Are the Miami Dolphins on the Cusp of National Relevancy?

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It is time for Tua Tagovailoa to start at quarterback for the Miami Dolphins.

 

October 20th, 2020. The day came and Coach Flores decision to insert Tua into the starting lineup created shockwaves through the entire NFL and in a sense has created a paradigm shift that has it feeling like we are on cusp of being talked about on a regular basis. I know someone read that and are thinking the immense pressure being put on Tua is unfair for his first start, but the pressure was already there since April 23rd, 2020 when we drafted him higher than any other QB in Miami Dolphins history. After draft night we were universally received in the media as having made the right decision to draft him and that the next step was to get him healthy. Unfortunately, the decision to start Tua has not been as accepted as the decision to draft him.

 

Every and this is no exaggeration, every analyst has had an opinion on this decision. From how it was handled, to how Tua isn’t a complete year removed from his injury, how Our weapons aren’t good enough to help Tua and finally how our horrendous Oline will get Tua injured like in college. Having followed the Dolphins since 2004 I can firmly say that no singular player has had the media buzzing the way Tua has. Go down the line, Ricky Williams retiring and unretiring, Dante Culppeper being picked over Brees, Chad Pennington division championship year, Bradon Marshall being traded here and even the signing of Suh. None of the players or stories has created the type of national media frenzy the way the announcement to start Tua has.

 

Everyone from Collin Cowherd, Skip & Shannon, and all of ESPN (looking at you Mina, Dan, and Marcus) have all had a variety of opinions with most if not all being of the negative variety where they only focus on Tua’s injuries, the old perception of the Miami Dolphins having a terrible Oline, and the handling of the change of QB with regards to Fitzpatrick. I have to be frank that the overall lack of attention and knowledge to what truly is going on down here is appalling as this are people getting paid to make opinions without them even taking the time to find out the truth. Which leads me to post these 2 clips. One from Kyle Brandt and the other from Rich Eisen. The reason I chose these 2 clips is because they encompass my feelings toward Tua and what I feel like they are real expectations for what we can expect from him in first start.

 

 

Ultimately as Kyle mentioned, Tua is going to become Mr. 7a, where he will be discussed and analyzed every Monday morning at 7 am. I will take it a step forward and say that I believe Tua will be Mr. 7a for the next decade. After almost 2 weeks having passed from the decision to start to Tua, I can clearly see that this is what it means to be nationally relevant. Maybe not to the level of the Big 3 with the Heat but there has not been a more buzz worthy QB in Miami since Dan Marino and with that comes scrutiny which we have only just begun to see. Welcome guys, this new era of Miami Dolphins football begins now, let’s enjoy the ride.

Could Miami Take A Chance on Josh Jackson?

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Josh Jackson is another one of those young prospects who have yet to truly prove themselves, but are searching for that one opportunity.

Not many teams need a player like Josh Jackson due to the fact that he’s a liability on offense, but Miami seems like they could take a chance on him.

For starters, there’s a chance that Derrick Jones Jr could walk in free agency this off-season, and Josh seems like he could be the type of player to replicate some of the things he did.

He could be used as a spark for certain stretches when they’re having trouble defensively, since he’s fairly capable of guarding opposing wings and guards.

And I actually believe some of his offensive limitations could be opened up. He seems to be most comfortable when working downhill on the break, and has shown to be a pretty decent passer. Obviously the shooting just isn’t there, but once again I don’t believe it entirely needs to be when you have Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro.

There is still a lot of uncertainty as well with the exact numbers in this situation on both sides. But Josh Jackson definitely should be in their money range.

All he needs is one opportunity to prove that he is a valuable role player in this league, and all Miami needs is a guy that will accept his role and can help them out defensively.

People have mentioned that it would be in his best interest to join a team with a strong culture and established veterans. And well, I don’t know a better place than Miami.

He definitely won’t be the first person on their list, since they have some guys to re-sign and other needs, but it definitely could happen.

