Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - From 1960 On: Miami Dolphins (Yet Again!)

Izulde · 01-08-2008, 01:28 PM

This is one of the most talent-rich drafts in recent memory, particularly at T, where Wade Griffin and Marvin Powell are widely considered the most talent prospects in the draft, and at RB, featuring Tony Dorsett, Wilbert Montgomery, Bruce Harper, Ricky Bell and Wendell Tyler all blue-chip prospects. The one caveat is that Griffin and Powell are right tackles.

As I may have mentioned before, this is our last year without a 1st round pick thanks to the Ken Stabler/#1 pick trade with the Saints. Incidentally, Stabler's gotten worse each of the two years he's been in New Orleans. His numbers last season: 51.4% for 2,429 yards, 8 TDs and 6 INTs in 13 games, a 67.4 QB rating. So the Saints have a trio of late 1st round picks and a declining Stabler to show for what could've been Walter Payton. We got lambasted for the deal when it was made, but right now, it's looking pretty lopsided for us.

I could possibly foresee us moving up 2.31 into the top of the second or even the bottom of the first, but that's only if the right player is available for the right price.

1977 NFL Draft 1st Round
1. CB Lester Hayes - Jacksonville Jaguars
2. RB Tony Dorsett - Washington Redskins
3. QB Cliff Stoudt - New England Patriots

Shocking pick. There's a lot better QBs available in my opinion and while the Patriots' starter is gone for the year due to repetitive concussion syndrome, they've got a young QB who might be worth developing more in J.J. Jones.

4. QB Vince Evans - Kansas City Chiefs

The guy the Pats should've drafted if they wanted to go QB.

5. RB Wilbert Montgomery - Buffalo Bills
6. WR Wesley Walker - New Orleans Saints
7. S Nolan Cromwell - Seattle Seahawks
8. OLB Dave Lewis - New England Patriots
9. CB Mario Clark - Philadelphia Eagles - Re-draft
10. CB Gary Green - San Francisco 49ers
11. G John Ayers - Pittsburgh Steelers
12. RB Wendell Tyler - Los Angeles Rams
13. T Marvin Powell - Denver Broncos
14. S Mark Murphy - Cleveland Browns
15. T Wade Griffin - Atlanta Falcons
16. CB Charles Romes - Chicago Bears
17. RB Bruce Harper - Dallas Cowboys
18. ILB A.J. Duhe - Oakland Raiders
19. TE Jimmie Giles - Indianapolis Colts
20. QB Tommy Kramer - Detroit Lions
21. TE Ron Egloff - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
22. RB Ricky Bell - San Diego Chargers
23. DT Joe Klecko - St. Louis Cardinals
24. QB Steve DeBerg - New Orleans Saints
25. ILB Kurt Allerman - Green Bay Packers
26. CB Herman Edwards - Carolina Panthers
27. S Chris Golub - Minnesota Vikings
28. QB Randy Hedberg - Cincinnati Bengals
29. DE Horace Jones - Houston Oilers
30. T Steve August - Baltimore Ravens

At this point I seriously considered moving up to grab the last remaining 1st round graded OT, but a closer look at him has me a little iffy, so I'll pass on him for now. There's a few other players I'm taking a very strong look at for the early part of the 2nd, where the cost will be cheaper.

31. G Derrel Gofourth - New Orleans Saints
32. CB Oliver Davis - New York Giants

The T I was looking at goes with the first pick in the second round. I look through my shortlist after that selection and see there's two OLBs I really, really like. They're both natural to the weak side and both NFL-ready. One has slightly better combines than the other, hence his higher rating, but the other has better bars and a much higher intelligence. Whichever one goes first, I'll move up to take the other.

It goes all the way to 2.9 before one is taken and naturally, it's a division rival that takes him (Patriots). I call up the Steelers to find out what'll it take to make a deal. It's a stiff price, but the Rams are looking to scoop up our guy the pick after, so it takes our 2nd and 5th round picks in this draft, along with our 1979 3rd rounder to secure the right to draft OLB Tim Black.

There's a LT and a DT I'm eyeing for my 3rd round pick. The DT gets snatched up when a team trades up to grab him, but the LT falls down to our pick at 3.31. This should probably set off alarms in my head that he still isn't drafted, but I think he could surprise people so T Morris Towns is the pick.

QBs start flying off the board early in the 4th and I start getting nervous that the guy I wanted to pick with my 4th rounder isn't going to be there when our turn comes up. Not nervous enough to trade up a second time though. After all, we -do- have 4 QBs on the roster already.

