WEEKLY MAILBAG | Player Development, Hypothetical Scenarios, And Transactions, OH MY!

0:00This is the Lockdown Podcast Network celebrating 10 years of your team every day. It is a Friday here on Lockdown Dolphins and it's time for me to take my hands off the wheel and let you guys steer the show with our mailbag episode of Power to the Pot. You are locked on Dolphins. Your daily Miami Dolphins podcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. All right, Miami. Welcome to another episode of Lockdown Dolphins. It is your team every day here on the Lockdown Network. I'm your host, Cowcrab's lifelong Miami Dolphins fan host of Lockdown Dolphins co-host of Lockdown. Scouting author of Touchdown Miami on Sub-Stacket of El Staph writer for A to Z Sports. Today's episode of Lockdown Dolphins is brought to you by Call Sheep for Limited Time Download the Call Sheep. Use code Lockdown to get $10 when you trade $10.

1:02It is Power to the Pot on a Friday. I asked for the questions at the end of yesterday's show. So if you made it to the end of yesterday's show and left a comment with a question for Power to the Pot, thank you. If you're tuning in live while we're here on YouTube, drop your comments for segment three. I have no idea what we're talking about today. I'm reacting to your questions as submitted by all of you and Power to the Pot, of course, is the super dad, Jokey play on words of pod with podcast. Power to you is the podcast listeners, but also a family of dolphins as a podcast. Hence the thumbnail with the leaping dolphins in the background on YouTube. So put a lot of thought into it clearly. But we're letting our hair down here on a Friday. I'm going to pop open a little bit of caffeine as we're often rolling. Mailbag as provided by all of you guys. I'm going to the Thursday show questions on the rookies are inevitable episode of the show. And we'll start with the first question coming from Don.

2:06What dolphins player has changed your evaluation the most from where you were on him going into camp, either positively and negatively? And what specifically did you see the change that this one for me is pretty easily what I expect Caleb Douglas to look like? Getting a chance to see Caleb for the first two weeks of camp, getting a chance to see Caleb in the preseason game, getting a chance to see Caleb in the joint practice against Washington. I don't know if it's Caleb versus the other guys that were out there running the routes at the time where Kevin Coleman's banged up, Chris Bell, Stroll working his way back. All those things have obviously changed at this point in time. Caleb, I see the traits. And I think this was something that I probably sold him short on other than just being a height weight speed type guy. He's more aggressive at the catch point. He's more aggressive in how he attacks the football.

3:06He's showing a little bit more wiggle than what he thought he showed it is routes at Texas Tech. So how much of that's tight tober and how much of that is the work that Caleb has done on his own? I have no idea, but I expected him to be like linear plane, run down the field. I still expect that to be where he's going to shine the best for you. But he's like a year development ahead of what I thought the player I thought I saw on table. It wasn't clearly sunny and the scouting staff saw a different player because they drafted the setting that they were all. So excited to see how Caleb's play matches what we saw when he got in the camp because as we know, like that's not always a guarantee either. It's created a lot more optimism for me for him as a player. But we have to see it in the real game settings. Bray Kenneth Grant needs to become roommates with Jordan Phillips if grants talent with grants talent if he had Phillips's work ethic he be a monster.

4:09It's not a question, but I did want to point out and there's a few Kenneth Grant questions throughout here. Kenneth Grant was from everybody that I had talked to that was around the team, like was in the building just as frequently as Jordan Phillips was. Now, Jordan Phillips gets the glow because he squat in 600 pounds and they have to tell me to take the bar because they don't want him squat in too much. But from everybody that I had talked to, Kenneth Grant was at the facility all the time this off season. So it was Jonas divine, I am the starting offensive line. And I think that's part of getting back into the likability of the team, regardless of what the on field result is, right? We want them to win as much as possible. It's fun when you win. You play the game to win. But liking what these guys are doing to give themselves a chance to do that, I think this group, including Kenneth Grant, is in the right place. Now it's a shame that Kenneth starts the year on IR. There's had some questions about why we hadn't heard from Kenneth Grant, what happened with Kenneth Grant.

