The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

So, on a whim today, I decided to preview the 53 man roster and see what we were working with.  To my surprise, we only carry 4 wide receivers.  That seems incredibly thin to me.  I guess we just can't run 5 wide?  Or do we have some RBs or TEs that are essentially slot players, as well...

Did anyone else think that this was pretty odd?

I find that odd also.  Maybe that was part of the plan when they signed FB Tyler Clutts.  He, apparently, played a lot of WR when he was in Chicago in 2011.

Thigpen can play WR and when Miami goes 5 WR or either Clay or Egnew will line up as a WR.

It's not that difficult to "make"  a 5 WR set out of the players we have on the roster...   

They've already been using Thigpen as a wide receiver instead of running back so listing him as a RB is kind of disingenuous at this point.

Ireland is a moron, how do you trade Devon Bess for nothing & then not replace him? Please don't tell me Wallace or Gibson is his replacement? Wallace is an upgrade and Gibson is just ok, Bess could be counted on to make the catch.... Ireland moved up 7 spots in the 4th round & got the 164th for our 217th pick.... We don't have decent T.E. on the squad, and you guys talk about using our F.B. or one of our R.B.'s as receiver? Shame on you

Yeah, the Bess trade is looking pretty dumb right now.

^^ I didn't like the trade when it happened, but I see why.  At this point, having Bess and Gibson on the team would mean one of them doesn't play.  Personally, I don't care.  I didn't like the deal at the time and I still don't.

Not only that but Gibson can play in multiple receiver spots.  Bess couldn't.  He just wasn't Philbin's prototypical receiver.  Add to the fact that he sat out the final three games of 2012 when the coaches thought he was healthy enough to go and it's pretty obvious why they got rid of him.

I'm with you guys. I think Bess is the missing piece. We could have won the Super Bowl this year had he still been on our roster.

Am I missing something or are you guys portraying super star status on an average player? I liked Bess just fine but he really wasn't a difference maker.

Here here CF. I like Bess but he was not what people are making him out to be. He was a good (nowhere near great if you use Welker as an example) slot receiver who could not play out wide.

Bess wouldn't have accepted the role of the #4 WR as he was heading into a contract year. He probably would have held out and/or made a stink. Plus he was seen as a "locker room lawyer" in the mold of Dansby, Long, Bush...and Philbin wanted all of those guys gone to put his stamp on this team. That's why he was replaced by Gibson and then traded to Cleveland.

Not to mention he couldn't play all of the WR positions which limited this offense in packages they were running

I think Philbin fell "out of love" with Bess as a player and that's why he's gone.  End of the day there's no other explanation required.  Coach didn't like him.  Period.

That's a big part of it but there are many other reasons as I listed above.

Although a new "LEADERSHIP COUNCIL" was announced yesterday
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-dolphins/fl-dolphins-notes-0903-20130902,0,1059951.story

Can't tell whether this is sarcasm or not. Seems like it to me, but I usually disagree with Spider so I'm guessing not.

Based solely on how last year's "Leadership Council" ended up (out the door and down the road), that might be an appointment that I'd politely try to decline. ;)

Bess was a clear upgrade over everyone that was cut.

Especially considering the majority of the guys on it this year are also carryovers from the Sparano era.

Geez, we better get rid of Philbin now before the new Leadership Council is traded/released next off-season.

I think you and MikeO are right, same reason Bush wasn't even offered a contract.  Most coaches want the star players to be guys that they picked, so they can take the credit.  I just hate to see decent players let go without a proven replacement, unless they are trouble makers.

^^^ I don;t buy this theory for one second. Most coaches want to win and that is the most important factor.

most coaches want to win with "their guys" and players that they aren't in love with they kick to the curb. And it isn't like Bess was Jerry Rice so trading him in the final year of his deal was an easy decision. Especially since Bess wouldn't play in the final 3 games in which the coaching staff felt he was healthy.  Bess wrote his own ticket out of town.

It is also pretty important to point out that while Philbin has input, he is not the GM. Jeff Ireland has the final say on these moves anyway.