replacing him with Gabe Vincent means you’re heavily relying on an offensive jump from Vincent. Tyler Herro will also be looked to as a much bigger option in their offense whenever he’s on the floor with the bench unit.

Obviously keeping Dewayne Dedmon means no drop-off and Markieff Morris can produce at a similar offensive level as Andre Iguodala with higher upside, but the back-up back-court will be something to watch. Can Herro make that offensive leap? That is what shifts them from declining to improving.

Another quick offensive decline that I see happening is less mid-range shots. That may sound a bit odd, but losing Dragic and Kendrick Nunn means a lot of that will fade-away. The hope is Adebayo takes more in that area and Herro continues to get there comfortably, but I feel this team will be a very heavy paint and perimeter team.

Now, in terms of the team’s improvements, I think we can start with offensive clarity and flow. Some may think the addition of Lowry in the offense is being overstated at times, but the difference in flow will be noticed from the jump.

You don’t have to rely on Adebayo and Jimmy Butler triggering actions each and every possession. Of course they will still be their play-making selves, but it’s a weight off their shoulders. That’s the offensive clarity that will be improved upon.

And the other statistic improvement that will be made this season for Miami is three-point shooting in my opinion. Last season, the Heat were 14th in three-point makes, 11th in three-point attempts, and 19th in three-point percentage.

If I’m projecting forward on this topic, I think they’re in the top 10 of at least two of those categories. And that’s a pretty big improvement.

 

As I’ve said before, Omer Yurtseven’s role won’t just be getting spot minutes at the end of the season. He’s going to get plenty of opportunities from different spots right out the gate.

One of the main reasons for that is due to the fact I just don’t see Dewayne Dedmon playing 82 games of the regular season. Why was he the best player for Miami in that first round playoff series against the Bucks? Well, he had fresh legs following a 16 game regular season slate.

So that’s one way Yurtseven will absolutely be utilized this season, plugging in as the back-up big whenever he’s needed.

Now, the other way he will be used is just a Miami Heat formula. When a starter like PJ Tucker goes out for 1-2 games, it’s never the back-up 4 that trots into the starting lineup. It’s always the Gabe Vincent on a two-way contract who gets plugged in out of nowhere so it doesn’t mess up the rotation completly.

That’s the Yurtseven role.

No, he won’t be in the normal rotation, but he will get some starts throughout the season. And he’ll get plenty of the necessary NBA level reps to continue to develop.

 

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Miami Dolphins

Miami Dolphins 2021 Final 53-man roster tracker

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The Miami Dolphins have only two days to decide who will be on the final 53-man roster. Head coach Brian Flores has a very difficult job ahead of him, and a very painful one with the discussions he has to have with many young players.

But with all that said, the NFL is still a business. The Miami Dolphins have to decide who will best help the team moving forward. And Five Reasons Sports will be keeping an eye on all the moves Miami makes throughout the next 48 hours. Stay tuned here as the page will be refreshed throughout the day.

Miami Dolphins roster cuts

  • CB Tino Ellis
  • S Nate Holley
  • RB Jordan Scarlett
  • WR Khalil McClain
  • DE Tyshun Render
  • WR Robert Foster
  • C Matt Skura
  • FB Carl Tucker
  • LB Bernardrick McKinney
  • WR Kai Locksley
  • QB Reid Sinnett
  • TE Chris Myarick
  • DE Jonathan Ledbetter
  • CB Javaris Davis
  • CB Cre’Von LeBlanc
  • DE Jason Strowbridge
  • C Cameron Tom
  • RB Patrick Laird
  • G Durval Queiroz Neto (Roster Exception)
  • WR Kirk Merritt
  • WR Malcolm Perry

Miami Dolphins on Injured Reserve

  • OT Larnel Coleman

Analysis

The very first player to be released is cornerback Tino Ellis, per his agent Dan Saffron.

Ellis is an undrafted free agent out of Maryland that initially signed a 3-year, $2.28 million dollar contract with the New Orleans Saints back in 2020. He was soon placed on waivers with an injury designation. Once he cleared waivers, he was placed on the Saints’ injured reserve list, then signed on with the Miami Dolphins practice squad last October.

Ellis failed to stand out within a stacked Miami secondary, and now he’ll be looking for a new home unless he gets claimed or the Dolphins put him on their practice squad.

The next Dolphins player to be released is former CFL superstar Nate Holley.

Holley was initially an undrafted free agent of the Minnesota Vikings back in 2017, but was released prior to that preseason. In 2018 he decided to join the Indoor Football League, playing with the Nebraska Danger, where he recorded 23 tackles and a forced fumble in two games. After that, Holley had a brief stint with the Los Angeles Rams in training camp. Unfortunately, that also did not work out. So, in 2019, Holley shifted his focus to the Canadian Football League.