If the numbers were to work out perfectly for both sides, I could see it happening since he can fill the role of Derrick Jones Jr and possibly Soloman Hill, if he was to walk as well.

Miami usually leans towards players who have a chip on their shoulders with something to prove, and that’s exactly what Josh Jackson has.

JR’s Picks on the Davis vs. Santa Cruz boxing card

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Main Event: Gervonta Davis vs Leo Santa Cruz for WBA World Championships

Pick: Gervonta Davis
By: KO/TKO
Single Round: 7th round
Winning Group of Rounds: (7-12
Fight Goes the Distance: No
Breakdown: Leo Santa Cruz is coming in as the biggest challenge of Gervonta Davis so far in his career. He has the pace and the volume to throw him off as much as anyone he has faced so far. With that being said Gervonta is coming in the much bigger fighter and the much stronger fighter. The power of his punches has ended all but one of his opponents and that’s when he’s fighting men his own size. Leo Santa Cruz fights mostly at 122lbs and 118lb and is moving up to challenge someone who is much bigger. The fighters in the bantamweight divisions don’t have the same strength and pop in their punches as the 135ers. In this fight, Santa Cruz is going to have to be perfect to win. His defense is going to need to be on point at all times and he needs to be throwing volume to win rounds. The difference is that Davis only needs to be perfect for a few seconds to put Santa Cruz out and have his hand raised at the end of the night. Santa Cruz keeps a high guard so this fight may end up playing out with Davis working the body until those hands fall and then in a later round get those knockdowns that put Santa Cruz out.

Co-Main Event: Mario Barrios (C) vs. Ryan Karl, 12 rounds, WBA super lightweight title
Pick: Mario Barrios
By: Decision
Fight Goes the Distance: Yes
Breakdown: Mario Barrios comes in with what seems to be a much better feel inside the ring than Ryan Karl. This is shown throughout Mario’s fights where he dictates the pace, moves in and out of boxing range and does a good job of cornering his opponents and putting them in the danger zone. Karl allows himself a lot of the time to get backed up into the corner and edges of the ring and then starts to swing from there. His swinging is the most accurate and crisp strikes so it will leave himself open to counterpunches which Barrios is more than capable of doing. Ryan Karl will be able to stand in there for all 12 rounds but he will lose the majority of them, therefore Mario Barrios will pick up a decision win.

Fight #3: Regis Prograis vs. Juan Heraldez, 10 rounds, super lightweight

Pick: Regis Prograis
By: TKO
Round: 8-10
Fight Goes the Distance: No
Breakdown: Former WBA World and WBC Diamond Super Junior Welterweight Champion Regis Prograis is finally making his return to the ring after taking his first loss to IBF Champion Josh Taylor. Looking to avenge his first loss, he is going to be taking on the unbeaten Juan Heraldez. For Juan, this is the toughest competition of his career taking on a former champ. 20 of 24 wins for Prograis came by knockout, with 10 of those being in the first two rounds. His power is going to keep Juan at bay and even though both fighters might be coming in with a little ring rust, Prograis should be able to put combinations together later in the fight as he gets more comfortable. Prograis by a late TKO to get this one done.

Fight #4: Isaac Cruz vs. Diego Magdaleno, 12 rounds, IBF lightweight title eliminator

Pick: Magdaleno
By: Decision
Fight Goes the Distance: Yes
Breakdown: We will get a challenger for the IBF lightweight title after this fight is over when Two-time world title challenger Diego Magdaleno takes on Isaac Cruz Gonzalez. Cruz has reportedly been working against southpaws in this camp to better prepare him for the stance of Diego Magdaleno. For Magdaleno, this is a step down in competition in comparison to the world title fights that he has had previously. His ring IQ is good enough to be able to control the pace of the fight and keep Isaac Cruz uncomfortable. It’s unlikely we see Cruz impose his will in this fight and thus Diego Magdaleno gets it done by Decision.