5:09It's been reported that he hit a boot, a minor boot on his foot. That could be something as simple as like not getting flexion in your foot or not getting flexion in your ankle. It could be any number of things, but it sounds like a lower extremity for Kenneth. And that's all I am in a position to speak intelligently on. And I don't want to speculate, right? Archie from New England or New England, Old England across the pond in England. Who do you think will be the wide receiver one come the end of the season? By the end of the year, I kind of expect Chris Bell to be assimilated to the point where he'll probably be the more volume target. I think Malik Washington's chemistry with Malik Willis will show up early. I think he'll end up being the target sponge early, but as this year plays out, I think Chris is going to gradually seize more of that role. If you told me to back half of the season, Chris Bell led the team in targets, I think I'd believe you. I just don't know what the early role is going to look like for him, but Bell's got the

6:13short and vertical elements to his game. He's got the size, but the explosiveness to be able to line up in the slot or line up on the outside and be able to handle guys to try to press him with physicality. Now your separation there, that's kind of to be determined for how impactful I think Chris Bell ends up being is when you got NFL corners who press up on you. Can you straight bully them? Do you have the release techniques and the release package to get free into space within the timing and the construct of the play? That's we have a little bit less work there and I haven't seen any practices with Chris Bell. And we just got the preseason showing at the end of the preseason. Moon Rocket, please scout and analyze the current dolphins positional coaching staff based on player development since OTAs. Which coaches have overperformed and underperformed given the emphasis on player development seems key to continue to assess the coaches similar to the players. I like this idea a lot. I wish we had a little bit more like body of work beyond what the preseason ended up being

7:19where you could take the top 10 snap takers on either side of the ball from the final two preseason games. And I think probably 80% of those guys did not make the picture. Star when it's all said and done. But I did have the kind of the bucketed breakdown in my handy dandy notebook here for guys with leaps. And what kind of guys I thought are taking what kind of leap. And chop Robinson is the guy that I would have in the tier within the tier of the guy that's taking the biggest leap. Not a surprise when you find out that he was put along with the rest of the edge guys. Austin Clark Scott, the whole group up front defensively now. Like the leave that those rookie players made from the start of the season last year on the inside to where they were playing at the end of the year with Zeke figures and Kenneth Grant and Jordan Phillips and all three of those guys. It took the first six weeks of the season for them to get their sea legs under them. And then they kind of seem pick it up and start to develop right.

8:21The edge guys being put with that and chop Robinson being the guy that falls exactly line with what I would expect with Austin Clark. He's been across multiple coaching staffs been a tremendous player development coach. So not a surprise there. Jonas of I and I was another one of ones that I had tabbed as a big leap guide. Now Zach Yenser is the offensive line coach. Kind of coming in. Caden Proctor transitioning to offensive guard. I think the guard play is there some positive developments there with how we feel about those guys. I assume when they drafted Proctor is he going to be the right tackle is going to play guard. I think he settled in and he did get smatterings of playing time across multiple preseason games. So I'd say the offensive line you're you're probably looking at the depth guys and hoping like DJ Campbell if we have to see DJ Campbell at one point this season.

9:21That's probably as good of a measure as you're going to have beyond the two starting guards. Caden Wallace. What does he look like if he gets called into action to play at right tackle as a guy who was a guard last season and play tackle his first year but played left tackle just as much as he played right tackle and he's a career right tackle at college. Corners with Jeff Hathley. I'm going to wait to see what the secondary is a whole plays like. But I feel good about Chris Johnson. I'm cautiously optimistic that Jason Marshall in time can be a sufficient level starter but we need to see a lot more before we get to that conclusion. I could say it with any kind of confidence. But I can hope and pray all I want and I have been hoping praying to football guys if these guys all turn out on the upper end of what their their possible outcomes are mathematically speaking. We know that's an impossibility. You can only flip a coin so many times and get head so many times in a row. So I'm going to make a note.

10:21I love this question from moon rocket. I'm going to come back to it probably every four weeks throughout the regular season and just kind of keep tabs on that development. We have a lot more in the way of questions from you guys. So that's coming your way next here on locked on dolphins. Make sure you guys stick with us. Football is finally back and that means Sundays are about to get a whole lot more interesting every week brings new matchups break out players big performances plenty of storylines to follow and if you like it and even more engage with the players and the stats that you're watching. There's a new way to make game day more exciting prize picks is bringing out its best offer yet for kickoff. New users who sign up can get $150 in lineups if they win their first five dial lineup prize picks is now available nationwide with prize picks. You're building daily fantasy lineups by choosing two to six players and selecting more or less on their projected stats passing yards rushing yards fantasy score touchdowns you name it for week ones open or sand on the just one yard against New England to cash

11:23his pick. It doesn't get any easier than that. So download the app today use code locked on the fell get $150 instantly in lineups. If you win your first five dial lineup prize picks run your game. Powered the pod mail bag off and running. Good morning to Tristan Roberts Robert Euring here every day man shout out. Every day is Marcus Dolman Bowen. Good group of guys gals in here this morning often rolling it to finish the YouTube comments from yesterday first and then we'll get into whatever questions you guys do submit in the live chat if you are watching here on YouTube. The next question comes from Daniel. What are your expectations for slowest run pass ratio? Getting it resembles Kyle Shanahan more than Mike McDaniel. I expect the dolphins will be amongst from a percentage perspective.

12:25The top three run rate offenses in the league and I know Bobby slow it gets a ton of crap for what his Houston rushing offenses are and I understand why. But I do look at what they had personnel wise and I look at what Miami offers and you compare and contrast those two foundations of talent on the offense side of the ball. I do think Bobby will probably benefit from having been on staff last year and seeing how Ayrton Brewers maximized and how Devane Chans maximized. I think there will be an element of that. But I do think at its core all of the Shanahan breaches the roots of the tree come back to running the football and I think they will be a very run lean heavy team to try to stay on schedule and keep the offense out of obvious third and long down the distances and then

13:31it's up to the team to execute and not take penalties and not have procedural issues and not have holding issues and not trying too hard because if you do that kind of stuff and you set yourself back behind the sticks, I don't think you're generally built to space and threaten the field and then you're leaning all the way into an athletic quarterback to do all of that heavy lifting by himself. Let's see DC with a question. What's the practice squad? To the practice squad players practice with the 53 if so are they the scout team or what? If not, what exactly do they do during the week? Curious about the role of the practice squad in the dolphins organization. So this is a good question and I think the hard knocks, the one good thing that came from the in season hard knocks the other year that had the dolphins was you kind of got to see how those guys assimilated with the 53. So yes, they are a part of the daily practice. They are responsible for helping to execute the look squad and the Mike McDaniel group would give a guy recognition for the effort that they had every week as they own the practice

14:36squad to help give and push the best possible look to the starting offence or defense to get them ready for the game ahead that's to be played. So if you have as a Quentin Bell was a guy that was designated to play Max Crosby in the hard knocks season and the effort that he gave that week and he's always running into the quarterback and bumping the quarterback after the play just to kind of simulate what Max Crosby is going to be like when you're playing him, right? So those guys they they have to cut their teeth. Now, the nice thing for them is they do oftentimes get to cut their teeth against starting players and that is a chance for those guys to get better if they have the right mindset and the right frame of mind going into it as a young football player. I don't know if you've heard Omar Kelly's take but how do you measure development tangibly and how many rookies do you think you can realistically develop in a given season? He provided could world continues to give his thoughts on this question.

15:36That's been questioned a lot this off season because of our youth and lack of vets in the room. I have my own thoughts. Feels pretty subjective as a question. Every year players are improving or not. So feel it's the wrong question. Snaps experience getting the apply which are drilling and watching on film has to be the biggest force multiplier when it comes to development. Coaching and guys being coachable matters. I agree and I could tie this back to John Eric Sullivan taking the gray area out of the evaluation of Malik Willis and that was him saying he thinks they have enough to evaluate although the outside world and what that evaluation looks like is probably going to be different from what the internal evaluation Malik Willis looks like because of Malik executing plays versus the raw production and the score. And I will say this when you have a lot of rookies that are playing a lot of inexperienced players that are playing you have to be so process oriented in how did you execute your individual technique.

16:36If you're the nickel defender and number two goes shallow in under in the first three steps and you're playing a zone match coverage that dictates to you what landmark you have to hit to and where your eyes need to go if he is running away from you and you're not matching and carrying him into the middle of the field. Right. Now if the linebacker's eyes aren't in the right place or if he's flying up because of run action and they give up a massive hole in the middle of the field. You on the outside you could watch this nickel corner watch number two run shallow in under and not go with him and he passes him off to nobody and you could look at it and point out and say nickel busted. Nickel didn't run with him. What's he doing? He's clueless out there looking he's looking around right. So knowing what the rules are on all the plays does make it hard especially with so many inexperienced players because you have to be able to play and be tied together everybody. And I think that's where the evaluation of Malik Willis with where you going with football

17:41or you making good decisions versus is the past being completed. Are we getting first downs or we scoring points when are you choosing to run when you choosing to not run when are you choosing to extend what do you do when you extend. For all those guys it makes it very difficult like you have to it's it's less about point score points allowed yardage wins losses when you're evaluating this many young players and it is much more about what was the downed distance what was the call what was the opposing formation what was your assignment and what did the opposing player do and how did you respond to that stimulus where you correct individually is your one eleventh or not. It's not quite just like flip it on the game and saying we're down twenty four to three or we're down thirty one to twenty one. It's a very different beast and I think that will be a point of frustration for some fans this season but I do think as you have this many young players that are playing it's kind

18:44of have to how how you have to go about your business in my opinion and that's how we're going to generally cover the team. That's how we're going to keep tabs on this week to week. We'll celebrate the wins when we get the wins and we'll get some wins. We will mourn the losses but you know we're going to keep the main thing the main thing or we're going to keep a push. And I can see here and hang our head on it because you know inside the building it's we're stacking break by break and we are at a foundational level right now it's just the reality where the team is at. Let's see let's get one more question before our next break. Golfs thirty six. Chris Balthy values the new coaching staff in terms of leadership and X's and O's. Tough right now because of the approach they took in the preseason but winning teams win because of leadership does this coaching have what it takes to win big games. I cannot and will not speculate on the X's and O's without getting them calling a game when they when they tell us that we're intentionally being vanilla because we want to evaluate

19:46the technique and fundamentals like I can respect that and you can have your own opinion on whether that's right or wrong but like I don't want to make judgments on their X's and O's based off of the preseason if that's the case right that feels like I'm cutting my nose off despite my face just to have an opinion. As far as the leadership goes I have a great deal of admiration for both the coaching staff and the front office there's a matter of factness with both of those personas within this organization right now. John ourselves and talking about Quin yours and so when I decided that it needed to be done I was convicted and we did it right it's a the performance wasn't where it needed to be. Jeff Hathley talking about some guys you get tough love for consistency and for other guys you know that they if they get praise I think you know it's because the praise has been earned by what they've been doing and how they bought into this program. I think that's kind of the early signs of what we can reliably take from the coaching

20:46staff and the general manager but like there's been some admirably honest and transparent talking points and conversations about players on the team or formally on the team that just kind of say it as it is and I think you as if you're a player in that environment you have to you can't help but respect it you might not agree with it but you have to respect it and they're being open with you about what they're feeling instead of pulling wool over your eyes or telling what you what you want to hear. Question from Russell on the other side of the break along with whatever we can get from the live chat we're pushing three figures on a Friday morning I assume some of you guys get a little break from Friday morning in the workroom comes swing by leave a question we'll get as many as we can here as we wrap up power to the pot our fan mailbag episode of lock down dolphins make sure you guys sequence. Before the season even kicks off everyone is making predictions who wins the division

21:49who makes the playoffs who's lifting the trophy at seasons and on call she americans number one prediction market platform you can trade those predictions in a live market one of the big things about the dolphins is finishing with the first overall pick and where will this team find its wins and the strength the schedule and all the young players like we've talked about they're currently sitting as the second most likely team behind the ears and cardinals for you to buy into position to finish with the number on over I will not be buying this position but call she allows you to trade against peers in a live market on just about anything there's no house as probabilities change you to buy in and out of your position trade the draft pick the game and more on call she download the call she used code lock they're going on to get $10 when you trade $10 KALSH I call she trade on anything 18 plus only restrictions and eligibility requirements to apply event contract trading involves risk and may not be suitable for all investors call she products are not available in all jurisdictions prices values available markets may differ from

22:51those mentioned for more information see call she calm slash regulatory. I pop this caffeine open 28 to minutes and 40 seconds ago and I haven't had a sip yet so just give me a second to catch on right you guys can finish typing in your comments. If you last questions from yesterday's show Russell wants to go about comic court comic court had a fantastic preseason but scoted so did scholar Thompson once upon a time he who she'll not be named bottom line do you think he could be a proficient backup and capable spot starter can you compliment all with Don struck productively speaking if not stylistically. I'm not going to come to Don struck what I will do is I will say calmer court I like significantly better coming out of Syracuse than what I like scholar Thompson when Skyward Thompson came out of Kansas State and I've been doing draft evaluation

23:52since 2013. Skyler was a little bit more toolsy but I didn't think had anywhere near the operational proficiency that that calm a chord between his year to house state what he did last his last year at Syracuse brings to the table. Do I think he can be a proficient backup and a capable spot starter that was about the ceiling that I had on my projection in the draft process when he came out that year. The tape from this year in Green Bay was phenomenal but you do acknowledge that it is against non starters and lower levels competition what I appreciated though was he had multiple instances of like two minute off end situations. It's situational stuff you gotta go tempo you're gonna get a drive starter and get a chunk rolling. You gotta make good decisions you gotta not take negative plays you gotta throw the ball away if you have to you gotta manage the clock you're gonna work the sideline. He did all that stuff as a second year player I thought it was a great illustration not the level of talent at the situations where he executed to get

24:55points and had several successful two minute off end situations in this year's preseason. I think this is a great testament to kind of the polish that he brings to the game that I don't think Skyler ever had as a quarterback. I was gonna say this questions from C from Miami. Having what seems to be a talented offensive line are we comfortable thinking this unit can push and create holes in the running game and can they have the same results in past protection defensively or opponents likely to attack the past. Have a nice extended holiday weekend you you did what I did to Jeff Hathley that one time you used knock four questions in here. Let me focus on the offensive line part first Jeff I feel you're paying down my apologies again for hitting you with with too many questions at one shot. Are we comfortable thinking this unit can push and create holes for the running game. Yes I think if the projected starting five is out there with consistency I think they are going to create a lot of movement at the point of attack. Double teams duo gap

26:01scheme pinniple washing guys out you get Kazmeric out there. Yes I'm pretty confident in that element of what this this unit is capable of doing. Well they have the same results in past protection I will say they they probably will face less ferocious foreman rushes because of what Malik willis athletic ability threatens I think you as a past rush unit collectively. You probably have to be a little bit more passive and cognizant of your rush lanes as compared to in past years in Miami it's just there's your aiming point it's eight yards of depth go get it any means necessary and if you give up the edge of get outside contain we don't think they're going to consistently hit plays outside of structure. Luther was enough I think Dolphin Louie here Luther is the user named Dolphin Louie you think the Dolphins made a mistake by not trading for a more veteran receiver do you think this young

27:02trio can carry the team. Yeah I would have certainly been in on like the Don Tavian wixes of the world he went to Philadelphia and he had what sounds like a really nice summer in Philadelphia is they've kind of transitioned away from age 8 brown I think wicks still would have been young enough that they could have kept him as a long term piece within the room. I will say I think they probably feel like they got surplus value from where they drafted Chris Bell they have a conviction in Caleb Douglas I think Malik Washington is not regarded the way that he should be because of how he was used last year I don't think he's a world beater by any means but if he told me he's a sufficient level starting wider C ride I'd say I can get in line with that. So is it it's kind of to make the analogy again constructed like what it was in Green Bay when they first went to Jordan love and Malik Willis mentioned this when he was talking to Jarvis Landry and Leonard Fornet he said we could just I could just kind of work progressions now right it's like I don't feel

28:06like I have to feed this guy the ball or that guy the ball I'll work my progression and if I work my full field progression somebody's probably to be open if I do so on time and in the instances in which there's not I'll use my legs and we'll try to make something happen crash wants to know if Austin Jackson can stay healthy can Austin Jackson stay healthy is the biggest question along with the drop off in town we have back offensive linemen that we lose for any length of time I at least think Kate and Wallace gives you potential upside now big transition in scheme and points of emphasis but yes I would generally agree and when it was Jamari Salier back in June I had kind of tab Jamari Salier is the most important non starter on the roster because of those questions for Austin. What do I have a few okay. Don which scenario would you rather see unfold our first three

29:07draft picks are each great all play great but Willis shows he's not an NFL starting quarterback. Our first three draft picks all play horribly but Willis plays great improves he's the quarterback moving forward. Let's assume the dolphins win seven games in each scenario and pick 15th overall. Well if you're telling me I can get three players at guard off ball linebacker and corner. To play great but we don't have a starting quarterback and then we win seven we win seven games and we pick 15. Any scenario my opinion where you find out that the quarterback that you're you seem to have some conviction in and belief in ends up not giving you any reason at all to believe in him is the worst case scenario now I think the good news is yeah I think he gave me a little bit too much leash here because if you tell me Malik Willis shows he's in an NFL starting quarterback and doesn't play

30:07well this season I don't think when it's seven games I'd love to see what that script look like. Sammy hot take perhaps you'd be asked unlock the flesk outing. Do I look like Wesley from Princess bride I've gotten a few I've gotten car ledwards the former NASCAR racer I've gotten Ethan hawk those are probably the two I get Kevin Bacon young Kevin like foot loose Kevin Bacon which I don't see versus those other two so I've gotten some but Wesley from Princess bride's probably not super high up on the list. Let's get some of these live questions here rapid fire style since you guys are all hanging out with me here. Marcus isn't this the best time of year unreal football for five months yes unequivocally this is the best time of year because of his football season. Marcus also wants to know do you think we'll see a lot of big edge fronts with herring or biggers or sealer outside with only one true past rusher

31:09chop or uche I think this was more likely when Traymore was available I don't know that you have another player like that so I think that's the biggest question that I have about seeing some of these big end fronts is it's probably in a base four three where that Sam linebacker is walk down and he's stand up outside of that player and then if they motion and you have to bump and shift the front you would roll that Sam linebacker back to play stack and your will linebacker would then walk out and play on the hash that's I think where that front would be most likely to exist I don't know that you have another player like that which rookie Robert which rookie do you think makes the biggest impact first uh came proctor you know run the ball stylistically he's gonna play on every down back and really displace people and I think it's gonna give you a totally different tonality up front uh should we be worried about our backups from jay fin knowing the playback

32:10I think it's a fair question Sullivan was asked this and he said you know it's it is a risk we do have to make an uncomfortable decision but if we're not getting performance out of the guys that are here sitting on guys that know it that we know aren't getting the job done is me not doing my job which I had a great deal of appreciation for him to say that out loud let's see Thunder dog what would a successful season for Malik Willis look like stat wise for you with this group that he's with give me 30 32 to 3500 yards passing give me 20 plus touchdowns with 12 or fewer interceptions give me 500 plus receiving yards and then however any rushing touchdowns you want to get him like that for me would be an unequivocally statistically successful season I think he could still have a successful campaign without those numbers because of the overall situation that that goes back to being able to evaluate the collective group how's our defensive line line up with the Raiders offense especially the lines it's a next week question I like

33:17where your head's at though Gregory has no question but both prediction is that this draft is going to go down as the dolphins best draft ever I'm not about a job but I'd be you could sign me up for best draft that were and I think they do have a lot of young players that have a chance to stake a long term claim in the starting lineup I think that's one of the most exciting things for me for this season Jimmy Neutron man that's some nasty business I gotta shut it down after that got called Jimmy Neutron on my own show let me know who your your doppeldanger choices but please don't say Jimmy Neutron that's gonna do it for us I gotta run out of here I'm out of time here Kyle Krabs appreciate you guys checking out like don't dolphins it is your team every day make it a great rest your Friday we'll talk again soon fins up Jimmy Neutron oh Hey NFL fans I'm Brian Peacock and that is Matt Williamson hosts of the NFL six pack part of the Lockdown podcast network your team every day NFL six pack brings you the latest NFL news

34:22and analysis and breaks down all of the weekly action a six pack of takes daily on the playoff pushed in the 2025 season or if your team's in draft mode yeah we'll hit that too all right here every day I'm the Lockdown podcast network the NFL six pack subscribe on YouTube or everywhere you get your podcasts