Holley was named the league’s Most Outstanding Rookie with the Calgary Stampeders. During the 18 games he played there, he recorded 100 tackles, a sack, and an interception as a linebacker, the same position he played at Kent State.
Nate Holley had some real standout moments during training camp and preseason chasing down defenders. It would not be a surprise if the Dolphins opted to stash him on the practice squad if he clears waivers.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald is reporting that the Miami Dolphins have released running back Jordan Scarlett and wide receiver Khalil McClain.

Scarlett was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2019 NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers, before injuries to his knee and ankle landed him on injured reserve. He spent 2020 with the Detroit Lions on their practice squad, then signed a reserve/future contract with the Dolphins this past January.
In training camp, Scarlett showed a certain amount of agility, but he seemed slow to make his decisions and could never stand out above the likes of Gerrid Doaks, who the Dolphins drafted in the 7th round of the 2021 draft.
If Scarlett makes it to the practice squad, he’s talented enough on special teams that he might be worth putting onto the practice squad.

Khalil McClain is a 6’4″ beast of a wide receiver who went undrafted and signed on with the Jacksonville Jaguars in May 2019. He was cut at the end of training camp, signed on with the Atlanta Falcons, and missed out on the 2020 season with an injury.

Afterwards, McClain signed on with the Chicago Bears this past May, only to be waived again about two months later. McClain has incredible physical traits, but he isn’t particularly quick, which makes him a liability when trying to gain separation. Perhaps McClain should consider a move to tight end, given the way the game is changing. Facing linebackers and safeties would be much better if he wants a long-term NFL career. He’s already tall enough, he just needs to bulk up.

The Miami Dolphins have now opted to part ways with defensive end Tyshun Render, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson.

Render is a hard-hitting undrafted free agent who was originally signed by the Dolphins back in 2020. He didn’t make the final cut last year either, but he was quickly added to the practice squad after clearing waivers. He was active for Weeks 5 and 14 that season, but did not record any stats.

Tyshun Render should be a priority practice squad addition again this season. He has qualities to his game that make him worth investing in, not the least of which is his strong effort level on every play. Technique is his main weakness, but that can be taught.

Per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson, the Miami Dolphins have released speedy wide receiver Robert Foster with an injury settlement. Foster’s release marks the second wide receiver Miami has parted ways with so far, along with Khalil McClain.

The 27-year old Foster is a former Alabama player. During Foster’s final year there, he saw limited action with Tua Tagovailoa as a freshman. While his productivity in college was limited thanks to injuries and a loaded wide receiver room, Foster’s talent is undeniable. His rookie year with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent is proof positive.

If another team doesn’t pick him up, he can be eligible for the practice squad as a veteran.

In an unfortunate turn of events, the Miami Dolphins have opted to release veteran center Matt Skura. This effectively ends the experiment where Miami hoped he’d return to form and earn the starting job.

Skura infamously suffered from snapping problems with the Baltimore Ravens. This ultimately led to his release and allowed the Dolphins to try and revive his career. Before the snapping issues took hold, Skura was well on his way to becoming one of the league’s top centers. Unfortunately, with the Dolphins, Skura never emerged as the clear starter. Ultimately, the job was given to third-year offensive lineman Michael Deiter.

By releasing Skura, the Dolphins save $1,350,000 in cap space. Miami undoubtedly is watching their budget carefully with all the extensions that players are due next season, not the least of which is tight end Mike Gesicki.

In a stunning move, the Miami Dolphins have released veteran linebacker Benardrick McKinney. The 28-year old McKinney was acquired along with a 7th round pick via trade from the Houston Texans back in March in exchange for Shaq Lawson and a 6th round pick. Now, with this move, neither team has the player they traded for, as Lawson was traded to the New York Jets days earlier.

In releasing McKinney, Miami saves $2,250,000 in cap space. This is after McKinney took a pay cut to become more team friendly. Now he’ll be looking for work just two weeks before the season is set to begin.

The release of McKinney is a big surprise because the veteran’s performance indicated he was on the fast track to being a starter. However, as pointed out by Alfredo Arteaga of the “3 Yards Per Carry” podcast, McKinney’s role is not a coveted one in today’s speed-based NFL. The return of Elandon Roberts made McKinney expendable, as they both do the exact same job and Miami decided that they did not need two of the same player.

Given the track record of Brian Flores, this may not be the first shocker move the Dolphins make. More are sure to come as Miami continues to trim the roster.