You can follow Johnathan @ThreePieceCombo

Top 5 Things to Watch in Tua’s Week 8 Season Debut

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Tuanigamanuolepola Tagovailoa. After Coach Flores announced Tua as the starter on October 20th the world has been on fire with every type of opinion toward our face of the franchise. I did my own analysis of the 5 snaps vs the Jets which will be posted below. Now that his first start is finally here it has made it next to impossible to talk or focus about anything else. I will do my best to bring you SOMETHING else to watch for in Week 8 when your Miami Dolphins host the LA Rams, so without further ado, lets dive in.

 

Offensive Line:

It would not be an official Dolphins piece without a mention of how bad the offensive line is if you followed the national media guidelines to covering this team. I want to be clear that by no means is this group a top oline, but they sure aren’t a bottom 5 oline either. Keep that in mind as you watch them this Sunday go up against Aaron Donald and company and the heavy scrutiny they will face if they do not protect the franchise. I have full confidence that this group will come out determined to prove the media wrong and own the line of scrimmage. Also check this analysis of the online play by an ex lineman.

 

 

Rush Offense:

Coming off a week where we were able to average 5.2 yards per carry, we will need another effort like this to help Tua. One of the things that I hope the Dolphins attempt to do is continue to run the ball regardless of the score. We need the Ram’s defense to truly believe we want to run the ball because if this is a game that forces Tua to throw more than 35 attempts, I don’t think that’s the recipe we want for his first start. We need Myles and Breida to step up and have another good day rushing for Tua and this offense to function as designed.

 

Chan Gailey:

One of the things that’s become apparent as the year has gone on, is what a great hiring Chan Gailey was. At the time I was hesitant of such an old coach transitioning Tua into a modern NFL considering he last coached in 2016 with the Jets but Chan has destroyed those notions emphatically. This offense, per next gen stats, has the longest average distance between the two widest players in the offensive formation. AKA a spread offense, which is what Tua excelled in. I expect the Dolphins to try to receive the ball first to start the game getting Tua comfortable. Gailey has shown that he has the ability to game plan a strong 15-25 plays to start the game and would not be surprised to see the Dolphins up early in this game.

 

 

Flores vs McVay:

With all the attention going to Tua and rightfully so, no one has brought up the history of McVay vs Flores. Both of them being very familiar with each other, with Flores having figured out his offense on the biggest of stages. This game is one that I think both of these coaches are exact opposites in that McVay is a genius on the offensive side and Flores having earned his job through his work on the defensive side. Strength vs Strength, this will be a matchup that will be decided with what the weakness of each coach does. For McVay that means his defense and for Flores that of course means his offense.

 

Team Response to QB Change:

If you only followed the national media like ESPN, Good Morning Football, Skip and Shannon and others, you may have gotten the idea that this team is upset and confused over the change of QB. I assure you that only a handful of players were shocked with less than that feeling as strongly as Fitz did in his conference the Wednesday after the announcement. Let me clear this notion up as the players are all behind Tua and that includes Fitzpatrick, even if he did sulk a bit. Tua’s involvement overall with the team is what makes me think that they know this kid is the real deal. You hear different stories from Tua having a Tuesday meeting with Flores every week to watch tape, to Tua asking specific defenders like Bobby McCain and even Josh Boyer came out this past week to speak on Tua trying to dissect the defense point of view. With all that being said, I fully expect an energized team that’s ready to stand up and defend their new QB.

 

Ultimately, one week will not let us know what we can expect from Tua for the next 4 years but a start on the right foot will go a long way to shut up the national media. For all the talk of how good the Rams are no one is mentioning a west coast team being forced to fly cross country to play what essentially is a 10 am game for their body clocks. I cannot wait for next week’s installment of Stock Watch to see how we performed so make sure to keep an eye for it. Till next time guys, Fins Up!

