Saturday Dolphins Mailbag: Injuries, Ingold, Gesicki, Wilson, and More
Part 2 of the pre-Lions game SI Fan Nation All Dolphins mailbag:
From Dug-E-Fresssh (@fluflu3):
Alain, considering the profound implications that injuries have on a team, one would imagine that they invest everything possible to ensure starters are healthy. So, when teams have tons of injuries is it more about team investment or just bad luck?
Hey Dug, I think the best way to look at this is to examine the type of injuries that are occurring. Concussion, torn ACL, high ankle sprain (assuming that’s what sidelined Austin Jackson), torn Achilles. Those are the result of bad luck, plain and simple.
From Big Ern McDolphin (@dana_buice):
Hey my friend, who is the most underrated Miami Dolphins player?
Hey Dana, that’s a very good question and one that’s a bit tough to answer for someone who watches everything the team does. To answer this, I have to ask first who’s rated highly or not highly on this team. For a long time, Zach Sieler was the answer here, but I think folks have come around to realize the dude is a really good player. Outside of him, I think maybe I’d go with Trent Sherfield, who’s just a very solid player, or go back to Andrew Van Ginkel, whose game I’ve liked since he got to Miami.
From Jorge boyd (@raga1922):
Hi Alain, I don't like that we don't have a third-and-short RB; why can't we use the fulback Alec Ingold as the third-and-short guy?
Hey Jorge, the Dolphins already have done that once or twice this season when he’s lined up in a lead blocking position. The problem with using that play too often is that defenses are going to start recognizing it, focus on him at the snap and stuff him more easily. And I don’t know that he’s got the first step to line up deep in the backfield. So that’s the issue there. But I do get your point that it would be nice to have a big back to handle those third-and-short runs.
From John Flora (@Capt_Cavephin):
What does EZ have to do to get himself active on game day?
Hey John, this is pretty simple and comes straight from wide receivers coach Wes Welker: Erik Ezukanma has to sharpen his knowledge of his position and the entire offense. The last time he spoke, Welker said he could trust EZ right now to play one specific position on offense, but the coaches want a better understanding of everyone’s role in case of injury.
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From Brandon Quinn (via email):
First, appreciate your work. You have to be the most underappreciated NFL beat writer going. Two ?’s: A) why was Pickett practicing/playing days after a confirmed concussion not a national story, juxtaposed with the Bridgewater nonsense? B) Packers are looking for a cheap WR threat. Wilson is buried on the depth chart with a fairly friendly contract. Why no trade chatter? Rather see him moved than Gesicki, who should just play slot WR over Sherfield and abandon the TE ruse...
Hey Brandon, two very good questions (of course, I would say that after the compliment you paid me LOL). All joking aside, I’ll start with the Pickett/concussion issue and tell you that it wasn’t a bigger story because every concussion will be treated differently based on severity and history, and the fact that Bridgewater had two concussions last year while with Denver likely made medical personnel more cautious with him. Secondly, you make a great point about trading Wilson instead of Gesicki, except that Gesicki is a much more accomplished player with much bigger trade value. I’m not exactly sure what Wilson would bring as trade compensation considering he’s been relegated to pretty much fourth or fifth wide receiver in Miami.
From Dave (@angryvet59):
Why isn't Ingold more involved in the short-yardage situations? Thanks for the fantastic reporting Alain!
Hey Dave, thanks very much. I seem to see Ingold on the field pretty much all the time in short-yardage situations, so I’m thinking you mean “involved,” as in getting the ball. As mentioned earlier, handing to the ball to the fullback can’t be done all the time or it’s going to lose its effectiveness. We could make the argument to throw him the ball coming out of the backfield, though.
From Parham Nabatian (via email):
1. Why doesn’t Mike take the points? Love his coaching but we’re not a high-powered offense. Taking points will help us get to playoffs and potential home field. 2. What’s up with Edmonds? He can’t catch. When do we replace him with Ahmed or Gaskin? They looked good last year. 3. Why doesn’t Mike run more screens, reverses and Kyle Shanahan-style plays? Are we missing the personnel?
Hey Parham, multiple questions, so rapid-fire answers: 1. Can’t agree with you more on that one. It was to me a failure to recognize the situation, and that involved facing a team with a mediocre offense and bypassing taking a two-score lead. Had we been talking about Buffalo or K.C., then maybe. But not Pittsburgh. 2. Edmonds is just going through a rough stretch. He’s a solid player. Being that the Dolphins went out and signed him, they’ll give him every chance to succeeed, but if this continues I could see Salvon Ahmed getting some time. 3. That’s a very good question when it comes to reverses because that, to me, is a great way of getting the ball into the hands of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. I do see a lot of WR screens, though not as many to the running backs and I wouldn’t mind seeing Raheem Mostert catching more of those.
From Flipper13 (@Flipper13):
Who is the #2 QB?
Hey Flipper, not quite sure there should be any doubt about this, but it’s Teddy Bridgewater. Yes, Skylar Thompson showed a lot of promise in camp and didn’t look bad at all in his time in the game against Minnesota (was badly hurt by penalties), but there’s a reason the Dolphins gave Bridgewater a $6.5 million guaranteed contract. And before anybody starts pointing at his stats from this year, understand that he hasn’t yet had the chance to play a full game where he prepped the whole week as the starter.
From Jawn (@Pandamonium1239):
Is there anyone out there, whether it be free agency or trade that can fill a major need for us to try to push through and hopefully get in the playoffs?
Hey Jawn, let me first say that I think the Dolphins absolutely can make the playoffs with the roster they currently have, even after the injuries to Nik Needham and Brandon Jones. If you’re looking for names of veterans who really could help this team, I think you’d have to look at the cornerback positions and players like Greedy Williams, Sidney Jones or perhaps William Jackson III who could be available via trade. I know it’s a popular idea to want a really good tackle in case something happens to sideline Terron Armstead, but the two problems there are that A) Armstead is a top-five guy at this position and you just don’t replace him; and B) no team is giving up a stud tackle in the middle of the season.
From Lloyd Heilbrunn (@LloydHeilbrunn):
Can Dan Campbell bench press Mike McDaniel?
Hey Lloyd, cute. I will say this, when it comes to NFL head coaches and body types, not sure you can find two more polar opposites that Campbell and McDaniel. What’s more fascinating to me is the contrast in terms of style, Campbell being the boisterous old-school “rah-rah” guy and McDaniel being the low-key cerebral guy.
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