The Miami Dolphins have waived rookie FB/TE Carl Tucker.

Tucker went undrafted out of Alabama and was signed on to the Dolphins roster as a free agent. Obviously, Tua Tagovailoa knows him well from his college days. But Tucker failed to make any sort of real impact and didn’t stand out in practice or in the preseason. His best chance to make an NFL roster is to the route that Charles Clay did and try to become a tight end type of player. Fullbacks, unfortunately, are not in high demand in today’s NFL.

Per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson, rookie offensive lineman Larnel Coleman will likely be placed on injured reserve as he goes in for knee surgery. This report was confirmed by Armando Salguero and the Sun Sentinel’s David Furones.

Coleman is a promising 7th round draft pick out of Umass Amherst with incredibly long arms that helped be a starter in college at both tackle positions. He had moments in practice this season that caught some positive attention, but his final preseason performance was disappointing at best. With Coleman going in for surgery and needing months to recover, that makes him an instant candidate for the injured reserve list, which means Miami will technically get to stash him for free until next season. That also saves at least one player from having to be outright cut.

Another wide receiver has been cut from the all-too loaded list, as the Miami Dolphins waived Kai Locksley.

Locksley was a QB at UTEP and converted to wide receiver, which created some interesting possibilities similarly to the way Malcolm Perry does. However, as a wide receiver, Locksley’s chances of making the team were painfully slim. If he clears waivers, he could be brought back to the practice squad.

The unfortunate but expected end of Reid Sinnett as a Miami Dolphins QB has finally come to an end.

Sinnett caught the attention and the hearts of Dolphins fans everywhere this past Sunday. During the final preseason game of 2021, Sinnett completed 22 out of 33 passes for 343 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

The second touchdown of the day he threw came on a Hail Mary pass in the final minutes of the game. It was tight end Chris Myarick who leaped up and came down with it in the endzone to put Miami on top, erasing the excitement of the super serious Bengals fans who desperately wanted them to win.

Naturally, Sinnett is wanted back on the practice squad. After his final performance, it’s going to be interesting to see if he clears waivers.

Tight end Chris Myarick has once again not made the final 53-man roster, and will likely land on the practice squad for another season with the Miami Dolphins.

Chris Myarick has been on and off the Dolphins roster for the past few seasons now, always showing solid skill but never doing enough to stand out above his teammates. His most notable moment in his career is making the Hail Mary catch in the endzone in the preseason from Reid Sinnett. If nothing else, he’s always a solid emergency option for Miami if the worst comes to pass. Expect to see him return to the practice squad.

Dolphins defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter has been waived per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson.

Ledbetter signed with the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent back in 2019, and has only played in one game mostly due to injuries to other players. In that game against the Ravens, he recorded half a sack and four tackles before going onto injured reserve.

The Dolphins have waived cornerbacks Javaris Davis and Cre’Von LeBlanc, shrinking down the already loaded secondary.

Davis is actually the cousin of former Dolphins cornerback Vontae Davis. While he hasn’t showed superstar potential like his cousin, Javaris Davis has shown enough that Miami wants him back on the practice squad. Ironically enough, Davis was teammates with first round pick Noah Igbinoghene at Auburn, and has much more experience than him at playing cornerback.

LeBlanc, on the other hand, has NFL experience and has been around the league. He originally went undrafted in 2016 and was signed by the Patriots, which means he has a connection to head coach Brian Flores. He was waived with an injury designation that same year, but was claimed by the Chicago Bears, where he made his first career interception off of Matthew Stafford and returned it for a touchdown.

LeBlanc spent a stint with the Eagles and started showing his full potential there, but injuries have derailed his career. He signed with the Dolphins as a free agent earlier during training camp, but ultimately didn’t impress anyone.

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

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Durval Queiroz Neto

Durval Queiroz Neto may soon hold key to Dolphins OL stability

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It’s been a long time coming, but Brazilian superstar Durval Queiroz Neto is finally starting to show signs that he’s ready for the NFL level.

“The credit goes to Durval.” Head coach Brian Flores said on Tuesday. “I think he’s done a great job of training, nutrition, all the things you need to do to give yourself an opportunity or give yourself a chance. He’s gotten some opportunities in these preseason games and done a good job. We’ll see. I think he’s eager to play. He’s as competitive as anyone on this team. He’s eager to learn and we’ll just keep working with him. If we feel like he can help us in regular season games, we’ll make that decision.”

Naturally, when the time came to trim down to 53 players, Durval Queiroz Neto did not make the roster. Miami still has one more year through the International Player Pathway Program to have a roster exception for him. But just being able to play means a lot to Neto. He’s played in the preseason, but what he wants more than anything is to suit up in the regular season.