UGH!!!! Not only does he get taken the pick before mine, but every single alternative player I was looking at got taken in the picks before that! Luckily, after combing through the remaining interviewees there's still one more guy who's of value to us and so CB Mike Nelms becomes the newest Dolphin. He's being drafted solely for his alleged return talents.

There's only one player left I have even remote interest in by the late 6th round, so I end up trading my 6th and 7th rounders to Minnesota for the right to move up 6 spots in the 6th and take WR Luther Blue, who looks like the WR version of Herb Mul-Key.

Late Free Agency

Week 3 Signings
FB Curtis Brown - 1 year, $30k (UDRFA)
-We've got spaces open on the roster and I felt this kid was worth taking a flyer on as a possible eventual replacement for Larry Csonka.

Week 3 Losses
DT Randy Crowder - 1 year, $70k* (Tucson)
-The Titans have been after my players all offseason long, particularly on defense. Some I've brought back, others I've let go. I don't get the Tucson fetish for Dolphins players, but they're more than welcome to Crowder.

After training camp, I get an offer from the Dallas Cowboys: Steve Largent for DT Gary Dunn and the Cowboys' 1978 1st round pick. It's momentarily tempting, but a quick glance at Dallas's roster reveals that the deal would turn them into a playoff team. Thanks, but no thanks.

Code:

WLB Tim Black		2.10	31/62	32/55	+1/-7
LT Morris Towns		3.31	16/48	16/43	-0/-5
CB Mike Nelms		4.31	20/30	20/28	-0/-2
WR Luther Blue		6.26	12/43	12/34	-0/-9

Draft Grade: B

Ugly drops all around and that's with mentors. Still, Black looks good enough to be the starting WLB from Day One. Dick Cunningham dropped to 21/21, so now I don't know what to do. Move someone over from RT and take the hit? Go ahead and start Towns? It's a rough choice.

Nelms will make the team as a punt and kick returner, as he's good enough to qualify for both. Blue's much more of a long-shot. He could make the cut based on his special teams ability and his potential at returning, but it's going to be close.

Actually, they'll all make it, since we have 53 players exactly on the roster, but Blue's going to be on the bubble if we have to make a cut due to an injury.