Nerlens Noel Could Be a Big Man Option for Miami

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Nerlens Noel is another name that has emerged as a viable option for Miami.

He can definitely bring the energy and intensity that Miami needs in a back up big. His inability to truly stretch the floor means that he will not be getting many minutes next to Bam, but once again that is just fine.

He gives them some rebounding and rim protection which is ultimately what they need.

His defensive attributes is what stands out most on his resume, since he has the ability to guard the perimeter as well. This means he can replicate some of the things that Bam Adebayo does on the defensive end.

In only 18 minutes a game, Nerlens Noel averaged 1.5 blocks and 1 steal a game. That’s a pretty good stat line considering the role that he had with OKC this past season.

Miami doesn’t need a back-up big to score 15 a night. They just need a guy that is willing to play their role, much like Meyers Leonard did this past season, but can ultimately be trusted defensively to be on the court without Bam.

Nerlens Noel also fits the mold of a guy that still needs to prove himself, much like I mentioned with Harry Giles. Miami is the perfect opportunity for a player like that, since he can have a decent role with a team that is actually contending for a title.

Nerlens does have some offensive limitations though. But with the firepower offensively on the Miami Heat’s roster, that shouldn’t be an issue.

And if they were to make this signing, it doesn’t automatically mean that Meyers Leonard is out of the picture. If Meyers is willing to accept a leadership role with this Heat team for the minimum, they will happily bring him back.

And having extra big men wouldn’t be the worst thing for Miami, especially since Nerlens Noel is known for having issues with foul trouble.

Nerlens Noel is another one of those cheap big man options that Miami could go for, so there’s definitely a chance that they go this route.

Two More Draft Names on the Miami Heat’s Radar

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It was reported today that Miami has requested another zoom interview, this time with Duke’s Tre Jones.

He is a high IQ point guard who makes great decisions with the ball in his hands. He’s a good defender as well by jumping into passing lanes, but his size doesn’t scream great NBA defender.

His shooting began to get better as the season progressed, but he’s still a very streaky shooter.

He is a very gritty player though which definitely would entice Miami, but I’m not so sure he’s exactly what Miami is looking for right now.

If they did go this route of drafting Tre Jones, it pretty much means they’re moving on from Kendrick Nunn. If Miami is to grab a guard, it’ll have to be one that can be a trusted defender upon arrival such as Tyrese Maxey.

But once again, I believe that they end up going the route of getting a big.

Another big that I haven’t mentioned that stands out is Daniel Oturu.

I believe he’s the type of player in this draft that can give Miami immediate production, which is what they are looking for.

He can protect the rim and rebound at a high level, which is their biggest need.

His offensive package stands out as well, since he has a very efficient mid-range jumper and shot the ball well from beyond the arc this past season.

He is 6’10 and 240 pounds as well, which is why he can be a force on the block. He was very productive in the post this past season, mostly since that seems to be the spot he is most comfortable.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Miami arranges a zoom interview with Daniel Oturu pretty soon, as well as Vernon Carey who I’ve discussed in the past.

Does Giving Wes Matthews a Mid-Level Exception Make Sense for Miami?

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As shown above, it was reported that Miami could consider splitting their mid-level exception between two veterans, and among those on their radar include Paul Millsap and Wes Matthews.

I’ve talked about how a Paul Millsap signing would look in the past, but how about a Wes Matthews pick-up?

For starters, he fits the exact mold of a defensive guard that Miami has been looking for. The playoffs proved even further that he can be trusted when taking the assignment of talented opposing guards.

And on the offensive side of the ball, he’s proven that he is fairly capable of being a great three point shooter.

Miami could potentially run a starting lineup of Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and Wesley Matthews. Shooting once again definitely wouldn’t be an issue, and you’re improving the defensive issues.

I truly believe this makes sense for Miami to try and grab a player like Wesley Matthews, and try and fill the big man gap in the draft if they elect to keep the 20th pick.