“This is everything I want since I came here.” Neto said last month. “Every day I practice, practice and practice. For the last two years, I’ve been watching all of my teammates on the weekends go for the game and I have to stay. Every week has made me more hungry for that. I want that. I want to be in a game. Nothing is more important for me than being in a game to help my team.”

If nothing else, Durval Queiroz Neto serves as a perfect example of what can happen when an athlete is given time to learn, develop, and grow into the role he’s being groomed for. Throughout the preseason, Neto showed an amazing level of strength and explosiveness as a blocker.

 

 

Considering where he came from, this is no small feat. This is the Miami Dolphins coaching staff tutoring him from the ground up. Neto comes from a background as a judo champion. Much has been said about how that’s helped his footwork and hand placement. But Neto came to Miami as a defensive lineman. It’s what he always wanted to do. So when he got the news he was being moved, he was shocked.

“When I first came here, they had a coach, Dave DeGuglielmo, the o-line coach.” Neto said. “He was watching my practice every day and saying, ‘hey ‘Q,’ we have a white jersey ready for you. You need to make that move.’ I’d say ‘coach, I was born to play d-line.’ When they signed him to be the main o-line coach, he asked for me and ‘Coach Flo’ (Brian Flores) talked with me and I decided to make the move. From there, they spent a lot of time and patience teaching me everything I know right now as an o-lineman.”

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His hard work and dedication to his craft have made him a fan favorite player. It’s also earned him the respect of his teammates, including veteran lineman Jesse Davis, who’s watched him from the very beginning.

“I think ‘Q,’ from the day he’s got here from switching from defensive line to offensive line, he’s improved greatly.” Davis said last month. “He’s done everything the coaches asked him to do and he’s still trying to do everything he can. I think he’s done a really good job with it.”

Durval Queiroz Neto is all but dominating the competition he’s facing at this stage. Perhaps with one last year of training, Neto will be able to not only make the 53-man roster, but compete for a starting position as well. That would finally give Miami some level of stability on the offensive line.

May patience prevail.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

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The Importance of Elbow Touches in Heat Offensive Scheming

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When a team doesn’t have a true play-making point guard to run the show offensively, there’s always a slight change of pace in terms of the way they trigger actions. Luckily for the Miami Heat, a young play-making big like Bam Adebayo makes the game-plan pretty clear heading into a season.

There’s two ways that he has been highly effective as a passer within the team’s offensive sets: 1) Creating on the move following the roll on the screen and 2) Setting up on the elbow.

Adebayo really began to take some major offensive leaps when his shooting reluctancy faded slightly and grew comfortable with taking shots in the mid-range area. That led to a very high frequency of elbow touches for him this past season.

Kyle Lowry being added to this roster definitely takes away some play-making duties from Adebayo in those spots, but it definitely doesn’t change his overall usage in that area.

Why not look back at Adebayo’s scoring masterclass, putting up 41 points against the Brooklyn Nets in a multitude of ways. He wasn’t doing it in ways that most bigs acquire 40 points in this league. He was doing it like a skilled perimeter player.

Facing up at the elbow and flying in plenty of different directions. Jab steps immediately into a jumper, swiping through for clear paths to the rim, and shot creating in ways we truly hadn’t seen up to that point.

Those are the elbow touches many want to see from Adebayo. He no longer has the pressure to play-make over the top of the defense for simple sprays or back-cuts, even though he will still sprinkle that stuff in due to his unselfish mentality.

But it’s now about opening up the scoring role from that spot in true Barclays Center fashion.

It’s not even just about him putting the ball in the basket, since it’s much more about the big picture effectiveness of a Heat offense. As stated in the past, we’re going to see a lot more diversity in this motion offense with the new weapons added to the roster. So, it’s up to him to maximize the spacing in that environment.

If he can add any bit of stress to help defenders when he stations himself at the elbow or free throw line, that’s an automatic win for the Heat. Once he builds the scouting report for teams to double him in that area so he can’t iso bigs inside the arc, the play-making opens right back up, which is the ultimate goal.

It shouldn’t be picking times to play-make and picking times to score. It just has to be natural. And if the surrounding spacers can do their job consistently, I have no doubt that Adebayo will flow much more naturally with those elbow touches next season.

Now, when talking about offense being run through the elbow, this isn’t just an Adebayo topic, even though it’s necessary to start there. A bunch of different players can benefit from this, and it begins with Kyle Lowry.