01-08-2008, 01:28 PM	#206
Izulde Head Coach Join Date: Sep 2004	This is one of the most talent-rich drafts in recent memory, particularly at T, where Wade Griffin and Marvin Powell are widely considered the most talent prospects in the draft, and at RB, featuring Tony Dorsett, Wilbert Montgomery, Bruce Harper, Ricky Bell and Wendell Tyler all blue-chip prospects. The one caveat is that Griffin and Powell are right tackles. As I may have mentioned before, this is our last year without a 1st round pick thanks to the Ken Stabler/#1 pick trade with the Saints. Incidentally, Stabler's gotten worse each of the two years he's been in New Orleans. His numbers last season: 51.4% for 2,429 yards, 8 TDs and 6 INTs in 13 games, a 67.4 QB rating. So the Saints have a trio of late 1st round picks and a declining Stabler to show for what could've been Walter Payton. We got lambasted for the deal when it was made, but right now, it's looking pretty lopsided for us. I could possibly foresee us moving up 2.31 into the top of the second or even the bottom of the first, but that's only if the right player is available for the right price. 1977 NFL Draft 1st Round 1. CB Lester Hayes - Jacksonville Jaguars 2. RB Tony Dorsett - Washington Redskins 3. QB Cliff Stoudt - New England Patriots Shocking pick. There's a lot better QBs available in my opinion and while the Patriots' starter is gone for the year due to repetitive concussion syndrome, they've got a young QB who might be worth developing more in J.J. Jones. 4. QB Vince Evans - Kansas City Chiefs The guy the Pats should've drafted if they wanted to go QB. 5. RB Wilbert Montgomery - Buffalo Bills 6. WR Wesley Walker - New Orleans Saints 7. S Nolan Cromwell - Seattle Seahawks 8. OLB Dave Lewis - New England Patriots 9. CB Mario Clark - Philadelphia Eagles - Re-draft 10. CB Gary Green - San Francisco 49ers 11. G John Ayers - Pittsburgh Steelers 12. RB Wendell Tyler - Los Angeles Rams 13. T Marvin Powell - Denver Broncos 14. S Mark Murphy - Cleveland Browns 15. T Wade Griffin - Atlanta Falcons 16. CB Charles Romes - Chicago Bears 17. RB Bruce Harper - Dallas Cowboys 18. ILB A.J. Duhe - Oakland Raiders 19. TE Jimmie Giles - Indianapolis Colts 20. QB Tommy Kramer - Detroit Lions 21. TE Ron Egloff - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 22. RB Ricky Bell - San Diego Chargers 23. DT Joe Klecko - St. Louis Cardinals 24. QB Steve DeBerg - New Orleans Saints 25. ILB Kurt Allerman - Green Bay Packers 26. CB Herman Edwards - Carolina Panthers 27. S Chris Golub - Minnesota Vikings 28. QB Randy Hedberg - Cincinnati Bengals 29. DE Horace Jones - Houston Oilers 30. T Steve August - Baltimore Ravens At this point I seriously considered moving up to grab the last remaining 1st round graded OT, but a closer look at him has me a little iffy, so I'll pass on him for now. There's a few other players I'm taking a very strong look at for the early part of the 2nd, where the cost will be cheaper. 31. G Derrel Gofourth - New Orleans Saints 32. CB Oliver Davis - New York Giants The T I was looking at goes with the first pick in the second round. I look through my shortlist after that selection and see there's two OLBs I really, really like. They're both natural to the weak side and both NFL-ready. One has slightly better combines than the other, hence his higher rating, but the other has better bars and a much higher intelligence. Whichever one goes first, I'll move up to take the other. It goes all the way to 2.9 before one is taken and naturally, it's a division rival that takes him (Patriots). I call up the Steelers to find out what'll it take to make a deal. It's a stiff price, but the Rams are looking to scoop up our guy the pick after, so it takes our 2nd and 5th round picks in this draft, along with our 1979 3rd rounder to secure the right to draft OLB Tim Black. There's a LT and a DT I'm eyeing for my 3rd round pick. The DT gets snatched up when a team trades up to grab him, but the LT falls down to our pick at 3.31. This should probably set off alarms in my head that he still isn't drafted, but I think he could surprise people so T Morris Towns is the pick. QBs start flying off the board early in the 4th and I start getting nervous that the guy I wanted to pick with my 4th rounder isn't going to be there when our turn comes up. Not nervous enough to trade up a second time though. After all, we -do- have 4 QBs on the roster already. UGH!!!! Not only does he get taken the pick before mine, but every single alternative player I was looking at got taken in the picks before that! Luckily, after combing through the remaining interviewees there's still one more guy who's of value to us and so CB Mike Nelms becomes the newest Dolphin. He's being drafted solely for his alleged return talents. There's only one player left I have even remote interest in by the late 6th round, so I end up trading my 6th and 7th rounders to Minnesota for the right to move up 6 spots in the 6th and take WR Luther Blue, who looks like the WR version of Herb Mul-Key. Late Free Agency Week 3 Signings FB Curtis Brown - 1 year, $30k (UDRFA) -We've got spaces open on the roster and I felt this kid was worth taking a flyer on as a possible eventual replacement for Larry Csonka. Week 3 Losses DT Randy Crowder - 1 year, $70k* (Tucson) -The Titans have been after my players all offseason long, particularly on defense. Some I've brought back, others I've let go. I don't get the Tucson fetish for Dolphins players, but they're more than welcome to Crowder. After training camp, I get an offer from the Dallas Cowboys: Steve Largent for DT Gary Dunn and the Cowboys' 1978 1st round pick. It's momentarily tempting, but a quick glance at Dallas's roster reveals that the deal would turn them into a playoff team. Thanks, but no thanks. Code: WLB Tim Black 2.10 31/62 32/55 +1/-7 LT Morris Towns 3.31 16/48 16/43 -0/-5 CB Mike Nelms 4.31 20/30 20/28 -0/-2 WR Luther Blue 6.26 12/43 12/34 -0/-9 Draft Grade: B Ugly drops all around and that's with mentors. Still, Black looks good enough to be the starting WLB from Day One. Dick Cunningham dropped to 21/21, so now I don't know what to do. Move someone over from RT and take the hit? Go ahead and start Towns? It's a rough choice. Nelms will make the team as a punt and kick returner, as he's good enough to qualify for both. Blue's much more of a long-shot. He could make the cut based on his special teams ability and his potential at returning, but it's going to be close. Actually, they'll all make it, since we have 53 players exactly on the roster, but Blue's going to be on the bubble if we have to make a cut due to an injury. __________________ 2006 Golden Scribe Nominee 2006 Golden Scribe Winner Best Non-Sport Dynasty: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty) Rookie Writer of the Year Dynasty of the Year: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty)