Team Depth a question?

[Phintim Menace]

I have seen a lot of posts this preseason about our "lack of quality depth" at certain positions. Usually stating that if we lost Tannehill, Albert and Grimes we would be screwed. You can't argue with that analysis, because that;s accurate, just not very realistic.

First, there are only 44 players on a Pro-Bowl roster. So if Miami had first and second string Pro Bowl players at every position on both sides of the ball, then it wouldn't be the AFC Pro Bowl team, it would just be the Dolphins in different uniforms. Since there are 16 teams in each conference then on average each team only has 3 Pro Bowlers on their roster. We have our share.

I don't troll other team's fan sites, so I don't know if other fans are just as concerned that if they only lost,

Patriots lose Brady, Gronkowski and Eddleman for the year, they would be screwed!
Seahawks only lose Wilson, Lynch and Sherman for the year, they would be screwed!
Steelers lose Roethlisberger, Brown and Bell for the year, they would be screwed!
Packers lose Rogers, Lacy and Nelson for the year, they would be screwed!
Colts lose Luck, Gore and Hilton for the year, they would be screwed!
(insert team name here) lose (insert best 3 players names here) for they year, they would be screwed!

etc., etc., etc.

Look guys, if you give me any franchise in the NFL and let me peel off any 3 players I choose, it will ruin their season. We can't look for a foolproof guaranteed path to the Superbowl. What we have to do is compare our roster to the other NFL rosters. We have our share and then some compared to the average teams. We are on par with the elite teams man for man up and down this roster. The only thing left is to go out and live up to the talent. There are things that could go wrong, that's why they play the games. But we are no more at risk than any other team. And we aren't the best UNTIL we beat the best, and that is coming very soon to a theater near you.

[DolphinsFreak]

One Word - Coaching

I think Dolphins fans have lost their faith in the Dolphins coaching staff and not just this coaching staff but all coaching staffs that we have had since Shula retired. Philbin and his boys just don't instill confidence in the fanbase and hopefully the players don't feel the same way. With great coaching "The Next Man Up" applies, because they can coach that next player to play at a high level, a level that they themselves didn't know they had in them. I am not confident that this coaching staff has that ability. That's just my opinion anyway............

[Phintim Menace]

I happen to agree with you on the coaching staff still being a question, maybe the biggest one left on this team. But I was addressing just the roster depth and the impact that key injuries could have on this or any other team.

[DolphinsFreak]

I understand where you are coming from but I think you may not be looking at this the way some are. When I refer to the Dolphins being thin and not having great depth I am not talking about out of the ordinary things that more than likely will not happen. The odds of Tannehill, Miller and Landry all getting injured are pretty slim. The same goes for any other team you mentioned. The odds of Rodgers, Lacy and Matthews all being injured in the same year is pretty slim too.

So, let's not focus on things that more than likely will not happen. We already had Delmas go out, which is a pretty big blow. When Albert comes back it is KEY that he stays healthy. If Albert doesn't stay healthy and gets re-injured, that would be a HUGE blow to the team the rest of the season. The Dolphins would be shuffling guys around in a panic. The same goes for second year man James at Right Tackle. What would happen if he were to get injured. Basically everyone on the o-line must stay healthy for the Dolphins to even think about playoffs. In My Opinion there are only TWO areas on this team where the Dolphins can afford an injury, that is at WR and DT. I think they have good depth at those positions. ALL the other positions they are wafer thin and ONE injury could effect the entire season, and if you add one or two more injuries at different positions, not Pro Bowl caliber players but starters, that WILL effect the season as well in a negative way. This team is super thin in most positions. JMO

[Phintim Menace]

I agree completely, just making the point that makes us no more vulnerable than every other team in the NFL who also have some very questionable second stringers. I think we are saying the same thing here.

[AquaXI]

I think luck plays a factor. A Super Bowl team
Survives twists and turns and I'd say depending on how the cards fell it plays big in getting there. Giants and their SBs are a great example. Remember Vikings losing to the Falcons. Not just depth but Luck.

[Finatic]

To me it gets down to "Key" injuries. Not three at a time. There is no doubt that if Suh goes down, OR Tannehill, OR even Albert that we are taking a big step back. But as you point out Tim it could be true of any team. Patriots without Brady, Colts without Luck, Texans without Watts, etc etc. Every team gets injuries. Perhaps we will be luckier than they are this year.

[DolphinsFreak]

Okay. You guys make GREAT points about the other teams losing one key guy and their seasons are done.

With that said, what are your opinions about the Dolphins IF they lose a couple players that are not "key players" ? (Household names / Pro Bowlers)

What if Aikens goes down with an injury? What if Bowman, or whomever it is starting opposite Grimes goes down with an injury? What if Ju'aan James goes down with an injury? What if one of our starting linebackers goes down with an injury? These are not Pro Bowl players, these are guys that this coaching staff felt where worthy or not only starting but not addressing in free agency or the draft to improve.

As the Dolphins equal to other playoff teams in regards to depth or are they the same?

[Phintim Menace]

That's a very good question. First, I think our overall depth is equal to the NFL average, which we like all teams have our strengths and weaknesses. As you said earlier, we have quality depth at WR and DL. Our starting LBs I don't think are a big jump over our backups. We also have quality depth at RB. The defensive secondary and the O line are our weakest links. Then it really depends on who, when and how long. And some luck in who are your remaining opponents and how well an unknown steps in. If we lose guard, we plug in a weak link between a good tackle and a good center. If we lose James, we put a weakness by himself out there on the edge!

Our secondary is already a weak link without additional injury. We will be counting on our pass rush more than our coverage skills. An additional loss to this group could really make us change the team's complexion. We then might be forced to open up the offense more and try to put up points.

You sure do like to make us think!! lol

[So Be]

Aikens goes down, there is M Thomas, who some think is better. If Taylor goes down, he barely won the starting spot and not a major deal. James goes down, and Turner is there, and may be better than at OG. If a LB goes down, Sheppard and Misi take care of the middle with no big difference, and McCain was expected starter, with Vigil impressing many.

Next?

[FinFan in KC]

I think our overall depth is equal to the NFL average

I think this is what DF is trying to say. Our depth is average and if we have to rely on them then we will be average as well. To make a run you need above average depth. The Cardinals were racked with injuries last season but still made the playoffs with an 11-5 record. Of course it finally caught up to them in the first round of the playoffs and they lost to the 7-8-1 Panthers. So I agree with DF that if we have injuries at a couple of key positions, OL or LB, it could completely derail our season. I look for the FO to build depth next offseason. There was just too much to fix in one offseason.