Looking at the play above, this is something Toronto did a lot of last season, using Lowry in more than one way in this specific action. Fred VanVleet inserts the ball to Lowry in a high post position, which sometimes will be a bit lower on the floor, before sprinting into a pin-down for a good look from three.

When seeing this, I bet many of you are picturing Duncan Robinson in that spot. But well, I’m not sure I agree exactly.

Robinson is a unique player in terms of the way he is guarded. As we saw last years, simple pin-downs just aren’t really going to work for him anymore with the amount of attention that he gets on a regular basic.

Tyler Herro, on the other hand, fits this set perfectly.

The Lowry-Herro back-court is an interesting one when projecting forward, due to the fact Lowry can enhance the one skill of Herro’s that he struggled with this past-season: spot-up threes.

Inserting him into these sets allow him to get good catch and shoot looks early on, which may be one of the most important stat-line improvements for this Heat team to have success. Combining Lowry’s wide frame and passing ability in these spots of the floor is very intriguing from a game-planning perspective.

Now, as mentioned previously, they’re going to shift Lowry around a bit. He’s an incredible player off the ball as a spot-up shooter and decoy, meaning these pin-downs can be the set up for him above the break. And well, it isn’t the worst thing in the world to put Jimmy Butler in high post positioning for play-making.

His downhill gravity when facing up always attracts those corner defenders. So if they jump that pin-down action, it means plenty of open space to navigate as an attacker, or potential lob pass to the roller off that initial screen.

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Working things through the elbow will mostly be seen in a similar way next season, except it’ll be used completely different. The mind-set and go-to moves in that spot will be changing for each player who fills up that area of the floor.

And once again, all of these pieces on the Heat’s offensive scheming come back to the same point: the effectiveness will largely ride on the shooting of their corner spacers. If this team makes defenses pay on open corner sprays, it changes the entire offensive dynamic in both the regular season and post-season.

 

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Deshaun Watson

Should the Dolphins Trade for Deshaun Watson?

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The Deshaun Watson trade rumors began to heat up again Saturday when multiple reports came out saying that the Miami Dolphins were considered to be  “frontrunners” to land the 25-year-old star quarterback.

Why the Dolphins should trade for Deshaun Watson:

Miami’s front office has constructed one of the best overall rosters that the Dolphins have had in decades. They arguably have one of the best defenses in the league, demonstrated last season by leading the league in defensive takeaways. They’ve also done a good job of bolstering their offense by adding speedy receivers Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle. In addition to that, it seems that they have finally found the right coach in Brian Flores.

For years, the biggest question mark in Miami has been the quarterback. Tagovailoa looked shaky in the nine games he appeared in last season as a rookie. A superstar quarterback like Deshaun Watson could be just what the Dolphins need to take them to the next level. Watson already has good chemistry with Will Fuller from their days in Houston. If the Dolphins feel this team is a quarterback away from being legitimate Super Bowl contenders, then it might be time to get aggressive and go all-in on Deshaun Watson. 

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Why the Dolphins should not trade for Deshaun Watson:

There’s no denying Watson is a greater talent than Tagovailoa. However, there are many possible cons to bringing a guy like Watson in. The number one concern with Watson is his legal issues. There are currently 22 ongoing civil lawsuits against Watson from massage therapists claiming Watson engaged in some form of sexual misconduct with them. The Dolphins could be making a colossal mistake bringing in a guy who might have to go to jail midseason.

Also, the Texans are currently asking for a King’s ransom in return for Watson. The current asking price is three first round picks and two second round picks. Also, isn’t it a little late to be trading for a starting quarterback? Tagovailoa has been running this offense for the entire preseason and training camp. Bringing in Watson this close to the season could result in early season struggles for Miami while Watson gets adjusted to the Dolphins scheme. 

Goldman’s Opinion:

Before all of the legal allegations surfaced, I was the number one supporter of a trade involving the Miami Dolphins and Deshaun Waston. I believe in the way this roster is constructed. And I think a quarterback like Watson would put the Dolphins in the same category as the Bills, Chiefs, Bucs, and Packers. The Dolphins have a history of “almost” landing big name quarterbacks. First with Drew Brees not passing his physical, then failing to land Peyton Manning in 2011.

Missing out on Watson would have the Dolphins going for the hat trick. Also the Dolphins have the best assets to make a deal with the Texans. Tua Tagovailoa would most likely be used as a bargaining chip in this deal. In addition to Tua, the Fins would probably have to give up at least one first round pick. That isn’t that big of a deal for Miami because they stocked up on draft picks by moving back in this offseason’s draft. On paper this seems like a no-brainer for Miami. However these legal allegations do raise a high level of concern.

