Is adding injured players worth the risk?

[So Be]

Miami has had more than it's fair share of injury problems over the last few years. We all know that it's part of the game, as is being worse without your top players.

The Dolphins have added injured players in the draft like Parker. Taylor and Jordan. We have signed injury prone players like Albert, Grimes, and Delmas. Add in others if ya like.

All in all, is it worth the risk to gamble on these players? Would it be better to look at healthier options who may not have the same talent but, will be on the field for 16 games?

[Driven_Phinsane!]

Serious Catch-22; to go for the injured potential superstar who would've never dropped to you had it not been for the injury,, or to play it safe with a solid but non-spectacular player, who at least can stay healthy...For the most part this franchise seems to have been jinxed by gambling on injured players (Grimes being one exception who comes to mind) and IMO we're not a team that can afford that 'luxury' anymore; we need guys who we can plug in and play,, not guys who we have to wait months at a time, if not years to see if they turn into the studs everyone thinks they can be..I'm tired of hearing "Man, if this guy can stay healthy..(Insert accolade's here)"

Funny that this franchise probably blew its best chance at returning to respectability by not gambling on an injured player (Brees)

[cuchulainn]

Agree... and some of it depends on when they were injured. Jacks for instance, should be fully recovered at LB in time for the draft. Smith's injury happened much later last season. Jack should be 100%.

Durability is as important as any skill though. Be nice if we could catch a little luck and shake the injury bug this coming season.

[So Be]

While gambling on another injured QB in Culpepper. There have been many examples in recent memory going back to Tuna. It seems to me we have taken more chances than most if not all other teams.

Would a few of the young guys developed into good players with playing time? Don't know but, if you are stuck in the middle what difference does it make to win maybe win 4-5 games instead of 8?

[Seadog]

Oh, we're going to start up with the CantPepper are we?????

[Seadog]

I've been wondering about this myself, here's what I have to say about it, if they are injured, let them play elsewhere, we have certain players even now that every year, injury bug hits them.

All over the league, you have great players, but they keep getting injured year in and year out. This isn't bad luck it's nature, some peoples bodies aren't made for the abuse and physical training involved, just the way it is. Could be lack of nutrients, lack of proper stretching, who knows...My belief is that every football team should require players to take Yoga....

But , my answer to taking a player that drops down in the draft or is a great deal in FA but has injury problems, PASS....

[Driven_Phinsane!]

True Dat!!! Like the old cliche goes; "You can't score if you're not in the game!"

[AquaXI]

Good subject! I'm the type that would like to go after lesser talent if that lesser talent is not injury prone or is not coming off a major injury. By lesser talent I do not mean below average.

[Driven_Phinsane!]

IMO, only the upper-crust (top-tier teams) can afford the luxury of gambling on 'damaged goods'...We definitely do not fit that criteria!

[Dolfan1]

I don't want any more injured players, I don't want anymore head cases like Jonathan Martin or Dion Jordan. Only players I want are guys who live for Football and will take the field immediately. We've been burnt too many times in the last decade by Players who come in with injuries or baggage.

[Idahomer]

Totally agree with DP. Top tier teams can do this and get great value a year or so down the road. A team like Miami has to hit on 100% of their picks and pickups if we are going to catch the rest of the good teams. We can afford to miss on anyone at this point because we just don't have enough talent and depth on this roster so waiting a year for someone to heal up and get healthy.

[IMAWriter]

Miami has had more than it's fair share of injury problems over the last few years. We all know that it's part of the game, as is being worse without your top players.

The Dolphins have added injured players in the draft like Parker. Taylor and Jordan. We have signed injury prone players like Albert, Grimes, and Delmas. Add in others if ya like.

All in all, is it worth the risk to gamble on these players? Would it be better to look at healthier options who may not have the same talent but, will be on the field for 16 games?

Jordan in particular, injured in body and mind. Ireland apparently did not do his due diligence, not that Chip Kelly would have told Ireland the truth. Albert has been particularly costly, costing the Dolphins a possible playoff birth 2 years ago. Jon Martin was injured in his mind, which should also count. Freak shows like Martin can cause worse damage, as we've seen.

[cuchulainn]

Jordan was the consensus #1 overall defender in that draft... he was widely compared to Jason Taylor and was in almost all the Top 5 to Top 10 mocks. The issues arose after we got him when Coyles tried to turn him into Ziggy Ansah by having him put on 30+ lbs and play with his hand in the dirt. Jordan is an OLB, not a DE. Hoping Vance Joseph can find a way to get him back down to a comfortable playing weight for him. Jordan's trainer tweeted a couple weeks ago that he's been working out and is in good shape. Hope it's true.

[IMAWriter]

cuchu, I hope Jordan gets himself together, but you can't tell me this issues (other than with the injury) all of sudden just manifested themselves AFTER he was drafted? Same with Manziel. NFL GMs and others give these guys a pass, when a little deeper dig points out what's underneath the crap many athletes put out there. BTW, there were also "experts" who said Jordan was a REACH, and that the trade up should have been for a position the Dolphins lacked, not one of strength.
This is one of the rare times I can't fall on your side of a discussion. Happens. Bygones.

[ONole1]

IMO, only the upper-crust (top-tier teams) can afford the luxury of gambling on 'damaged goods'...We definitely do not fit that criteria!

Winner winner, chicken dinner. Miami doesn't have the luxury to bet on injured players, or the time to wait for them. Healthy impact players are needed...