And once again, Pat Riley and company have so many options this off-season that truly anything could happen. But getting a 3 and D guy by using the mid-level exception seems pretty ideal.

We’ll see what transpires until the beginning of free agency, but this is an option for Heat fans to keep in the back of their minds.

Marlins Marte

Marlins Pick Up Marte’s Option

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MLB’s offseason officially began today as the 2020 World Series came to an end. The Los Angeles Dodgers took home the trophy in what was the strangest season in MLB history. The Marlins made some history along the way as well, making the postseason for the first time since 2003. The Marlins, meanwhile, started their offseason by picking up the $12.5 million team option on centerfielder Starling Marte.

Marte Back with Marlins for 2021

This news shouldn’t be a shock to anyone, considering the price the Marlins paid to acquire Marte from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Miami sent starting pitchers Caleb Smith and Humberto Mejia, as well as a low-level minor league relief pitcher Julio Frias, to the DBacks for Marte’s services.

Marlins CEO Derek Jeter said the team always planned to bring back Marte. He was never considered a rental by the club.

“We moved some very talented players in our mind to get Marte,” Jeter said of the deal last week.

For the Marlins, Marte hit just .245, with a .286 on-base percentage and a .415 slugging percentage. He tallied 13 RBI, six doubles, five steals and four home runs in 28 games played for Miami. He stabilized a centerfield that was in flux throughout the first half of the season. Marlins manager Don Mattingly rotated five different players in center prior to Marte’s arrival.

Marte had his Marlins cap make it to Cooperstown since he played 61 games in MLB’s 60-game season.

Unfortunately, Marte finished the season injured, after Chicago Cubs reliever Dan Winkler’s pitch broke Marte’s pinky. The injury forced him to miss the Marlins’ NLDS series with the Braves and his offense would have been useful. Miami scored just five runs in the three-game sweep.

Bringing back Marte adds a reliable veteran presence to the Marlins’ outfield and lineup. Although he struggled at times this season, a look at his career stats indicates he should be able to hit consistently. He’s athletic and speedy, making him a threat on the base paths and an excellent defender. At $12.5 million, the team option isn’t cheap, but if the 32-year-old Marte underperforms, the Marlins can move on next year.

This move makes Marte the highest paid players on the Marlins active roster for 2021, topping Corey Dickerson‘s $8.75 million. It’s the right choice for an up-and-coming club that needs reliable veterans to mentor the young players.

Beyond Marte, the Marlins also have to decide on Brandon Kintzler’s team option. The 36-year-old reliever locked down the closer position for Miami in 2020. He converted 12 of 14 save opportunities during the regular season and posted a 2.22 ERA over 24.1 innings pitched.

Kintzler’s option stands at $4 million and the team open to bringing him back for 2021.

More Marlins Moves to Come

With the World Series now complete, MLB’s free agency is set to begin on November 1st . The market will see additional names added after December 2nd non-tender deadline. Beyond that, the Winter Meetings loom, with the Rule 5 Draft set to happen on December 10th. The makeup of the 40-man roster, which needs to be addressed, must be finalized by November 20th.

The Marlins, though, may enter this stretch without a President of Baseball Operations. Michael Hill and the club could not come to an agreement to extend his contract. Hill’s departure opens a front office position, but the team is in no hurry to fill that spot.

“We have a lot of smart baseball minds in our organization and there’s smart baseball minds around the game. It takes some time to sit down and see what type of person we need in this particular role,” Jeter said last week.

MLB Network’s Craig Mish said New York Yankees vice president Tim Naehring and special assistant to Yankees GM Brian Cashman Jim Hendry, who’s a former GM himself, are two potential possibilities to fill the vacancy. The Yankees connection between these clubs runs deep.

Mish mentioned Gary Denbo, the Marlins’ Director of Player Development and Scouting, is likely to stay in his current role. Meanwhile, Dan Greenlee, another former Yankees’ executive, earned a promotion to Assistant General Manager after spending time as Director of Player Personnel.