Grier needs to do his homework on this one. If there is any part of his mind that thinks these legal allegations could become a big problem then he should not make the trade. He needs to be 100% sure, but if Grier and the rest of the Dolphins front office can get 100% sure about this then I would absolutely advise them to pull the trigger on Watson. Generational QB talents like Watson don’t become available all too often.

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

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Diving into Heat’s Usage of Double Drag Ball Screens

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Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat are known for being pretty creative offensively, especially when the post-season comes around to surprise opposing teams’ defensive scheming.

Another thing to note about the actions they base things around is that they aren’t afraid to take chances. Just look back at the sharpshooting undrafted player, Duncan Robinson, who immediately transformed the way the offense was being ran.

If Spoelstra and company can do that with limited resources, it just makes you think about the creative scheming that will occur this upcoming season with plenty of versatile players who carry different strengths.

So, in this new series, I will be diving into a different offensive set every single day, highlighting the reasons it can be so effective and which players will be utilized within it.

We’re going to be starting out with a personal favorite, double drag, due to the fact it maximizes the skill-sets of the current squad. A high-level catch and shoot guy, multiple facilitators to run the set, corner spacers, and a dynamic and athletic roller.

We’ve seen it with this team in past years, but there’s no doubt in my mind the frequency of it will increase majorly next season. So let’s take a look into why it should be used exactly….

As you’ve seen with Miami in recent years, there’s not one way to run double drag in terms of spacing. They’ve always pretty much had diversity in play set-up, but there was never any diversity in who was running it.

Looking at the clip above, we see Goran Dragic setting up the action with Duncan Robinson about to pop out and Bam Adebayo ready to roll. But when dissecting these plays, the effectiveness is always about the players outside of the action.

With this specific spacing, Dragic is flowing into the side of the floor that Kendrick Nunn and Kelly Olynyk are setting up shop, meaning the options are either a lob to Adebayo or a corner kick-out.

And well, everything revolves around that corner shooter.

We’ve seen these type of sets being run in the past with Andre Iguodala waiting in the corner, but that was pretty much a signal for the defender to become a premium tagger, daring the ball-handler to make that kick-out.

Even with Olynyk on this play, there’s a little more reluctancy. He recovers late for the contest and Olynyk buries it, which is why a lot of this will revolve around the corner shooting of PJ Tucker.

If that corner triple is falling for him consistently throughout the season, this action will be pretty close to unstoppable for opposing defenses due to their being zero weaknesses in the specific positioning.

Now, it’s not always about the ball-handler flowing into the two shooters, since positioning can always be flipped. Take a look at this screen-shot above, and you can pretty much tell why I don’t love this type of spacing for Miami.

Butler would flow into an empty corner with the hope a 2 on 1 will be forced with him and Adebayo, but that just isn’t likely. Layers were added to this play, ending in an eventual Robinson three, but the point is that baseline defender can cheat over as the other weak-side defender slides down.

Basically, it doesn’t maximize this team’s skill-set as much. If they had a speedy guard who can turn the corner with some explosiveness, that’s a different story. But they have two ball-handlers, in Butler and Kyle Lowry, who just want time to dissect defenses instead of getting out in front.

Before looking into another form of double drag above, it should be mentioned the different ways players can be utilized.

Of course Robinson will exclusively be a popper in this set, but there’s ways to mix him around a bit. Putting him in the action pulls defenders away when he slips the screen, but allowing him to sit in the corner will do wonders as well.

Allow the team’s three best players to navigate the defense, while Robinson sits in the corner daring his man to duck down even in the slightest fashion. We all know Robinson is Erik Spoelstra’s weapon, which is a main reason this action makes so much sense at a higher frequency level.

Now, the addition of Lowry makes things much more interesting. Butler and Lowry can switch off being the ball-handler in this set, and there’s a case to be made for both of them.

Using Butler as the ball-handler means that Lowry can be used as a popper/corner spacer, which definitely makes the most sense. If you’re sticking Butler in the corner, the free-lance tagging begins to occur which makes things quite pointless.

With that said, Lowry feels like the guy who will be running it more in the big picture. It’s the perfect go-to when Butler takes a quick breather, and allows Lowry to play to his strengths for possible above the break pull-up threes or simple lobs.

Anyway, back to the original clip above, it’s once again a bit different than the last. Instead of packing one side of the floor, they put one player in each corner, which is a sign that they’re confident in that open corner three.

The corner kick-out is usually the end result if the defense doesn’t have a miscue, but as seen above, that’s exactly what happens. LeBron James makes sure to communicate he’s staying on Robinson, which is most team’s main focus, but the other two defenders go to Butler. Olynyk slips, Butler feeds, and it ends in 2 points.

The original point of double drag ball screens are early offense. It’s kind of the initial call when flowing down the floor, waiting for this type of miscommunication to occur. But could we see it go from early offense to late-game offense?

Absolutely.

While it’s used mostly in the first half of the shot-clock, it may be a go-to down the stretch of games this season.

And after Miami has had some trouble recently with their back against the shot-clock, early offense will be key for them, which will be a big part of Lowry’s job to begin the season. He may be a veteran, but he plays at a fast pace.

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Adding a point guard wasn’t just to set up specific players on the perimeter or alley-oops to Adebayo. It was to take control of offense in this way so Butler doesn’t constantly have to.

Since I’ve continued to bring up the point about “adding layers” to these things in a Heat offense, here’s a glimpse of how that could look.

A lot of times in this action, the initial double drag can be used as a distraction for the off-ball movement that’s being set-up on the weak-side. In the clip above, this is an example why they may not always put Robinson in the screening role.

After Reggie Jackson goes through the two screens, Kawhi Leonard is setting a pin-down for Paul George to fly off of. In this case, Robinson would be playing the George role.

And well, that probably would’ve been more than enough room for him to fire for a good look. But aside from that, this is why the Heat will need that one-dribble pull-up option from Robinson. When defenders are running at full speed for the expected movement shot from deep, that simple combo changes the game for these type of layers.

This is also stuff I see them running for Herro, due to the fact it could get him flowing downhill without needing an on-ball screen. Giving him the reigns to the bench unit is one thing, but giving him actions that he’s comfortable in will be even better for him, which will consist of him running double drag screens as the ball-handler as well with the reserves.

I could go on all day about the different things they can, or will, add on to this, but you probably get the idea: offensive weapons = very good things.

It’s not the easiest thing in the world to run a high-level motion offense without a true point guard, but that hole has finally been filled. And now, Spoelstra can open up the play-book exactly the way he likes to.

 

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Miami Dolphins

Preseason Week 3 – Miami Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals: 5 players to watch

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The end is near. Preseason is nearly over, and so is the tenure of some players on the Miami Dolphins roster bubble. Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, many of these players are getting one last chance to shine and prove they’re worth keeping on the team. Whether that’s with the Dolphins, or another team, remains to be seen.

But regardless, the game still has to be played. Amidst the dramatic rumors once again surfacing of a trade for Texans QB Deshaun Watson, and the return of linebacker Vince Biegel to the injured reserve list, here are the top five players to watch on Sunday.

1. Shaquem Griffin – LB

Perhaps no one has more to gain in this final preseason game than Shaquem Griffin. For what his role on the team is, Griffin has a lot of competition. But now that Vince Biegel is back on IR, Griffin’s chances of making the final roster have increased drastically. Like Biegel, Griffin’s best attributes are speed and raw effort. He can be useful as an extra blitzer on passing downs, and he’ll get plenty of action on special teams.

Griffin still has a lot to overcome, however. The linebacker corps is loaded with talent, and it’s unlikely the Dolphins keep a surplus of linebackers just to keep Griffin. He’ll have to put on a drastic performance if he really wants to stick in Miami.

There is some extra hope, however. With the practice squad retaining last season’s COVID-19 rules, the Dolphins can retain six players on their squad with more than two accrued seasons of NFL experience. So if no one else decides to sign him, Griffin can be stashed there. If he does well enough, some other team may add him to their roster. If not, it isn’t hard to speculate Griffin will be a top priority addition.

2. Jason Strowbridge – DE

While Jason Strowbridge is likely to be another quick candidate for the practice squad if he’s waived, he would like to make the final 53-man roster. Problem is, Strowbridge hasn’t done much to really stand out above the rest of his teammates.

He does have one thing going for him, however. Unlike Jonathan Ledbetter and Tyshun Render, his main competitors at defensive end, Strowbridge was actually drafted by the Dolphins. Miami’s front office thought so highly of him, they drafted him in the 5th round of the 2020 NFL draft. Both Render and Ledbetter were undrafted free agents. Teams have a tendency to give a certain amount of bias towards players they invested assets into.

Of course, head coach Brian Flores has never been shy about moving on from players, even higher profile ones. If Render or Ledbetter flash more than Strowbridge does in this last game, they may get the nod over him.

3. Greg Mancz – OL

Once the Miami Dolphins traded for Greg Mancz, the competition got that much tighter for everyone else. More than likely, the veteran Mancz will be viewed as a center, which does not bode well for the likes of Matt Skura, who hasn’t lived up to his lofty expectations. Skura hasn’t even managed to beat out Michael Deiter for the starting center position. Granted, Deiter has been decent for the most part, but certainly not dominant.