We’ll see where the Marlins go from here, but it’s clear that even with a new President of Baseball Operations in tow, all front office decisions will likely go through Jeter.

Is the Most Ideal Power Forward for Miami Sitting Right in Front of Them?

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Even though it seems as if Miami’s number one option in free agency would be a lengthy big who can rebound, some possible power forward options have come up.

Danilo Gallinari, Paul Millsap, and Jerami Grant are just a few of the names that have come up as possibilities, but doesn’t Jae Crowder make the most sense?

Obviously he was a clear fit right when he arrived in Miami, since he gave them some more of that defensive grit and even added a bonus with his shooting. Miami did not expect Jae Crowder to shoot at the level that he did to finish the season and for a good potion of the playoffs.

He also gave them great veteran leadership and had an obvious bond in both the locker room and on the floor with a bunch of guys. The college connection with Jimmy Butler, the Boston connection with Kelly Olynyk, and even began to show a front-court connection with Bam Adebayo as they went along.

There’s been discussion about who would fit the best next to Bam. The consensus seems to be a guy like Danilo Gallinari since he can space the floor for Bam so well. But Jae Crowder was doing just that throughout this season, and was a huge reason their defense had such success, which you wouldn’t be getting from Gallinari.

Once again though, it’s not guaranteed that he will be shooting at those same levels all of the time, but they truly don’t need him to when Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro are on the floor.

It’s all about playing your role on this Heat team, and I’m not sure other power forwards would be as willing to accept a certain role like Jae Crowder would. He’s willing to do a bunch of the dirty work on both sides of the ball, which came up huge for them in a bunch of big time playoff games.

It’s not that Jae Crowder is better than the other options they have a shot at, but it is the most trusted option.

The good thing for Miami is that Jae truly wants to play for this team and live in this city. It’s hopeful that they can give him a one year type deal for this season to keep the 2021 free agency options open, and then take care of him afterward.

And I’m pretty sure Miami knows what Jae Crowder can do for this team going forward as they try and compete for another title.

Miami has already found their fit for Bam Adebayo, and the only other guy that Miami will feel totally fine with replacing him would be Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021.

Adam Shaheen

Miami Dolphins sign TE Adam Shaheen to 2-year extension

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While teams scramble to acquire the unwanted players of other teams, the Miami Dolphins are taking care of their own. Early Monday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Miami Dolphins officially extended tight end Adam Shaheen to a 2-year extension. His previous contract was set to expire after this season. Shaheen’s new deal is worth up to $7.9 million and includes a fully guaranteed $3.2 million.

This turns out to be a nice feather in the cap of general manager Chris Grier, who acquired Shaheen from the Chicago Bears for a conditional 7th round pick back in late July. While by no means a superstar, Shaheen has proven to be a reliable role player, much like Nick O’Leary was for Miami back in 2018-19.

Through six games this season, Adam Shaheen has only five receptions on seven targets. However, two of those receptions have gone for touchdowns. Also, he has 58 reception yards, most of which came from a huge 44-yard play down the seam against the New York Jets.

Seeing that the Bears originally drafted Shaheen in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft, it’s obvious he’s talented. But injuries derailed his early career, and during the games he did play in Chicago, he struggled to make an impact. Through 33 career games, Adam Shaheen has a grand total of 31 receptions for 307 yards and and six touchdowns.

“I think he’s come in obviously via trade and he’s really worked hard.” Head coach Brian Flores said Wednesday. “I think he’s been productive over the first six weeks of the season. We just felt like he was somebody we wanted to keep around for a few more years. There were some discussions ongoing and those guys were able to strike a deal.”

Shaheen’s extension indicates the Miami Dolphins believe his best football is still ahead of him. Together with Mike Gesicki and Durham Smythe, the three have turned into a reliable trio.

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