So where does this leave Mancz? Reports out of Baltimore indicate that Mancz would not have made the 53-man roster for the Ravens. But apparently GM Chris Grier thinks highly enough of Mancz that he didn’t want to risk another team picking him up first. Mancz’s history with co-offensive coordinator George Godsey from his Houston Texans tenure doubtlessly has something to do with it as well.

Mancz can play at multiple positions on the offensive line, so as a depth move this makes sense. The reason for watching him is not to see if he makes the roster or not. It’s to see if the Dolphins can get something out of him the Ravens weren’t, because many Ravens fans are calling their GM a genius for making this move.

Losing trades isn’t something Chris Grier is known for, but it’s not unheard of either. A strong performance from Mancz on Sunday will alleviate some of the concerns.

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4. Patrick Laird – RB

This slot could have gone to either Laird or rookie Gerrid Doaks. This time the dubious honor goes to Laird simply because his effort hasn’t been enough for the eye test this year. Doaks isn’t a superstar by any means, but he has flashed enough to garner attention. And with the top three spots almost certainly going to Myles Gaskin, Salvon Ahmed and Malcolm Brown, that leaves maybe only one slot for another running back. Even Laird himself has nothing but good things to say about the 7th round pick.

“I think he’s done a really good job of transitioning into the NFL.” Laird said on Friday. “I think you guys have seen the clips. He runs hard. Gerrid is a good running back.”

Of course it’s unlikely that Laird would say anything else. He’s been nothing but the model teammate since arriving in Miami. However, he and Doaks will be having quite a battle for that final roster spot. If Laird gets cut, Miami would need to sacrifice one of their veteran practice squad spots to retain him. If Doaks is waived, he’ll need to get through waivers before the practice squad is even a possibility. That makes his situation much riskier.

Laird has always gotten by with his sheer effort and determination. But his physical ability is nothing to write home about. If Laird wants to be the team’s fourth running back, he’ll need to outplay Doaks, and by a rather significant margin. If he doesn’t, he’ll probably be on the outside looking in.

5. Malcolm Perry – WR

The former Navy superstar was really hyped up for his versatility when he was drafted in the 7th round last season. Unfortunately, none of the fantasies have become reality as of yet. No wildcat craziness, no surprise passes, no shifty running of the football. The Miami Dolphins have treated Malcolm Perry as just another normal cog in the machine. One could argue they’re saving his talents for an extreme emergency, but it’s hard to justify a roster spot for a gimmick.

With Lynn Bowden Jr. on IR for the season, Perry is the default gadget player. His skillset offers options that his biggest competition, Kirk Merritt does not. Perry can actually play running back and even quarterback if an extreme emergency happened. But Merritt is a more accomplished wide receiver as of this moment, so it boils down to what do the Miami Dolphins think they need more?

Even without Merritt, Perry will have to fight for his spot. His best chance to make the roster at this point is the unexpected departure of either Jakeem Grant or Preston Williams, two more established players who have rumors swirling around them whether Miami will continue to invest in them. Perry showing up and making plays against the Bengals will make the decision much more difficult for Brian Flores.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

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Miami Dolphins trade for offensive lineman Greg Mancz

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The Miami Dolphins are making yet another move on the offensive line. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Miami Dolphins have received offensive lineman Greg Mancz from the Baltimore Ravens by swapping late round draft picks.

It’s notable as Miami continues to make a flurry of moves along the offensive line to protect its franchise QB in Tua Tagovailoa. So far, the Dolphins have invested in assets such as Liam Eichenberg and Larnel Coleman through the draft.  Furthermore, they have signed players such as Matt Skura and Jermaine Eluemunor while trading for Isaiah Wilson and Greg Little.

Skura and Little are the only outside players remaining with the team.

Greg Mancz started off his career in Houston with the Texans and current offensive coordinator George Godsey. He started all 16 games at center with Houston in 2016. More than likely, center is the position Mancz will play with the Dolphins. This puts some added pressure on Michael Deiter and the aforementioned Skura.

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The Dolphins have a knack for having versatile lineman along the trenches and Mancz is just that. With Miami’s final preseason game on Sunday against the Bengals, Greg Mancz will be thrown right into the fire to see if he can potentially claim Skura or even Deiter’s spot.

Obviously, the Dolphins offensive line is still in question. Their decision to trade for Greg Mancz only further indicates they’re not keen on the idea of starting the season with what they already have. Even if Mancz works out, there will still be questions.

With any luck, the Dolphins will finally be fortunate enough to have one of their bargain hunts turn out right.

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